JP3564253B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a copying machine, relates a facsimile, a printer, an image forming equipment of a printing machine or the like, in particular, the multi-stage paper feed tray in the lower portion of the apparatus main body is disposed, attaching and detaching the paper feed tray from the front of the apparatus main body front The present invention relates to a sheet conveying device applied to a sheet feeding type image forming apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As the speed of the copier increases, the capacity of the sheet feeding device is also required to be increased, and a sheet feeding device in which a multi-stage sheet feeding tray is arranged at a lower portion of the apparatus main body is generally used.
In a paper transport device of a copying machine equipped with such a paper feeder, an image forming section (charge, exposure, development, transfer, separation, cleaning of the photoconductor and its surroundings) generally located above a paper feed tray is generally used. Etc.), a substantially vertical transport path (first transport path) for transporting the sheet to the fixing unit downstream thereof, and a substantially horizontal transport path (second transport path) following the transport path. are doing. A transport guide plate is provided between the first and second transport paths for reversing the paper (turning the paper at a substantially right angle).
On the other hand, in the case of a copier equipped with a large-capacity sheet feeding device having a multi-stage sheet feeding tray as described above, a so-called front sheet feeding tray is opened by opening a front door (front side) of the apparatus body and attaching and detaching the sheet feeding tray. The paper method has become common. By employing such a front sheet feeding method, an optional external sheet feeding device can be further mounted on a side surface of the apparatus main body.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, when the optional external paper feeder is installed in the copier as described above, and paper is to be fed from this external paper feeder, the transport guide plate dedicated to the external paper feeder is newly transported. It must be provided in the device, which is costly and has a disadvantage that the mechanism is complicated.
[0004]
A first object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of enabling paper feeding from an external paper feeding device without providing a transport guide plate dedicated to the external paper feeding device.
A second object of the present invention is to make it possible to feed paper from an external paper feeder without providing a transport guide plate dedicated to the external paper feeder, and the transport guide plate also serves as an outer cover. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which the inside of the apparatus main body can be seen from the outside even if it does not pose a problem in terms of safety standards and appearance.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A first object of the present invention is to provide a paper feeder having a manual feed tray and a transport guide plate for receiving a sheet from a paper feed system provided below and reversing the transport direction of the sheet . a protrusion inclined upward toward the outer side in the apparatus main body of the apparatus main body to the tip provided to have a conveying path from the sheet feeding apparatus external of the apparatus main body outside the protruding portion, the external sheet feed The problem is solved by a first means in which the apparatus is provided below the manual paper feed tray .
The second problem is the first means, the conveying guide plate, is solved by a second means arranged removably cover member for covering the paper feed apparatus mounting opening external of the apparatus main body You.
[0006]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a paper transport device according to an embodiment in which an external paper feed device is not mounted, and FIG. 2 is a paper transport device according to an embodiment in which an external paper feed device is mounted. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an external paper feeder mounting portion.
[0007]
The apparatus main body 1 of the copying machine has an image reading unit 2 in an upper part, an image forming part 3 including a photosensitive drum and an electrophotographic process means in a lower part, and a fixing part 4, and further in a lower part thereof. It has two paper feed trays 5 and 6. Further, a detachable paper feeder 7 is provided on the bottom surface of the apparatus main body 1. The paper feeding device 7 also has two-stage paper feeding trays 8 and 9. Therefore, the copier has four paper feed trays.
A manual paper feed tray 10 is provided on one side of the apparatus main body 1, and a first paper discharge tray 11 is provided on the other side. The second and third discharge trays 12 and 13 are also provided in a space between the image reading unit 2, the image forming unit 3, and the fixing unit 4.
[0008]
A first paper transport path 21 that joins the papers sent from the paper feed trays 5, 6, 8, and 9 and transports the paper in a substantially vertical direction, as a paper transport path constituting the paper transport device; A second paper transport path 22 downstream of the transport path 21 for guiding the paper in a substantially horizontal direction toward the image forming unit 3 and the fixing unit 4, and a second and a third paper transport path in the apparatus main body 1. A third vertical paper transport path 23 is provided to face the paper discharge trays 12, 13.
Further, at a joint between the first paper transport path 21 and the second paper transport path 22, a transport guide plate 24 whose configuration will be described later with reference to FIG.
[0009]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an optional external paper feeder 25 is attached to the side of the apparatus main body 1 below the manual paper feeder 10 and on the same side as the manual paper feeder 10. It is supposed to be.
In the present invention, the transport guide plate 24 is provided with a transport guide function for paper fed from the external paper feeder 25.
[0010]
4 is a configuration diagram of the transport guide plate, FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of the transport guide plate in a state where a cover member is attached, and FIG. 6 is a view as viewed from A in FIG.
The transport guide plate 24 has a distal end projecting obliquely to the upper left (in FIG. 4), and a lower surface of the projected portion has a sheet (indicated by an arrow P <b> 1) conveyed through the first sheet transport path 21. The first guide surface 24a has a guide surface (first guide surface 24a), and the upper surface of the protruding portion has a guide surface (shown by an arrow P2) for paper (indicated by an arrow P2) fed from the external paper feeder 25. 2 guide surface 24b).
[0011]
As shown in FIG. 5, a cover member 26 is vertically attached to the upper portion of the transport guide plate 24. The cover member 26 serves to cover an opening formed on a side surface of the apparatus main body 1 serving as a mounting portion of the external paper supply apparatus 25 when the external paper supply apparatus 25 is not mounted on the apparatus main body 1.
[0012]
As shown in FIG. 6, elastic locking pieces 26a, 26a are provided on both sides of the cover member 26. The elastic locking pieces 26a, 26a allow the cover member 26 to move with respect to the transport guide plate 24. It can be attached and detached as needed.
When attaching the cover member 26 to the transport guide plate 24, the cover member 26 is pushed into the transport guide plate 24 from above while opening the elastic locking pieces 26a, 26a. Conversely, when removing the cover member 26 from the transport guide plate 24, the cover member 26 is pulled upward.
The paper guide surface (first guide surface 24a in FIG. 6) of the transport guide plate 24 is provided with a number of ribs 24c for reducing the frictional force between the paper and the guide surface.
[0013]
In the above-described embodiment, when the external sheet feeding device 25 is set outside the apparatus main body 1, the external sheet feeding device 25 has a sheet conveyance path from the sheet feeding trays 5, 6, 8, and 9 of the apparatus main body 1. Since the transport path (second guide surface 24b) for the paper fed from the external paper feeder 25 is set on the transport guide plate 24, the optional transport guide plate for the external paper feeder is optional. Need not be newly provided, and the same transport guide plate 24 can be used regardless of the presence or absence of the external paper feeder 25, so that the cost can be reduced and the apparatus can be simplified.
In addition, since the cover member for blindfolding when the external paper feeding device is not mounted is detachably provided on the transport guide plate, it is possible to prevent foreign substances from entering from outside, and it is safe to use. The appearance can be maintained, and the same transport guide plate can be used regardless of the presence or absence of the external paper feeder.
[0014]
【The invention's effect】
According to the invention of claim 1 Symbol placement, and enables the manual paper feeding tray and paper feeding external devices at the same time, and with conveying guide surfaces serve as the guide surfaces of the two transport paths, the sheet feeding apparatus external There is no need to newly provide a dedicated transport guide plate, and the same transport guide plate can be used regardless of the presence or absence of an external paper feeder, thereby reducing costs and simplifying the device. .
According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the cover member for blindfolding when the external sheet feeding device is not mounted is detachably provided on the transport guide plate, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering from outside. Therefore, it is safe to use and the appearance is not impaired, and the same transport guide plate can be used regardless of the presence or absence of the external paper feeder.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a sheet conveying device according to an embodiment in which an external sheet feeding device is not mounted.
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a sheet conveying device according to an embodiment with an external sheet feeding device mounted.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a mounting portion of the external paper feeding device.
FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a transport guide plate.
FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a transport guide plate with a cover member attached.
FIG. 6 is a view as viewed from A in FIG. 5;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Device main body 2 Image reading part 3 Image forming part 4 Fixing part 5, 6, 8, 9 Paper feed tray 7 Paper feeder 11 First discharge tray 12 Second discharge tray 13 Third discharge tray 21 First paper transport path 22 Second paper transport path 23 Third paper transport path 24 Transport guide plate 24a First guide surface 24b Second guide surface 25 External paper feeder 26 Cover member

Claims (2)

In a manual sheet feeding table, an image forming apparatus having a conveyance guide plate that receives a sheet from a sheet feeding system provided below and reverses a conveyance direction of the sheet.
At the tip of the transport guide plate , a protrusion is provided which is inclined upward from the outside of the apparatus body toward the inside of the apparatus body, and the protrusion has a transfer path from an external paper feeder outside the apparatus body , An image forming apparatus, wherein the external paper feeding device is provided below the manual paper feeding table . In claim 1 Symbol placement, the conveyance guide plate, the image forming apparatus characterized in that a cover member for covering the external sheet feeding apparatus mounting opening of the apparatus main body detachably.

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