JP3740278B2 - Paper cassette - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a paper feeding cassette provided in a paper feeding device provided in a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile, or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Recently, printers, copiers, facsimiles, and the like have been miniaturized, and the length of the apparatus main body is shorter than the length of paper to be fed. The paper feeder provided in such a device is used with the paper cassette inserted in the main body of the device when the paper is short, and is used by protruding the paper cassette from the device main body only when the paper is long. Some are equipped with a paper cassette that can be expanded and contracted.
[0003]
As an example of an extendable sheet cassette, there is a sheet cassette described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 7-12346. This paper cassette is composed of a front frame that supports the front end side of the paper and a rear frame that supports the rear end side. The rear frame is movable in the length direction of the paper with respect to the front frame, and the engagement between the engaging claws having a spring property formed in one frame and the engaging holes formed in the other frame. It is positioned with respect to the front frame. With such a structure, the paper cassette can be expanded and contracted according to the length of the paper.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since the paper cassette described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 7-12346 is not provided with a mechanism for locking with the determined length, there is a possibility that the front frame and the rear frame are misaligned due to an unexpected event. In some cases, the rear frame may be detached from the front frame and dropped.
[0005]
Therefore, it is desirable that the retractable paper feeding cassette is provided with a mechanism for locking the main cassette and the slide cassette with a predetermined length.
[0006]
As an extendable paper feed cassette provided with a lock mechanism, there is a paper feed cassette described in JP-A-9-110191. The lock mechanism provided in the paper feed cassette includes a lock lever and a locking boss. Yes. However, it is difficult for the lock mechanism to intuitively determine the operation method from the appearance, and thus an unfamiliar user must refer to an explanation or the like when operating.
[0007]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a sheet feeding cassette that has a mechanism that can be extended and contracted and that locks at a predetermined length and that can easily understand the operation method of the locking mechanism.
[0008]
Another object of the present invention is to enable the presence of a lock mechanism to be confirmed at a glance.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The paper feed cassette according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a main cassette that supports a front end portion of sheets to be stacked, and a rear end portion of the sheets, and the main cassette along the length direction of the stacked sheets. a slide cassette is slidable outside Te, and the locking position of the plurality of positions set in the main cassette and the slide cassette and the portion is overlapped, a groove formed in the locking position in the slide cassette, said main cassette by fitting the pin-like member provided on a side from the inside to the grooves outwardly and a locking mechanism for fixing the said slide cassette and the main cassette locking position.
[0010]
Therefore, since it is a simple locking mechanism that fits the pin-shaped member into the groove, the operation method is easily determined from the appearance.
[0011]
A second aspect of the present invention is the paper feed cassette according to the first aspect, wherein the lock mechanism is provided on the paper stacking surface side of the paper feed cassette.
[0012]
Therefore, it is easy to confirm the location of the lock mechanism.
[0013]
A third aspect of the present invention is the paper feed cassette according to the first or second aspect, wherein at least the color of the pin-shaped member among the members constituting the lock mechanism is different from the colors of the main cassette and the slide cassette.
[0014]
Therefore, even if the lock mechanism is formed small, it is easy to find because it is different from the surrounding colors.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of a paper feed cassette according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, FIG. 1 is a vertical left side view showing an image forming apparatus 3 provided with a paper feed unit 2 including a paper feed cassette 1 of the present embodiment. Therefore, the right side in FIG. 1 is the front side of the image forming apparatus 3 and the paper feed cassette 1.
[0016]
The image forming apparatus 3 includes a photoconductor 5 in the apparatus main body 4, and has a developing unit 6 and a cleaning unit 7 around the photoconductor 5. Further, an optical device 8 for writing an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor 5 is provided in the rear of the apparatus body 4, and a power source 9 and a controller board 10 are disposed above the optical device 8.
[0017]
The paper feed unit 2 includes a paper feed cassette 1 that is disposed below the apparatus main body 4 and can be pulled out, and a pickup roller 11 provided at the lower front end of the apparatus main body 4. A separation pad 12 that is in pressure contact with the pickup roller 11 is provided at the front end of the paper feed cassette 1. In addition, a rotation raising plate 13 that presses the front end portion of the sheet against the pickup roller 11 is provided in the sheet feeding cassette 1.
[0018]
The paper feed cassette 1 is shown in FIGS. Here, in FIG.2 and FIG.3, the rotation raising board 13 shown in FIG. 1 is abbreviate | omitted. The paper feed cassette 1 according to the present embodiment can be adjusted to two types of lengths depending on the paper size, and the paper feed cassette 1 shown in FIG. 1 is in a state in which long paper is stored.
[0019]
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the paper feeding cassette 1 extended to a length capable of storing long paper, and FIG. 3 is a paper feeding cassette shortened to a length for storing a relatively small size paper. 1 is a perspective view showing 1. FIG. Here, the sheet feeding cassette 1 protrudes from the rear end of the image forming apparatus 3 as shown in FIG. 1 in the extended state shown in FIG. 2, but the image forming apparatus 3 is installed in the contracted state shown in FIG. Fits within the area.
[0020]
The paper feed cassette 1 includes a main cassette 15 having a handle 14 formed at the front end to be gripped when pulled out from the apparatus main body 4, and a slide cassette that is slidable along the length direction of paper loaded on the main cassette 15. 16.
[0021]
On the front end side and the rear end side of the both side walls of the slide cassette 16 are provided flange shapes 18a and 18b formed with grooves 17a and 17b. Here, the groove 17a and the flange shape 18a on the front end side and the groove 17b and the flange shape 18b on the rear end side have the same shape. However, for convenience of explanation, different symbols are attached as described above.
[0022]
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal front view of the sheet feeding cassette 1 at a portion where the hook shape 18 a or 18 b of the slide cassette 16 is hooked on the main cassette 15.
[0023]
In the vicinity of the rear ends of both side walls of the main cassette 15, a groove 19 and a lock member 20 are provided. This locking member 20 is shown in FIG. The lock member 20 has a pin-like member 21 that fits into the groove 17 a or 17 b and the groove 19, and each member constituting the lock member 20 is different in color from the main cassette 15 and the slide cassette 16. The pin-shaped member 21 is provided on the table 22 so as to be movable in the paper width direction by a predetermined mechanism. The pin-shaped member 21 is provided with a knob 23 that is pinched when the user moves it.
[0024]
In such a configuration, the paper feed cassette 1 according to the present embodiment locks the pin-like member 21 by inserting the groove 17a and the groove 19 together when storing a long sheet. When storing a relatively small-sized sheet, the pin-like member 21 is inserted and locked together with the groove 17b and the groove 19.
[0025]
For example, when extending from a short state, the slide cassette 16 is slid rearward with respect to the main cassette 15 indicated by arrow (1) in FIG. 5, the grooves 17a and 19 are aligned, and the knob 23 is moved to the arrow (2). The pin-shaped member 21 is inserted into the groove 17a and the groove 19 by moving in the direction of approaching the side wall of the main cassette 15 shown by.
[0026]
As described above, the sheet feeding cassette 1 according to the present embodiment is provided with the lock mechanism including the flange shapes 18a and 18b in which the grooves 17a and 17b are formed, the groove 19, and the lock member 20, and Since this locking mechanism has a simple structure in which the groove 17a or 17b of the slide cassette 16 is aligned with the groove 19 of the main cassette 15 and the pin-shaped member 21 is inserted, the user can easily operate the locking mechanism from the appearance of the locking mechanism. I can judge. Further, since the lock mechanism is provided on the paper stacking surface side of the paper feed cassette 1, the user is more likely to have the lock mechanism than when the lock mechanism is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the paper feed cassette 1, for example. It is easy to notice and saves you the trouble of searching for a lock mechanism. Furthermore, since the lock member 20 is different in color from the surroundings, the locking member 20 is conspicuous from the surroundings and easily stops at the eyes of the user.
[0027]
In this embodiment, there are two lock positions. However, it is only necessary that lock positions be provided at a plurality of positions.
[0028]
In the present embodiment, the outer surface of the main cassette and the inner surface of the slide cassette slide. However, in implementation, the inner surface of the main cassette and the outer surface of the slide cassette may slide. In that case, the lock member is provided near the front end of the slide cassette.
[0029]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the main cassette that supports the front end of the stacked paper and the rear end of the paper are supported and slides outward with respect to the main cassette along the length direction of the stacked paper. a slide cassette is freely, the main cassette and the lock position at a plurality of points set by the slide cassette and the portion is overlapped, a groove formed in the locking position in the slide cassette, provided on the main cassette side because and a locking mechanism for fixing the said slide cassette and the main cassette locking position by fitting the groove pin-like member toward the inside to the outside, the lock mechanism is fitted to the pin-shaped member in the groove Since the structure is simple, the operation method can be easily determined from the appearance.
[0030]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the lock mechanism is provided on the paper stacking surface side of the paper feed cassette, the location of the lock mechanism can be easily confirmed.
[0031]
In the invention according to claim 3, at least the color of the pin-shaped member among the members constituting the lock mechanism is different from the colors of the main cassette and the slide cassette, so even if the lock mechanism is formed small, it is different from the surrounding colors. Therefore, the user can easily find it.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a vertical left side view illustrating an image forming apparatus provided with a paper feed unit including a paper feed cassette according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a paper feeding cassette in a state where the paper feeding cassette is extended to a length capable of storing long paper.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a paper feed cassette in a state of being shortened to a length when storing a relatively small size paper.
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal front view of a sheet feeding cassette showing a positional relationship between a main cassette 15 and a bowl shape 18a or 18b.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a structure of a lock mechanism.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Paper cassette 15 Main cassette 16 Slide cassette 17a, 17b Groove 19 Groove 21 Pin-shaped member

Claims (3)

A main cassette that supports the front edge of the loaded paper;
A slide cassette that supports the rear end of the paper and is slidable outwardly with respect to the main cassette along the length direction of the stacked paper;
And locking positions of a plurality of locations that have been set in the main cassette and the slide cassette and the portion is overlapped,
A groove formed in the locking position in the slide cassette,
A locking mechanism for fixing the said slide cassette and the main cassette locking position by causing fitted in the groove of the pin-like member provided towards the inside to the outside in the main cassette side,
A paper cassette equipped with.   The paper feed cassette according to claim 1, wherein the lock mechanism is provided on a paper stacking surface side of the paper feed cassette.   The sheet feeding cassette according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least a pin-shaped member of each member constituting the locking mechanism has a color different from that of the main cassette and the slide cassette.

Images