JP3581611B2 - Paper feeder and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sheet feeding device in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile, and an image forming apparatus to which such a sheet feeding device is mounted. The present invention relates to a sheet feeding device as a large-capacity sheet storage device and an image forming apparatus to which such a sheet feeding device is mounted.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile, it is desired to reduce the size of the apparatus in order to reduce an installation space.
[0003]
On the other hand, with the speeding up of the apparatus, large-capacity images can be output in a short period of time.In recent years, it has been desired to increase the capacity of a sheet feeding apparatus such as a sheet storage apparatus in order to eliminate the trouble of sheet supply. Is coming.
[0004]
Therefore, in order to satisfy diversified user needs, it is preferable to provide a product configuration in which a large-capacity sheet feeding device can be installed as an option with respect to a downsized image forming apparatus main body.
[0005]
An example of the above-described conventional paper feeding device will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus in which a large-capacity sheet storage device as a conventional sheet feeding device is mounted.
[0006]
As shown in FIG. 10, a side deck 2 installed on a side of an image forming apparatus main body 1 is well known as a large-capacity sheet storage device installed as an option in the market.
[0007]
In FIG. 10, the storage 8e of the side deck 2 is configured to be able to be pulled out in the front direction in the figure.
[0008]
Therefore, the replenishment of the sheets S and the processing of the jammed sheets S in the storage 8e can be easily performed by pulling the storage 8e to the front side of the apparatus. After the processing, the storage 8e is pushed to the original position. It is possible to easily return to the paper passing state.
[0009]
Here, a case where the side deck 2 is pulled out from the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 10 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 10 when the side deck is pulled out.
[0010]
As shown in FIG. 11, the side deck 2 is configured to be slidable in the horizontal direction with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 1.
[0011]
At the time of sliding, the contact between the sliding roller 22 provided at the end of the lower guide 20 at the most downstream side of the side deck 2 and the wall surface 30a of the image forming apparatus is released. And the downstream side of the guide pair constituted by the upper guide 21 is automatically opened.
[0012]
Therefore, the processing of the sheet S jammed by the path from the storage 8e to the image forming apparatus main body 1 can be easily performed from the opening of the guide pair by sliding the side deck 2, and after the processing, the side deck 2 Is slid to the original position, the above-described sliding roller 22 comes into contact with the image forming apparatus wall 30a again, and the lower guide 20 is lifted up in a paper passing state (the state of FIG. 10) against its own weight. It is possible to easily return to the paper passing state.
[0013]
Further, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, a door 30 that can be opened and closed is provided on a side surface of the image forming apparatus main body 1 on which the side deck 2 is mounted.
[0014]
On the door 30, a sheet feeding path 30d for conveying the sheet S fed from the cassettes 8a to 8d in the image forming apparatus main body 1 to the image forming unit, and the sheet S fed from the side deck 2 as an image. A converging path 30e for transporting to the forming apparatus main body 1 is formed.
[0015]
Therefore, the processing of the jammed sheet S in the sheet feeding path 30d or the merging path 30e can be easily performed by first sliding the side deck 2 and then opening the door 30, and after the processing, the door 30 is closed and the side 30 is closed. By sliding the deck 2 to the original position, it is possible to easily return to the paper passing state.
[0016]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described conventional jam processing procedure in the image forming apparatus, when returning the apparatus to the paper passing state, first, the door is closed, and then a paper feeding device such as a side deck is mounted by moving, for example, a slide. Operation is required.
[0017]
In this case, for example, if the user accidentally forgets to close the door and moves the paper feeder, the door is caught by the lower guide of the paper feeder, etc. There was a risk of causing deformation and breakage.
[0018]
On the other hand, if the moving operation of the sheet feeding device and the opening / closing operation of the door are linked in order to improve the operability, a complicated link mechanism is required, and there is a fear that the device becomes complicated and large.
[0019]
Further, when the interlocking mechanism is provided, there is a possibility that the opening of the guide pair may be closed by the door, and the jam clearance of the sheet jammed in the path from the storage of the sheet feeding device to the image forming apparatus is significantly reduced. There was fear.
[0020]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and provides a paper feeder that can smoothly open and close a door provided in an image forming apparatus main body, prevent damage to the door, and improve operability. It is an object to provide an apparatus and an image forming apparatus.
[0021]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a paper feeding device according to the present invention is a paper feeding device that is detachable from an image forming apparatus main body that forms an image on a sheet material, and is attached to the image forming apparatus main body. A pressing means for pressing a door provided on the image forming apparatus main body to close the door , wherein the pressing means is directed from the paper feeding apparatus side to the image forming apparatus main body side, and from below. The door has an upwardly directed surface portion, and when the paper feeding device is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body, the door slides on the surface portion to enter a closed state.
[0022]
The image forming apparatus further includes a guide unit including a fixedly supported upper guide and a rotatably supported lower guide for guiding the sheet material stored in the sheet feeding device to the image forming apparatus main body. When a paper feeding device is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body, the lower guide rotates and approaches the upper guide, so that the guide unit is in a paper passing state, and the paper feeding device is configured to feed the image. When being detached from the forming apparatus main body, the lower guide rotates and separates from the upper guide, so that the guide unit is opened.
[0023]
Here, the guide means is constituted by an upper guide and a lower guide, but the positional relationship of the guide is not limited to the case of up and down, and the positional relationship may be an appropriate positional relationship, For example, a case where a guide is formed front and rear to constitute a guide unit may be used.
[0024]
Further, the pressing means is provided on the lower guide.
[0025]
Further, when the sheet feeder is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body, the lower guide rotates by causing the door to abut on the lower guide constituting the guide means, and the lower guide is rotated by the upper guide. It is characterized in that the guide means enters a paper passing state when approaching the guide.
[0026]
Further, the door is a shaft formed on a side surface of the image forming apparatus main body, in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the sheet feeding device is attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body, and substantially parallel to a horizontal direction. It is characterized in that opening and closing are performed by rotating about a direction axis.
[0027]
Further, when the door pressed by the pressing unit is in the closed state, at least a transport path for transporting a sheet material fed from a paper feeding unit provided in the image forming apparatus main body. It is characterized by forming a part.
[0029]
Further, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet material fed from the sheet feeding device.
[0030]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be illustratively described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention thereto unless otherwise specified. Absent.
[0031]
(1st Embodiment)
First, a first embodiment of a sheet feeding device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a sheet feeding device according to a first embodiment of the present invention when a side deck is mounted on an image forming apparatus main body. However, in FIG. 1, the same members as those shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 are denoted by the same reference numerals.
[0032]
FIG. 1 shows a side deck 2 as a sheet feeding device according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a sheet passing state in which a side deck 2 as a sheet feeding device passes a sheet S as a sheet material according to the present invention.
[0033]
The image forming apparatus main body 1 includes four photosensitive drums 3a (yellow), 3b (magenta), 3c (cyan), and 3d (black), which are four image forming media, and these photosensitive drums 3a to 3d. And a transfer / transport belt 4 arranged in a manner to extend longitudinally at a lower portion of the belt.
[0034]
The photosensitive drums 3a to 3d driven by an ultrasonic motor (not shown) are uniformly charged by the chargers 5a to 5d, and then yellow-separated by the exposure devices 6a to 6d including LEDs or the like. , Magenta, cyan, and black light images are exposed to form latent images.
[0035]
Next, the respective latent images are developed by the developing units 7a to 7d, and yellow, magenta, cyan, and black toner images are sequentially formed on the photosensitive drums 3a to 3d.
[0036]
The sheet S as the sheet material according to the present invention is stored in the cassettes 8a to 8d or the storage 8e of the side deck 2.
[0037]
The cassettes 8a to 8d and the storage case 8e can be pulled out in the front direction in the drawing, and when the user presses a button (not shown), the user is sucked by a solenoid via a link mechanism or by an electric signal to the storage case (not shown). The latch is released, and is pushed out to the near side by a biasing member (not shown).
[0038]
Therefore, replenishment of the sheets S and processing of the jammed sheets S in the cassettes 8a to 8d and the storage 8e can be easily performed by pulling out the cassettes 8a to 8d or the storage 8e to the front side of the apparatus. By pushing the storages 8a to 8d or the storage 8e to the original position, the latch is locked again, and the paper can be easily returned to the paper passing state.
[0039]
The sheets S are fed from the cassettes 8a to 8d or the storage 8e by the pickup rollers 9a to 9e, and are separated one by one by a pair of retard rollers including the conveyance rollers 10a to 10e and the separation rollers 11a to 11e. The skewed state is corrected by being conveyed to the registration roller 13 that has stopped rotating through the skewed state.
[0040]
The sheet S is guided by the conveyance guide 14 by the registration roller 13 that rotates in synchronization with the image position, and is conveyed to the nip position between the pressing roller 15 and the transfer conveyance belt 4.
[0041]
The sheet S pressed against the transfer conveyance belt 4 by the pressing roller 15 is sequentially conveyed by the rotation of the transfer conveyance belt 4 to the transfer section facing each of the photosensitive drums 3a to 3d.
[0042]
The toner images of the respective colors on the photoconductor drums 3a to 3d are sequentially transferred onto the sheet S by being superposed on the sheet S by the action of the transfer blades 16a to 16d which are arranged in the respective transfer sections and to which a voltage of the opposite polarity to the toner is applied.
[0043]
The sheet S to which the four color toner images have been transferred is separated from the leading end in the transport direction at the bent portion of the transfer transport belt 4 and transported to the fixing device 17.
[0044]
In the fixing unit 17, the toners of the respective colors are melted and mixed under the heat and pressure to be fixed to the sheet S, and a full-color print image is fixed. The sheet S is discharged outside the image forming apparatus main body 1.
[0045]
As shown in FIG. 1, the side deck 2 provided on the right side of the image forming apparatus main body 1 is locked to the image forming apparatus main body 1 by a latch 19.
[0046]
As shown in FIG. 2, the present invention according to the present invention includes a lower guide 20 provided as a lowermost guide provided on the side deck 2 as a lower guide according to the present invention and an upper guide 21 serving as an upper guide according to the present invention. Of the pair of guides serving as guide means, a sliding roller 22 that comes into contact with the image forming apparatus wall surface 30a when the side deck 2 is mounted is provided via a leaf spring 23 at the tip of the lower guide 20 below. Below the guide 20, a slope guide 24 as a pressing means according to the present invention is provided integrally with the lower guide 20. Here, FIG. 2 shows a partial structural diagram of the side deck shown in FIG.
[0047]
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, when the latch 19 is released by operating a lever (not shown), the side deck 2 becomes slidable in the horizontal direction. Here, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view when the side deck as the first embodiment of the paper feeding device according to the present invention is detached (slid) from the image forming apparatus main body.
[0048]
When the side deck 2 serving as the paper feeding device is slid, the contact between the sliding roller 22 and the image forming apparatus wall 30a is released, and the lower guide 20 rotates about the central axis 20a by its own weight. Then, the downstream end of the guide pair is opened.
[0049]
Therefore, the processing of the sheet S that has been jammed in the path from the storage 8e to the image forming apparatus main body 1 can be easily performed from the opening of the guide pair by sliding the side deck 2.
[0050]
After the jam clearance, when the side deck 2 is slid back to the original position, the sliding roller 22 comes into contact with the wall surface 30a of the image forming apparatus again, and the lower guide 20 is lifted against its own weight, and the above-described operation is performed. The latch 19 is locked, and it is possible to easily return to the paper passing state (the state of FIG. 1) again.
[0051]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a door 30 as a door according to the present invention is provided on the right side of the image forming apparatus main body 1 on which the side deck 2 is mounted.
[0052]
The lower end of the door 30 is provided with a rotation center shaft 30b as a shaft according to the present invention, and the upper end is provided with a latch 30c for locking the door 30 to the image forming apparatus main body 1.
[0053]
The latch 30c has a handle shape, and the user can open and close the door 30 by rotating the latch.
[0054]
The door 30 includes a sheet feeding path 30d constituting a conveyance path according to the present invention for conveying the sheet S fed from the cassettes 8a to 8d in the image forming apparatus main body 1 to the image forming section, and the side deck 2 And a merging path 30e that forms a transport path according to the present invention for transporting the sheet S fed from the printer 1 to the image forming apparatus main body 1.
[0055]
Therefore, the processing of the sheet S jammed in the sheet feeding path 30d or the merging path 30e can be easily performed by first sliding the side deck 2 and then opening the door 30 to the position shown by the broken line in FIG. Thereafter, the door 30 is closed, and the side deck 2 can be easily returned by sliding the side deck 2 to the original position.
[0056]
Here, as described above, the lower guide 20 of the side deck 2 is integrally provided with the slope guide 24.
[0057]
When the side deck 2 is slid in the mounting direction in a state where the door 30 of the image forming apparatus main body 1 is opened, the slope guide 24 comes into contact with the door 30 and smoothly pushes the door 30 back to the vicinity of the closed state. Fulfill.
[0058]
The operation of the slope guide 24 will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are schematic views showing the operation of the slope guide shown in FIG.
[0059]
As shown in FIG. 4, when the side deck is slid from the state of FIG. 3 to the mounting direction, the front end 30 f of the door comes into contact with one side of the slope guide 24 as the surface portion according to the present invention, and the sliding contact F at the contact point. A component force Fa and its reaction force Fb are generated.
[0060]
The component force Fa acts in a direction to open the door 30, but the door 30 does not rotate because the opening angle is regulated by the stopper 31.
[0061]
The reaction force Fb acts in a direction to close the lower guide 20, and the lower guide 20 starts rotating in the direction of arrow B.
[0062]
When the side guide 2 is further slid and the lower guide 20 is closed to the position shown in FIG. 5, the component force Fa acts in the direction to close the door 30, and the door 30 starts rotating in the direction of arrow A.
[0063]
When further sliding, as shown in FIG. 6, the abutment 20b provided outside the paper passing range of the lower guide 20 abuts on the upper guide 21 to stop the rotation of the lower guide 20.
[0064]
On the other hand, the door 30 further continues to rotate in the direction of arrow A, and the door side surface 30g comes into contact with the tip of the slope guide 24 and starts sliding.
[0065]
When the door 30 is further slid, as shown in FIG. 7, the door side surface 30g comes into contact with the upper exterior portion 2a of the side deck 2 and starts sliding, and thereafter the contact with the slope guide 24 is released, and the lower guide 20 is released. It returns to the position released by its own weight again.
[0066]
When further sliding, as shown in FIG. 8, the contact between the upper exterior part 2a and the door 30 is released, and instead the sliding roller 22 provided at the tip of the lower guide 20 comes into contact with the image forming apparatus wall 30a to slide. Start moving.
[0067]
Due to the reaction force Fb at the contact portion, the lower guide 20 is lifted up again to the paper passing position where the abutment 20b abuts on the upper guide 21, and the sliding amount after the rotation of the lower guide 20 is stopped is equal to the sliding amount of the sliding roller 22. It is absorbed by the deformation of the supporting leaf spring 23.
[0068]
Due to the urging force generated by the deformation of the leaf spring 23, the door 30 is pushed to a position where the latch 30c is locked, and is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 1.
[0069]
In addition, due to this urging force, the abutment 20b of the lower guide 20 always abuts on the upper guide 21 without a gap, and a specified guide gap amount can be maintained, so that the sheet passing performance is stabilized.
[0070]
Finally, when the latch 19 of the side deck 2 is locked to the image forming apparatus main body 1, the sliding is completed, and the image forming apparatus main body 1 returns to the paper passing state (the state of FIG. 1).
[0071]
With the above configuration, in the side deck 2 as the first embodiment of the sheet feeding device according to the present invention, even when the side deck 2 is slid to the mounting direction with the door 30 opened, the slope guide is provided. By the operation of 24, the mounting operation of the door 30 and the mounting operation of the side deck 2 can be performed smoothly, and the apparatus can be easily returned to the paper passing state.
[0072]
In this embodiment, the opening angle of the door 30 is about 40 °, and the opening angle of the lower guide 20 is about 20 °, which is practically in the range of 15 ° to 60 ° in consideration of the jam removal property and the mounting property. It is desirable.
[0073]
Therefore, in the side deck 2 as the first embodiment of the sheet feeding device according to the present invention, even when the door 30 provided in the image forming apparatus main body 1 is in the open state, the side deck 2 is mounted. Since the slope guide 24 presses the door 30 to close the door 30, the operability of the side deck 2 can be improved without incurring damage to the door 30 due to an erroneous operation by the user, and increasing the size and complexity of the device. Can be.
[0074]
Further, since a guide pair including a lower guide 20 and an upper guide 21 whose paper passing state and open state change according to the mounting state of the side deck 2 is provided, the side deck 2 can be detached from the image forming apparatus main body 1. If this is the case, the jam in the side deck 2 can be easily handled, and the convenience for the user can be further improved.
[0075]
In addition, since the slope guide 24 is provided on the lower guide 20, an increase in the size of the device can be further avoided.
[0076]
Further, when the door 30 comes into contact with the rotatably provided lower guide 20, the lower guide 20 enters a paper passing state, so that the operability of the apparatus can be further improved.
[0077]
Further, the door 30 is an axis formed on the side surface of the image forming apparatus main body 1, the direction being substantially perpendicular to the attaching / detaching direction of the side deck 2 with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 1, and the direction substantially parallel to the horizontal direction. Since the door 30 rotates about the rotation center axis 30b, the opening and closing operation of the door 30 can be facilitated, and the device can be prevented from becoming complicated.
[0078]
Further, since the door 30 pressed by the slope guide 24 forms at least a part of the sheet material conveyance path in the image forming apparatus main body 1, the sheet material jams in the image forming apparatus main body 1. This can be easily processed by opening the door 30, and the operability can be further improved.
[0079]
Further, the slope guide 24 has a surface portion facing from the side deck 2 side to the image forming apparatus main body 1 side and from the lower side to the upper side. When the side deck 2 is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 1, the door 30 is closed. As the side deck 2 slides on the surface to be in the closed state, the door can be easily shifted to the closed state when the side deck 2 is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 1.
[0080]
As described above, in the first embodiment, the door 30 is opened by a simple configuration in which the slope guide 24 for contacting the door 30 and prompting the closing operation of the door 30 is provided integrally with the opened lower guide 20. Even when the side deck 2 is slid and mounted with the door 30 in place, the door 30 and the lower guide 20 can be smoothly returned without being caught.
[0081]
(Second embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the sheet feeding device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a partial structural view of a side deck as a second embodiment of the sheet feeding device according to the present invention. 9, members similar to those shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 are denoted by the same reference numerals.
[0082]
In the above-described first embodiment, the slope guide 24 is integrated with the lower guide 20, but the present invention is not limited to this.
[0083]
For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the present invention has a rotation center 27 a with respect to the frame 26 of the side deck 2 at a position below the lower guide 20 separately from the lower guide 20 as the lower guide according to the present invention. The same effect can be obtained by providing the slope guide 27 as the pressing means according to the above.
[0084]
In this case, the reaction force of the door 30 is applied only to the slope guide 27 and the frame 26, so that unnecessary stress is not applied to the lower guide 20, so that it is not necessary to increase rigidity for preventing deformation of the lower guide 20. This has the advantage that the shape of the paper passing guide can be further simplified.
[0085]
As described above, in the second embodiment, the same effects as those of the above-described first embodiment can be obtained, and at the same time, the rotating slope guide 27 that contacts the door 30 and urges the closing operation of the door 30 can be obtained. Is provided separately from the lower guide 20 to be opened and provided below the lower guide 20 with respect to the frame of the side deck 2, so that the side deck 2 is slid and mounted with the door 30 opened. However, the door 30 and the lower guide 20 can be smoothly returned without being caught.
[0086]
(Embodiment of Image Forming Apparatus)
Next, an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described. An embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an embodiment including the first embodiment or the second embodiment of the paper feeder according to the present invention.
[0087]
That is, the image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet material fed by the sheet feeding device described in the first embodiment or the second embodiment. Further, as an apparatus to which the embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is applied, a printer, a facsimile, a copying machine, and the like can be given.
[0088]
That is, as an example of a cross-sectional view when an embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is applied to a copying machine, FIG. 1 described above can be cited as an example.
[0089]
As the image forming unit, an electrophotographic image forming unit, an ink jet type image forming unit, a bubble jet type image forming unit, and the like can be applied, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and other appropriate image forming units may be used. Can be applied.
[0090]
Therefore, in the embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the same effects as those of the above-described first and second embodiments of the sheet feeding apparatus according to the present invention can be obtained.
[0091]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, a sheet feeding device is provided regardless of the open / closed state of the door by a simple configuration in which a pressing unit that contacts the opened door and generates a force in a direction to close the door is provided. The operation of mounting the paper feeder makes it possible to mount the door and paper feeder smoothly, so there is no danger that the doors and guides will be deformed or damaged, and the equipment will not be complicated or large, and the user will be able to clear the jam. A sheet feeding device and an image forming apparatus capable of significantly improving operability can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a sheet feeding apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention when a side deck is mounted on an image forming apparatus main body.
FIG. 2 is a partial structural view of the side deck shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the sheet feeding device according to the first embodiment of the present invention when a side deck is detached (slid) from an image forming apparatus main body.
FIG. 4 is an operation schematic diagram of the slope guide shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is an operation schematic diagram of the slope guide shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is an operation schematic diagram of the slope guide shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is an operation schematic diagram of the slope guide shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 is an operation schematic diagram of the slope guide shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 9 is a partial structural view of a side deck as a second embodiment of the sheet feeding device according to the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus provided with a large-capacity sheet storage device as a conventional sheet feeding device.
11 is a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 10 when the side deck is pulled out.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Image Forming Apparatus Main Body 2 Side Deck 2a Upper Exterior Parts 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d Photoconductor Drum 4 Transfer Conveying Belts 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d Chargers 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d Exposure Devices 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d Developing device 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d Cassette 8e Storage 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e Pickup roller 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e Transport roller 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11e Separation roller 12 Transport roller 13 Registration Roller 14 Transport Guide 15 Pressing Roller 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d Transfer Blade 17 Fixer 18 Discharge Roller 19 Latch 20 Lower Guide 20b Butt 21 Upper Guide 22 Sliding Roller 23 Leaf Spring 24 Slope Guide 26 Frame 27 Slope Guide 27a Center of rotation 30 Door 30a Image forming apparatus Wall 30b rotational axis 30c latch 30d feed path 30e merging path 30f tip 30g door side 31 stopper S sheet

Claims (7)

A sheet feeding device detachable from an image forming apparatus body for forming an image on a sheet material,
When mounted on the image forming apparatus main body, the image forming apparatus includes a pressing unit for pressing a door provided on the image forming apparatus main body to close the door ,
The pressing unit has a surface portion that faces from the paper feeding device side to the image forming apparatus main body side, and that faces upward from below,
The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein when the sheet feeding device is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body, the door slides on the surface to close . A guide unit comprising a fixedly supported upper guide and a rotatably supported lower guide for guiding the sheet material stored in the sheet feeding device to the image forming apparatus main body,
When the sheet feeding device is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body,
When the lower guide rotates and approaches the upper guide, the guide means enters a paper passing state,
When the sheet feeding device is detached from the image forming apparatus main body,
2. The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the guide unit is opened when the lower guide rotates and separates from the upper guide. The paper feeding device according to claim 2, wherein the pressing unit is provided on the lower guide. When mounting the paper feeding device on the image forming apparatus main body,
When the door comes into contact with the lower guide that constitutes the guide means, the lower guide rotates, and the guide means enters a paper passing state when the lower guide approaches the upper guide. The sheet feeding device according to claim 3, wherein Said door,
An axis formed on a side surface of the image forming apparatus main body, in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the sheet feeding device is attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body, and about an axis in a direction substantially parallel to a horizontal direction. The sheet feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sheet feeding device is opened and closed by rotating. The door pressed by the pressing means,
When in the closed state,
6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of a conveying path for conveying a sheet material fed from a sheet feeding unit provided in the image forming apparatus main body is formed. 2. The paper feeding device according to claim 1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet material fed from the sheet feeding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 .

Images