JP6016594B2 - Sheet storage device and image forming apparatus including the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet storage device that stores a sheet and has a storage member that can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body, and an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile machine including the storage device.

  In a sheet storage device or an image forming apparatus, a sheet feeding cassette as a storage member for storing sheets is detachable from the apparatus main body, and the sheet feeding cassette removed from the apparatus main body is filled with sheets and attached to the apparatus main body. Some sheets can be refilled.

  In such a configuration, the sheet feeding cassette after the sheet is filled becomes heavier due to the weight of the filled sheet, which places a burden on the user when the sheet feeding cassette is mounted on the apparatus main body. Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a mechanism for pulling the paper feed cassette into the apparatus main body when the paper feed cassette is mounted is provided to reduce the load on the user.

  The structure of this patent document 1 is demonstrated using figures. FIG. 11A is a perspective view of a conventional retracting device 103 described in Patent Document 1. FIG. The retracting device 103 has a toggle mechanism having a toggle arm (retracting member) 121 formed with a receiving portion 122 with which a pin 171 provided in the paper feed cassette 172 is engaged, and a toggle spring 125 that biases the toggle arm 121. 103C. The toggle arm 121 is rotatable about the toggle shaft 124, and the toggle spring 125 is hung between the shaft 126 of the retractor main body 103A and the connecting shaft 123 provided on the toggle arm. The toggle arm 121 is rotated. The direction in which the urging force of the toggle spring 125 acts on the toggle arm 121 is such that when the connecting shaft 123 passes through a neutral point where the toggle shaft 124, the shaft 126, and the connecting shaft 123 are aligned in a straight line as the toggle arm 121 rotates. It is designed to reverse.

  When the paper feed cassette 172 is inserted into the apparatus main body, the toggle arm 121 is in a position where it can engage with the pin 171 of the paper feed cassette 172, and the pin 171 engages with the receiving portion 122. Further, when the paper feed cassette 172 is inserted into the apparatus main body, the toggle arm 121 rotates toward the neutral point. When the connecting shaft 123 exceeds the position of the neutral point of the toggle spring 125, the urging direction of the toggle spring 125 is changed so that the paper feed cassette 172 is pulled through the pin 171 with which the toggle arm 121 is engaged. The toggle arm 121 is rotated by the urging force of the toggle spring 125 and the paper feed cassette 172 is pulled to a predetermined position in the apparatus main body, whereby the mounting of the paper feed cassette 172 to the apparatus main body is completed.

JP 2006-151687 A

  By the way, there is a case where vibration or impact is applied to the apparatus main body in a state where the paper supply cassette is pulled out from the apparatus main body and the paper supply cassette and the toggle arm (drawing member) are not engaged. Due to such vibrations and impacts, the toggle arm moves beyond the neutral point of the toggle spring in the direction of pulling the paper cassette into the machine body, even though it is not engaged with the paper cassette. There is a possibility of moving from a position that can be engaged with the paper cassette. In this case, if the paper feeding cassette is inserted into the apparatus main body, not only the force for pulling the paper feeding cassette does not work, but also the toggle arm interferes with the locking pin, thereby preventing the paper feeding cassette from being inserted. There is a possibility that the installation of the paper feed cassette to the camera cannot be completed.

  On the other hand, in Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 11B, the user or serviceman can press the toggle arm 121 with the tool (driver) D to engage the toggle arm 121 with the pin 171. It is possible to return to the correct position. However, in such a configuration, it is necessary to separately perform an operation of returning the toggle arm to a position where it can be engaged with the pin before mounting the paper feeding cassette to the apparatus main body, and thus it takes time and effort. There is room for improvement in usability.

  Therefore, in view of the above-described problems, the present invention is configured so that when the pull-in member has moved from a position where it can be engaged with the paper feed cassette, the pull-in member is attached to the paper feed cassette before the paper feed cassette is attached to the apparatus main body. It is an object of the present invention to make it possible to mount a paper feed cassette to the apparatus main body without performing a separate operation for returning to an engageable position.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a storage member that stores a sheet and can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body, an engagement member that can be engaged with the storage member that is attached to the apparatus main body, and a bias that biases the engagement member. A sheet storage device that pulls the storage member into the apparatus main body by moving the engagement member engaged with the storage member by a biasing force of the biasing unit. A plurality of engaging portions that can be engaged with the storage member are provided, and the plurality of engaging portions move to an engagement position that can be engaged with the storage member that is mounted on the apparatus main body by moving the engagement member. When one of the plurality of engaging portions moves in a direction in which the storage member is pulled into the apparatus main body from the engagement position in a state where the engagement portion is not engaged with the storage member, The engaging member is moved by the biasing force, and the Another engagement portion of the engagement portion is characterized in that to reach the engagement position.

  According to the present invention, when the pull-in member has moved from a position where it can engage with the paper feed cassette, the pull-in member is brought into a position where it can be engaged with the paper feed cassette before the paper feed cassette is attached to the apparatus main body. Even if the return operation is not performed separately, the paper feed cassette can be mounted on the apparatus main body.

The perspective view of a drawing-in unit. The top view of the drawing-in unit. (A) Top view of pin and retracting unit. (B) Top view of pin and retracting unit. (A) Top view of pin and retracting unit. (B) Top view of pin and retracting unit. (A) Top view of pin and retracting unit. (B) Top view of pin and retracting unit. The perspective view of a drawing-in unit. The top view of the drawing-in unit. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus in a state where a paper feeding cassette is attached and detached. The perspective view of a paper feed cassette. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an image forming apparatus. (A) The perspective view of the conventional drawing-in apparatus. (B) The figure which shows a mode that a drawing-in apparatus is pressed with the tool (driver) D. FIG.

<First Embodiment>
The first embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The dimensions, materials, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in the present embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to those unless otherwise specified.

[Entire configuration of image forming apparatus]
The overall configuration of the image forming apparatus 100 that is a color laser printer having a sheet storage unit will be outlined. FIG. 10 is a schematic sectional view of the image forming apparatus 100.

  The image forming apparatus 100 illustrated in FIG. 10 includes four photosensitive drums 700, a fixing unit 711, and a secondary transfer unit 710.

  The photosensitive drum 700, the charging unit, the developing unit, and the cleaner unit are integrally formed as a cartridge, and can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus 100 as a process cartridge 702.

  These four process cartridges 700 have the same structure, but differ in that they form images with toners of different colors, that is, yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (Bk). ing. The charging means is a conductive roller formed in the shape of a roller. The roller is brought into contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 700, and a charging bias voltage is applied by a power source (not shown) so that the surface of the photosensitive drum 700 is made uniform. Charge.

  The four exposure units 703 are arranged below the process cartridge 702 in the vertical direction, and perform exposure based on the image signal to the photosensitive drum 700 to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 700.

  With the above configuration, the photosensitive drum is charged to a predetermined negative potential by the charging roller, and then an electrostatic latent image is formed by the exposure unit 703. This electrostatic latent image is reversed and developed by the developing means, and negative toner is attached to form Y, M, C, and Bk toner images, respectively.

  In the intermediate transfer belt unit 704, four primary transfer rollers 705 are disposed inside the intermediate transfer belt so as to face the photosensitive drum 700, and a transfer bias is applied by a bias applying unit (not shown). ing.

  Thus, the toner images on the photosensitive drum 700 are sequentially transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt, and are conveyed to the secondary transfer unit 710 in a state where the four color toner images are overlapped.

  Below the image forming apparatus 100 is provided a sheet storage unit 10 that functions as a sheet storage apparatus for storing the sheet S supplied into the image forming apparatus. A feeding cassette 50 as a storage member for storing the sheet S is detachably mounted on the sheet storage unit 10. In addition, the sheet storage unit 10 includes a feeding roller 708 that feeds (conveys) the sheet S stored in the sheet feeding cassette 50.

  The sheets S stored in the feeding cassette 50 are pressed against the feeding roller 708, separated one by one (friction piece separation method), and conveyed. The conveyed sheet S is conveyed to the secondary transfer unit 710 by a registration roller pair 709 as a conveyance roller pair.

  In the secondary transfer unit 710, the four color toner images are secondarily transferred to the conveyed sheet S.

  A fixing unit 711 as a fixing unit applies heat and pressure to the image formed on the transfer material and fixes the image. The fixed sheet S is discharged to a paper discharge tray 720.

[Feeding mechanism for paper cassette]
Next, a mechanism for pulling the paper feed cassette 50 into the apparatus main body will be described. First, the configuration of the pull-in mechanism on the paper feed cassette 50 side will be described.

  FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus with the paper feed cassette 50 being attached and detached, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the paper feed cassette 50. The paper feed cassette 50 is attached to the apparatus main body 100 by moving in the A direction (attachment direction). As shown in FIG. 9, an arm 172 is rotatably disposed on the back side (downward in the A direction) of the paper feed cassette 50, and a pin 171 is held at the tip of the arm 172.

  Next, the configuration of the retracting mechanism on the sheet storage unit 10 side (apparatus main body side) will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pull-in unit 101 that pulls in the pins 171 of the paper feed cassette 50. FIG. 2 is a top view of the retracting unit 101.

  The pull-in unit 101 is provided at a position facing the pin 171 when the paper feed cassette 50 in the sheet storage unit 10 is mounted. The pull-in unit 101 has a lower box 140 and an upper box 145, and the lower box 140 supports a disk-shaped pull-in member 160 so as to be rotatable by a rotation shaft 165. The pull-in member 160 is an engagement member provided with three groove-shaped engagement portions 161a, b, and c into which the pins 171 of the paper feed cassette 50 are inserted and engaged. When a virtual arc with a predetermined radius centered on the rotation shaft 165 is drawn, the three engaging portions 161a, b, c are provided on the arc at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The engaging portions 161a, b, and c are arranged at equal intervals (every 120 degrees) in the circumferential direction around the rotation shaft 165 of the retracting member 160. The pull-in member 160 rotates while the pin 171 of the sheet cassette 50 is engaged with any one of the three engaging portions 161a, b, and c, whereby the sheet cassette 50 is pulled into the apparatus main body. . That is, the pulling member 160 is a pulling member that pulls the paper feed cassette 50 into the apparatus main body.

  The lower box 140 supports a toggle gear (rotating member) 163 by a shaft 166 so as to be rotatable. The toggle gear 163 meshes with an arm gear portion 162 that is a gear centering on a shaft 165 formed integrally with the retracting member 160. The gear ratio between the arm gear 162 and the toggle gear 163 is 3: 1. When the toggle gear 163 makes one rotation, the arm gear 162 rotates by 1/3 rotation, that is, 120 degrees in synchronization therewith.

  One end of a toggle spring (biasing member) 164 that is a tension spring is connected to the shaft 167, and the other end of the toggle spring 164 is connected to the shaft 168 of the lower box 140. The biasing force of the toggle spring 164 causes the toggle gear 163 to generate a rotational force.

  A pin 171 is inserted into the upper box 145 when the paper feed cassette 50 is attached to and detached from the sheet storage unit 10, and a guide groove 155 is provided as a guide for guiding the pin 171.

[Pulling operation of paper cassette]
Next, the drawing operation of the sheet feeding cassette 50 by the drawing unit 101 will be described. FIGS. 3A, 3 </ b> B, 4 </ b> A, and 4 </ b> B are top views of the pin 171 and the pull-in unit 101. The description of the arm 172 is omitted for simplicity.

  3A shows a state in the middle of inserting the paper feed cassette 50 in the A direction into the sheet storage unit 10 (apparatus main body), and the pin 171 of the paper feed cassette 50 reaches the vicinity of the entrance of the guide groove 155. The state which entered into the engaging part 161a of the drawing member 160 is shown. Thus, when the pin 171 enters the engaging portion 161a, the pin 171 and the engaging portion 161a are engaged.

  Here, the engaging portion 161a shown in FIG. 3 (a) is in an engaging position where the inserted pin 171 enters and can be engaged. At this time, it can be said that the retracting member 160 is in a so-called home position waiting for the pin 171 to be engaged.

  When the sheet feeding cassette 50 is further inserted from this state, the pin 171 pushes the engaging portion 161a in the F direction while being guided by the guide groove 155, and is moved from the engaging position, so that the retracting member 160 and the arm gear 162 are moved to the home. Rotate clockwise from position. At the same time, the toggle gear 163 meshing with the arm gear 162 is rotated counterclockwise and pulled by the shaft 167, and the toggle spring 164 gradually extends.

  FIG. 3B shows a state where the pin 171 is inserted and the retracting member 160 and the arm gear 162 are rotated 60 ° clockwise from the home position. In this state, the toggle spring 164 is in the most extended state, but the shaft 167, the rotation shaft 163 of the toggle gear 163, and the shaft 168 of the lower box are aligned, and the toggle gear 163 is positioned at the neutral point in the toggle mechanism by the toggle spring 164. It will be in the state. For this reason, no torque is applied to the toggle gear 163, and no torque is applied to the arm gear 162 and the retracting member 160-.

  Thereafter, when the sheet feeding cassette 50 is further inserted and the drawing member 160 rotates clockwise, the toggle gear 163 moves from the neutral point as shown in FIG. For this reason, the neutral positional relationship of the toggle mechanism is broken, and the toggle gear 163 rotates counterclockwise by the contraction force of the toggle spring 164, and the retracting member 160 is rotated clockwise by the toggle gear 163. When the drawing member 160 rotates clockwise, the engaging portion 161 a presses the pin 171, so that the engaging portion 161 a is drawn in the F direction along the guide groove 155.

  Finally, the pin 171 is pulled in the F direction until the paper feed cassette 50 is positioned in the insertion direction (A direction) against a not-shown abutting portion provided in the sheet storage unit 10. FIG. 4B shows a state in which the paper feed cassette 50 has abutted against an unillustrated abutting portion in the insertion direction (A direction). In this state, since the paper feed cassette 50 cannot move any further, the drawing member 160 also stops. At this time, the engaging portion 161a stops at the drawing-in completion position rotated 80 ° clockwise from the home position. At this time, the toggle gear 163 is rotated by 240 ° from the home position due to the gear ratio with the arm gear 162, and the feeding cassette 50 is inserted into the abutting portion (not shown) by the rotational moment due to the contraction force of the toggle spring 164. Hit it.

[When an impact is applied to the main unit]
Next, an operation when a vibration or impact is applied to the apparatus main body with the paper feed cassette 50 pulled out will be described. 5A and 5B are top views of the pin 171 and the retracting unit 101. FIG. Note that description of the guide groove 155 is omitted for simplicity.

  When a large vibration or impact is applied to the apparatus main body without the paper feed cassette 50 attached, the pulling member 160 rotates in the cassette pulling direction (clockwise), and the engaging portion 161a is shown in FIG. May move from the engagement position shown in FIG.

  If the engaging portion 161a does not reach the neutral point position (FIG. 3B) in which the shaft 167, the rotating shaft 163, and the shaft 168 are aligned even when the pulling member 160 is rotated by an impact, the action of the toggle spring 164 is achieved. As a result, the retracting member 160 rotates in the reverse direction (counterclockwise). For this reason, the engaging part 161a returns to the engaging position shown to Fig.3 (a).

  However, when the engaging portion 161a rotates beyond the neutral point, the toggle gear 163 rotates counterclockwise by the contraction force of the toggle spring 164 and the retracting member rotates clockwise as shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 5B, the toggle gear 163 rotates 360 degrees from the original home position, the toggle spring 164 is most contracted, and the shaft 167, the rotation shaft 166, and the shaft 168 of the lower box 140 are aligned. Stop at. And the drawing member 160 and the engaging part 161a will be in the state rotated 120 degree | times from the home position and the engaging position, respectively.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the pull-in member 160 is provided with a plurality of engaging portions 161. That is, the pin 171 of the paper feed cassette 50 inserted by being guided by the guide groove 155 enters and can be engaged at a position coinciding with the guide groove 155 in a state where the engagement portion 161a is rotated 120 degrees from the engagement position. The engaging portion 161c is arranged at a proper engaging position. For this reason, the retracting member 160 is located at a second home position where the engaging portion 161 a is different from the home position (first home position) where the engaging portion 161 a is in the engaged position. Therefore, when the paper feed cassette 50 is inserted, the pin 171 of the paper feed cassette 50 enters and engages with the engaging portion 161c, and the above-described pull-in operation of the paper feed cassette 50 can be performed. .

  When the retracting member 160 further rotates clockwise, the engaging portion 161b is guided by the guide groove 155 and the pin 171 of the paper feeding cassette 50 to be inserted enters and moves to the engaging position where it can be engaged. At this time, it can be said that the drawing member 160 is in the third home position, and the drawing member 160 can be engaged with the sheet feeding cassette 50 to perform the drawing operation.

  Even when the retracting member 160 rotates counterclockwise, the retracting member 160 similarly moves to the third home position, and the engaging portion 161b is in the engaging position. Can be pulled in.

  Thus, in this embodiment, when each of the engaging portions 161a, b, c is in an engaging position where the inserted pin 171 enters and can be engaged, the toggle spring 164 is most contracted with respect to the toggle gear 163. The shaft 167, the rotary shaft 166, and the shaft 168 of the lower box 140 are arranged in a straight line. For this reason, even when the retraction member 160 moves due to repeated vibration or impact, the pin 171 into which any of the engaging portions 161a, b, c is inserted enters and moves to the engaging position where it can be engaged. The paper feed cassette 50 can be attached to the apparatus main body 100. In addition, when the paper feed cassette 50 is attached to the apparatus main body 100, the paper feed cassette 50 can be pulled in.

  In this embodiment, three engaging portions 161 provided on the retracting member 160 are provided every 120 degrees and the gear ratio between the arm gear 162 and the toggle gear 163 is set to 3: 1, but this is not restrictive. That is, assuming that N is an integer equal to or greater than 2, the position where the engaging portion 161 is equally divided into N by the drawing member 160 (a position obtained by equally dividing the arc of a predetermined radius around the shaft 165 at 360 / N degrees) And the gear ratio between the arm gear 162 and the toggle gear 163 may be N: 1. That is, the toggle gear 163 may rotate N times when the retracting member 160 rotates once. The direction in which the toggle spring 164 biases the toggle gear 163 changes every time the toggle gear 163 rotates halfway, and each of the N engaging portions 161 can be engaged with the pin 171 by entering. In this case, the toggle spring 164 is most contracted, and the shaft 167, the rotation shaft 166, and the shaft 168 may be arranged in a straight line. That is, the direction (clockwise direction / counterclockwise direction) in which the toggle gear 163 is rotated by the biasing force of the toggle spring 164 changes every half rotation of the toggle gear 163. Further, if the gear ratio between the arm gear 162 and the toggle gear 163 is N: 1 and the power applied from the toggle spring 164 to the toggle gear 163 is transmitted to the arm gear 162, the arm gear 162 and the toggle gear 163 are connected via an idler gear or the like. It may be engaged.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, even if the pulling member 160 moves due to vibration or impact applied to the apparatus main body, the pulling member 160 is moved by the action of the toggle gear 163 and the toggle spring 164 that mesh with the pulling member 160. In order to move to any one of the home positions 1 to 3, any of the plurality of engaging portions 161 a, b, and c moves to an engaging position where the pins 171 of the sheet cassette 50 can be engaged. For this reason, the sheet feeding cassette 50 can be mounted on the apparatus main body 100 without performing a separate operation for returning the drawing member 160 to a position where it can be engaged with the pin. Therefore, the pull-in mechanism of the paper feed cassette 50 can be reliably operated without causing a decrease in usability.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The same parts as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  In the first embodiment, the arm gear 162 and the toggle gear 163 are used to transmit the force from the toggle spring 164 to the retracting member 160. On the other hand, in 2nd Embodiment, the force from the toggle spring 164 is transmitted using a pulley and a belt.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the pull-in unit 102 that pulls in the pins 171 of the paper feed cassette 50. FIG. 7 is a top view of the retracting unit 102 (the guide groove 155 is omitted for simplicity).

  An arm pulley 169, which is a pulley centered on the shaft 165, is integrally formed with the drawing member 160. On the other hand, one end of the toggle spring 164 is connected to a shaft 173 of a toggle pulley 170 that is rotatably supported by a shaft 166. A belt 174 is stretched between the arm pulley 169 and the toggle pulley 170, and the force acting on the toggle pulley 170 from the toggle spring 164 acts on the arm pulley 169 via the belt 174. The ratio of the diameters of the arm pulley 169 and the toggle pulley 170 is 3: 1. When the toggle pulley 170 rotates once, the arm pulley 169 rotates by 1/3 rotation, that is, 120 degrees in synchronization with the rotation.

  For this reason, as in the first embodiment, when the paper feed cassette 50 is inserted during normal operation, the pin 171 of the paper feed cassette 50 enters one of the engaging portions 161a, 161b, or 161c at the engaging position. To do. When the paper feeding cassette 50 is further inserted and the engaging portion 161 engaged with the pin 171 exceeds the neutral point, the force acting on the toggle pulley 170 from the toggle spring 164 acts on the arm pulley 169 via the belt 174, and the paper feeding cassette Pull in 50.

  Further, when each of the engaging portions 161a, b, c is in an engaging position where the inserted pin 171 enters and can be engaged, the toggle spring 164 is most contracted, and the shaft 173, the rotating shaft 166, and the lower box 140 are compressed. The shafts 168 are arranged in a straight line. For this reason, even when the retraction member 160 moves due to repeated vibration or impact, the pin 171 into which any of the engaging portions 161a, b, and c is inserted enters and can be engaged as in the first embodiment. Move to the correct engagement position. For this reason, it is possible to perform a pull-in operation when the paper feed cassette 50 is inserted.

  In this embodiment, the engagement portions 161 provided on the pull-in member 160 are provided at three positions every 120 degrees, and the ratio of the diameters of the arm pulley 169 and the toggle pulley 170 is set to 3: 1. That is, it is only necessary to arrange N engaging portions 161 on the pull-in member 160 at an angle corresponding to an arbitrary angle and set the ratio of the diameters of the arm pulley 169 and the toggle pulley 170 to N: 1. When each of the N engaging portions 161 is in an engaging position where the inserted pin 171 can be engaged, the toggle spring 164 is most contracted, and the shaft 173, the rotating shaft 166, and the shaft 168 of the lower box 140 are What is necessary is just to comprise so that it may be in the state arranged in a straight line.

  With such a configuration, as in the first embodiment, even if vibration or impact is applied to the apparatus body and the pulling member 160 moves, the pulling member is engaged by the action of the toggle pulley 170 and the toggle spring 164 that mesh with the pulling member 160. 160 automatically returns to the home position. For this reason, it is possible to mount the paper feed cassette 50 on the apparatus main body 100 without the user or serviceman performing another work of returning the retracting member 160 to the position in which the pulling member 160 can be engaged with the pins. In addition, the pull-in member 160 can pull in the paper feed cassette 50 during mounting. Therefore, the pull-in mechanism of the paper feed cassette 50 can be reliably operated without causing a decrease in usability.

  In the first and second embodiments, the sheet storage unit (sheet storage device) 10 has been described as being integrally provided in the apparatus main body 100, but the sheet storage configured to be detachable from the apparatus main body 100. Even if it is a part, this invention is applicable.

  In the first and second embodiments, the sheet storage unit 10 that is pulled in by the pull-in member of the paper feed cassette 50 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. In other words, the present invention can also be applied to a configuration in which a detachable member for image formation attached to the image forming apparatus 100 is pulled in when attached to the apparatus main body 100. Examples of the detachable member for image formation include the following. A cartridge including the photosensitive drum 700, a process cartridge 700 integrally including the photosensitive drum 700 and process means (charging means, developing means, cleaner means, etc.) acting on the photosensitive drum 700, and development containing a developer (toner or ink). The agent storage member is a detachable member for image formation. Further, the detachable member for image formation may not be completely removable from the apparatus main body 100. For this reason, for example, the cartridge tray or the like that supports the member for image formation such as the cartridge described above and can be detached from the apparatus main body 100 by pulling it out from the apparatus main body 100 is also a detachable member for image formation. Can be seen as.

  Further, although the first and second embodiments have been described with respect to the image forming apparatus as the color laser printer 100, the present invention is applicable to any image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet S such as an ink jet printer.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Sheet storage part 50 Paper feed cassette 100 Image forming apparatus 101,102 Pull-in unit 160 Arm 161a, 161b, 161c Engagement part 162 Arm gear part 163 Toggle gear 164 Toggle spring 171 Pin

Claims (11)

A storage member that stores the seat and is detachable from the apparatus main body; an engagement member that can be engaged with the storage member that is attached to the apparatus main body; and an urging unit that urges the engagement member. And
In the sheet storage apparatus that pulls the storage member into the apparatus main body by moving the engagement member engaged with the storage member by the urging force of the urging means,
The engagement member includes a plurality of engagement portions engageable with the storage member, and the plurality of engagement portions can be engaged with the storage member mounted on the apparatus main body by moving the engagement member. It can move to the engagement position
When one of the plurality of engaging portions moves in a direction in which the storage member is pulled into the apparatus main body from the engagement position in a state where the engagement portion is not engaged with the storage member, the engagement member Is moved by the biasing force, and the other engaging portion of the plurality of engaging portions reaches the engaging position.   The engagement member moves by rotating around an axis, and the plurality of engagement portions are arranged on an arc of a predetermined radius centered on the axis of the engagement member, and the engagement The sheet storage device according to claim 1, wherein the storage member is pulled into the apparatus main body by rotating the member around an axis.   The sheet storage device according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of engaging portions are arranged at equal intervals in a circumferential direction on the arc having the predetermined radius. The biasing means includes a rotating member that rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the engaging member, and a biasing member that biases the rotating member, and the biasing member biases the rotating member. Accordingly, the engagement member moves so as to retract the storage member,
The rotation member rotates N times when the engagement member makes one rotation, where N (N is an integer of 2 or more) is the number of the engagement portions included in the engagement member. The sheet storage device described.   The sheet storage device according to claim 4, wherein a direction in which the rotating member is rotated by an urging force of the urging member changes every time the rotating member rotates halfway.   An image forming apparatus comprising the sheet storage device according to claim 1, and forming an image on a sheet supplied from the sheet storage device. An detachable member for image formation that can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body, an engagement member that can be engaged with the detachable member that is attached to the apparatus main body, and an urging means that urges the engagement member. And
In the image forming apparatus in which the engagement member engaged with the attachment / detachment member is moved by the urging force of the urging unit to pull the attachment / detachment member into the apparatus main body.
The engaging member includes a plurality of engaging portions that can be engaged with the detachable member, and the plurality of engaging portions are engageable with the detachable member that is mounted on the apparatus main body as the engaging member moves. It can move to the engagement position
When one of the plurality of engaging portions moves in a direction in which the detachable member is pulled into the apparatus main body from the engagement position in a state where the engaging portion is not engaged with the detachable member, the engagement member Is moved by the urging force, and the other engaging portion of the plurality of engaging portions reaches the engaging position.   The engagement member moves by rotating around an axis, and the plurality of engagement portions are arranged on an arc of a predetermined radius centered on the axis of the engagement member, and the engagement The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the housing member is pulled into the apparatus main body by rotating the member around an axis.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of engaging portions are arranged at equal intervals in a circumferential direction on the arc having the predetermined radius. The biasing means includes a rotating member that rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the engaging member, and a biasing member that biases the rotating member, and the biasing member biases the rotating member. Accordingly, the engagement member moves so as to retract the storage member,
The rotation member rotates N times when the engagement member makes one rotation, where N (N is an integer of 2 or more) is the number of the engagement portions included in the engagement member. The image forming apparatus described. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a direction in which the rotating member is rotated by an urging force of the urging member changes every time the rotating member rotates halfway.

Images