JP4709049B2 - Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus using the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus including the sheet feeding apparatus.

  As an image forming apparatus, for example, a copying machine generally has a function of reading an image of a document or the like and forms an image on a sheet based on the read image information. Some copiers have a function of inputting image information sent from outside.

  The printer generally forms an image on a sheet based on image information sent from an external device such as a computer. A facsimile generally has a function of reading an image such as a document and a communication function, and sends the read image information to the outside, and forms an image on a sheet based on the information sent from the outside. It is.

  Some of these image forming apparatuses are provided with a sheet feeding device for stacking and storing large-capacity sheets on the lower part or side surface of the apparatus main body, and feeding sheets from the sheet feeding apparatus.

  When feeding a sheet from the sheet feeding device, in order to prevent skew running in which the sheet is transported obliquely and lateral deviation in which the sheet is transported out of the transport reference position in a direction substantially perpendicular to the transport direction of the sheet, The sheet feeding device is provided with a sheet end regulating member (side regulating member) for regulating the width direction of the stacked sheets. The sheet end regulating member is movable in accordance with the size of the sheet stored in the sheet feeding device.

  As a configuration of a conventional sheet regulating member, there is a type as shown in FIG. 6 (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This is because the so-called sheet end regulating member 902 has an L-shape and is in the vicinity of the bottom plate (lower part) of the sheet storage unit, holds the holding unit 903 on the regulating rail 901, and is an abbreviation of the sheet end regulating surface and the bottom plate. It keeps vertical.

Further, the sheet end regulating member 910 as shown in FIG. 7 has an inverted L shape, the lower part is inserted into the hole 911 of the bottom plate, and the upper part is fixed with a screw 912 or the like, thereby the sheet end regulating surface. There is a type of forming (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
JP 2000-309431 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-265060

  However, in the conventional image forming apparatus, for example, when the sheet end regulating member has an L-shape, the length of the holding portion in the vicinity of the bottom plate (see FIG. The height of the sheet end regulating surface (b in FIG. 6) may be extremely high with respect to a) in FIG. In some cases, the height direction may be nearly 10 times the fixed length of the holding portion. In this case, the aspect ratio remains as it is in the vertical direction relative to the rattling when the lateral direction is fixed, that is, the so-called rattling direction of the sheet. However, the sheet regulating member must move in the lateral direction, and it is difficult to eliminate this backlash. If there is backlash, the regulating surface that regulates the stacking direction of the sheets can be kept perpendicular to the bottom plate. There is a concern that seats will not be able to be regulated.

On the other hand, there is a concern that it is difficult to fix the upper part and the lower part of the inverted L-shaped type that fixes the upper part at the same time. If the sheet size stored in the sheet storage unit is only a standard size, it can be positioned by inserting a fixed position in the bottom and inserting it in the upper part, but the upper part can also be positioned. When you try to do so, you may not be able to handle it.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a sheet end regulating member while maintaining a state substantially parallel to either the sheet stacking direction or the sheet conveying direction or substantially perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction. The purpose is to move.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides:
A sheet storage section for stacking and storing sheets;
A sheet end regulating member that regulates the position of the end of the sheet stacked and stored in the sheet storage and is movable in the width direction of the stacked and stored sheet;
With
In the sheet feeding device for feeding the sheets stacked in the sheet storage unit,
Two racks arranged vertically on the opposite side to the sheet regulating surface of the sheet end regulating member and having teeth arranged along the same direction as the moving direction of the sheet end regulating member; ,
Two pinion gears provided in the sheet storage portion and meshing with the two racks, respectively, and two pinion gears arranged coaxially so as to interlock with each other;
Two mechanisms are arranged in the left-right direction on the side opposite to the sheet regulating surface of the sheet end regulating member, and a rack provided in one of the two mechanisms and a rack provided in the other And, the direction of the teeth is configured to be different from each other,
It is characterized by that.

In the image forming apparatus,
The sheet feeding device described above;
An image forming unit that forms an image on the sheet fed from the sheet feeding device;
It is provided with.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably move the sheet end regulating member while maintaining a state that is substantially parallel to either the sheet stacking direction or the sheet conveying direction or substantially perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction. Become.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be exemplarily described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described in this embodiment should be appropriately changed according to the configuration of the apparatus to which the invention is applied and various conditions. It is not intended to limit the scope to the following embodiments.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a printer 1000 that is an example of an image forming apparatus including a sheet stacking apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 1000 includes a printer main body 1001 and a scanner 2000 disposed on the upper surface of the printer main body 1001.

  Here, the scanner 2000 that reads a document includes a scanning optical system light source 201, a platen glass 202, a document pressure plate 203 that opens and closes, a lens 204, a light receiving element (photoelectric conversion) 205, an image processing unit 206, a memory unit 208, and the like. . Here, the memory unit 208 is for storing the image processing signal processed by the image processing unit 206.

When reading the original, the original (not shown) placed on the platen glass 202 is read by irradiating light with the scanning optical system light source 201. Then, the read document image is processed by the image processing unit 206, converted into an electrically encoded electric signal 207, and transmitted to the laser scanner 111 as an image forming unit. Note that the image information processed and encoded by the image processing unit 206 may be temporarily stored in the memory unit 208 and transmitted to the laser scanner 111 as necessary by a signal from the controller 120.

  The printer main body 1001 includes a sheet feeding device 1002, a sheet conveying device 1004, a controller 120 as a control unit, and the like. Here, the sheet feeding apparatus 1002 is for feeding the sheet S. The sheet conveying device 1004 is for conveying the sheet S fed by the sheet feeding device 1002 to the image forming unit 1005. The controller 120 is for controlling the printer 1000.

  Reference numeral 1003 denotes a large-capacity paper deck which is an optional detachable sheet feeding device. Note that the main configuration (its mechanism and operation) of the paper deck 1003 is the same as that of the sheet feeding apparatus 1002, and therefore detailed description thereof is omitted.

  Here, the sheet feeding apparatus 1002 includes a separation unit including a sheet storage unit 100, a pickup roller 101, a feed roller 102, and a retard roller 103. The sheets S in the sheet storage unit 100 are separated and fed one by one by the action of the pickup roller 101 that moves up and down / rotates at a predetermined timing and the separation unit. Further, a feed sensor 104 is provided in the vicinity of the downstream side of the feed roller 102 and the retard roller 103 in the sheet conveyance direction, and is configured to detect the passage of the sheet S there.

  The sheet conveying apparatus 1004 includes a conveying roller pair 105 and a registration roller unit including a pre-registration roller pair 130 and a registration roller pair 110. Then, the sheet S fed from the sheet feeding apparatus 1002 is guided by the guide plate after passing through the sheet transport path 109 constituted by the guide roller by the pair of transport rollers 105, and then to the registration roller pair 110. It has come to be guided. Thereafter, the sheet S is once abutted against the registration roller pair 110, corrected for skewing during sheet feeding and conveyance, and then conveyed to the image forming unit 1005.

  The image forming unit 1005 includes a photosensitive drum 112, a laser scanner 111, a developing device 114, a transfer charger 115, a separation charger 116, and the like. When the image is formed, the laser beam from the laser scanner 111 is folded back by the mirror 113 and applied to the exposure position 112a on the photosensitive drum that rotates clockwise in FIG. A latent image is formed. Further, the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum in this way is thereafter visualized as a toner image by the developing device 114. The laser light irradiation position can be changed by a control signal from the controller 120 via a laser writing position control circuit, and the latent image forming position in the longitudinal direction on the photosensitive drum 112, that is, the so-called main running direction is changed. It is possible.

  The toner image on the photosensitive drum is then transferred to the sheet S by the transfer charger 115 in the transfer unit 112b. Further, the sheet S on which the toner image is transferred in this manner is electrostatically separated from the photosensitive drum 112 by the separation charger 116 and then conveyed to the fixing device 118 by the conveyance belt 117 to fix the toner image. Thereafter, the paper is discharged by a discharge roller 119. Further, a discharge sensor 120 is provided in the conveyance path between the fixing device 118 and the discharge roller 119, and is configured to detect the passage of the sheet S there.

  In the present embodiment, the printer main body 1001 and the scanner 2000 are separate, but the printer main body 1001 and the scanner 2000 may be integrated. In addition, the printer main body 1001 functions as a copying machine when a processing signal of the scanner 2000 is input to the laser scanner 111, and functions as a FAX when a FAX transmission signal is input. Furthermore, if an output signal of a personal computer is input, it functions as a printer. Conversely, if the processing signal of the image processing unit 206 of the scanner 2000 is transmitted to another FAX, it functions as a FAX. Further, in the scanner 2000, if an automatic document feeder 250 as shown by a two-dot chain line is installed instead of the pressure plate 203, the document can be automatically read.

  Next, a detailed description of the sheet storage unit in the sheet feeding apparatus 1002 will be given with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the sheet storage unit 100 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is related to the movement of the front side regulating plate 1 and the side regulating plate front 1 as a sheet end regulating member for regulating the position in the width direction (direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction) of the sheets stacked and stored in the sheet storage unit. It is a schematic perspective view which shows a rack & pinion mechanism. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a rack and pinion that connects the front side restricting plate front 1 and the rear side restricting plate rear 2 as a sheet end portion restricting member. FIG. 5 is a schematic top view showing a rack and pinion mechanism related to the movement of the side regulating plate.

  The sheet storage unit 100 can be pulled out along the rails 19 and 20 in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2 (a direction substantially perpendicular (right angle) to the sheet conveyance direction). When the operator sets the sheet S, the sheet S can be pulled out from the apparatus main body (sheet feeding apparatus 1002 or printer main body 1001). The sheet storage unit 100 is provided with an attachment / detachment detection sensor (not shown) so that it can detect whether the sheet storage unit 100 is attached to the apparatus main body or is pulled out. Yes.

  A lifter base 16 for stacking sheets is provided in the sheet storage unit 100, and is suspended from a wire 18 wound by a pulley 17 rotated by a lifter motor (not shown). The lifter base 16 is rotated by the rotation of the lifter motor. It can move up and down.

  With such a configuration, when the sheet storage unit 100 is pulled out from the apparatus main body in order for the operator to set a sheet, the following operation is performed. That is, when the attachment / detachment detection sensor detects that the sheet storage unit 100 has been pulled out, the lifter motor acts so that the lifter base 16 is lowered to the lower limit position. And if the sheet | seat storage part 100 is accommodated in an apparatus main body, it will act so that the lifter stand 16 may raise.

  A paper surface (sheet surface) position detection sensor 15 is provided above the sheet storage unit 100, and the lifter motor is controlled by a signal from the paper surface position detection sensor 15. That is, when the sheet storage unit 100 is stored, the lifter motor acts so that the lifter base 16 is raised, but when the appropriate paper surface height is detected by the paper surface position detection sensor 15, the lifter motor stops and the proper paper surface is detected. The height can be maintained.

  Further, as the sheet S is sequentially fed from the top in accordance with the feeding operation, the paper surface height gradually decreases, and when the paper surface position detection sensor 15 is turned off, the lifter motor is moved again in the direction in which the lifter table 16 is raised. It is configured so that the height of the paper is always controlled within a certain range.

Further, in the sheet feeding apparatus 1002, a front side regulating plate 1 and a rear side regulating plate 2 are provided for regulating the position of the sheet S in the width direction (a direction substantially perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction, the depth direction in FIG. 1). It has been.

  These are configured to be movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction (B direction in FIG. 2) in the sheet storage unit 100 according to the size of the sheet S in the width direction. Further, a rear end regulating plate 3 for regulating the position of the sheet S in the length direction (sheet conveying direction: B direction in FIG. 2) is provided, and the sheet is similarly adjusted to the size of the sheet S in the length direction. It is configured to be movable in the sheet conveyance direction within the storage unit 100.

  Here, the side regulating plates (front side regulating plate front 1 and side regulating plate rear 2) as the sheet end regulating members in the sheet storage unit 100 in the sheet feeding device 1002 will be described in detail.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a total of four racks 401, 402, 403, 404 are provided on the outer side of the front side restricting plate 1 (on the side opposite to the lifter base 16, on the side opposite to the surface regulating the seat). Is provided. By providing racks that hold the side regulating plates in the vicinity of both ends of the front side regulating plate 1, the sheet end regulating surface is not inclined with respect to the sheet conveying direction even when the side regulating plate is wide. The part can be regulated.

  Furthermore, the racks 401 and 402 are disposed at different positions in the vertical direction at the same position in the left-right direction (the direction along the lifter table 16 of the side regulating plates, the sheet conveyance direction). The racks 403 and 404 are also arranged at the same position in the left and right direction and at different positions in the vertical direction. Further, the racks 401 and 403 have substantially the same height, and the racks 402 and 404 are also attached at substantially the same height.

  Further, the racks 401, 402, 403, 404 are provided in the same direction as the moving direction of the side regulating plate. Then, they are engaged with pinion gears 406, 407, 408, 409 provided on a fixed wall 405 as a fixed portion in the sheet storage unit 100, and when the front side regulating plate 1 moves, the pinion gears 406, 407, 408, 409 are moved. Is designed to rotate.

  Here, the pinion gears 406 and 407 are arranged on the same axis. When the pinion gear 406 rotates, the drive is transmitted through the shaft 410 so that the pinion gear 407 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the pinion gear 406. It has become. Similarly, when the pinion gear 407 rotates, the pinion gear 406 rotates.

  On the other hand, the pinion gears 408 and 409 have the same relationship. When one of the pinion gears rotates, the drive is transmitted via the shaft 411 and the other rotates. The pinion gears 406 and 407 and the shaft 410 constitute a pinion gear mechanism according to the present invention. Similarly, the pinion gears 408 and 409 and the shaft 411 constitute a pinion gear mechanism according to the present invention.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the racks arranged on the left and right sides are arranged symmetrically in the width direction of the front side restricting plate 1 (the sheet conveying direction, the direction along the lifter table 16). In other words, the racks 401 and 402 are arranged such that the teeth of the dentition constituting the rack are oriented leftward in the figure, and the racks 403 and 404 are arranged such that the teeth are oriented rightward in the figure.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, another rack 412 is provided below the inner side of the front side restricting plate 1 (on the lifter base 16 side), and meshes with a pinion gear 413 at a substantially central portion of the sheet storage portion. Yes.

  The configuration after the side regulating plate 2 is the same, and on the outside (fixed wall side), four racks mesh with a pinion gear on the fixed wall. A rack 414 is disposed below the inner side (sheet stacking portion side) and meshes with the same pinion gear 413 as the front rack 412.

  Note that an upper handle portion 415 is formed on the upper portion of the front side restricting plate 1, and unevenness for preventing slippage is formed on the surface of the upper handle portion 415.

  Here, the movement when the side regulating plate is moved in accordance with the sheet size will be described.

  The operator sets the sheet after making the interval between the front and rear side regulating plates larger than the sheet width, and holds the upper handle portion 415 in front of the side regulating plate 1 and tries to move it inward to match the sheet size. Then, normally, the upper racks 401 and 403 try to move inward (in the direction of arrow D), but the lower side in front of the side regulating plate 1 tries to remain without moving. However, when the upper part moves, the upper racks 401 and 403 move relative to the pinion gears 406 and 408, and rotate the pinion gears 406 and 408 in the directions of arrows E and F, respectively. By rotating the upper pinion gears 406 and 408, the rotation is transmitted to the lower pinion gears 407 and 409 via the shaft 410, and the lower pinion gears 407 and 409 rotate to move the lower racks 402 and 404. Will move.

  Here, if the direction of the pressure angle of the two pairs of rack and pinion gears is the same direction, the side regulating plate becomes a force that rotates the side regulating plate, and the rack and the pinion gear crawl and stop moving. There is concern.

  If the side regulating plate rail (movement regulating member) can be arranged to suppress the rotation of the side regulating plate, the rack and pinion gear can be arranged in the direction in which the pressure angles coincide with each other. However, in this case, there is a concern that an increase in the number of structural members called side regulating plate rails may lead to a complicated configuration and an increased cost.

  Thus, in the present embodiment, the rack 401 (402) and the rack 403 (404) provided at different positions in the left-right direction are provided so that the teeth of the rack 401 (404) face each other. Here, the pinion gear 406 (407) and the pinion gear 408 (409) meshing with the respective racks rotate in directions opposite to each other.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the resultant direction G of the pressure angle direction H between the rack 401 and the pinion gear 406 and the pressure angle direction I between the rack 403 and the pinion gear 408 is the moving direction of the front side regulating plate 1. It is parallel to. Thereby, the rotational force of the front side regulating plate 1 generated by moving the rack can be canceled out. For this reason, the front side restricting plate 1 can move without turning. That is, the rack 403 and the pinion gear 408 can be smoothly engaged with each other without being caught, and the side regulating plate front 1 can move smoothly.

  That is, the front side restricting plate 1 is moved inward with a substantially central portion at the upper portion thereof, so that only the upper portion does not move inward (falls down), and the lower portion also moves following the movement. As a result, the entire front side restricting plate 1 is substantially parallel to the sheet conveying direction while maintaining a state substantially perpendicular to the lifter table 16 (a state substantially parallel to the stacking direction of the sheets placed on the lifter table 16). It becomes possible to move while keeping.

When the lower part of the front side restricting plate 1 moves inward, the rack 412 fixed to the front side restricting plate 1 moves, and this rack 412 rotates the pinion gear 413 and is further fixed to the rear side restricting plate 2. The rack 414 is moved. By moving the rack 414, the lower part of the rear side plate 2 is moved inward. Since the 2 side and 4 side racks and pinions are arranged on the second side after the side regulating plate as well as the first side regulating plate, the lower driving force is transmitted to the upper side, and only the lower side after the second side regulating plate 2 There's no such thing as going inside. That is, the entire rear side regulating plate 2 is maintained in a state of being substantially parallel to the sheet conveying direction while maintaining a state perpendicular to the lifter base 16 (a state substantially parallel to the stacking direction of the sheets placed on the lifter base 16). It becomes possible to move while.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, a plurality of racks 401 to 404 are arranged on the top, bottom, left, and right of the front side restricting plate 1 and a pinion gear mechanism that meshes with the upper and lower racks is provided. Are configured to rotate simultaneously. The rear side restricting plate 2 has the same configuration. As a result, while maintaining a state substantially perpendicular to the lifter table 16 (a state substantially parallel to the stacking direction of the sheets placed on the lifter table 16), while maintaining a state substantially parallel to the sheet conveyance direction, 1. It can be easily achieved that the rear side regulating plate 2 is moved.

  In the present embodiment, the rack teeth are arranged so as to face each other. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the same effect as described above can be obtained even when the rack teeth are arranged so as to face each other.

  In the present embodiment, the retard roller system has been described with respect to the mechanism of the sheet feeding apparatus. However, the configuration of the sheet end regulating member according to the present invention does not depend on the system of the sheet feeding apparatus. That is, the present invention can be suitably applied even when other separation and feeding means such as a separation feeding method using air is used for the sheet feeding device.

  Moreover, in this Embodiment, although it has the structure which moves the front and rear side regulation board simultaneously, it is not restricted to this. That is, the present invention can be suitably applied even to a configuration in which a movable side regulating plate is provided only on one side and the movement of the sheet end is regulated by the fixed wall and one side regulating plate. In the present embodiment, the side regulating plate provided to be movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the feeding direction of the sheets stacked and stored in the sheet storage unit 100 has been described. The part regulating member may be provided so as to be movable in the sheet feeding direction.

1 is a schematic sectional view of an image forming apparatus including a sheet stacking apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The schematic perspective view of the sheet | seat storage part which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a sheet end portion regulating member according to an embodiment of the present invention and a rack and pinion mechanism related to the movement of the sheet end portion regulating member. The schematic perspective view of the rack & pinion which has connected the sheet | seat edge part regulating member which concerns on embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic top view showing a rack and pinion mechanism related to the movement of the sheet end regulating member according to the embodiment of the present invention. Schematic which shows the conventional sheet | seat edge part regulating member. Schematic which shows the conventional sheet | seat edge part regulating member.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Before side regulation board 2 After side regulation board 100 Sheet storage part 401 Rack 402 Rack 403 Rack 404 Rack 406 Pinion gear 407 Pinion gear 408 Pinion gear 409 Pinion gear 1000 Printer 1001 Printer main body 1003 Image formation part 1004 Sheet conveyance apparatus 2000 Scanner S sheet

Claims (3)

A sheet storage section for stacking and storing sheets;
A sheet end regulating member that regulates the position of the end of the sheet stacked and stored in the sheet storage and is movable in the width direction of the stacked and stored sheet;
With
In the sheet feeding device for feeding the sheets stacked in the sheet storage unit,
Two racks arranged vertically on the opposite side to the sheet regulating surface of the sheet end regulating member and having teeth arranged along the same direction as the moving direction of the sheet end regulating member; ,
Two pinion gears provided in the sheet storage portion and meshing with the two racks, respectively, and two pinion gears arranged coaxially so as to interlock with each other;
Two mechanisms are arranged in the left-right direction on the side opposite to the sheet regulating surface of the sheet end regulating member, and a rack provided in one of the two mechanisms and a rack provided in the other And, the direction of the teeth is configured to be different from each other,
A sheet feeding apparatus characterized by that. The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet end regulating member is provided so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to a feeding direction of the sheets stacked and stored in the sheet storage unit. . The sheet feeding device according to claim 1 or 2 ,
An image forming unit that forms an image on the sheet fed from the sheet feeding device;
An image forming apparatus comprising:

Images