JP3443447B2 - Optional paper feeder - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optional sheet feeding device attached to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile, a laser printer, a printing machine and an electronic blackboard.
It

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For an image forming apparatus having a main body sheet feeding device having a sheet feeding roller at the bottom of the image forming apparatus main body,
It is known that an optional paper feeding device having a paper feeding roller is attached below the main body of the device to selectively feed paper. For example, in the case of a printer or the like, sheets of different sizes are stored in each sheet feeding device, and a sheet of a desired size is automatically selected and fed. In this type of image forming apparatus, the sheets sent from the main body sheet feeding device and the optional sheet feeding device initially pass through different transport paths, but pass through the same location from the grip roller or the registration roller. Therefore,
If the axis of the paper feed roller of the optional paper feeder to be installed later is not kept parallel to the axes of the transport roller and registration roller, the paper fed from the paper feeder will often have skew or wrinkle. There is a problem.

In order to solve this problem, conventionally, the accuracy of mounting the optional sheet feeding device has been increased, and the conventional method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-221.
The optional sheet feeder described in Japanese Patent No. 17034,
Positioning members are provided at the four corners of the upper surface to enhance the positioning accuracy between the image forming apparatus main body and the optional sheet feeding apparatus main body.

[0004]

However, if the parallelism between the axis of the sheet feeding roller and the axis of the conveying roller or the registration roller is slightly different, the optional sheet feeding device may skew or wrinkle the fed sheet. Since it is likely to occur, positioning must be performed strictly for parallelism. In particular, in the case of an optional sheet feeding device that feeds a sheet with the central reference, the parallelism described above requires fairly precise positioning of the parallelism. However, in the above-mentioned conventional positioning method, there are two positions, that is, the positioning accuracy between the image forming apparatus main body and the optional sheet feeding apparatus main body and the accuracy of the optional sheet feeding apparatus itself, that is, the positioning accuracy between the apparatus main body and the sheet feeding roller. Razz Do to be adjusted to enhance the accuracy, parallelism accuracy was also likely to be deteriorated by stacking component tolerances.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, the present invention provides a highly accurate parallelism of the axis of the sheet feeding roller of the attached optional sheet feeder with respect to the axis of the conveying roller or the registration roller of the image forming apparatus. , Positionable option
An object is to provide a paper feeding device .

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is directed to an image forming apparatus provided with a main body sheet feeding device having a sheet feeding roller at a lower portion of the image forming apparatus main body, and is provided below the image forming apparatus main body. In an optional sheet feeding device having a sheet feeding roller attached to the sheet feeding device, a supporting member for supporting the sheet feeding roller of the optional sheet feeding device and the supporting member are optional.
Secure it by tightening it on the left and right side plates of the main body of the paper feeder.
Fixing means, and the support member tightens the fixing means.
The left and right sides of the optional paper feeder main body
It becomes a temporarily fixed state that can swing with respect to the plate.
Sometimes, it consists of a body and a slide part,
The paper feed roller shaft of the optional paper feed unit is
Positioning hole and the main body parallel to the axis of the positioning hole.
The set hole into which the shaft of the paper feed roller of the paper feeder is inserted is shaped.
After positioning with the positioning tool,
By tightening the means,
The axis of the paper roller is parallel to the axis of the paper feed roller of the main unit
It is characterized by being positioned .

[0007]

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is directed to an image forming apparatus provided with a main body sheet feeding device having a sheet feeding roller below a main body of the image forming apparatus.
An option with a paper feed roller mounted below the body
In the sheet feeding device, a support member that supports the sheet feeding roller of the optional sheet feeding device and the supporting member are temporarily fixed to the left and right side plates of the optional sheet feeding device in a swingable state,
And a fixing means capable of fixing the support member,
Tentative fixing that can swing to the left and right side plates of the main unit
At the time of the state, it consists of the main body and the slide part,
Insert the paper feed roller shaft of the optional paper feeder into the ride section
The positioning hole and the axis that is inserted in the reference pin
Positioning with a set hole parallel to the axis of the female hole
Depending on the tool, the axis of the feed roller of the optional
It is characterized by being decided .

Further, in order to solve the above problems, the present invention is characterized in that a handle is provided on the support member.

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides that the fixing means is a screw, and the operating portion of the screw is exposed on the outer surface of the left and right side plates of the main body of the optional sheet feeding device. It has a feature.

[0011]

According to the above construction, the sheet feeding roller of the optional sheet feeding device is supported by the supporting member, and the supporting member is temporarily fixed to the main body of the optional sheet feeding device in a swingable state. Position the paper feed roller of the optional paper feeder from the position of the paper feed roller via the positioning tool, and after positioning,
The support member is fixed to the main body of the optional paper feeder,
Since the positioning of the paper feed roller of the optional paper feeder is adjusted in advance with high accuracy parallel to the axis of the transport roller and registration roller, the paper feed roller of the main paper feeder is used. The paper feed roller can be positioned with high precision.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a laser printer to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a sheet feeding device portion thereof. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the device body 10 is an upper structure 1.
0a and the lower structure 10b, and the upper structure 10a
Is attached to the lower structure 10b by a hinge 11 so as to be openable and closable. A belt-shaped photoreceptor 12 is provided in the apparatus main body 10 in a substantially central region thereof.

Around the photoconductor 12, a charging device 13, a developing device 14, a transfer device 15, and a cleaning device 16 are arranged in the order of the driving direction. An optical writer 17 is arranged above the charger 13 and the cleaner 16.
Below the apparatus main body 10, a paper feed cassette 18 of a main body paper feed device 19 is arranged.

As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 2, the cut sheet P sent out from the sheet feeding cassette 18 by the sheet feeding roller 20 in the direction of the arrow A has the pair of registration rollers 22 shown in FIG. And is conveyed to the lower side of the photoconductor 12 in a timely manner. The photoconductor 12 is driven counterclockwise as shown by the arrow, and at that time, the surface thereof is uniformly charged by the charger 13, and
Laser light L from 7 is emitted to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface. This latent image is visualized by the toner when passing through the developing device 14. Then, this visible image is transferred onto the upper surface of the paper P conveyed below the photoconductor 12 by the transfer device 15.
Is transferred by. The sheet P on which the visible image is transferred is guided by the conveyance guide 23, and the heating roller 2 of the fixing device 24
5 and the pressure roller 26 are conveyed to the nip portion to fix the visible image. Then, the paper P that has left the fixing device 24 is further conveyed by the paper discharge roller pair 27, and is discharged in the direction of arrow B through the paper discharge switching claw 28.

On the other hand, the photoreceptor 12 after the transfer of the visible image
The residual toner is removed by the cleaning device 16, and then the charge is removed by the charge removing device 29 to prepare for the next printing.

An optional sheet feeder 50 is arranged below the main body of the laser printer. The internal configuration of the optional sheet feeding device 50 is the same as that of the sheet feeding device 1 of the apparatus body 10.
9 is almost the same as the paper feeding cassette 51 and the paper feeding roller 5
The cut paper P sent in the direction of arrow D by 2
An image is formed and transferred by the pull-out roller pair 53 through the conveyance path provided in the paper feed cassette 18 of the apparatus main body 10 in the direction of arrow C, the grip roller pair 21, and the same process as above. Therefore, when a paper feed command is issued, either the main body paper feed device 19 or the optional paper feed device 50 is selected to feed paper.

As described above, since the paper P fed by the optional paper feeding device 50 is conveyed after the grip roller pair 21 in the same manner as the paper P fed by the main body paper feeding device 19,
If the parallelism between the paper feed roller 52 of the optional paper feed device 50 and the grip roller 21 and the registration roller 22 is not accurately maintained, skew or wrinkle of the paper may occur. When the optional sheet feeding device 50 is installed on the apparatus body 10, the corresponding holes (not shown) of the apparatus body 10 are fitted to the positioning pins (not shown) provided on the upper end surface of the optional sheet feeding device 50. I am making it . Therefore, the optional sheet feeding device 50 is accurately attached to the apparatus main body 10, but in order to keep the parallelism between the sheet feeding roller 52 and the grip roller 21 and the registration roller 22 with high precision with this positioning precision. However, the precision of the parts and the assembling precision must be extremely high, which is not sufficient in view of tolerances and the like, and a device having poor parallelism between the rollers may appear.

Therefore, in the present invention, an optional sheet feeding device is used by using the sheet feeding roller 20 of the main body sheet feeding device 19 in which the precision of the parallelism with the grip roller 21 and the registration roller 22 is maintained in advance by adjustment or the like. the paper feed roller 52 of the 50 have been accuracy better positioning, it will be further described.

In FIG. 3, the left and right roller shafts 52a of the paper feed roller 52 of the optional paper feed device 50 are rotatably sandwiched between brackets 153 and 154, and the brackets 153 and 154 are attached to the stay 160 by screws 1 respectively.
Stopped at 29. Drive shaft 1 of this paper feed roller 52
The D-shaped hole (not shown) is formed in the roller shaft 52a on the side where the 55 is inserted, and the milling surface 1 of the drive shaft 155 is formed.
The drive is transmitted by inserting 55a into the hole.

In this way, as shown in FIG. 4, the stay 160 to which the paper feed roller 52 is attached has screws 58, 5 on the left and right side plates 170, 171 of the optional paper feed device 50.
Fixed at 9. At this time, the fixing holes 170a and 171a for the stay 160 of the left and right side plates 170 and 171 are formed larger than the diameters of the screws 58 and 59 as the fixing means. Therefore, the screws 58 and 59 are fixed to the fixing holes 170a and 17a.
In the temporarily fixed state where the stay 160 is lightly screwed into the screw holes 160a and 160b of the stay 160 through the 1a, the stay 160 is screwed with the screw 5
There is rattling due to the difference between the diameters of 8, 59 and the diameters and sizes of the fixing holes 170a, 171a, and the rattling amount constitutes an adjustable width by which the sheet feeding roller 52 can swing.

When the optional paper feeding device 50 is attached to the apparatus main body 10, the main paper feeding device 19 and the side plate on the paper feeding roller side of the optional paper feeding device 50 are removed in advance. At this time, the screws 58 and 59 for fixing the stay 160 are loosened and temporarily fixed, and the jig 6 as a positioning tool is set here.
The position of the paper feed roller 52 is determined by using 0. As shown in FIG. 5, the jig 60 is composed of a main body 61 and a slide portion 62 that can slide laterally with high precision on the main body 61. The main body 61 and the slide portion 62 have a paper feed roller 52, respectively. A positioning hole 60b into which the shaft 52a is inserted and a set hole 60a into which a reference pin of the main body sheet feeding device 19 is inserted.
Is provided. In this case, the axes of the setting holes 60a of the main body 61 and the slide portion 62 are aligned with the positioning holes 60
The parallelism with the axis of b is maintained with high precision.

The positioning of the paper feed roller 52 is adjusted by setting the reference pin of the paper feed device 19 in the setting hole 60a of the jig 60,
In this embodiment, after setting the shaft 20a of the paper feed roller 20, the slide portion 62 is operated to insert the shaft 52a of the paper feed roller 52 into the positioning hole 60b. After that, screws 58, 59
Is fastened and the stay 160 is fixed to the side plates 170 and 171. Then, by removing the jig 60, the positioning of the paper feed roller 52 is completed.

Thus, the paper feed roller 52 can be positioned by the above-described simple operation, and in this case, the axis of the paper feed roller 52 is kept in good parallelism with the grip roller 21 and the registration roller 22 in advance. Main body paper feeding device 19
Since it is parallel to the axis of the paper feeding roller 20 with high precision, it is possible to prevent the skew and wrinkles of the paper P fed from the optional paper feeding device 50. Further, since the screws 58 and 59 for fixing the stay 160 are operated from the outside of the side plates 170 and 171 of the optional sheet feeding device 50,
Tightening and slackening operations are extremely easy.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the stay 160 to which the paper feed roller 52 is attached. In this example, the stay 160 is provided with grips 160a and 160b.

With this structure, the paper feed roller 52 is attached to the jig 6
If the handle 160a, 160b is used to adjust the position to 0, the operation is simple and the fine adjustment is easy.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and various modifications can be made. For example, in the above embodiment, the positioning is performed from the axis of the sheet feeding roller of the main body sheet feeding device, but a reference pin parallel to the axis of the sheet feeding roller of the main body sheet feeding device may be provided and aligned with the pin. Moreover, as long as the jig can be aligned with the axis of the sheet feeding roller of the sheet feeding device, an appropriate jig can be used.

By the way, the material of the paper feed roller 52 is made of an elastic member such as rubber, and the coefficient of friction and the outer diameter are reduced with the lapse of time, so that the paper feed performance is deteriorated. Before such a state occurs, it is necessary to replace the paper feed roller 52 and maintain the paper feed performance. Paper feed roller 5
2 can be replaced by screws 129 on the left bracket 154 of FIG.
Is loosened and slid to the left, only the paper feed roller 52 is pulled out, a new paper feed roller is set, the left bracket 154 is returned to the original position, and the screw 129 is tightened.

[0028]

According to the structure of claim 1, optional salary is provided.
The axis of the paper feed roller of the paper unit is
Since it is positioned parallel to the axis, it can be
The paper feed roller can be positioned with high accuracy and its adjustment
It can be done easily.

[0029]

[0030]

According to the second aspect of the invention, since the handle is provided on the supporting member, the operation of adjusting the sheet feeding roller becomes easy.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the fixing means is a screw, and the operating portion of the screw is exposed on the outer surface of the left and right side plates of the main body of the optional sheet feeding device. Can be done easily.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic end view of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the paper feeding unit of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing attachment of a paper feed roller of an optional paper feed device.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing fixing of a stay to which a paper feeding roller is attached.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a positioning operation.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Device body 19 Main unit paper feeder 20 paper feed rollers 50 optional paper feeder 52 paper feed roller 58, 59 screws 60 jig 160 stay 160a, 160b handles 170,171 Side plate 170a, 171a fixing holes

Front page continuation (72) Inventor Kazutoshi Oga 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-5-17034 (JP, A) Mitsuihei 1-172534 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65H 1/00-3/68

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus including a main body sheet feeding device having a sheet feeding roller at a lower portion of the main body of the image forming apparatus,
In an optional sheet feeding device having a sheet feeding roller attached to the lower part of the apparatus main body, a supporting member for supporting the sheet feeding roller of the optional sheet feeding device, and the supporting member on the left and right side plates of the optional sheet feeding device main body.
A fixing means for fixing by tightening,
The member is operated by loosening the tightening of the fixing means.
Tentative fixing that can swing to the left and right side plates of the main unit
State, and the main body and slide part
Comprising an optional paper feeder on the body and slide
The positioning hole into which the shaft of the paper feed roller of
The axis of the paper feed roller of the main body paper feed device that is parallel to the axis of the female hole
For a positioning tool that has a set hole for inserting
Therefore, after positioning, tighten the fixing means.
If the axis of the paper feed roller of the optional paper feed unit
Characterized by being positioned parallel to the axis of the paper feeding roller
And optional paper feeder. 2. The optional sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein a handle is provided on the support member. 3. The option feeder according to claim 1, wherein the fixing means is a screw, and an operating portion of the screw is exposed on an exterior surface of the left and right side plates of the main body of the optional sheet feeding device. Paper equipment.