JP6296008B2 - Paper cassette and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a FAX, and more particularly to a configuration of a paper feed cassette and an image forming apparatus including the paper feed cassette.

  In the image forming apparatus, a size detection mechanism for detecting the size of the paper stored in the paper feed cassette is provided. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-187626 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-81259 (Patent Document 2) disclose a paper feed cassette provided with such a size detection mechanism and the paper feed cassette. An image forming apparatus is provided.

JP 2002-187626 A JP 2008-81259 A

  The size detection mechanism provided in the paper feed cassette is required to have stable operation. If the operation of the size detection mechanism becomes unstable and the accurate paper size cannot be detected, the reliability of the operation of the image forming apparatus will be affected.

  An object of the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and is a paper feed cassette capable of achieving stability of the operation of a size detection mechanism provided in the paper feed cassette, and an image including the paper feed cassette. It is to provide a forming apparatus.

  The paper feed cassette according to the present invention is a paper feed cassette provided with a size detection mechanism for detecting the size of the paper to be stored, wherein the size detection mechanism has a width intersecting with the paper feed direction. A pair of side regulating plates that abut against both lateral sides of the sheet from the direction, a link member that moves along the paper feeding direction as the side regulating plate moves in the width direction, and the link member The link member moves with movement of the link member in the paper feeding direction, and can be in contact with or not in contact with the size detection sensor in the width direction of the paper provided outside. And a biasing member that applies a biasing force to the link member in the moving direction of the link member.

  In another embodiment, the urging direction of the link member by the urging member is a direction that is a direction in which the regulation plate abuts on the sheet in the width direction of the sheet.

  In another form, a pair of said side control board presses the said sheet | seat by the said link member urged | biased by the said urging | biasing member.

  In another embodiment, the size detection mechanism further includes an auxiliary connection plate that connects the link member and the size detection member.

  In another form, including a bottom surface constituting the bottom of the paper feed cassette, the pair of side regulating plates are disposed on the inner surface side of the bottom surface, and the link member is disposed on the outer surface side of the bottom surface. Yes.

  In another embodiment, the link member has a rotation fulcrum at an inner position in the width direction, and the size detection member is attached to the link member at an outer position in the width direction as viewed from the rotation fulcrum. The urging member urges the link member in a direction to rotate around the rotation fulcrum.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image forming unit and a sheet feeding unit that stores a plurality of sheets conveyed to the image forming unit, and the sheet feeding unit stores and stores the sheets. One of the paper feed cassettes is included.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a paper feed cassette capable of stabilizing the operation of the size detection mechanism provided in the paper feed cassette, and an image forming apparatus including the paper feed cassette.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an overall configuration (excluding a scanner unit) of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. 1 is a perspective view from the top side showing the overall configuration of a paper feed cassette used in an image forming apparatus of an embodiment. 1 is a perspective view from the bottom side showing an overall configuration of a paper feed cassette used in an image forming apparatus of an embodiment. It is a figure explaining the size detection mechanism using the side control board of embodiment, the link plate, and the horizontal direction width size detection member. It is a figure which shows the structure of the link plate seen from the bottom face side. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the engagement relation of the horizontal direction width size detection member at the time of seeing along the arrow VII line | wire in FIG. 5, and a link plate. It is a front perspective view which shows the link mechanism of the size detection mechanism of other embodiment. It is a back perspective view which shows the link mechanism of the size detection mechanism of other embodiment.

  Hereinafter, a paper feed cassette and an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments described below, when referring to the number, amount, and the like, the scope of the present invention is not necessarily limited to the number, amount, and the like unless otherwise specified. The same parts and corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description may not be repeated. In addition, it is planned from the beginning to use the structures in the embodiments in appropriate combinations.

(Schematic configuration of the image forming apparatus 1)
With reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a schematic configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 in the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus 1, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 (excluding the scanner unit).

  The image forming apparatus 1 is a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, a multifunction machine, or the like, and an electrophotographic system is adopted as a process for forming an image on a sheet. In the electrophotographic system, a toner image that is a visible image is formed on a photoreceptor, and this is transferred onto a sheet such as plain paper. In order to hold the toner image on the sheet as a permanent image on the sheet, for example, the toner is fixed by passing through a heat fixing device, and then the sheet is discharged out of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The image forming apparatus 1 includes a main body casing 1A, and an operation panel unit 2 and a scanner unit 3 are provided above the main body casing 1A. The main body housing 1 </ b> A includes an image forming unit 10 and a sheet feeding unit 20 that stores a plurality of sheets to be conveyed to the image forming unit 10 in the lower stage of the image forming unit 10. The paper feed unit 20 includes a plurality of paper feed cassettes 100 and 150 that accumulate and store papers of the same size or different sizes. Note that the number of the paper feed cassettes 100 and 150 can be changed according to the performance required for the image forming apparatus 1. A manual paper feed unit 4 is provided on a side surface of the main body housing 1A.

(Paper cassette 100)
The configuration of the paper feed cassette 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 is a perspective view from the top side showing the overall configuration of the paper feed cassette 100 used in the image forming apparatus 1, and FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing the overall configuration of the paper feed cassette 100 used in the image forming apparatus 1. FIG. The basic configuration of the paper feed cassette 150 having a higher sheet storage capacity than that of the paper feed cassette 100 is the same as that of the paper feed cassette 100, and thus the description thereof is omitted here.

  The paper feed cassette 100 is provided with respect to the image forming apparatus 1 so that it can be pulled out and stored along the arrow CD direction (drawing direction CD) in the drawing. With respect to the drawing direction CD of the paper feed cassette 100, the conveyance direction of the paper inside the image forming apparatus 1 is an arrow FD direction (conveyance direction FD) in the drawing.

  The paper feed cassette 100 includes a front side wall 110b positioned on the front side in the pull-out direction CD with respect to the bottom surface 110a and a back wall 110c positioned on the rear side in the pull-out direction CD so as to define a concave paper storage unit. Including. Furthermore, the side wall 110d and the side wall 110e are also provided in the transport direction FD.

  Although the detailed structure will be described later, on the inner surface side of the sheet feeding cassette 100, the sheet is provided so as to be movable in the pull-out direction CD with respect to the bottom surface 110a, and the sheet from the direction intersecting the sheet feeding direction (conveying direction FD). A pair of side regulating plates 101a, 101a are provided in contact with both side surfaces of the side.

  Further, on the inner surface side of the sheet feeding cassette 100, the sheet feeding cassette 100 is provided so as to be movable with respect to the bottom surface 110a, and comes into contact with the side surface on the rear side of the sheet from the rear side with respect to the sheet feeding direction (transport direction FD). A rear end regulating plate 203 is provided.

  Further, a conveyance direction width size detection member 201 is provided on the back wall 110c. The conveyance direction width size detection member 201 is provided so as to be slidable along the wall surface of the back wall 110c, and the conveyance direction provided on the main body casing 1A side when the paper feed cassette 100 is mounted on the main body casing 1A. It includes a region that contacts and / or does not contact the width size detection push switch 350.

  Similarly, a lateral width size detection member (detection actuator) 310 is provided on the back wall 110c. The lateral width size detection member (detection actuator) 310 is slidably moved along the wall surface of the back wall 110c, and is provided on the main body casing 1A side when the paper feed cassette 100 is mounted on the main body casing 1A. This includes a region that abuts and / or does not abut against the lateral width size detection push switch 360.

  A link bar 202 is disposed on the outer surface side of the bottom surface 110a. The link bar 202 has one end connected to the rear end restricting plate 203 using the engaging shaft P2, and the other end connected to the transport direction width size detecting member 201 using the engaging shaft P3. With this movement, the conveyance direction width size detection member 201 is slid along the wall surface of the back wall 110c.

  A link plate 320 as a link member is disposed on the outer surface side of the bottom surface 110a. The link plate 320 is disposed on the outer surface side of the bottom surface 110a with the rotation fulcrum R1 as the center of rotation at an inner position in the width direction. The link plate 320 is axially supported by using the side regulating plate 101a and the engagement shaft P5 at a position on the outer side in the width direction when viewed from the rotation fulcrum R1, and further, the lateral width size detecting member 310 and the engagement shaft are supported. They are connected using P4. The link plate 320 slides the lateral width size detecting member 310 along the wall surface of the back wall 110c in accordance with the movement of the side regulating plate 101a.

  Further, on the outer surface side of the bottom surface 110a, a coil spring 400 as an urging member is provided between the link plate 320 and the bottom surface 110a. One end 401 of the coil spring 400 is fixed to an engagement portion 110x (see FIG. 6) provided on the bottom surface 110a, and the other end 402 of the coil spring 400 is an engagement hole 320h (see FIG. 6) provided in the link plate 320. 6). In the normal state, due to the biasing force of the coil spring 400, the link plate 320 is applied with a force that is always pulled in the direction of arrow F, which is a substantially horizontal direction, with the rotation fulcrum R1 as the center of rotation.

(Size detection mechanism)
Next, operations of the side regulating plate 101a, the link plate 320, and the lateral width size detecting member 310 will be described with reference to FIGS. At least the side regulating plate 101a, the link plate 320, and the lateral width size detecting member 310 constitute a size detecting mechanism.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a size detection mechanism using the side regulating plate 101a, the link plate 320, and the lateral width size detection member 310, and FIG. 6 shows the configuration of the link plate 320 as viewed from the bottom side. FIG. 7 and FIG. 7 are longitudinal sectional views showing the engagement relationship between the lateral width size detecting member 310 and the link plate 320 when viewed along the arrow VII line in FIG.

  Referring to FIG. 5, a rack 101b is provided on each of the pair of side regulating plates 101a arranged to face each other. Each rack 101b is screwed into a rotatable pinion 101d, and by moving one side regulating plate 101a so as to fit the size of the paper to be arranged, the other side regulating plate 101a is also Move at the same time.

  An engagement shaft P5 provided at the lower end of one side regulating plate 101a is fitted in a guide groove G1 provided in the link plate 320. The engagement shaft P5 moves in the guide groove G1 according to the movement of the side regulating plate 101a. The guide groove G1 is a groove for rotating the link plate 320 around the rotation fulcrum R1 as the rotation center according to the paper size. It has a shape.

  From the engagement relationship between the engagement shaft P5 and the guide groove G1, the urging direction (arrow F direction) of the link plate 320 by the coil spring 400 is the direction in which the side regulating plate 101a contacts the sheet in the sheet width direction. A guide groove G1 is formed so as to be in the direction. In the present embodiment, the pair of side regulating plates 101a and 101a are pressed against the paper by the link plate 320 biased by the coil spring 400.

  An engagement shaft P <b> 4 is also provided at the lower end of the lateral width size detection member 310 and is fitted in a guide groove G <b> 4 provided in the link plate 320. The lateral width size detection member 310 slides along the wall surface of the back wall 110c along with the rotation of the side regulating plate 101a with the rotation fulcrum R1 as the rotation center.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the effect of the coil spring 400 as an urging | biasing member is demonstrated. In the present embodiment, as described above, the coil spring 400 as the urging member is provided between the link plate 320 and the bottom surface 110a. One end 401 of the coil spring 400 is fixed to an engagement portion 110x provided on the bottom surface 110a, and the other end 402 of the coil spring 400 is fixed to an engagement hole 320h provided in the link plate 320.

  In the normal state, due to the biasing force of the coil spring 400, the link plate 320 is applied with a force that is always pulled in the direction of the arrow F with the rotation fulcrum R1 as the rotation center. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7, the engaging shaft P4 of the lateral width size detecting member 310 is always pressed against one side surface of the guide groove G4 of the link plate 320. This relationship is the same between the engagement shaft P5 provided at the lower end of the side regulating plate 101a and the guide groove G1.

  As a result, conventionally, when the coil spring 400 is not provided, there is a gap between the engagement shaft P4 and the guide groove G4. The lateral width size detecting member 310 may be rattled and the lateral width size detecting member 310 may be inclined obliquely. As a result, the lateral width size detecting member 310 is located at a position different from the original paper size, and an erroneous paper size may be detected.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, by providing the coil spring 400, the engagement shaft P4 of the lateral width size detecting member 310 is always pressed against one side surface of the guide groove G4 of the link plate 320, When the horizontal width size detecting member 310 is moved, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of rattling of the horizontal width size detecting member 310. As a result, the lateral width size detecting member 310 is prevented from being inclined obliquely, and the lateral width size detecting member 310 can be moved to a predetermined position.

  As a result, it is possible to stabilize the operation of the size detection mechanism using the lateral width size detection member 310 provided in the paper feed cassette 100. Furthermore, by avoiding erroneous detection of the paper size to be used, it is possible to maintain the reliability of the operation of the image forming apparatus.

  The above relationship is the same between the engagement shaft P5 provided at the lower end of the side regulating plate 101a and the guide groove G1. As a result, as in the case of the lateral width size detection member 310, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of rattling of the side regulating plate 101a, and it is possible to move the side regulating plate 101a to a predetermined position.

  Thereby, since the side regulating plate 101a can be positioned at an accurate position, it is possible to achieve the stability of the operation of the size detection mechanism using the side regulating plate 101a. Furthermore, the straight advanceability of the paper feed is also improved, and the operation reliability of the image forming apparatus can be maintained.

  Further, from the viewpoint of use on the user side, since the occurrence of rattling of the lateral width size detecting member 310 and the side regulating plate 101a is suppressed, it is expected to improve the replenishment performance of the paper in the paper feed cassette 100. You can also

  In the present embodiment, the case where the coil spring 400 is used as the biasing member is shown as an example, but the biasing member is not limited to the coil spring 400. By using other known urging members, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the coil spring 400.

  In the above embodiment, a mechanism including at least three members, that is, the side regulating plate 101a, the link plate 320, and the lateral width size detecting member 310 is employed as the link mechanism of the size detecting mechanism. The configuration is not limited to three members.

  For example, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the lateral width size detecting member 310 and the link plate 320 are connected to each other using the connecting rod 312 without directly connecting the lateral width size detecting member 310 to the link plate 320. A link mechanism using at least four or more members that are indirectly connected may be applied to the size detection mechanism. Specifically, the connecting rod 312 is connected to one end side using the engaging shaft P4a of the lateral width size detecting member 310, and the connecting rod 312 is connected to the other end side using the engaging shaft P4b. It may be engaged.

  Further, in the above embodiment, by arranging the lateral width size detection member 310 and the link plate 320 on the outer surface side of the paper feed cassette 100, a part of the size detection mechanism can be touched by the user. In addition, there is a possibility that a part of the size detection mechanism may come into contact with the user, and that a lowermost sheet does not come into contact with a part of the size detection mechanism. However, if it is not necessary to consider this point, it is possible to employ a configuration in which the lateral width size detection member 310 and the link plate 320 are arranged inside the paper feed cassette 100.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus, 1A main body housing, 2 Operation panel part, 3 Scanner part, 4 Manual paper feed part, 10 Image forming part, 20 Paper feed part, 100,150 Paper feed cassette, 101a Side regulation plate, 101b Rack, 101d Pinion, 110a Bottom surface, 110b Front side wall, 110c Rear wall, 110d, 110e Side wall, 110x Engagement part, 201 Conveyance direction width size detection member, 202 Link bar, 203 Rear end regulation plate, 310 Lateral width size detection member , 312 Connecting rod, 320 Link plate, 320h Engagement hole, 350 Transport direction width size detection push switch, 360 Lateral width size detection push switch, 400 Coil spring.

Claims (9)

A paper feed cassette provided with a size detection mechanism for detecting the size of paper stored therein,
The size detection mechanism is
A pair of side regulating plates that contact both side surfaces of the paper from the width direction intersecting the paper feeding direction;
An engagement shaft provided on the one side regulating plate, and a link member that is driven by the movement of the side regulating plate in the width direction by a guide groove fitted to the engagement shaft ;
A size detecting member kicked set to the link member,
With
The link member has a biasing member,
The urging member urges the engaging shaft to press against one side surface of the guide groove.
Paper cassette.   2. The sheet feeding cassette according to claim 1, wherein the urging direction of the link member by the urging member is a direction that is a direction in which the regulation plate abuts on the sheet in the width direction of the sheet.   The paper feed cassette according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pair of side regulating plates press the paper by the link member biased by the biasing member.   The paper feed cassette according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the size detection mechanism further includes an auxiliary connection plate that connects the link member and the size detection member. Including a bottom surface constituting the bottom of the sheet cassette,
The pair of side regulating plates are arranged on the inner surface side of the bottom surface,
The paper feed cassette according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the link member is disposed on an outer surface side of the bottom surface. The link member has a rotation fulcrum at an inner position in the width direction,
The size detection member is axially supported with respect to the link member at a position outside the width direction when viewed from the rotation fulcrum,
The paper feed cassette according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the biasing member biases the link member in a direction in which the link member rotates about the rotation fulcrum.   The paper feed cassette according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the pair of side regulating plates that are in contact with both lateral sides of the paper are moved by a rack and a pinion. An image forming unit;
A paper feeding unit for storing a plurality of papers to be conveyed to the image forming unit;
With
The image forming apparatus having the paper feeding cassette according to claim 1, wherein the paper feeding unit accumulates and stores the paper.   8. A size detection sensor for specifying a paper size stored in the paper feed cassette according to a contact state with the size detection means of the paper feed cassette according to claim 1. Item 9. The image forming apparatus according to Item 8.