JP4613368B2 - Recording paper stacker - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording paper stacker that holds recording paper discharged by a transport mechanism.

  Printers, facsimile machines, and the like employ a configuration in which recording paper on which image recording or printing has been performed is conveyed and discharged to a recording paper stack. A similar recording paper conveyance and discharge process is performed in an image reading apparatus such as a scanner. In such a recording paper stack, in order to reduce the size of the apparatus, a configuration in which the recording paper holding surface is inclined deeply toward the discharge port side and the recording paper is sequentially stacked thereon is generally used.

  However, in such a recording paper stacker, when the number of recording paper stacks increases, the recording paper may block the discharge port and cause paper jam. In order to avoid this, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-72312 (Patent Document 1) urges the stacker discharge port side upward by a spring with a rotating shaft as a rotation shaft, and gradually lowers by loading the recording paper. A stacker configuration has been proposed that moves to

JP 2000-72312 A

  However, in the recording paper stacker described above, when the curled recording paper is stacked, the recording paper may block the discharge port and be pushed out of the stacker by the recording paper to be discharged next. Specifically, this is the case as follows.

  FIG. 8A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the recording paper stacker showing how the recording paper is discharged when the recording paper is curled in the sub-scanning direction, and FIG. 8B is a recording paper when the recording paper is curled in the main scanning direction. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a recording paper stacker showing a discharge state.

  As shown in FIG. 8A, the recording paper is discharged from a discharge roller 11 provided in the recording paper discharge unit 10 and stacked on a steeply inclined recording paper holding plate 12. When the previously ejected recording paper 13a is curled open in the sub-scanning direction (ejection direction), the leading edge of the recording paper 13b to be ejected next comes into contact with the preceding recording paper 13a. In some cases, the curl opened on the recording paper 13b in the sub-scanning direction is further increased. Further, when the discharge port is blocked by the curl of the previous recording paper 13a, the recording paper 13a may be pushed out of the stacker by discharging the recording paper 13b.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 8B, when the previously ejected recording paper 14 is curled up in the main / sub scanning direction (recording paper width direction), the recording paper 14 is laminated. When the discharge port is blocked by the curl of the previous recording paper, the previous recording paper may be pushed out of the stacker by the recording paper 14 discharged later.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a recording sheet stacker that enables stable recording sheet stacking.

The recording paper stacker according to the present invention is a recording paper stacker for stacking the recording paper discharged from the discharge port, and is provided with a recording paper holder that is inclined so that the discharge port side is deep and can be rotated in the vertical direction. means, as the inclination of the recording paper holding means by the weight of the recording paper stacked on the paper holding means is changed, a biasing means for biasing the recording paper holding means upward, the said recording paper at least both ends of the discharge port is closed and the recording sheet pressing means for pressing down, and the recording paper pressing means is an elastic member provided on the entire area of the discharge port, the lower end the discharge It is located below the recording paper discharge position at the outlet, and extends downward as it approaches both ends of the discharge port .

  According to the present invention, stable recording paper can be stacked.

1. 1. First Embodiment 1.1) Configuration and Operation FIG. 1A is a side sectional view showing a configuration of a recording paper stacker according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a view when recording paper is stacked. 2A is a side sectional view showing the state of the recording paper stacker, FIG. 2A is a plan view showing the shapes of the recording paper holding plate and the recording paper guide plate of the recording paper stacker in FIG. 1A, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the recording paper stacker shown in FIG. 1A, and FIG. 4 is a recording paper stacker shown in FIG. 1A. FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a state in which recording paper is discharged. Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of the recording paper stacker according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an inclined surface that becomes deeper as it approaches the discharge unit 100 is provided between the discharge unit 100 that discharges the recording paper and the support base 101, and a recording paper holding plate 102 is attached to the inclined surface. It is provided so as to be rotatable about a shaft 103. The holding plate mounting shaft 103 in the present embodiment is located at the upper end portion of the inclined surface facing the discharge portion 100. The recording paper holding plate 102 is supported by a coil spring 104 provided on the support base 101. When the coil spring 104 is compressed downward, the recording paper holding plate 102 is biased upward (in the direction of the white arrow). To do. The coil spring 104 is an example of an urging means, and a member or material having a spring property may be used. For example, sponges having elasticity, rubber, leaf springs, cantilevered mold members, and the like can be used. Here, as shown in FIG. 2B and FIG. 3, two coil springs 104 are provided to stabilize the recording paper holding plate 102, but the weight and size of the recording paper holding plate 102 are taken into consideration. An appropriate number may be used.

  When recording paper is not stacked, the recording paper holding plate 102 is maintained at a constant angle (slight inclination) with respect to the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. Therefore, even if the recording paper 108 curled in the sub-scanning direction is stacked, it is possible to prevent further curling as shown in FIG. As the recording paper is stacked, the recording paper holding plate 102 moves downward about the mounting shaft 103 against the urging force of the coil spring 104 due to the weight of the recording paper, and the inclination angle gradually increases.

  A plurality of recording paper guide plates 105 are provided on the recording paper stacking side wall of the discharge unit 100 to guide the discharged recording paper onto the recording paper holding plate 102. The discharge unit 100 is provided with a discharge port 106, and when the recording paper 108 conveyed by the conveying roller 107 is discharged through the discharge port 106, it drops onto the recording paper holding plate 102 inclined along the recording paper guide plate 105. To do. Accordingly, the discharged recording paper 108 forms a recording paper stack 109 arranged on the recording paper holding plate 102 according to the shape of the recording paper guide plate 105 as shown in FIG.

  The rotation of the recording paper holding plate 102 around the mounting shaft 103 is performed along the vertical direction of the recording paper guide plate 105. As shown in FIG. 2A, a notch 102a is formed at a position corresponding to the recording paper guide plate 105 of the recording paper holding plate 102, and the recording paper guide plate 105 is inserted into the notch 102a. . Therefore, the recording paper 108 falling along the recording paper guide plate 105 does not slide down from the inclined recording paper holding plate 102 and is stable in a state where it is aligned on the recording paper holding plate 102 by the recording paper guide plate 105. Loaded.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, in the recording paper stacker according to the present embodiment, a recording paper pressing sheet is provided as the recording paper pressing means 110 having upper ends fixed to both ends of the discharge port 106 of the discharge unit 100, and the discharge is performed. Both ends in the width direction (main scanning direction) of the recording paper 108 discharged from the outlet 106 are pressed downward. Since the lower end of the recording paper pressing sheet 110 extends below the position where the recording paper is discharged by the conveying roller 107, both ends of the recording paper 108 can be appropriately pressed and bent downward to be discharged. . Therefore, curling of the recording paper 108 in the main scanning direction can be effectively suppressed, and even when a large number of recording papers 108 are stacked on the recording paper holding plate 102, the stacked recording paper remains in the discharge port 106. Can be prevented. Further, since the recording paper pressing sheet 110 presses the recording paper 108 discharged from the discharge port 106 downward, there is an effect of suppressing curling in the sub-scanning direction.

  The recording paper pressing means 110 uses an elastic sheet, but is not limited to this. For example, an elastic member such as a mold member having a low rigidity, a conductive brush, or a leaf spring can be used as the downward pressing means for the recording paper.

1.2) Effect FIG. 5 is a side sectional view for explaining the first effect of the recording paper stacker according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 shows the first of the recording paper stacker according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is side surface sectional drawing for demonstrating the effect of 2. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when the recording paper 108 is not stacked, the recording paper holding plate 102 is maintained at a constant angle (slight inclination) with respect to the horizontal direction, so that the recording paper curled in the sub-scanning direction. Even if 108 is stacked, the surface is stacked on the recording paper holding plate 102 with a gentle inclination. Accordingly, even if the leading edge of the next recording sheet comes into contact with the stacked recording sheet 108, it only hits a sloping inclined surface, so that it is stacked on the loaded recording sheet so as to slide without great resistance. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the discharged recording paper from being further curled. As the recording paper is stacked, the recording paper holding plate 102 moves downward about the mounting shaft 103 against the urging force of the coil spring 104 due to the weight of the recording paper, and the inclination angle gradually increases. Thus, even if the recording paper holding plate 102 moves downward, the leading end of the recording paper 108 discharged by the recording paper stack 109 contacts the uppermost stacked recording paper, so that there is no significant change in the contact position. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a high recording paper stacking performance in which a large number of recording papers can be discharged in a limited space without deteriorating the curling of the recording paper.

  Also, as shown in FIG. 6, the lower end of the recording paper pressing sheet 110 extends below the position where the recording paper is discharged by the conveying roller 107, so that both ends of the recording paper 108 are pressed and curved downward. Discharged. Therefore, curling of the recording paper 108 in the main scanning direction can be effectively suppressed, and even when a large number of recording papers 108 are stacked on the recording paper holding plate 102, the stacked recording paper remains in the discharge port 106. Can be prevented. Further, since the recording sheet pressing sheet 110 presses the recording sheet 108 discharged from the discharge port 106 downward, curling in the sub-scanning direction can be suppressed. In particular, as shown in FIG. 6, even when a large recording sheet 108 is discharged, both ends of the recording sheet in the main scanning direction are pressed downward, so that the previously discharged recording sheet may block the discharge port. No.

  In this way, the recording paper holding plate 102 is gently inclined by the bias of the coil spring 104 to load the recording paper, and the recording paper pressing sheets 110 are provided at both ends of the discharge port 106, thereby curling the discharged recording paper. The recording paper can be stacked stably.

2. Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2B, recording paper pressing sheets 110 having upper ends fixed at both ends of the discharge port 106 of the discharge unit 100 are provided and discharged from the discharge port 106. Although the configuration in which both ends of the recording paper 108 in the width direction (main scanning direction) are pressed downward is adopted, the present invention is not limited to this. The second embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

  FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a recording paper discharge unit when the recording paper stacker according to the second embodiment of the present invention is viewed from the front side. According to the present embodiment, the recording paper pressing means 110 is provided not only at both ends of the discharge port 106 but in the entire area, and a brush made of an elastic member instead of a sheet is used. The lower end of the recording paper pressing means 110 extends below the recording paper discharge position of the conveying roller 107 over the entire area of the discharge port 106, so that the recording paper 108 is more effectively pressed and curved downward. Curling can be suppressed and discharged.

  In particular, by extending the lower end of the recording paper pressing means 110 to the lower side at both ends of the discharge port 106, both ends in the main scanning direction of the discharged recording paper 108 can be more effectively pressed downward, Curling can be effectively suppressed. Further, if the brush is made of a conductive material, the charge can be removed.

  In this embodiment, a brush is used as the recording paper pressing unit 110, but the invention is not limited to this, and as described above, an elastic sheet, an elastic member such as a mold member, a leaf spring, or the like is used. You can also use members

  The present invention can be applied not only to a printer or a facsimile apparatus but also to a recording paper stacker of a scanner, and can be applied to a general recording paper stacker of a system in which discharged paper is sequentially stacked.

(A) is a side sectional view showing the configuration of the recording sheet stacker according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and (B) is a side sectional view showing the state of the recording sheet stacker when the recording sheets are stacked. 1A is a plan view showing the shapes of a recording paper holding plate and a recording paper guide plate of the recording paper stacker of FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1B is a recording of the recording paper stacker of FIG. 1A viewed from the front side. It is a block diagram of a paper discharge part. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the recording paper stacker of FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a state in which recording paper is discharged to the recording paper stacker of FIG. FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view for explaining a first effect of the recording paper stacker according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a side sectional view for explaining a second effect of the recording paper stacker according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a recording paper discharge unit when a recording paper stacker according to a second embodiment of the present invention is viewed from the front side. (A) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the recording paper stacker showing how the recording paper is discharged when the recording paper is curled in the sub-scanning direction, and (B) is a recording paper discharging when the recording paper is curled in the main scanning direction. It is a schematic sectional view of a recording paper stacker showing the state.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Recording paper discharge part 101 Support stand 102 Recording paper holding plate 103 Holding plate attachment shaft 104 Coil spring 105 Recording paper guide plate 106 Discharge port 107 Conveying roller 108 Recording paper 109 Recording paper stack 110 Recording paper press sheet

Claims (2)

A recording paper stacker for stacking recording paper discharged from the discharge port,
A recording paper holding means that is inclined so that the discharge port side becomes deeper and is rotatable in the vertical direction;
An urging means for urging the recording paper holding means upward so that the inclination of the recording paper holding means changes depending on the weight of the recording paper loaded on the recording paper holding means;
A recording paper pressing means for pressing the recording paper downward on at least both ends of the discharge port;
I have a,
The recording paper pressing means is an elastic member provided in the entire area of the discharge port, and its lower end is located below the recording paper discharge position of the discharge port, and further down as it approaches both ends of the discharge port. A recording paper stacker characterized by extending .   The recording paper guide means further provided on the stacker wall on the discharge port side, and a groove through which the recording paper guide means is passed is provided in the recording paper holding means, and the recording paper holding means follows the recording paper guide means. The recording paper stacker according to claim 1, wherein the recording paper stacker is rotatable.

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