JP6790512B2 - Feed tray, feed device, image forming device and image reading device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a feeding tray, a feeding device, an image forming device and an image reading device.

In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a feeding tray that stores and supplies a large number of sheet-shaped members (for example, paper) used for outputting the formed image is used. One size of paper is stored in one delivery tray. There is known a feeding tray that can switch the setting of the storage space according to the paper size so that paper of a plurality of sizes can be stored. Further, a feeding device including a plurality of feeding trays is also known.

As a feed tray in which the size of paper that can be stored can be switched, a feed tray composed of a tray main body portion and a tray expansion / contraction portion is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The feeding tray disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a structure that allows the tray telescopic portion to slide with respect to the tray main body portion. With this structure, the feed tray can be set to switch between a state of storing small size paper and a state of storing large size paper. The feeding tray disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a state in which large size paper can be stored (hereinafter referred to as "large tray configuration") and a state in which small size paper can be stored (hereinafter, "small tray configuration"). In the setting of), a rear end regulating member for positioning and holding the paper to be stored is provided. The rear end regulating member is arranged behind the paper feeding direction and is held by the rail member so that it can slide and move to a position that matches the size of the paper.

In order to make the feed tray so that larger paper can be stored, it is more convenient to arrange the rear end regulating member in the tray expansion / contraction part. However, if the rear end regulating member is arranged in the tray expansion / contraction portion, the rear end regulating member moves rearward when the feed tray is switched from the small tray configuration to the large tray configuration. If the paper size is changed to the large tray configuration without changing the paper size (with the paper that can be used in the small tray configuration stored), the position of the rear end regulating member will be repositioned according to the size of the stored paper. Must be set. Further, when storing a small size paper in the large tray configuration, it may not be possible to set the rear end regulating member at an optimum position according to the paper size. As described above, it is difficult to easily change the size of the delivery tray, and the convenience of the user may be impaired.

An object of the present invention is to provide a delivery tray that improves user convenience.

In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention includes a tray main body portion provided with a storage space for storing the sheet-shaped member, a tray expansion portion for expanding the storage space, and the sheet-shaped member in the storage space. The holding portion includes a rear end regulating portion that regulates the position of the rear end, and a holding portion that is arranged between the tray main body portion and the tray expansion portion and connects the tray main body portion and the tray expansion portion. The first connection mode by the tray main body portion and the tray expansion portion connected by the portions is a mode in which the holding portion is arranged along the bottom surface of the tray main body portion, and the tray connected by the holding portion. second coupling aspect by the tray extension and main body, the aspect der which the holding portion is disposed along the back wall of the tray extension is, the holding portion, the tray main body in the second connecting aspect It is characterized by having a brim portion for fitting a part of the rear end of the portion .

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a delivery tray that improves the convenience of the user.

It is a perspective view of the color laser printer which is one Embodiment of the image forming apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a schematic structural drawing which shows the internal structure of the said color laser printer. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the internal structure of the tray which is one Embodiment of the feed tray which concerns on this invention. It is an exploded perspective view which shows the structure of the tray which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is an assembly perspective view which shows the structure of the tray which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the rear end regulation part and the holding part which are one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the holding part which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the rear end regulation part and the holding part which are one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows one tray structure which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is (a) plan view and (b) side view which shows the other tray structure which is one Embodiment of this invention.

<Gist of the present invention>
The present invention relates to a feeding tray that stores a sheet-shaped medium and sends out the sheet-shaped medium. One of the gist of the feeding tray according to the present invention is that the storage state of the sheet-like medium can be easily changed.

The feed tray having a stretchable structure has a structure for holding a rear end regulating member in a tray extension portion arranged on the rear side in the feed direction of the sheet-shaped medium. As a result, the rail portion having a structure for holding the rear end regulating member can be integrated in the tray main body portion and the tray expansion portion. On the other hand, the present invention solves the conventional problem that the feed tray becomes large due to the large protrusion of the portion holding the rear end regulating member in the tray expansion portion.

Further, in the conventional feed tray, every time the state of storing the small size sheet-like medium (small tray configuration) and the state of storing the large size sheet-like medium (large tray configuration) are switched, the rear end regulating member I had to reposition it. Further, the conventional feeding tray is provided with a lock mechanism that makes it easy to fix the rear end regulating member at a position corresponding to the fixed size of the sheet-shaped medium. However, if the tray configuration is changed, the interval at which the lock mechanism can be arranged becomes narrower, and the lock mechanism is used according to the position deviated from the regular position. That is, in the conventional feed tray, there is a difference in the usage of the rear end regulating member and the handling of the lock mechanism in the small tray configuration and the large tray configuration, and the user is easily confused.

The delivery tray according to the present invention has a configuration capable of solving these problems. That is, by forming the rail portion that holds the rear end regulating portion on the tray main body portion, it is possible to prevent the feed tray from becoming large. Further, the feed tray according to the present invention is devised so that even if the small tray configuration is changed to the large tray configuration, there is no difference in the operability and handling of the rear end regulation portion by the user, and the convenience is improved. Let me. Further, the feed tray according to the present invention can have a small tray expansion portion. As a result, the cost of the entire component can be reduced.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and the duplicated description thereof will be appropriately simplified or omitted.

In the description of the embodiment according to the present invention, the "sheet-like member" that can be stored in the feed tray according to the present invention will be described as "paper P". Here, the "sheet-like member" is not limited to paper (paper), but also includes a medium such as coated paper, label paper, transparency, film, and cloth to which a developing agent or ink can be attached. Further, the "sheet" includes not only a flexible one but also a hard plate-shaped one and a relatively thick one.

Further, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements thereof, etc. in the description of each component are examples, and the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited thereto unless otherwise specified.

<Configuration of image forming apparatus>
The feeding tray according to the present invention is applicable to, for example, a feeding device included in an image forming device or an image reading device. 1 and 2 schematically show a configuration of a color laser printer 200 as an embodiment of an image forming apparatus equipped with a feeding device according to the present invention. The color laser printer 200 includes four process units 1K, 1Y, 1M, and 1C. These process units form an image with a developer of each color of black (K), yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) corresponding to the color separation component of the color image.

Each process unit 1K, 1Y, 1M, 1C has the same configuration except that it has toner bottles 6K, 6Y, 6M, 6C containing unused toners of different colors. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the configuration of one process unit 1K will be described, and the description of the other process units 1Y, 1M, and 1C will be omitted.

The process unit 1K includes an image carrier 2K (for example, a photoconductor drum), a drum cleaning device 3K, a static elimination device, a charging device 4K, a developing device 5K, and the like. The process unit 1K is detachably attached to the main body of the color laser printer 200, and consumable parts can be replaced at the same time.

The exposure device 7 is arranged above each process unit 1K, 1Y, 1M, 1C installed in the color laser printer 200. The exposure device 7 is configured to emit laser light from the laser diode based on the image data.

The transfer device 15 is arranged below each process unit 1K, 1Y, 1M, 1C in this embodiment. The primary transfer rollers 19K, 19Y, 19M, and 19C are arranged so as to face the image carriers 2K, 2Y, 2M, and 2C and abut against the intermediate transfer belt 16.

The intermediate transfer belt 16 circulates in a state of being hung on the primary transfer rollers 19K, 19Y, 19M, 19C, the driving roller 18, and the driven roller 17.

The secondary transfer roller 20 is arranged so as to face the drive roller 18 and abut against the intermediate transfer belt 16. If the image carriers 2K, 2Y, 2M, and 2C are the first image carriers of each color, the intermediate transfer belt 16 is the second image carrier that synthesizes those images.

The belt cleaning device 21 is installed on the downstream side of the secondary transfer roller 20 in the traveling direction of the intermediate transfer belt 16. Further, a cleaning backup roller is installed on the side opposite to the belt cleaning device 21 with respect to the intermediate transfer belt 16.

The tray 100, which is a feeding tray, is installed below the color laser printer 200, and can accommodate a large number of sheets P, which is an example of a sheet-like member, in a bundle. The tray 100 is removable from the main body of the color laser printer 200 for replenishing the paper P and the like. The feeding roller 47 is arranged above the tray 100 installed in the color laser printer 200, and feeds the paper P from the tray 100 toward the feeding path 31.

The timing roller pair 14 is arranged on the immediate upstream side of the secondary transfer roller 20, and can temporarily stop the paper P fed from the tray 100. Due to this temporary stop, slack is formed on the tip side of the paper P.

The slack-formed paper P is sent to the secondary transfer separation nip of the secondary transfer roller 20 and the drive roller 18 at the timing when the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 16 is suitably transferred. Then, on the paper P that has been sent out, the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 16 by the secondary transfer separation nip is transferred to a desired transfer position with high accuracy.

The post-transcriptional transfer path 33 is arranged above the secondary transfer separation nips of the secondary transfer roller 20 and the drive roller 18. The fixing device 34 is installed near the upper end of the transfer path 33 after transfer.

The fixing device 34 includes a fixing roller 34a including a heat generating source such as a halogen lamp, and a pressure roller 34b that rotates while abutting on the fixing roller 34a at a predetermined pressure. The post-fixing transport path 35 is arranged above the fixing device 34, and is branched into a paper discharge path 36 and a reverse transport path 41 at the upper end of the post-fixing transport path 35.

A switching member 42 is arranged at the branch portion, and the switching member 42 is swung driven around the swing shaft 42a. Further, a paper ejection roller pair 37 is arranged near the opening end of the paper ejection path 36.

The reversing transport path 41 joins the supply path 31 at the other end of the branch portion. A reverse transfer roller pair 43 is arranged in the middle of the reverse transfer path 41. The output tray 44 is installed on the upper part of the color laser printer 200 so as to form a concave shape inward of the color laser printer 200.

The powder container 10 (for example, a toner container) is arranged between the transfer device 15 and the tray 100. The powder container 10 is detachably attached to the main body of the color laser printer 200.

The color laser printer 200 of the present embodiment requires a predetermined distance from the feeding roller 47 to the secondary transfer roller 20 due to the transfer of transfer paper. The powder container 10 is installed in the dead space generated at this distance to reduce the size of the entire laser printer.

The transfer cover 8 is installed above the tray 100 and in front of the feed tray in the pull-out direction. Then, by opening the transfer cover 8, the inside of the color laser printer 200 can be inspected. The transfer cover 8 is provided with a manual feed roller for manual feed and a manual feed tray for manual feed.

The color laser printer 200 according to the present embodiment is an example configured by using an image forming unit provided with a laser light source, but is an example of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention and is limited to this. is not. That is, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be configured as a person corresponding to any one of a copying machine, a facsimile, a printer, a printing machine, and an inkjet recording device.

Further, it may be configured as a multifunction device in which at least two or more of these functions / devices are combined. Further, the multifunction device may be an image reading device including an image reading unit such as a scanner and a discharging device for reading and discharging an image expressed on a sheet-like member.

<Operation of image forming device>
Next, the basic operation of the color laser printer 200 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, a case of performing single-sided printing will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the feeding roller 47 is rotated by a feeding signal from the control unit of the color laser printer 200. Then, the feeding roller 47 separates only the uppermost paper of the bundle-shaped paper P loaded on the tray 100 and sends it out to the feeding path 31.

When the tip of the paper P fed by the feeding roller 47 reaches the secondary transfer separation nip of the timing roller pair 14, it forms a slack and stands by in that state. Then, the optimum timing (synchronization) for transferring the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 16 to this paper is set, and the tip skew of the paper P is corrected.

In the case of manual feeding, the bundled paper loaded on the manual feeding tray passes through a part of the reversing transport path 41 by the manual feeding roller one by one from the topmost paper, and the timing roller vs. 14 It is conveyed to the secondary transfer separation nip of. Subsequent operations are the same as feeding from the tray 100.

Here, regarding the image forming operation, one process unit 1K will be described, and the description of the other process units 1Y, 1M, and 1C will be omitted. First, the charging device 4K uniformly charges the surface of the image carrier 2K at a high potential.

Then, the exposure device 7 irradiates the surface of the image carrier 2K with a laser beam L based on the image data. Then, on the surface of the image carrier 2K irradiated with the laser beam L, the potential of the irradiated portion is lowered to form an electrostatic latent image.

Then, the developing device 5K transfers the unused black toner supplied from the toner bottle 6K to the surface portion of the image carrier 2K on which the electrostatic latent image is formed. Then, the image carrier 2K to which the toner is transferred forms (develops) a black toner image on the surface thereof. Then, the toner image formed on the image carrier 2K is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 16.

The drum cleaning device 3K removes the residual toner adhering to the surface of the image carrier 2K after the intermediate transfer process. The removed residual toner is sent to the waste toner accommodating portion in the process unit 1K by the waste toner transport means and collected. Further, the static eliminator removes the residual charge of the image carrier 2K from which the residual toner has been removed by the drum cleaning device 3K.

In the process units 1Y, 1M, and 1C of each color, a toner image is formed on the image carriers 2Y, 2M, and 2C in the same manner, and the toner images of each color are transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 16 so as to overlap each other.

When the intermediate transfer belt 16 transferred so that the toner images of each color overlap each other reaches the secondary transfer separation nip of the secondary transfer roller 20 and the drive roller 18, the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 16 is transferred to the timing roller pair 14 Transfer to the paper P sent out by.

Here, the paper P is sent out to the secondary transfer separation nip at the timing when the toner image formed by superimposition transfer on the intermediate transfer belt 16 is preferably transferred. Then, on the paper P that has been sent out, the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 16 by the secondary transfer separation nip is transferred to a desired transfer position with high accuracy.

The paper P on which the toner image is transferred is transferred to the fixing device 34 through the transfer path 33 after transfer. Then, the paper P conveyed to the fixing device 34 is sandwiched between the fixing roller 34a and the pressure roller 34b, and the unfixed toner image is fixed by heating and pressurizing. The paper P on which the toner image is fixed is sent out from the fixing device 34 to the transport path 35 after fixing.

The switching member 42 is in a position where the vicinity of the upper end of the transport path 35 after fixing is open as shown by the solid line in FIG. 2 at the timing when the paper P is sent out from the fixing device 34. Then, the paper P sent out from the fixing device 34 is sent out to the paper ejection path 36 via the transport path 35 after fixing. The paper ejection roller pair 37 sandwiches the paper P fed to the paper ejection path 36 and is rotationally driven to eject the paper P to the paper ejection tray 44, thereby ending single-sided printing.

Next, a case where double-sided printing is performed will be described. As in the case of single-sided printing, the fixing device 34 feeds the paper P to the output path 36. Then, when performing double-sided printing, the paper ejection roller pair 37 transfers a part of the paper P to the outside of the color laser printer 200 by rotational driving.

Then, when the rear end of the paper P passes through the paper discharge path 36, the switching member 42 swings around the swing shaft 42a as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 2, and closes the upper end of the transport path 35 after fixing. To do. Then, substantially at the same time as the closing of the upper end of the transport path 35 after fixing, the paper ejection roller pair 37 rotates in the direction opposite to the direction of transporting the paper P to the outside of the color laser printer 200, and feeds the paper P to the reverse transport path 41.

The paper P sent out to the reverse transfer path 41 passes through the reverse transfer roller pair 43 and reaches the timing roller pair 14. Then, the timing roller pair 14 measures the optimum timing (synchronization) for transferring the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 16 to the toner image untransferred surface of the paper P, and sends the paper P to the secondary transfer separation nip. ..

Then, the secondary transfer roller 20 and the drive roller 18 transfer the toner image to the toner image untransferred surface of the paper P when the paper P passes through the secondary transfer separation nip. Then, the paper P on which the toner image is transferred is transferred to the fixing device 34 through the transfer path 33 after transfer.

The fixing device 34 sandwiches the conveyed paper P between the fixing roller 34a and the pressure roller 34b, and heats and pressurizes the paper P to fix the unfixed toner image on the paper P. Then, the paper P on which the toner image is fixed is sent out from the fixing device 34 to the transport path 35 after fixing.

The switching member 42 is in a position where the vicinity of the upper end of the transport path 35 after fixing is open as shown by the solid line in FIG. 2 at the timing when the paper P is sent out from the fixing device 34. Then, the paper P sent out from the fixing device 34 is sent out to the paper ejection path 36 via the fixing transfer path. The paper ejection roller pair 37 sandwiches the paper P sent out to the paper ejection path 36, is rotationally driven, and ejects the paper P to the paper ejection tray 44 to complete double-sided printing.

Further, after the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 16 is transferred to the paper P, residual toner adheres to the intermediate transfer belt 16. Then, the belt cleaning device 21 removes the residual toner from the intermediate transfer belt 16. Further, the toner removed from the intermediate transfer belt 16 is conveyed to the powder container 10 by the waste toner conveying means and collected in the powder container 10.

With the above configuration, an image is formed on the paper P. The paper P on which the image is formed is carried out to the outside (outside the machine) of the color laser printer 200.

Next, the feeding method of the paper P in the tray 100 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the tray 100 as viewed from the preliminary report. As shown in FIG. 3, the feeding roller 47 is arranged on the device main body side. Further, the bottom plate 46 and the cradle 49 are respectively arranged on the tray 100.

The feeding roller 47 is stopped from rotating by the feeding roller shaft 50 and a D-cut or a pin, and is supported by the main body of the device via a bearing. The feeding roller shaft 50 extends in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 3 (hereinafter, width direction). A drive gear is attached to the shaft end of the feed roller shaft 50. This drive gear is connected to a drive source such as a motor via a plurality of idle gears or drive connecting members such as a clutch and a solenoid. A driving force is transmitted from the drive source to the feed roller shaft 50, and the feed roller 47 is configured to rotate counterclockwise in FIG.

By controlling the connection time of the drive connection member and the stop time of the drive source, the feed roller 47 is configured to operate intermittently at a predetermined timing. The surface layer portion of the feeding roller 47 is made of rubber having a high coefficient of friction so that a predetermined conveying force can be applied to the paper P. Then, the paper P is fed by controlling the connection time of the drive connecting member and the stop time of the drive source.

The dimensions of the feeding roller 47 can be, for example, 36 mm in diameter and 45 mm in width. As for the dimensions, an appropriate feeding roller dimension can be selected according to the type of paper P to be supported by the feeding device and the space in the device.

The bottom plate 46 of the tray 100 is rotatably supported by a bottom plate rotating shaft 51 provided in the tray 100. The bottom plate 46 is constantly urged upward by a spring. The paper P is placed on the bottom plate 46, and the top paper P is in contact with the feeding roller 47. The paper P is provided with a conveying force by the urging force of the spring and the friction coefficient of the feeding roller 47, and can be conveyed to the right in FIG.

A bottom plate pad 52, which is a pad material having a high coefficient of friction, is installed at the tip of the bottom plate 46. A constant load is applied to the bottom paper P. This makes it possible to prevent the bottommost paper P and the second paper from the bottom P from being double-fed.

<Embodiment of feed tray>
Next, an embodiment of the feed tray according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the structure of the tray 100 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is an assembly perspective view showing a state in which the tray 100 is set as a so-called “large tray configuration”. As shown in FIG. 4, the tray 100 includes a tray front portion 101 which is a tray main body portion, a tray rear portion 102 which is a tray expansion portion, a tray guide 103 which is a transport guide portion, and a front panel 104 which is an exterior portion. Is provided as the main part. A storage space for the paper P is formed by the tray front portion 101 and the tray rear portion 102.

Further, the end fence holder 111, which is a holding member, is held in the tray rear portion 102 that forms a part of the tray 100. The end fence holder 111 is rotatably held around two ends in contact with the rear portion 102 of the tray. Details of the end fence holder 111 will be described later.

FIG. 5 illustrates a large tray configuration in which the tray 100 is set to a substantially maximum extended state. As shown in FIG. 5, the tray front portion 101 is provided with a pair of side fences, a right side fence 105, a left side fence 106, and a bottom plate 46.

The pair of side fences (right side fence 105 and left side fence 106) are provided with a rack, and the positions corresponding to the width of the paper P to be stored by moving in the relative direction via the pinion gears that mesh with the rack. Can be set to. By restricting the position of the edge of the paper P in the width direction by the right side fence 105 and the left side fence 106, it is possible to prevent the paper P from skewing.

As shown in FIG. 5, the bottom plate 46 is fitted to a fulcrum formed in the tray front portion 101, and an end portion (front end portion) opposite to the fulcrum can be raised by a spring. As a result, the front end portion of the paper P can be raised, and the paper P is pressed against the feeding roller 47 arranged in the main body including the tray 100.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the tray rear portion 102 is a portion that expands and contracts the tray 100 by being partially inserted into the tray front portion 101 and slidably attached. The tray rear portion 102 is configured so that it does not come off from the tray front portion 101 at the time of maximum extension by inserting the detachment prevention claws provided on the outer surface of the bottom surface into the groove formed in the bottom portion of the tray front portion 101. Has been done.

In FIG. 5, the tray rear portion 102 is provided with a lock member 120 on the inner surface of the end portion of the tray front portion 101 on the tray rear portion 102 side as a configuration for holding the tray rear portion 102 at the slide position. The lock member 120 is provided with a protrusion member capable of advancing and retreating with respect to the tray rear portion 102, and the tray rear portion 102 can be held at the slide position by inserting the protrusion member into the tray rear portion 102 side.

The protrusion member included in the lock member 120 is a member operated by the user. On the surface of the lock member 120, a holding position and a holding release position of the protrusion member are displayed corresponding to the advancing / retreating positions of the protrusion member of the lock member 120. The user can confirm the holding state of the tray rear portion 102 by identifying the display content on the lock member 120 by the protrusion member of the lock member 120. As a result, it is configured so that the tray rear portion 102 is not inadvertently slid except when the tray rear portion 102 is slid based on the user's will.

The display portion of the lock member 120 can be covered by arranging a blindfold member instead of the protrusion member when it is not necessary to slide the tray rear portion 102, that is, in the case of a so-called fixed size. .. This makes it easier for the user to identify that the tray 100 is intended for a fixed size.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, an end fence 107, which is a rear end regulating portion, is arranged in the tray front portion 101 near the center in a direction perpendicular to the expansion / contraction direction. The end fence 107 is a member that regulates the position of the rear end of the paper P with respect to the expansion / contraction direction at the center of the width direction of the paper P. The end fence 107 is fitted to the end fence guide portion 110, which is a guide portion formed on the inner bottom surface of the tray front portion 101. The end fence 107 is slidable in the front-rear direction of the tray 100 by the end fence guide portion 110. The end fence guide portion 110 has a long groove portion at the center in a direction perpendicular to the expansion / contraction direction of the paper P, and a sliding guide when a pin provided on the bottom surface of the end fence 107 is inserted into the long groove to move. It is designed to function as a department.

<Embodiment of rear end regulation part>
Next, the end fence 107, which is the rear end regulating portion, and the end fence holder 111, which is the holding portion that slidably holds the end fence 107 at the rear end 102 of the tray, will be described in detail.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the end fence 107 held by the end fence holder 111. As shown in FIG. 6, the end fence holder 111 is held by a rail portion 132 for sliding the end fence 107. A groove 131 is provided in the central portion of the rail 132. The hook portion of the end fence 107 is fitted in the groove portion 131 so that the end fence 107 cannot be disengaged upward.

The groove 131 of the end fence holder 111 is configured to be connected to the end fence guide 110 provided on the tray front 101.

Further, the end fence holder 111 includes a latch portion 133 and a fixed groove portion 134 along the length direction of the rail portion 132. The latch portion 133 is a hole for stopping the end fence 107 at a predetermined position, and a protrusion formed at the end portion in the width direction of the end fence 107 is configured to fit into this hole. There is. The fixed groove portion 134 functions as a mark for stopping the end fence 107 at a position corresponding to the fixed size (for example, A4T, B5T, A5T, etc.) of the paper P.

As shown in FIG. 6, the end fence 107 is composed of a first lock member 150 and a second lock member 160. The end fence 107 is stopped at a fixed position by fitting the claw portion of the elastic arm portion 162 into the fixed shape groove portion 134. Further, the claw portion (latch claw) of the main body elastic arm portion 152 is engaged with the latch portion 133 to stop. The pitch to stop differs depending on the pitch of the latch portion 133. For example, the pitch of the latch portions 133 is 1 mm intervals.

<Implementation of holding unit>
FIG. 7 is a plan view of the end fence holder 111 according to the embodiment of the holding portion according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, the end fence holder 111 has a substantially polygonal outer peripheral shape, and a fulcrum portion 137 extended in the lateral direction is formed at each corner. A groove 131 is formed in the central portion of the end fence holder 111 in the width direction. Rail portions 132 are formed on both sides of the groove portion 131 along the longitudinal direction of the groove portion 131. The rail portion 132 has a structure for connecting to the end fence guide portion 110 formed on the tray front portion 101, and holds the end fence 107 slidably in a large tray configuration described later. Therefore, the end fence holder 111 is provided with a marking 136 as a guide for stopping the end fence 107 (see FIG. 6) at a position suitable for a standard size.

FIG. 8 is a top view showing a state in which the end fence 107 is fixed to the end fence holder 111. As shown in FIG. 8, the marking 136 exemplified in this embodiment is “LG”. By matching this marking 136, the end fence 107 can be stopped at a position suitable when the size of the paper P is "LG".

FIG. 9 shows the state of the end fence holder 111, the tray front portion 101, and the tray rear portion 102 when the tray 100 is configured into a large tray using the end fence holder 111 to which the end fence 107 is fixed.

As shown in FIG. 9, in the large tray configuration, the end fence holder 111 arranged between the tray front portion 101 and the tray rear portion 102 is arranged in such a manner that the tray front portion 101 is extended rearward. This connection mode is referred to as a first connection mode. As shown in FIG. 9, in the first connection mode, the end fence holder 111 is fixed along the bottom surface of the tray front portion 101.

A front recess 121 for holding the end fence holder 111 is formed at the rear end portion of the tray front portion 101 (the lower end portion of the tray front portion 101 in FIG. 9). Further, a rear recess 122 is formed at the front end portion of the tray rear portion 102 (the upper end portion of the tray rear portion 102 in FIG. 9). The front fulcrum portion 137 of the end fence holder 111 is pushed into the front recess 121 to be fixed, and the rear fulcrum portion 137 is pushed into the rear recess 122 to be fixed. By fixing the end fence holder 111 to the tray front 101 and the tray rear 102 in this way, the tray front 101 and the tray rear 102 are connected and fixed by the end fence holder 111.

When the tray front portion 101 and the tray rear portion 102 are connected and fixed by the end fence holder 111, the end fence guide portion 110 formed in the tray front portion 101 is extended rearward by the rail portion 132 of the end fence holder 111. Rail. As a result, the slidable range of the end fence holder 111 is extended, so that the end fence 107 can be set at the rearmost portion of the tray rear portion 102. That is, when the tray 100 has a large tray configuration, the end fence holder 111 arranged between the tray front portion 101 and the tray rear portion 102 may be fixed to the target for extending the tray front portion 101.

Next, the end fence holder 111, the tray front portion 101, and the tray rear portion 102 when the tray 100 is formed into a small tray configuration will be described. FIG. 10A is a plan view showing an aspect of the end fence holder 111 in a small tray configuration. FIG. 10B is a side view showing an aspect of the end fence holder 111 in a small tray configuration.

A method of changing from the state of the large tray configuration described with reference to FIG. 9 to the state of the small tray configuration shown in FIG. 10 will be described. First, in the tray 100 having a large tray configuration as shown in FIG. 9, the front fulcrum portion 137 of the end fence holder 111 is removed from the front recess 121 of the tray front portion 101.

Next, with the rear fulcrum portion 137 of the end fence holder 111 still fitted in the rear recess 122 of the tray rear portion 102, the front end portion of the end fence holder 111 with the rear fulcrum portion 137 as the rotation axis. Lift (the side removed from the tray front 101). As it is, the front end of the tray front is brought closer to the tray rear 102 side (the rear wall surface of the tray rear 102). By this operation, the end fence holder 111 is in a state of being leaned against the rear wall surface of the tray rear portion 102. As a result, the tray front portion 101 and the tray rear portion 102 are separated.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10B, the holding member convex portion 126 formed on the end fence holder 111 is fitted into the tray rear concave portion 125 formed on the wall surface of the tray rear portion 102. That is, once removed from the end fence holder 111 and the tray front portion 101, the tray front portion 101 is fixed to the end fence holder 111 again. As a result, the end fence holder 111 is fixed to the tray rear portion 102. This connection mode is referred to as a second connection mode.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10B, the tray front hook portion 123 formed at the rear end portion of the tray front portion 101 is fitted into the holding member brim portion 124 provided in the end fence holder 111. As a result, the end fence holder 111 is fixed to the tray rear portion 102. Further, the tray front portion 101 is also fixed by the end fence holder 111 fixed to the tray rear portion 102.

In this case, since the distance between the tray front portion 101 and the tray rear portion 102 in the front-rear direction is short, the length dimension of the entire tray 100 is short. Therefore, it has a small tray configuration.

When changing from the small tray configuration of the second connection mode to the large tray configuration of the first connection mode, first, the holding member convex portion 126 is removed from the tray rear recess 125. Subsequently, the holding member brim portion 124 of the end fence holder 111 is removed from the tray front hook portion 123. As a result, the tray front portion 101 is removed from the end fence holder 111.

At this time, the rear recess 122 is formed deeply in advance so that the tray front 101 can be removed even if the rear fulcrum portion 137 of the end fence holder 111 is fitted in the rear recess 122 of the tray rear 102. May be good.

Subsequently, the end fence holder 111 is tilted forward to fit into the tray front portion 101. By the above procedure, the small tray configuration can be changed to the large tray configuration.

When changing the tray configuration, the end fence 107 is slid in advance toward the end fence guide portion 110 side of the tray front portion 101. As a result, even if the tray configuration is changed, the operation of changing the position of the end fence 107 can be performed in the same manner. That is, the configuration of the tray 100 can be changed without changing the operability of the user.

As described above, in the tray 100 according to the present embodiment, the large tray configuration (first connection mode) and the small tray configuration (second connection mode) can be easily changed. Further, in both the first connection mode and the second connection mode, the end fence 107 can be operated in the same manner. Therefore, if the tray 100 is used, the convenience of the user can be improved.

100 Tray 101 Tray front 102 Tray rear 103 Tray guide 107 End fence 110 End fence guide 111 End fence holder 121 Front recess 122 Rear recess 123 Tray front hooking part 124 Holding member brim 125 Tray rear recess 126 Holding member convex 131 Groove 132 Rail 133 Latch 134 Fixed groove 136 Engraved 137 Supporting point 150 1st lock member 152 Main body elastic arm 160 2nd lock member 162 Elastic arm 200 Color laser printer

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-58967

Claims (8)

A tray body with a storage space for storing sheet-shaped members,
The tray expansion part that expands the storage space and
A rear end regulating portion that regulates the position of the rear end of the sheet-like member in the storage space,
A holding portion which is arranged between the tray main body portion and the tray expansion portion and connects the tray main body portion and the tray expansion portion is provided.
The first connection mode by the tray main body portion and the tray expansion portion connected by the holding portion is a mode in which the holding portion is arranged along the bottom surface of the tray main body portion.
Second coupling aspect and the tray main body part connected by the holding portion by the tray extensions, Ri aspect der which the holding portion is disposed along the rear wall of the tray extension,
The feeding tray is characterized in that the holding portion includes a brim portion for fitting a part of the rear end of the tray main body portion in the second connection mode . When changing from the first connection mode to the second connection mode,
After the holding portion is removed from the tray main body and the tray expansion, the tray main body and the tray expansion are connected again.
The delivery tray according to claim 1. A tray body with a storage space for storing sheet-shaped members,
The tray expansion part that expands the storage space and
A rear end regulating portion that regulates the position of the rear end of the sheet-like member in the storage space,
A holding portion which is arranged between the tray main body portion and the tray expansion portion and connects the tray main body portion and the tray expansion portion is provided.
The first connection mode by the tray main body and the tray expansion portion connected by the holding portion is a mode in which the holding portion is arranged along the bottom surface of the tray main body.
The second connection mode by the tray main body and the tray expansion portion connected by the holding portion is a mode in which the holding portion is arranged along the rear wall surface of the tray expansion portion.
When changing from the first connection mode to the second connection mode,
After the holding portion is removed from the tray main body and the tray expansion, the tray main body and the tray expansion are connected again.
The shipping tray is characterized by that. When changing from the first connection mode to the second connection mode,
The holding portion is removed from the tray main body portion, and after rotating without being removed from the tray expansion portion, the tray main body portion and the tray expansion portion are connected again.
The delivery tray according to claim 3, wherein the delivery tray is characterized in that. The tray main body includes a guide portion that slidably holds the rear end regulating portion in the feeding direction of the sheet-shaped member.
The feed tray according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the holding portion includes a rail portion that extends the guide portion in the first connection mode. A feeding device that feeds the sheet-shaped member.
At least one is a feeding device including the feeding tray according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . A feeding device, an image forming section for forming an image on the sheet member being conveyed, and at least comprising an image forming apparatus and a discharge device for unloading a sheet having an image formed on the outside of the apparatus, wherein Item 6. An image forming apparatus comprising the feeding apparatus according to item 6 . An image reading device including at least a feeding device, an image reading unit that reads an image expressed on the sheet-shaped member to be conveyed, and a discharging device that carries out the sheet-shaped member from which the image has been read. there, the image reading apparatus comprising: a feeding device according to claim 6.