JP5156558B2 - Sheet conveying device, sheet feeding device and image forming apparatus including the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet conveying apparatus that conveys a sheet such as a document or a transfer sheet in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, or a complex machine using an electrophotographic method, and a sheet feeding apparatus including the sheet conveying apparatus. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

  In the image forming apparatus, the paper in the paper feed cassette is conveyed one by one to the image forming unit side by the rotation of the paper feed roller, and the paper on which the image has been formed is heated and melted and fixed by the fixing unit. To be discharged. In the paper conveyance path between the paper feed cassette and the image forming unit and the paper conveyance path between the fixing unit and the discharge unit, the occurrence frequency of paper jam is high. When a paper jam occurs, the paper jammed in the conveyance path can be taken out by opening an open / close cover supported so as to be openable and closable with respect to the apparatus main body.

  Lock members for engaging with the apparatus main body and maintaining the closed state are provided on both ends of the opening / closing cover. A switch such as a detection sensor for detecting the open / close state of the open / close cover is provided in the apparatus main body, and the image forming apparatus feeds paper only when the open / close cover is closed by detection of the detection sensor. It can be printed. Here, when the detection sensor is arranged on one side of the opening / closing cover in the conveyance width direction, the sheet feeding may be performed even though the opening / closing cover is not completely closed. This occurs when only the lock member on the side close to the detection sensor is engaged with the lock receiving member of the apparatus main body and the other lock member is not engaged. In this way, there is a problem that the fed paper is not transported by being caught by, for example, a guide plate in this transport path, and paper jam occurs.

  Therefore, in Patent Document 1, the open / close cover is provided in a paper conveyance path between the paper feed cassette and the image forming unit, and is supported at the lower part of the apparatus main body so as to be openable and closable with respect to the apparatus main body around the rotation shaft. ing. A sheet is conveyed between a sheet conveyance guide formed on the opening / closing cover and a sheet conveyance guide disposed in the apparatus main body. The open / close cover is opened when a paper jam occurs in the vicinity of the paper transport guide. Lock members are provided on both sides of the upper portion of the open / close cover, and the open / close cover is held closed by engaging the lock members with the lock receiving member on the apparatus main body side. A detection sensor for detecting the open / closed state is attached to the upper part of the paper transport path in the apparatus main body facing the center position of the open / close cover in the transport width direction. As a result, even when the open / close cover is closed with respect to the main body of the apparatus, a gap is formed between the detection sensor and the open / close cover, and no ON signal is output from the detection sensor, so the image forming apparatus can print. This prevents the paper jam due to the single closing of the opening / closing cover.

However, in the above-described prior art, since the detection sensor is arranged at the upper part of the sheet conveyance path, a member that is operated to turn on / off the detection sensor is also provided on the opening / closing cover at a position facing the detection sensor. In other words, the open / close cover must be provided with a detection sensor operating member above the paper transport guide, which makes the open / close cover bulky. This restricts the arrangement and configuration of units such as a paper feeding unit, an image forming unit, or a fixing unit arranged in the vicinity of the opening / closing cover, and increases the size of the image forming apparatus and the paper feeding device. was there.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-63538 (paragraphs [0015] to [0020), FIG. 2)

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and a paper transport device that reliably prevents a paper jam due to a single closing of the opening / closing cover with a simple configuration without increasing the size of the device, and the same An object of the present invention is to provide a sheet feeding device and an image forming apparatus provided with the above.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a sheet conveying apparatus that conveys a sheet along a conveying path formed between a pair of conveying surfaces facing each other, and forms one conveying surface and opens and closes the apparatus main body. An opening / closing cover that is freely pivotally supported, a guide member that forms the other conveyance surface, is pivotally supported by the apparatus main body and rotates in accordance with opening / closing of the opening / closing cover, and both sides of the opening / closing cover in the conveyance width direction A pair of locking members provided; a lock receiving member that is provided in the apparatus main body and that engages with the pair of locking members at a closed position of the opening and closing cover; and is provided on one side in the transport width direction. A switch member that detects an open / close state at a closed position, guide surfaces provided on both sides of the open / close cover in the conveyance width direction, and formed on the guide member, and moves the guide surface according to opening / closing of the open / close cover. And A pair of guide portions for guiding the rotation of the guide member and one side of the guide surface, which is formed on one side before the opening / closing cover reaches the closed position by a closing operation near one side of the opening / closing cover. A contact portion that prevents the guide portion from moving on the one guide surface, and the opening and closing cover reaches a closed position by closing the opening and closing cover at a predetermined position. Detects the closed state of the opening / closing cover.

  According to this configuration, when an operation of pushing the opening / closing cover toward the apparatus main body side is performed to close the opening / closing cover, the guide portion formed on the guide member moves on the guide surface provided on the opening / closing cover, and the guide member moves to the apparatus. Rotates relative to the body. When the guide member is rotated, if the closing operation is performed in the vicinity of one side, the guide portion on the other side moves away from the guide surface, but the guide portion on the one side receives this operating force directly. Before the opening / closing cover reaches the closed position, the contact portion formed on the guide surface is prevented from moving along the guide surface. Therefore, the lock member of the opening / closing cover does not engage with the lock receiving member of the apparatus main body, and the switch member does not detect the closed state of the opening / closing cover. When a closing operation is performed at a predetermined position of the opening / closing cover, the one guide portion moves upward while contacting the guide surface above the contact portion, and the other guide portion contacts the guide surface. While moving upward, it reaches the closed position. In this closed position, the lock member is engaged with the lock receiving member of the apparatus main body, the switch pressing member pushes the switch member, the switch member is turned on, and the closed state of the open / close cover is detected.

  In the invention according to claim 2, the guide part is formed by a projecting piece at an end part of the guide member, the contact part is a protrusion protruding from the guide surface on the one side, and the projecting piece is The guide portion is locked in contact with the protrusion.

  In the invention according to claim 3, when one side of the opening / closing cover is closed, the guide portion contacts at a position below the contact portion, and the predetermined position of the opening / closing cover is closed. In this case, the guide part contacts at a position above the contact part.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paper feeding device on which the paper conveying device having the above-described configuration is mounted.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus equipped with the sheet conveying device having the above-described configuration.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when an operation of pushing the opening / closing cover toward the apparatus main body is performed to close the opening / closing cover, the guide portion formed on the guide member moves on the guide surface provided on the opening / closing cover. The guide member rotates with respect to the apparatus main body. If the closing operation is performed at a predetermined position of the opening / closing cover during the rotation of the guide member, the guide portion on one side moves upward while coming into contact with the guide surface above the contact portion, and the guide on the other side. The portion moves upward while coming into contact with the guide surface to reach the closed position. In this closed position, the lock member is engaged with the lock receiving member of the apparatus main body, the switch pressing member pushes the switch member, the switch member is turned on, and the closed state of the open / close cover is detected. When a closing operation is performed in the vicinity of one side, the other side guide part moves away from the guide surface, but the one side guide part directly receives this operation force and the opening / closing cover is moved to the closed position. Before reaching, the contact portion formed on the guide surface is prevented from moving along the guide surface. Therefore, the lock member of the opening / closing cover does not engage with the lock receiving member of the apparatus main body, and the switch member does not detect the closed state of the opening / closing cover. In other words, the switch will not operate even if an operation that may cause one-side closing such as pushing the vicinity of one side of the opening / closing cover to perform the closing operation, the paper jam due to one-side closing of the opening / closing cover is ensured. Can be prevented.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the guide portion is formed by a protruding piece at the end of the guide member, and the contact portion is a protrusion protruding from the guide surface, and the protruding piece contacts the protrusion. Since the guide portion is locked, it is possible to reliably prevent a paper jam due to one-side closing of the opening / closing cover with a simple configuration.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, when one side of the opening / closing cover is closed, the guide portion contacts at a position below the contact portion, and when a predetermined position of the opening / closing cover is closed. The guide part contacts at a position above the contact part. Therefore, even if an operation that may cause one-side closure such as pushing the vicinity of one side of the opening / closing cover is performed, the switch does not operate, so it is possible to reliably prevent a paper jam due to one-side closing of the opening / closing cover. On the other hand, when the predetermined position of the open / close cover is operated, the open / close cover reaches the closed position, the lock member engages with the lock receiving member of the apparatus main body, and the switch member can detect the closed state of the open / close cover. .

  According to the invention described in claim 4, it is possible to provide a paper feeding device including a paper transport device that reliably prevents a paper jam caused by a single closing of the opening / closing cover with a simple configuration without increasing the size of the device. it can.

  According to the invention described in claim 5, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus including a sheet conveying device that reliably prevents a paper jam due to a single closing of the opening / closing cover with a simple configuration without increasing the size of the apparatus. it can.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. The embodiment of the present invention shows the most preferable form of the invention, and the use of the invention and the terms shown here are not limited thereto.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a paper feeding device, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part showing a state in which an opening / closing cover in the paper feeding device is opened.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, the paper feeding device 50 includes a device main body 51 configured in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, paper feed trays 71 and 72, and an opening / closing cover 61 provided on a left frame of the device main body 51.

  The paper feed trays 71 and 72 are stacked in the apparatus main body 51. The paper feed tray 71 has a paper storage section 75 for stacking and placing paper, and can be pulled out from the apparatus main body 51 in the Y direction of FIG. When there is no paper in the paper storage unit 75, the paper feed tray 71 is pulled out by the handle 73, and the paper can be placed in the paper storage unit 75. Of the plurality of sheets placed in the sheet storage unit 75, the topmost sheet is fed one by one from the left frame portion upward in the Z direction. The paper feed tray 72 has the same configuration as the paper feed tray 71 and is arranged in the lower stage of the paper feed tray 71.

The opening / closing cover 61 is formed of a synthetic resin material in a rectangular shape, and is provided so as to be openable / closable with both sides of the lower portion of the apparatus main body 51 as support shafts. The opening / closing cover 61 is opened when a paper jam occurs in the paper fed from the paper storage unit 75. The opening / closing cover 61 has a concave operating portion 62 at the substantially central portion thereof, and opens when the operating portion 62 is pulled in the approximate X direction in FIG. 1, and closes when the operating portion 62 is pressed in the approximately X direction in FIG. . Even if the exterior surface 65 other than the operation unit 62 is pressed, the opening / closing cover 6
1 can be closed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a guide member 53 for conveying paper is provided on the upper part of the left frame of the apparatus main body 51, while a cover-side guide member 63 is provided on the upper part on the inner surface side of the opening / closing cover 61. . When the open / close cover 61 is closed, the cover-side guide member 63 and the guide member 53 face each other to form a sheet conveyance path. This conveyance path is bent in an arc shape from the sheet storage portion 75 upward in the Z direction in FIG.

  A pair of locking members 66 are provided on both side surfaces of the opening / closing cover 61 in the conveyance width direction (Y direction in FIG. 2), and both sides of the apparatus body 51 in the conveyance width direction are in the closed state of the opening / closing cover 61. A lock receiving member 56 that engages with the pair of lock members 66 is provided. In FIG. 2, the lock member 66 on the back side and the lock receiving member 56 on the near side are invisible.

  A switch member 54 is disposed at a position on the one side (back side) of the apparatus main body 51 in the conveyance width direction so as not to interfere with sheet conveyance. The switch member 54 has a configuration in which a sensing lever protrudes from the housing, and when the sensing lever is pressed, the contact switch in the housing is turned on by the movement of the sensing lever, and the sensing lever is pushed when the opening / closing cover 61 is closed. And the switch is turned on. Note that the switch member 54 may be an optical sensor that outputs a signal depending on whether or not the light to be projected is received and blocks the light by operating a sensing lever.

  While the ON signal is output from the switch member 54, the sheet feeding device 50 holds the drive unit such as the transport roller in a drivable state. On the other hand, when the open / close cover 61 is in an open state due to the occurrence of a paper jam or the like, the switch member 54 is turned off, and the output of the ON signal from the switch member 54 is interrupted. Etc. are stopped.

  Next, the opening / closing configuration of the opening / closing cover 61 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view of the main part showing a state in which the open / close cover is closed, and FIG. 4 is a side view of the main part viewed from the direction C in FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional plan view of the main part showing a state in which the opening / closing cover is opened. 3 indicates the opening direction of the opening / closing cover, and the arrow B of FIG. 4 indicates the closing direction of the opening / closing cover.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the opening / closing cover 61 has fitting holes 69 on both sides in the conveyance width direction (Y direction in FIG. 2) at the lower portion thereof, while the apparatus main body 51 is a spindle that fits into the fitting holes 69. 59. The opening / closing cover 61 can rotate in the direction of arrow A in FIG. The fitting hole 69 and the support shaft 59 allow play (gap) so that the opening / closing cover 61 can be attached to the apparatus main body 51 and operated even if there are manufacturing errors of the members of the opening / closing cover 61 and the apparatus main body 51. ).

  In the closed state of the opening / closing cover 61 shown in FIG. 3, the lock member 66 provided on the opening / closing cover 61 is engaged with the lock receiving member 56 provided on the apparatus main body 51. The lock receiving member 56 is rotatably supported by the apparatus main body 51 by a rotating shaft 58 and is urged clockwise by a torsion spring (not shown). As a result, the hook portion of the lock receiving member 56 and the hook portion of the lock member 66 are engaged, and the closed state of the open / close cover 61 is maintained. Note that the lock member 66 may be rotatably supported by a rotating shaft, biased by a torsion spring, and the lock receiving member 56 may be engaged with the lock member 66.

  The opening / closing cover 61 is provided with a switch pressing member 64, and the switch pressing member 64 is disposed so as to face the switch member 54 when the opening / closing cover 61 is closed. That is, the switch pressing member 64 is formed of a boots-like plate material and is fixed to one side surface of the opening / closing cover 61 in the conveyance width direction (invisible on the back side in the Y direction in FIG. 2). When the front end of the switch pressing member 64 pushes the sensing lever of the switch member 54 at the closed position of the opening / closing cover 61, the switch of the switch member 54 is turned on.

  The guide member 53 is rotatably held on the upper portion of the apparatus main body 51 by a rotating shaft 55 at the lower portion thereof, and a guide portion 57 having a rectangular protruding piece is integrally formed with a synthetic resin at the upper end portion of the guide member 53. Has been. The guide portion 57 includes a flat surface and an arc surface above the flat surface. On the other hand, the opening / closing cover 61 is formed with a flat guide surface 67 facing the guide portion 57. The guide portion 57 contacts the guide surface 67 when the open / close cover 61 is closed, moves away from the guide surface 67 when the open / close cover 61 is open, and slides on the guide surface 67 when the open / close cover 61 is opened / closed. This will be described in detail later.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the guide member 53 is provided with a plurality of guide plates 52 for guiding the sheet conveyance in parallel in the conveyance width direction (Y direction). A pair of plates is provided on both sides of the plate 52. The one guide portion 57a is disposed on one side where the switch member 54 (see FIG. 2) is disposed, and the other guide portion 57b is disposed on the other side. In the opening / closing cover 61, guide surfaces 67a and 67b are formed at positions facing the respective guide portions 57a and 57b.

  In the closed state of the open / close cover 61 shown in FIG. 3, when an operation of pulling the operating portion 62 of the open / close cover 61 is performed, the lock member 66 is against the biasing force of the torsion spring of the lock receiving member 56. The opening / closing cover 61 rotates in the direction of arrow A about the support shaft 59. At this time, the switch pressing member 64 is separated from the switch member 54 and turns off the switch of the switch member 54. Further, the guide member 53 rotates around the rotation shaft 55 in the clockwise direction of FIG. 3 due to its own weight. Due to the rotation of the guide member 53 and the separation of the opening / closing cover 61 from the apparatus main body 51, the guide portion 57 of the guide member 53 slides downward on the guide surface 67 of the opening / closing cover 61. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the one guide portion 57a slides on the guide surface 67a, and the other guide portion 57b slides down the guide surface 67b. When the opening / closing cover 61 is further opened, the opening / closing cover 61 is in the open state shown in FIG.

  In the open state shown in FIG. 5, the lower portion of the guide member 53 is in contact with the apparatus main body 51, the guide portion 57 is separated from the guide surface 67, and the guide member 53 is held in a state rotated approximately 60 degrees from the closed position. . Thus, when the opening / closing cover 61 and the guide member 53 are opened, it is possible to remove jammed paper on the conveyance path or jammed paper near the exit of the paper storage portion 75 (see FIG. 2). When an operation of pushing the opening / closing cover 61 toward the apparatus main body 51 is performed, the opening / closing cover 61 rotates in the arrow B direction about the support shaft 59.

  The operation of the opening / closing cover 61 by the closing operation will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 is a principal plan view showing the movement of the guide portions 57a and 57b when the opening / closing cover 61 is closed by performing an operation of pushing one side. (1A) and (1B) in FIG. 6 show how the open / close cover 61 is closed, and (2A) and (2B) show the closed position of the open / close cover 61. FIG. 7 is a principal plan view showing the movement of the guide portions 57a and 57b when the opening / closing cover 61 is closed by performing an operation of pushing a predetermined position. (1A) and (1B) of FIG. 7 show the way the opening / closing cover 61 is closed, and (2A) and (2B) show the closing position of the opening / closing cover 61. In each figure, (1A) and (2A) show the guide part 57a on one side, and (1B) and (2B) show the movement of the guide part 57b on the other side.

  As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6A, a contact portion 68 is formed on one guide surface 67a so as to protrude from the guide surface 67a. The contact portion 68 is disposed at a position on the guide surface 67a corresponding to a position immediately before the closing position of the opening / closing cover 61. Further, the one guide surface 67a and the other guide surface 67b are formed at the same height h, and the contact portion 68 protrudes from the one guide surface 67a.

  As shown in FIG. 6 (1A), when the vicinity of one side of the exterior surface 65 is pressed with the operating force Pa, the guide portion 57a on one side moves upward while coming into contact with the guide surface 67a. Further, as shown in FIG. 6 (1B), the other guide portion 57b moves away from the guide surface 67b.

  Next, immediately before the closing position of the open / close cover 61, the other guide portion 57b moves away from the guide surface 67b and moves upward to reach the closed position as shown in FIG. 6 (2B). At this position, the lock member 66 on the other side does not engage with the lock receiving member 56 of the apparatus main body 51. However, as shown in FIG. 6 (2A), the guide portion 57a on one side is blocked by the contact portion 68. Accordingly, the lock member 66 on one side does not engage with the lock receiving member 56 of the apparatus main body 51 in the closed position, and the switch pressing member 64 does not push the switch member 54.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7 (1B), when the other side of the exterior surface 65 is pushed with the operating force Pb, the guide portion 57b on the other side moves upward while coming into contact with the guide surface 67b. However, the one guide portion 75a moves upward while being separated from the guide surface 67a.

  Next, immediately before the closing position of the opening / closing cover 61, the other guide portion 57b moves upward while contacting the guide surface 67b, and reaches the closed position as shown in FIG. 7 (2B). In this closed position, the lock member 66 on the other side is engaged with the lock receiving member 56 of the apparatus main body 51 for engagement. However, the one-side guide portion 57a moves upward while being separated from the guide surface 67a without coming into contact with the contact portion 68, and enters the state shown in FIG. 7 (2A). In this state, the lock member 66 on one side does not engage with the lock receiving member 56 of the apparatus main body 51, and the switch pressing member 64 does not press the switch member 54. Therefore, even if there is a single closure, the switch member 54 is not turned on, so that it is detected that the open / close cover 61 is in an open state, so that the apparatus is not driven and this problem does not occur.

  When a predetermined position in the center is pushed, the one guide portion 57a moves upward while contacting the guide surface 67a above the contact portion 68, and the other guide portion 57b contacts the guide surface 67b. It moves upward while touching and reaches the closed position. In this closed position, the lock member 66 engages with the lock receiving member 56 of the apparatus main body 51, the switch pressing member 64 pushes the switch member 54, and the switch member 54 is turned on.

  According to the above-described embodiment, the sheet conveying apparatus forms one conveying surface, and the opening / closing cover 61 that is pivotally supported by the apparatus main body 51 so as to be freely opened and closed, and the other conveying surface are formed. The guide member 53 that rotates according to the opening / closing of the opening / closing cover 61, the pair of locking members 66 provided on both sides of the opening / closing cover 61 in the conveyance width direction, and the apparatus main body 51 are provided to close the opening / closing cover 61. And a lock receiving member 56 that engages with the pair of lock members 66 at a position. Also, a switch member 54 that is provided on one side in the conveyance width direction and detects an open / close state when the opening / closing cover 61 is closed, guide surfaces 67a and 67b provided on both sides of the opening / closing cover 61 in the conveyance width direction, and a guide A pair of guide portions 57 a and 57 b that are formed on the member 53 and move along the guide surfaces 67 a and 67 b according to the opening and closing of the opening and closing cover 61 to guide the rotation of the guide member 53 are provided. Further, the guide portion 57a on one side moves the guide surface 67a on one side before the opening and closing cover 61 reaches the closed position by the closing operation in the vicinity of one side of the opening and closing cover 61. And a contact portion 68 for preventing the movement.

  According to this configuration, when an operation of pushing the opening / closing cover 61 toward the apparatus main body 51 is performed in order to close the opening / closing cover 61, the guide portions 57 a and 57 b formed on the guide member 53 are guided surfaces 67 a provided on the opening / closing cover 61. , 67b, and the guide member 53 rotates relative to the apparatus main body 51. If the closing operation is performed in the vicinity of one side during the rotation of the guide member 53, the guide portion 57b on the other side moves away from the guide surface 67b, but the guide portion 57a on the one side directly applies this operating force. Therefore, before the opening / closing cover 61 reaches the closed position, it is prevented from moving along the guide surface 67a by the contact portion 68 formed on the guide surface 67a. Therefore, the lock member 66 of the opening / closing cover 61 does not engage with the lock receiving member 56 of the apparatus main body 51, and the switch member 54 does not detect the closed state of the opening / closing cover 61. That is, even if an operation that may cause one-side closing such as pressing one side of the opening / closing cover 61 to perform the closing operation is performed, the switch does not operate. Can be reliably prevented.

  Further, according to the above embodiment, the guide portions 57a and 57b are formed as protrusions at the end portion of the guide member 53, and the contact portion 68 is a protrusion protruding from the guide surface 67a. By locking the guide portion 57a on one side, it is possible to reliably prevent a paper jam due to one-side closing of the opening / closing cover 61 with a simple configuration.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the paper conveying device is applied to the paper feeding device has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the paper conveying device may be applied to the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG.

  FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view showing the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus 1 includes a sheet feeding unit 3 disposed in a lower portion thereof, sheet conveying units 4 and 6 disposed on the side and above the sheet feeding unit 3, and above the sheet conveying unit 4. The disposed image forming unit 10, the fixing device 13 disposed on the discharge side with respect to the image forming unit 10, the discharge unit 15 disposed on the right side of the fixing device 13, and above the discharge unit 15 Is provided with an image reading unit 8.

  The image forming unit 13 forms a toner image on a sheet by an electrophotographic process. A photoconductor that is rotatably supported in a predetermined direction, and a circumference of the photoconductor along the rotation direction. A charging device, a developing device, a cleaning device, a static elimination device, and the like are provided. When a predetermined potential is applied to the surface of the photoconductor by the charging device, the surface of the photoconductor is uniformly charged.

  When light based on the image data of the original read by the image reading unit 8 is irradiated onto the photoconductor by the exposure device 9, the surface potential of the photoconductor is selectively attenuated, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photoconductor. It is formed. Next, the developing device develops the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoreceptor, and a toner image is formed on the surface of the photoreceptor.

  The paper feeding unit 3 includes a plurality of paper feeding cassettes that store the paper P, and the paper P is reliably fed one by one from the paper feeding cassette selected from the plurality of paper feeding cassettes by the rotation operation of the paper feeding roller. To the paper transport unit 4.

  The paper P sent to the paper transport unit 4 is transported toward the image forming unit 10. In the image forming unit 10, the toner image is transferred to the paper P.

  The paper P on which the toner image is transferred is conveyed toward the fixing device 13. In the fixing device 13, the paper P is heated and pressed by the heating member and the pressure roller, and the toner image is melted and fixed on the paper 9. Next, the fixed sheet P is discharged onto the discharge unit 15 by the discharge roller pair 16.

  The sheet conveying apparatus of the present embodiment can be used in the sheet conveying section 4 of such an image forming apparatus, a sheet conveying path between the fixing device 13 and the discharging section 15 or the like.

  The present invention relates to a sheet conveying apparatus that conveys a sheet such as a document or a transfer sheet in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, or a complex machine using an electrophotographic method, and a sheet feeding apparatus including the sheet conveying apparatus. It can be used for an image forming apparatus.

These are the perspective views which show the paper feeder which is embodiment of this invention. These are the principal part perspective views which show the state which opened the opening-and-closing cover of the paper conveying apparatus used for the paper feeder which is embodiment of this invention. These are the cross-sectional top views of the principal part which show the state which closed the opening-and-closing cover of the paper conveying apparatus used for the paper feeder which is embodiment of this invention. These are the side views of the principal part which shows the state which closed the opening-and-closing cover of the paper conveying apparatus used for the paper feeder which is embodiment of this invention. These are the cross-sectional top views of the principal part which show the state which opened the opening-and-closing cover of the paper conveying apparatus used for the paper feeder which is embodiment of this invention. These are principal part top views which show the movement of the opening / closing cover by operation of the one side of the opening / closing cover which concerns on the paper conveying apparatus used for the paper feeder which is embodiment of this invention. These are principal part top views which show the movement of the opening / closing cover by operation of the predetermined position of the opening / closing cover which concerns on the paper conveying apparatus used for the paper feeder which is embodiment of this invention. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus that uses a paper conveyance device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 50 Paper feeding apparatus 51 Apparatus main body 52 Guide plate 53 Guide member 54 Switch member 55 Rotating shaft 56 Lock receiving member 57 Guide part 57a One end side guide part 57b The other end side guide part 58 Rotation shaft 59 Support axis 61 Opening and closing cover 62 Operation part 63 Cover side guide member 64 Switch pressing member 65 Exterior surface 66 Lock member 67, 67a, 67b Guide surface 68 Abutting part 69 Fitting hole 71, 72 Paper feed unit 75 Paper storage part

Claims (4)

In a paper transport device that transports paper along a transport path formed between a pair of transport surfaces facing each other,
An opening / closing cover that forms one conveying surface and is pivotally supported by the apparatus body so as to be freely opened and closed;
A guide member that forms the other conveyance surface, is rotatably supported by the apparatus main body, and rotates according to opening and closing of the opening and closing cover;
A pair of locking members provided on both sides of the opening / closing cover in the conveyance width direction;
A lock receiving member provided in the apparatus main body and engaged with the pair of lock members at a closed position of the opening / closing cover;
A switch member provided on one side in the conveyance width direction and detecting a closed state of the open / close cover at a closed position of the open / close cover ;
Guide surfaces provided on both sides of the opening / closing cover in the conveyance width direction;
Formed on the guide member, abuts on the guide surface at the closed position of the open / close cover, moves away from the guide surface at the open position of the open / close cover, and slides on the guide surface by opening / closing the open / close cover. A pair of guide portions facing each of the guide surfaces ;
It said switch member is formed to project from the guide surface on the guide surface of one side provided, and a contact portion which is disposed at a position immediately before the cover reaches the closed position,
The opening / closing cover is disposed opposite to the switch member in the opening / closing direction, and is provided with a switch operating member that operates the switch member in a closed position,
When the vicinity of one side of the opening / closing cover is closed, the guide part on one side comes into contact with the contact part while sliding on the guide surface and is prevented from moving to the closed position, The switch member does not detect the closed state,
When the vicinity of the other side of the opening / closing cover is closed, the guide portion on the other side slides on the guide surface, while the guide portion on one side moves away from the guide surface to move the switch A sheet conveying apparatus, wherein a member does not detect a closed state . The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the switch operating member is a switch pressing member that operates the switch member by pressing the switch member in a closed position . A paper feeding device on which the paper conveying device according to claim 1 is mounted. An image forming apparatus on which the sheet conveying device according to claim 1 is mounted.

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