JP5355254B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are the following configurations for improving the operability of jam processing when sheet jamming (hereinafter referred to as jam) occurs in a sheet conveyance path of an image forming apparatus. The sheet conveying means such as the registration means, transfer means, pre-fixing conveying means, fixing means, and double-sided conveying means of the image forming apparatus are integrally configured as a drawer unit so that it can be pulled out from the front side of the apparatus main body. ing. Then, after pulling out the drawer unit, the opening / closing member constituting the conveyance guide is opened upward or downward to perform jam processing. This improves the visibility of the jammed sheet and the accessibility for taking it out (see Patent Document 1). As described above, when the jam processing is performed by the configuration of the drawer unit, it is not necessary to provide a jam processing space in advance between the drawer unit and the image forming unit or the sheet storage unit disposed above or below the drawer unit. This is effective for downsizing the device.

  Further, when the sheet storage unit is configured to be pulled out from the front side of the apparatus main body, it is possible to perform sheet supply and jam processing to the sheet storage unit from the same direction of the apparatus, thereby improving workability.

JP 2004-69770 A

However, for example, in a jam processing apparatus that pulls out the drawer unit and releases the opening / closing member downward, when a jam occurs when the sheet storage unit is pulled out and the sheet is replenished, the following problem occurs. It was.
In order to remove the jammed sheet, an operation to move the sheet storage unit is performed with the opening / closing member of the drawer unit being opened downward by mistake, or the opening / closing member of the drawer unit is moved downward while the sheet storage unit is pulled out. It may be open. At this time, the opening / closing member opened downward and the drawn sheet storage portion or the stored sheet come into contact with each other, thereby damaging the opening / closing member, the sheet storage portion, or the sheet stored in the sheet storage portion. There was a fear.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and can be caused when the drawer unit or the sheet storage unit is moved in a state where the sheet storage unit is pulled out and the opening / closing member is opened. The object is to prevent damage to the sheets stored in the sheet storage unit.

  The present invention is an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet in an image forming unit, and a slidable drawer unit and a sheet on which a sheet on which an image is formed in the image forming unit is conveyed with respect to the apparatus main body An opening / closing member that is formed to be openable and closable on the drawer unit, an opening restriction member that restricts the opening of the opening / closing member downward, and is disposed adjacent to the lower part of the drawer unit. A sheet storage unit that is slidable in the same direction as the drawer unit; and a sheet regulating member that is disposed in the sheet storage unit and that regulates a side end portion of the sheets stacked on the sheet storage unit. In the process of pulling out the drawer unit in the state where the sheet storage means is pulled out, the end of the opening / closing member is the sheet restriction in the pulling direction. Until the position of the material is exceeded, the opening restricting member restricts the opening of the opening / closing member so that the opening / closing member does not contact the sheet restricting member, and the end of the opening / closing member further extends in the pull-out direction. The opening restriction of the opening / closing member by the opening restriction member is released after the sheet restriction member is exceeded.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent damage to the opening / closing member and the sheet storage means attached to the drawer unit so as to be freely opened and closed.

1 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a side view and a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a double-sided lower guide portion of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a side view and a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a double-sided lower guide portion of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in the following embodiments should be changed as appropriate according to the configuration of the apparatus to which the present invention is applied and various conditions. It is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to them.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus as an example of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus which is an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

  The image forming apparatus is a color image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic system, and four color image forming units are arranged above the intermediate transfer belt because of the advantage of adaptability to various sheet materials and excellent print productivity. An intermediate transfer tandem system is used.

The configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
The image forming apparatus 1 includes a feeding unit 101 that feeds a sheet, and a sheet conveying device 109 that conveys the sheet fed by the feeding unit 101. Further, the image forming apparatus is provided with an image forming unit 102 that forms an image on a sheet conveyed by the sheet conveying device 109.

  The feeding unit 101 includes upper sheet storage units 31 and 32, a middle sheet storage unit 33, a lower sheet storage unit 34, a manual sheet storage unit 30, and sheet feeding units 35 to 39 that feed sheets from each sheet storage unit. ,It is configured.

  The image forming unit 102 includes a photoreceptor 61 (61Y, 61M, 61C, 61K), a charging device 62 (62Y, 62M, 62C, 62K), an exposure device 63 (63Y, 63M, 63C, 63K), and a developing device 64 (64Y). 64M, 64C, 64K). Further, the image forming unit 102 includes a primary transfer device 66 (66Y, 66M, 66C, 66K) and a photoreceptor cleaner 65 (65Y, 65M, 65C, 65K).

  The image forming unit 102 includes an intermediate transfer belt 67 on which toner images formed on the photoreceptors 61Y, 61M, 61C, and 61K are primarily transferred. The image forming unit 102 is provided with a transfer roller 43 as transfer means for transferring the full-color toner image superimposed and transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 67 onto the sheet. The intermediate transfer belt 67 as an image carrier is stretched by rollers such as a driving roller 68, a tension roller 69, and a secondary transfer inner roller 70, and is conveyed and driven in the direction of arrow B in the figure. The image forming unit 102 further includes a fixing unit 45 that fixes the image on the sheet onto which the toner image is transferred.

  The sheet conveying device 109 includes conveying paths 40 and 41 through which the sheet fed by the sheet feeding units 35 to 39 passes, and a registration roller 42 that sends the sheet to a nip position (transfer position) between the intermediate transfer belt 67 and the transfer roller 43. Is provided. Further, the sheet conveying device 109 includes a pre-fixing conveying belt 44 that sends the sheet on which the toner image is transferred to the fixing device 45.

  The sheet conveying device 109 includes a discharge path 51, a reverse path 52, and a switchback path 55 through which the sheet passing through the reverse path 52 passes downstream of the fixing device 45 in the conveyance direction. The sheet transport device 109 includes a reverse upper roller 53 and a reverse lower roller 54 provided in the switchback path 55. Reference numeral 47 denotes a double-sided conveyance path that conveys a sheet whose conveyance direction is reversed in the switchback path 55, and is connected to the conveyance path 41.

<Sheet transport process>
The sheets are stacked and stored in the sheet storage units 30 to 34, and are fed by the sheet feeding units 35 to 39 in accordance with the image forming timing. The sheet S sent out by the paper feeding means 35 to 39 passes through the transport path 40 or 41 and is transported to the registration roller 42.

  The registration roller 42 corrects skew by causing the sheet S conveyed from each of the sheet storage units 30 to 34 to abut and creating a loop so as to follow the leading edge of the sheet S. The registration roller 42 conveys the sheet S to the secondary transfer unit at a predetermined timing in accordance with the timing of image formation on the sheet S, that is, the toner image carried on the intermediate transfer belt 67. After correcting the skew, the registration roller 42 sends the sheet S to the secondary transfer unit at a desired timing. The secondary transfer portion is a toner image transfer nip portion to the sheet S formed by the secondary transfer inner roller 70 and the transfer roller 43 that are disposed to face each other. The toner image is transferred onto the sheet S by applying a predetermined pressure and an electrostatic load bias in the secondary transfer portion.

<Image creation process>
An image forming process performed at the same time as the sheet conveying process up to the secondary transfer unit will be described.

  The charging device 62 uniformly charges the surface, and the rotating photosensitive member 61 is driven on the basis of the transmitted image information signal to form a latent image. The electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member 61 is developed as a toner image on the photosensitive member 61 through toner development by the developing device 64. Thereafter, a predetermined pressure and electrostatic load bias are applied by the primary transfer device 66, and the toner image is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 67. Thereafter, the transfer residual toner slightly remaining on the photoconductor 61 is collected by the photoconductor cleaner 65 to prepare for the next image formation again. The image formation described above is performed for each of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K).

  The Y, M, C, and K color toner images formed on the photoreceptor 61 are primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 67, and a full-color toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 67.

<Process after secondary transfer>
A full-color toner image is secondarily transferred onto the sheet in the secondary transfer portion. Thereafter, the sheet S is transported to the fixing device 45 by the pre-fixing transport belt 44. The fixing device 45 melts and fixes the toner image on the sheet S with a predetermined pressure applied by an opposing roller or belt or the like, and generally with heat from a heat source such as a heater. The sheet having the fixed image obtained in this way passes through the internal paper discharge roller 46 and is either in the paper discharge conveyance path 51, or in the case of reverse paper discharge or double-sided image formation, the reverse path 52. The route is selected so as to be conveyed. The sheet conveyed in the sheet discharge conveyance path 51 by the inner sheet discharge roller 46 is discharged to the sheet discharge tray 50.

  When image formation is performed on both sides of the sheet, the sheet S is drawn from the reverse path 52 into the switchback path 55 via the reverse upper roller 53 and the reverse lower roller 54. In the switchback path 55, the rotation direction of the reverse lower roller 54 is reversed (switchback operation) so that the leading and trailing edges of the sheet are replaced and conveyed to the duplex conveyance path 47. Thereafter, the double-sided rollers 48a to 48d join the conveyance path 41 in synchronism with the timing of the subsequent sheet conveyed from the respective sheet feeding units 35 to 39, and are sent to the secondary transfer unit via the registration roller 42. The image forming process on the back surface (second surface) is the same as that of the above-described front surface (first surface), and thus description thereof is omitted.

  When the sheet is reversed and discharged, the sheet is drawn from the reverse path 52 to the switchback path 55, and then is reversed by the reverse rotation of the reverse upper roller 53 and the reverse lower roller 54, and the reverse discharge is performed. The paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray 50 via the paper path 56.

<Configuration of drawer unit>
As shown in FIG. 1, the drawer unit 2 is slidable with respect to an image forming apparatus main body 1a (hereinafter referred to as an apparatus main body) by being supported by a rail 901 as a slide support mechanism. The drawer unit 2 includes a sheet conveying means (a broken line in FIG. 2) including a registration roller 42, a transfer roller 43, a pre-fixing conveying belt 44, a fixing device 45, an inner discharge roller 46, a duplex conveying path 47, and duplex rollers 48a to 48d. The range shown) is integrally supported. The drawer unit 2 and the upper sheet storage portions 32 and 31 are provided adjacent to each other.

  A double-sided lower guide 3 forming a double-sided conveyance path 47 is attached to the drawer unit main body 2a so as to be freely opened and closed. That is, the double-sided lower guide 3 as the opening / closing member forms a double-sided conveyance path 47 as a sheet conveyance path at the closed position.

  A handle 3 a and a magnet attracting plate 3 b are attached to the tip side of the double-sided lower guide 3. In FIG. 1, 4 is a guide tape that regulates the opening of the double-sided lower guide 3 at a predetermined maximum angle. One end of the guide tape 4 is attached to the drawer unit main body 2a, and the other end of the guide tape 4 is attached to the double-sided lower guide 3. The double-sided lower guide 3 is held in a closed state by the magnet attracting plate 3b disposed on the double-sided lower guide 3 being attracted to a magnet (not shown) disposed on the lower surface of the drawer unit body 2a.

  By operating the handle 3a in the state where the drawer unit 2 is pulled out, it is possible to release the adsorption (lock) by the magnet adsorption plate 3b as a locking means for locking the double-sided lower guide 3 in the closed position. That is, the double-sided lower guide 3 can open the lower guide 3 of the double-sided conveyance path 47 downward by operating the handle 3a.

  According to the above configuration, when a jammed sheet is processed along the sheet conveyance path in the drawer unit 2, a jam handling operation can be performed with good visibility and accessibility, and the jam handling operability is improved. Further, compared with a configuration in which each sheet conveying means is pulled out individually, the slide mechanism and the frame can be reduced, and it is not necessary to provide a jam processing space between the upper sheet storage units 31 and 32 in advance, and the apparatus can be downsized. It is effective for. The jammed sheet includes, in addition to a sheet jammed in the conveyance path, a sheet that is stopped while the conveyance path is being conveyed when the image forming apparatus is stopped due to a jam or the like.

  The magnet attracting plate 3b is supported so as to be swingable with respect to the double-sided lower guide 3. Therefore, even when the double-sided lower guide 3 is tilted by its own weight or the reaction force of the double-sided rollers 48a to 48d, or when receiving a force such as vibration during the pulling operation, the magnet attracting plate 3b is independent of the double-sided lower guide 3. Then, it follows the magnet of the drawer unit 2. Therefore, the double-sided lower guide 3 can be reliably held in a closed state.

  Each of the sheet storage units 31 to 34 is also configured to be replenished by pulling it out to the front of the apparatus main body. Therefore, the sheet replenishment and the jam processing can be performed from the same direction, and the workability is improved.

<Open angle restriction configuration of double-sided lower guide>
3 and 4 are a side view and a partial cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the middle sheet storage portion 33 as the second sheet storage means and the drawer unit 2 are pulled out by the maximum amount and the double-sided lower guide 3 is opened downward.

  When the jam processing operation is performed before the middle sheet storage unit 33 is closed in order to remove the sheet that has jammed while the sheet S is being supplied to the middle sheet storage unit 33 and remains in the duplex conveyance path 47, There may be a case of FIG. For example, the operation of sliding the drawer unit 2 after the drawer unit 2 is unlocked so that the double-side lower guide 3 can be freely rotated and the lower surface of the double-side guide 3 can be rotated is then replenished. This is the case when doing it inside.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the double-sided lower guide 3 is configured to be suspended by a guide tape 4. Further, when the stopper 5 provided at the end of the guide tape 4 abuts against the bent portion 3c of the double-sided lower guide, the double-sided lower guide 3 is opened beyond the maximum opening angle θ1, which is the maximum amount. To regulate. In the present embodiment, the lower end of the double-sided lower guide 3 at the maximum opening angle θ1 is set so as to have a gap amount X1 at a position higher than the upper surface of the middle-stage sheet storage portion 33. The sheet storage portion 33 does not interfere.

  Therefore, no matter what operation procedure is taken, there is no possibility of causing deformation or breakage of the double-sided lower guide 3, the middle sheet storage portion 33, the regulation plates 33a, 33b, 33c and the sheet S inside the middle sheet storage portion 33. Smooth slide operation can be performed. This also has the same effect in the lower sheet storage portion 34.

  In this embodiment, the maximum opening angle θ1 of the double-sided lower guide 3 is set to 23 °. However, jamming in the double-sided conveyance path 47 can be sufficiently performed, and interference with the middle sheet storage unit 33 can be avoided. The angle is not limited to this.

  FIG. 4 shows a state in which the drawer unit 2 is pulled out halfway with the upper sheet storage portions 31 and 32 pulled out to the maximum, and the double-sided lower guide 3 is opened downward. In this state, a jam occurs while the upper sheet storage units 31 and 32 are being replenished, and a jam occurs before the upper sheet storage units 31 and 32 are closed in order to remove the accumulated sheets in the duplex conveyance path 47. Occurs when processing operations are performed.

  In FIG. 4, S is a sheet stored in the upper sheet storage units 31 and 32. Reference numerals 31a, 31b, 31c, 32a, 32b, and 32c are restricting plates that are provided in the upper sheet accommodating portions 31 and 32 and have restriction surfaces extending in the vertical direction for restricting the side end portions of the accommodated sheets.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the opening angle of the double-sided lower guide 3 is regulated by a push-up roller 6 provided in the apparatus main body 1a. In other words, the push-up roller 6 is in contact with the lower surface (lower part) 3d of the double-sided lower guide 3 and supports the double-sided lower guide 3 from below, so that the push-up roller 6 is positioned below the double-sided opening θ2 smaller than the maximum opening angle θ1. The opening of the guide 3 is restricted. The opening angle θ2 of the double-sided lower guide 3 defined by the push-up roller 6 as the opening regulating member changes depending on the sliding amount of the drawer unit 2, and immediately before the contact between the push-up roller 6 and the lower surface 3d of the double-sided lower guide 3 is released. Is the largest. That is, the push-up roller 6 is configured to interlock the opening of the double-sided lower guide 3 with the sliding movement of the drawer unit 2.

  In the present embodiment, in a state where the opening is restricted by the push-up roller 6, the lower end of the double-sided lower guide 3 is the gap amount shown in FIG. 4 with respect to the regulation plates 31 a and 32 a inside the upper sheet storage portions 31 and 32. It is set at a high position having X2 or more and does not interfere.

  In the state where the upper sheet storage portions 31 and 32 are most pulled out, the position of the restricting surface (position in the sliding direction) of the restricting plates 31a and 32a as the sheet restricting members for restricting the sheet is referred to as a restricting surface position 401. In the process of pulling out the drawer unit 2, after the tip of the double-sided lower guide 3 passes through the regulation surface position 401, the contact between the push-up roller 6 and the lower surface 3 d of the double-sided lower guide 3 is released. In other words, in the process of pulling out the drawer unit 2, the opening of the double-sided lower guide 3 is regulated by the push-up roller 6 until the tip of the double-sided lower guide 3 passes through the regulating surface position 401 in the drawing direction. The push-up roller 6 restricts the opening of the double-sided lower guide 3 so that a gap is formed between the tip of the double-sided lower guide 3 and the upper sheet storage portions 31 and 32 as described above.

  Therefore, when the opening of the double-sided lower guide 3 is restricted by the push-up roller 6 within the opening angle θ2, the double-sided lower guide 3, the regulating plates 31a and 32a, and the sheet S in the sheet storage portions 31 and 32 are deformed or damaged. It is possible to perform a smooth slide operation without fear of incurring.

  When the drawer unit 2 is further pulled out from the state of FIG. 4, the contact between the lower surface 3d of the double-sided lower guide 3 and the push-up roller 6 is released, and the release restriction of the double-sided lower guide 3 by the push-up roller 6 is released. Then, the double-sided lower guide 3 rotates in the opening direction by its own weight. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, when the upper sheet storage portions 31 and 32 are pulled out, the lower end of the double-sided lower guide 3 is under its own weight and the upper portion of the upper sheet storage portions 31 and 32. Contact 31H. The upper housing portions 31H of the upper sheet storage portions 31 and 32 that are in contact with the lower ends of the double-sided lower guides 3 have a shape having no step (hereinafter referred to as a substantially flat shape). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the case upper part 31 </ b> H exemplifies a form constituted by a flat surface and a tapered surface as a substantially flat shape without a step.

  Since the housing upper part 31H has a substantially flat shape as described above, even if the drawer unit 2 is pulled out to the maximum drawer position with the tip of the double-sided lower guide 3 in contact with the housing upper part 31H, the double-sided lower guide Smooth sliding operation can be performed without catching 3. That is, when the drawer unit 2 is slid, the tip of the double-sided lower guide 3 does not get caught and smoothly comes into sliding contact with the housing upper part 31H. Further, the lower surface 3d of the double-sided lower guide 3 is also configured to have a substantially flat shape with no step. Therefore, even when the upper sheet storage portions 31 and 32 are slid in a state where the front end of the double-sided lower guide 3 is in contact with the housing upper portion 31H, a smooth sliding operation can be performed without being caught.

  Here, in the process of pulling out the drawer unit 2, the opening restriction of the double-sided lower guide 3 by the push-up roller 6 is released before the tip of the double-sided lower guide 3 passes through the regulating surface position 401. If you do, there are the following problems.

  That is, when the release restriction by the push-up roller 6 is released and the double-sided lower guide 3 is rotated by its own weight, the tip of the double-sided lower guide 3 is positioned between the regulating plates 31a and 32a and the apparatus main body 1a. . In this state, when the operation of pulling out the drawer unit 2 or the operation of moving the upper sheet storage portions 31 and 32 in the direction of mounting on the apparatus main body 1a is performed, the leading end of the double-sided lower guide 3 and the regulating plate 31a standing vertically The regulation surface of 32a comes into contact. And there exists a possibility that the double-sided lower guide 3 and the control boards 31a and 32a may be damaged. Further, the double-sided lower guide 3 is in contact with the upper surface of the sheet S stored in the upper sheet storage units 31 and 32. When the drawer unit 2 or the upper sheet storage portions 31 and 32 are slid in a state where the upper surface of the sheet S is in contact with the upper surface of the sheet S as described above, the upper surface of the stored sheet is damaged at the tip of the lower surface of the double-side lower guide 3. There is a risk of doing.

  In the present embodiment, since the leading end of the double-sided lower guide 3 passes through the regulating surface position 401 in the process of pulling out the drawer unit 2, the release regulation of the double-sided lower guide 3 by the push-up roller 6 is released. There is no problem.

  Note that the push-up roller 6 of the present embodiment is also effective in improving operability when the double-side lower guide 3 is forgotten to be closed. That is, when the jam processing is performed in the double-sided conveyance path 47 and the drawer unit 2 is stored with the double-sided lower guide 3 in the open state, the push-up roller 6 acts as follows. That is, in conjunction with the sliding operation of the drawer unit 2, the push-up roller 6 can be brought into contact with the lower surface 3d of the double-sided lower guide 3 and push up the magnet attracting plate 3b to a position where it is attracted to a magnet (not shown). It has become. Therefore, even when the double-sided lower guide 3 is forgotten to close, there is no risk of deformation or breakage of the double-sided lower guide, and a smooth slide operation can be performed while automatically returning the lower guide 3 to the closed state.

  In this embodiment, any operation procedure may cause deformation or breakage of the double-sided lower guide 3, the upper sheet storage units 31, 32, the regulation plates 31 a, 32 b, 32 c inside the upper sheet storage units 31, 32 and the sheet S. Therefore, a smooth slide operation can be performed.

  In the above embodiment, the upper sheet storage portions 31 and 32 are described as being arranged on the left and right, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, even in a form in which four sheet storage portions similar to those in the middle and lower stages are arranged vertically, the above-described arrangement relationship between the double-sided lower guide 3 and the first and second sheet storage parts If the configuration can maintain the same, the same effect can be obtained.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the sheet can be replenished and jam handling operability can be maintained with high visibility and accessibility without causing an increase in the size of the apparatus. Further, the opening of the double-side lower guide 3 that is opened to remove the sheet staying in the double-sided conveyance path 47 is appropriately regulated by the push-up roller 6 and the guide tape 4. Therefore, even when at least one of the sheet storage portions 31, 32, 33, 34 is pulled out, the pulled-out sheet storage portion does not cause interference with the double-sided lower guide 3 and causes the drawer unit 2 to move. It can be slid smoothly.

  In other words, even if the lock on the double-sided lower guide 3 by the magnet attracting plate 3b is released, the double-sided lower guide 3 is not affected by the insertion / extraction procedure of the sheet storage unit and the drawer unit 2 but the sheet storage units 31, 32, 33, 34. There is no contact with the inner sheet. Further, the double-sided lower guide 3 does not come into contact with the regulation plates 31a and 32a of the sheet storage portions 31 and 32. Further, the double-sided lower guide 3 is prevented from coming into contact with the sheet storage portions 31 and 32 so as to cause inconvenience. In this way, the push-up roller 6 and the guide tape 4 regulate the opening of the double-sided lower guide 3.

  Therefore, an image formation excellent in operability capable of performing a smooth sliding operation without applying stress to the sheet storage units 31, 32, 33, and 34, and the regulating plates and sheets S therein. Equipment can be provided.

  In the present embodiment, the position of the restriction surface (position in the slide direction) of the restriction plates 31a and 32a for restricting the sheet in the state where the upper sheet storage portions 31 and 32 are most pulled out is the “restriction surface position 401”. It stipulates. And it is set as the structure which cancels | releases restriction | limiting of the double-sided lower guide 3 after the front-end | tip of the double-sided lower guide 3 passes through this regulation surface position 401. FIG. By defining in this way, even when the upper sheet storage portions 31 and 32 are being pulled out, the opening restriction of the double-sided lower guide 3 is always performed until the tip of the double-sided lower guide 3 passes through the regulating surfaces of the regulating plates 31a and 32a. It will not be released.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Drawer unit 3 Double-sided lower guide 4 Guide tape (2nd opening control member)
5 Stopper 6 Push-up roller (opening restriction member)
42 Registration Roller 43 Secondary Transfer Outer Roller 44 Pre-fixing Conveying Belt 45 Fixing Device 46 Internal Discharge Roller 47 Double-sided Conveying Path 47
48 Double-sided roller

Claims (6)

An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet in an image forming unit,
A slidable drawer unit with respect to the device body
An open / close member provided in the drawer unit so as to be openable and closable while forming a sheet conveyance path through which a sheet on which an image is formed is conveyed by the image forming unit;
An opening restriction member for restricting the opening of the opening and closing member downward;
A sheet storage means disposed adjacent to and below the drawer unit and slidable in the same direction as the drawer unit;
A sheet regulating member that is disposed in the sheet storage means and regulates a side end portion of the sheets stacked on the sheet storage means,
In the process of pulling out the drawer unit in the state in which the sheet storage means is pulled out, the opening / closing member and the sheet regulating member are not moved until the end of the opening / closing member exceeds the position of the sheet regulating member in the pulling direction. The opening restricting member restricts the opening of the opening / closing member so as not to contact, and further, the opening restricting member opens the opening / closing member after the end of the opening / closing member exceeds the sheet restricting member in the pulling direction. The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the regulation is released. The sheet regulating member includes a regulating surface that regulates a side end portion of the stacked sheets,
The position of the restriction surface in the pull-out direction in the state where the sheet storage means is pulled out to the maximum is defined as a restriction surface position, and the opening restriction is performed until the end of the opening / closing member exceeds the restriction surface position in the pull-out direction. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the member restricts opening of the opening / closing member, and the restriction is released after the end of the opening / closing member exceeds the sheet restricting member in the drawing direction.   The opening restriction member is provided in the apparatus main body and supports the lower part of the opening / closing member to restrict the opening / closing member and to open / close the opening / closing member in conjunction with the sliding movement of the drawer unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: When the restriction of opening of the opening / closing member by the opening restricting member is released, the opening / closing member is opened by its own weight, and when the sheet storage means is at the fully extended position, the sheet storage means The tip of the opening / closing member is in contact with the upper part of the housing,
The upper part of the housing that contacts the opening / closing member is flat or tapered so that the leading end of the opening / closing member and the upper part of the housing of the sheet storage means come into sliding contact when the drawer unit and the sheet storage means slide. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is a surface. A second opening restriction member for restricting opening of the opening / closing member of the opening / closing member after release restriction of the opening / closing member by the opening restriction member is released;
A plurality of the sheet storage means are arranged in the height direction,
The second opening restricting member restricts opening of the opening / closing member so that the sheet storing means arranged below the plurality of sheet storing means and the opening / closing member do not interfere with each other. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The image forming unit includes an image carrier, and a transfer unit that transfers a toner image carried on the image carrier at a transfer position.
The image forming apparatus includes: a registration unit that sends a sheet to the transfer position; a pre-fixing conveyance unit that conveys the sheet onto which the toner image has been transferred to a fixing unit; and a second sheet having an image formed on a first surface. A double-sided conveyance path for conveying the sheet to the transfer position again to form an image on the surface,
The drawer unit includes the registration unit, the transfer unit, the pre-fixing transport unit, and the fixing unit.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening / closing member is a member that forms the double-sided conveyance path.

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