JP3812050B2 - Cut sheet paper feeder - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a structure of a sheet paper supply device in an image forming apparatus such as a word processor (document creation device), an electrophotographic copying machine, a printer device, and a facsimile device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-112553 previously proposed by the present applicant, an operation panel unit such as a keyboard is provided at a position closer to the front portion of the upper surface of the main body case in the printer device. Behind the operation panel section, a sheet feed tray for inserting the cut sheet P and feeding the sheet toward the printing section in the main body case is held in a rear-inclined shape with respect to the upper surface of the main body case. Some were configured to be removable from the upper surface of the case.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above configuration, although the paper feed tray can be removed from the main body case when not in use, in order to make it a portable image forming apparatus, the paper feed tray must be carried separately. There was also a risk of loss. Further, since the hole at the attachment position of the main body case after the paper feed tray is removed remains open, another cover body is required.
[0004]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a cut sheet supply apparatus that is configured to be foldable and is compact and free from loss.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the sheet paper supply device according to the first aspect of the present invention supplies the sheet paper to the printing unit one by one in a main body case of an image forming apparatus such as a document creation device or a printer. A sheet feeding tray for placing the cut sheet in an inclined manner and guiding it to the sheet feeding unit, and a flat main tray plate and an upper end portion of the main tray plate. It is constituted by an auxiliary tray plate that is movably connected and can be folded into a posture that is substantially parallel to the surface of the main tray plate and a posture that covers the surface of the main tray plate. A long paper support rib is projected along the paper feeding direction, and the auxiliary tray plate is configured to cover the surface of the main tray plate with the back surface of the auxiliary tray plate facing up. A long hole to be fitted in the place is formed .
[0006]
The invention according to claim 2, in supply device noncontinuous media of claim 1, when opening and said main tray plate and said auxiliary tray plate parallel form, the surface of the auxiliary tray plate the The sheet support rib is configured to have substantially the same height as the upper surface of the sheet support rib.
Furthermore, the invention according to claim 3 is the single-sheet paper supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the base portion of the main tray plate is held in a backward inclined manner with respect to the upper surface of the main body case. The main body case is configured to be rotatable in a posture covering the upper surface of the main body case .
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, an embodiment embodying the present invention will be described. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of a portable document creation apparatus 1, FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a paper feed unit, FIG. 3 is an enlarged side sectional view of a main part of the paper feed unit, and FIG. It is a front view of the main tray board for supply, and an auxiliary tray board.
[0008]
The document creation device 1 has a key input unit 3 in which a large number of keys such as letters and numerals and various fuck keys are arranged on the front side of the upper surface of a main body case 2 made of synthetic resin. On the upper surface, there is provided a display unit 4 including a liquid crystal display 4b whose rear surface is covered with a cover body 4a made of synthetic resin or the like at the rear of the key input unit 3. The lower end (base end) of the display unit 4 is mounted so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction of the main body case 2 by the horizontal shaft 5, and when used, as shown by the solid line in FIG. A closed position (two-dot chain line state in FIG. 1) that can be held in an open state that is inclined upward and rearward, and that is protected by the cover body 4a so that the liquid crystal display 4b covers the upper surface of the key input unit 3 when not in use or carried. It is a structure which can be latched to the front end side of the main body case 2 via the hook body 6.
[0009]
As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, in the main body case 2, as will be described later, on the lower front side of the main tray plate 7 on which the cut sheet P to be supplied can be placed in a laminated shape in a rearward and upward inclined manner. Includes a paper feeding unit 9 for feeding the stacked sheet papers P toward the printing unit 10 while separating them one by one. That is, the hopper plate 16 in the sheet feeding unit 9 is disposed in a downwardly inclined front direction between the lower end of the main tray plate 7 and the hopper unit 17 that guides and supports the lower end edge of the stacked cut sheet P. The hopper plate 16 is supported by the left and right side support portions 17d of the hopper portion 17 so that the shaft portions 16a on both the left and right sides of the hopper plate 16 can be rotated. A meniscus roller 9a and a guide roller 9c facing the surface of 16 are attached to the drive shaft 9b.
[0010]
When the arcuate circumferential surface having a high coefficient of friction in the semicircular roller 9a rotates in the clockwise direction in FIG. 3 while pressing the top surface of the stacked cut sheet P, one cut sheet P is printed. While being separated one by one, the hopper portion 17 is configured to be conveyed downward along the downwardly inclined guide sliding surface 17b.
A guide plate 20 with a pinch roller 19 positioned on a paper feed and transport roller 23 disposed downstream of the hopper 17 is rotated to a position of an engaging tongue piece 21a protruding from the lower end of a left and right longitudinal support panel 21. The pinch roller 19 is configured to be supported from the upper side and urged by the urging spring 22 so as to press the paper feeding / conveying roller 23 from above (see FIG. 3).
[0011]
In addition, a carriage 10b on which a print head 10a of an ink jet type or the like in the printing unit 10 is mounted has a guide shaft 24a and a guide arranged in parallel with a left and right longitudinal platen 10c arranged on the downstream side of conveyance from the paper feeding conveyance roller 23. It is driven by a timing belt and driving means (not shown) so as to move left and right along the bar 24b. The cut sheet P conveyed is printed (recorded) while passing between the ink discharge portion of the print head 10a and the plate-like platen 10c.
[0012]
Below the printing unit 10, there are a pair of paper discharge rollers 11 and a paper discharge port 12 located in the main body case 2, and as shown in FIG. The flat sheet discharge tray 13 mounted so as to extend toward the front end is disposed so as to be separated from the lower surface of the main body case 2 by an appropriate gap, and extends from the sheet discharge port 12 toward the front end opening 13a of the sheet discharge tray 13. The cut sheet P is discharged, and the cut sheet P can be taken out at the notch on the front end opening 13a side.
[0013]
In addition, on the front surface of the lower surface of the main body case 2, both side bases of a carrying handle 15 are attached so as to be able to rotate back and forth, and when the handle 15 is rotated rearward, The cut sheet P that is inserted into a recessed U-shaped storage portion (not shown) and discharged is not configured.
Next, referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5, it is possible to stack the cut sheet P in an inclined manner and to supply the cut sheet P toward the sheet feeding unit 9. The configuration of the paper feed tray will be described.
[0014]
As shown in the figure, on the rear end side of the upper surface of the main body case 2 behind the display unit 4, flat main tray plates 7 as sheet feeding trays have pivot pins 7a on the left and right sides of the base end (see FIG. 4). The main tray plate 7 can be held in a rearward and upward inclined posture while in use, and when the main tray plate 7 is tilted forward, the main body case 2 The upper surface of the hopper portion 17 can be held in a posture so as to cover the upper surface of the hopper portion 17, for example.
[0015]
Further, on the surface (upper surface) of the main tray plate 7, longitudinal paper support ribs 25a and 25b are integrally projected in the left-right direction at appropriate intervals along the sheet feeding direction of the cut sheet P. Due to the presence of the sheet support ribs 25a and 25b, the back surface of the cut sheet P placed on the main tray plate 7 is supported only by the narrow upper surface of the sheet support ribs 25a and 25b. It has a function (effect) that can reduce the frictional resistance at the time.
[0016]
Then, on the surface side of the upper end portion of the main tray plate 7, for example, between the left and right sheet support ribs 25, in the middle of the left and right sides, via the pivot pins 8 a on the left and right sides of the base end of the auxiliary tray plate 8. The auxiliary tray plate 8 is pivotally pivoted so that the auxiliary tray plate 8 is folded so as to overlap (over) the posture in which the auxiliary tray plate 8 is developed in parallel from the upper end of the sheet feeding main tray plate 7 and the surface (upper surface) of the main tray plate 7. It is configured so that it can be selectively rotated to the posture. In the posture in which the auxiliary tray plate 8 is developed with respect to the main tray plate 7, the rear end portion of the single-sheet paper P having a large size (length) can be supported without difficulty.
[0017]
In these cases, the auxiliary tray plate 8 is provided with a long hole 26 that fits over the paper support rib 25b in a region overlapping the main tray plate 7. Further, the thickness (dimension from the lower surface to the upper surface of the rib) T1 of the auxiliary tray plate 8 is substantially equal to the height dimension T2 of the paper support rib 25a (see FIG. 5). Thus, when the auxiliary tray plate 8 is opened in parallel to the surface side of the upper end portion of the main tray plate 7, the surface of the auxiliary tray plate 8 and the upper surface of the paper support rib 25a are substantially at the same height. When the auxiliary tray plate 8 is folded so as to cover the surface of the main tray plate 7, the back surface of the auxiliary tray plate 8 and the upper surface of the paper support rib 25a are substantially the same height, or the auxiliary tray plate 8 Since the upper surface of the paper support rib 25a is slightly higher than the back surface, even when a small-size sheet P is placed on the surface of the main tray plate 7, the upper surface of the paper support rib 25a is surely secured. It can be supported.
[0018]
Then, after folding the auxiliary tray plate 8 with respect to the main tray plate 7, if the main tray plate 7 is rotated forward so as to cover the upper surface of the hopper portion 17, the paper feed tray can be finished in a compact state. There is an effect that can be done. Note that the arrangement position of the auxiliary tray plate 8 with respect to the left and right halfway portion of the main tray plate 7 is a large size that is frequently used when one side edge of the main tray plate 7 is set as the placement reference position of the cut sheet P. By setting the position of the cut sheet P to the position of the cut sheet P and the width of the auxiliary tray plate 8 is set to about half the width of the large cut sheet P, the rear part of the loaded cut sheet P does not hang down. So that it can be supported stably.
[0019]
Needless to say, the configuration of the paper feed tray according to the present invention can be applied to any image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer apparatus, and a facsimile apparatus.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
As described in detail above, the single-sheet paper supply device according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a single-sheet paper in a printing unit in a main body case of an image forming apparatus such as a document creation device or a printer. A sheet feeding tray for feeding the cut sheet into an inclined shape and guiding it to the sheet feeding unit; a flat main tray plate; and an upper end portion of the main tray plate. It is constituted by an auxiliary tray plate that is pivotably connected and can be folded into a posture that is substantially parallel to the surface of the main tray plate and a posture that covers the surface of the main tray plate, and is formed on the surface of the main tray plate. Is provided with a long paper support rib projecting along the paper feeding direction, and the auxiliary tray plate is configured to cover the surface of the main tray plate with the back surface of the auxiliary tray plate facing up. A long hole to be fitted in the rib portion is formed .
[0021]
Therefore, when feeding small-size sheet paper, the main tray plate may be folded so that the auxiliary tray plate covers the surface of the main tray plate, and the main tray plate may be held in an upward and rearward inclined posture. Since the auxiliary tray plate does not protrude from the main tray plate 7, it does not become bulky. On the other hand, when feeding the cut sheet paper larger size, the auxiliary tray plate only by expansion on state of the main tray plate, a bottom surface rear portion of the single-cut sheet in the auxiliary tray plate can be stably supported.
[0022]
With this configuration, when a small-size cut sheet is placed, even if it is folded so as to cover the auxiliary tray plate on the surface side of the main tray plate, the upper surface of the paper support rib on the surface side of the main tray plate Since the back side of the cut sheet paper can be supported, the function of the paper support rib is not diminished, and the thickness between the two tray plates in the folded state can be reduced, so that the compact effect can be achieved. Is played.
Moreover, since the auxiliary tray plate is pivotally attached to the main tray plate and the base portion of the main tray plate is also pivotally attached to the main body case, there is no possibility of losing. .
[0023]
As described above, according to the present invention, the sheet feed tray can be formed compactly while the cut sheet can be reliably placed on the sheet feed tray from a large size to a small size.
The invention according to claim 2, in supply device noncontinuous media of claim 1, when opening and said main tray plate and said auxiliary tray plate parallel form, the surface of the auxiliary tray plate the The sheet support rib is configured to have substantially the same height as the upper surface of the sheet support rib.
[0024]
Therefore, there is no step between the surfaces of the main tray plate and the auxiliary tray plate when supporting a large size cut sheet on the both surfaces of the main tray plate and the auxiliary tray plate.
Furthermore, the invention according to claim 3 is the single-sheet paper supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the base portion of the main tray plate is held in a backward inclined manner with respect to the upper surface of the main body case. The main body case is configured to be rotatable in a posture covering the upper surface of the main body case .
[0025]
With this configuration, when the image forming apparatus is not used, such as when being carried, or when the printing operation is not performed, the main tray plate is mounted in the main body with the auxiliary tray plate folded so as to cover the surface of the main tray plate as described above. If the cover is placed on the upper surface of the case, the auxiliary tray plate does not protrude from the upper end of the main tray plate, so that the paper feed tray can be stored in a compact state.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of a document creation apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a paper feeding unit.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of a main part of a paper feeding unit.
4 is a partially cut-away front view of a main tray plate and an auxiliary tray plate shown by arrows IV-IV in FIG.
5 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of a paper feeding unit as seen in the direction of arrows VV in FIG. 4;
[Explanation of symbols]
P Cut sheet 1 Document creation device 2 Body case 3 Key input unit 4 Display unit 7 Main tray plate 7a Pivot pin 8 Auxiliary tray plate 8a Pivot pin 9 Paper feed unit 10 Printing unit 25 Paper support rib 26 Long hole

Claims (3)

In a main body case of an image forming apparatus such as a document creation device or a printer, a paper feed unit that supplies single-sheet paper to a printing unit one by one is provided.
A sheet feeding tray for placing the cut sheet in an inclined manner and guiding it to the sheet feeding unit is rotatably connected to a flat main tray plate and an upper end of the main tray plate; and Consists of a posture that is substantially parallel to the surface of the main tray plate and an auxiliary tray plate that is foldable into a posture that covers the surface of the main tray plate,
An elongated sheet support rib is provided on the surface of the main tray plate along the paper feeding direction, and the auxiliary tray plate is placed on the surface of the main tray plate with the back surface of the auxiliary tray plate facing up. In this case, the cut sheet paper supply device is provided with a long hole that fits into the paper support rib portion . When opening the auxiliary tray plate and said main tray plate parallel form, to claim 1, characterized in that the surface of the auxiliary tray plate is configured to be substantially the same height as the upper surface of the sheet supporting ribs Single sheet paper supply device. The main base portion of the tray plate, the main body case and the attitude holding rearwardly inclined with respect to the upper surface, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by being configured to be rotatable and attitude for covering the upper surface of the main body case Single sheet paper supply device described in 1.

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