JP7455555B2 - Sheet discharge device, image reading device, and image forming device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sheet ejecting device that ejects a sheet, an image reading device that reads an image from the sheet, and an image forming device that forms an image on a recording material.

Image reading devices installed in image forming devices such as copying machines and multifunction devices use an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) that automatically feeds original sheets one by one. We are prepared. After the image information of the sheets fed by the ADF is read by an image sensor, the sheets are stacked on a sheet stacking section such as a discharge tray. Patent Document 1 describes a sheet ejecting section of a multifunction device that includes an ejecting tray from which sheets are ejected, an extension tray that can be pulled out from the ejecting tray, and a rotation tray that is rotatably supported by the extension tray. has been done.

JP2015-67448A

In recent years, image reading devices are required to have higher throughput, and in order to meet this demand, there is a tendency for sheet ejection speeds to be increased. Therefore, it has been considered to maintain the alignment of the sheets in the sheet stacking section by regulating the movement of the sheets in the discharge direction using a swinging member that can protrude above the sheet stacking section.

However, in the rotating configuration of the rotating tray in the above-mentioned document, from a state where the tray is stored upstream of the rotation axis in the sheet ejection direction, the tray passes directly above the rotation axis and is moved downstream of the extension tray in the sheet ejection direction. It had an outstanding composition. Therefore, a relatively large space is required to rotate the rotating tray. For example, improvements in operability have been desired, such as the fact that the rotary tray cannot be rotated until after the extension tray has been pulled out to avoid the feed tray located above the output tray.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a sheet discharging device, an image reading device, and an image forming device that can maintain the alignment of sheets using a swinging member that can easily change its posture even in a narrow space.

One aspect of the present invention is a sheet discharging device including a discharging means for discharging sheets in a sheet discharging direction, and a sheet stacking section on which sheets discharged by the discharging section are stacked, the sheet discharging device comprising: includes an ejection tray that supports the sheet ejected by the ejection means, and an extension tray that supports the sheet together with the ejection tray, a storage position stored in the ejection tray, and a direction in which the sheet is ejected from the ejection tray. an extension tray that moves with respect to the ejection tray between a pull-out position protruding downstream of a first position, which has a contact part that can come into contact with a sheet to be disposed of, and in which movement of the sheet discharged by the discharge means in the sheet discharge direction is restricted by the contact part; and a second position in which the abutting part moves downward; a swinging axis that is located upstream of the abutting part in the sheet ejection direction when the swinging member is in the second position; A first member that swings at the center and is recessed downward relative to the contact portion when the swing member is in the second position, on the same side of the swing member as the contact portion. A recess is provided, and the first recess allows the extension tray to slide from the storage position to the pull-out position by being pressed downstream in the sheet ejection direction with the swinging member in the second position. A sheet discharging device characterized in that it is configured to :

According to the present invention, the alignment of the seat can be maintained by the swinging member whose posture can be easily changed even in a narrow space.

1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment. 1 is a perspective view of an image reading device according to a first embodiment. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image reading device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a discharge tray including a swing guide according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view (a, b) of the swing guide according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the extension tray according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the swing guide and extension tray according to the first embodiment. Figures (a, b) for explaining the method of assembling the swing guide according to the first embodiment. FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams (a, b) for explaining possible states of the swing guide and extension tray according to the first embodiment; FIGS. FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams (a, b) for explaining possible states of the swing guide and extension tray according to the first embodiment; FIGS. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the positional relationship between the swing guide and the feeding tray according to the first embodiment. Perspective views (a, b) of a swing guide according to Example 2. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an extension tray according to a second embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a swing guide and an extension tray according to a second embodiment.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

An image reading device including a sheet ejecting device according to a first embodiment and an image forming device including this image reading device will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus 200 including an image reading apparatus 201 of this embodiment.

(Image forming device)
The image forming apparatus 200 is an electrophotographic multifunction device. This image forming apparatus 200 is only an example of an image forming apparatus, and facsimile machines and multifunction peripherals equipped with an image reading apparatus 201 are also included in image forming apparatuses to which the present technology can be applied. Further, the image forming means installed in the image forming apparatus is not limited to the electrophotographic type, and may be equipped with an inkjet type printing unit, for example.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 200 includes an image forming apparatus main body 202 and an image reading device 201 mounted on the upper part of the image forming apparatus main body 202. In the image forming apparatus main body 202, an image forming section 3 as an image forming means is disposed approximately in the center thereof, and a feeding means for feeding the recording material S including a feeding cassette 6 is located below the image forming section 3. ing. Recording materials S include paper such as plain paper and cardboard, plastic films, cloth, sheet materials with surface treatments such as coated paper, sheet materials with special shapes such as envelopes and index paper, etc., and materials of various sizes and materials. A variety of different sheets can be used. An image reading device 201 equipped with image sensors 409 and 410 as image reading means for reading an image on a document is arranged above the image forming device main body 202.

In the image forming apparatus main body 202, the image forming section 3 is configured as an electrophotographic print engine. The image forming section 3 of this embodiment has a tandem intermediate transfer type configuration, and includes four image forming units 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K, and an intermediate transfer belt 23 as an intermediate transfer member.

The image forming unit 10Y forms a yellow toner image using an electrophotographic process. That is, the photosensitive drum 11, which is a photosensitive member, rotates, and the charging device 12 uniformly charges the drum surface. The laser scanner 13 irradiates the photosensitive drum 11 with a laser beam modulated based on image information to write an electrostatic latent image on the drum surface. The developing device 14 supplies charged toner particles to the photosensitive drum 11 and develops the electrostatic latent image on the drum surface into a toner image. This toner image is primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 23 by the primary transfer roller 15 . The drum cleaner 16 removes deposits such as transfer residual toner that remains on the photosensitive drum 11 without being transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 23 . The above process is carried out in parallel in each of the image forming units 10Y to 10K, and toner images of each color of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black are formed.

The intermediate transfer belt 23 is wound around a plurality of rollers including the secondary transfer inner roller 18, and is rotationally driven in a direction along the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 11 (clockwise in the figure). The toner images of each color formed in the image forming units 10Y to 10K are primarily transferred so as to overlap each other, and a full-color toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 23. This toner image is conveyed by the rotation of the intermediate transfer belt 23 to a secondary transfer portion formed between the inner secondary transfer roller 18 and the secondary transfer roller 19 opposing thereto.

The image forming apparatus 200 includes a cassette feeding section 4 and a manual feeding section 5 as sheet feeding devices that feed recording materials S. The cassette feeding section 4 has a plurality of feeding cassettes 6, and a feeding unit 7 feeds the recording materials S one by one from any of the feeding cassettes 6 toward the registration rollers 17. Further, a manual feeding section 5 provided on the side of the image forming apparatus main body 202 feeds recording materials S toward the registration rollers 17 one by one using a feeding unit 8 . The feeding units 7 and 8 have a feeding member such as a feeding roller that feeds out the recording material S from the feeding cassette 6 or the manual feed tray, and friction between another recording material S that overlaps the recording material S conveyed by the feeding member. It includes a separating member such as a separating roller or a separating pad that applies force to prevent double feeding.

The registration roller 17 feeds the recording material S to the secondary transfer section in synchronization with the toner image forming operation by the image forming section 3. The recording material S on which the toner image has been secondarily transferred from the intermediate transfer belt 23 in the secondary transfer section is conveyed to the fixing device 21 . The fixing device 21 fixes the toner image on the recording material S by applying heat and pressure to the toner image on the sheet while nipping and conveying the recording material S. In the case of double-sided printing, the recording material S that has passed through the fixing device 21 is guided to the reversing path 26, and is again fed to the image forming section 3 with the first and second sides reversed by switchback conveyance. Images are formed on two sides. In the case of single-sided printing or when image formation on the second side in double-sided printing is completed, the recording material S that has passed through the fixing device 21 is discharged from the image forming apparatus main body 202 by the discharge roller 25.

Note that in FIG. 1, the recording material on which an image has been formed is ejected to a discharge tray (or a sheet processing device connected to the image forming apparatus main body 202) arranged on the side of the image forming apparatus main body 202. . Instead, a space is provided between the image reading device 201 and the image forming device main body 202 in the vertical direction to form a main body ejection section for discharging and stacking recording materials on which images have been formed in the image forming device main body 202. It is also possible to adopt a so-called internal discharge type structure.

(Image reading device)
Next, the schematic configuration of the image reading device 201 will be described using FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the image reading device 201. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the image reading device 201.

As shown in FIG. 2, the image reading device 201 includes an ADF 300 and a reader section 301. The ADF 300 is a device that separates a plurality of originals and feeds them one by one when performing a flow reading operation in which an image sensor reads an image on the original while transporting the original. The reader unit 301 is a device for reading an image of a moving document conveyed by the ADF 300 during a flow-reading operation, or reading an image of a stationary document including a thick document such as a book. Manuscripts can be of a variety of sizes and materials, such as plain paper and thick paper, plastic films, cloth, surface-treated sheet materials such as coated paper, and specially shaped sheet materials such as envelopes and index paper. Various sheets can be used.

The ADF 300 is provided with a feed tray 302 for placing a document thereon, and a discharge tray 100 for discharging the document whose image has been read. The leader section 301 is located below the ADF 300 and supports the ADF 300 so that it can be opened and closed. Note that in this embodiment, the reader unit 301 is fixed to the upper part of the image forming apparatus main body 202, but the image reading apparatus 201 can also be used as an independent device from the image forming apparatus.

Hereinafter, as shown in FIG. 2, the left-right direction of the image reading device 201 will be referred to as the X direction when viewed from the user side (the front side of the image forming device). The front-to-back direction of the image reading device 201, which is orthogonal to the X direction, is defined as the Y direction (the main scanning direction of the document, the width direction of the document). Further, the vertical direction of the image reading device 201, which is perpendicular to both the X direction and the Y direction, is the Z direction (vertical direction in normal use). The ADF 300 feeds the document placed on the feeding tray 302 toward one side in the X direction (referred to as the feeding direction X1), and feeds the document placed on the feeding tray 302 toward the other side in the The document is discharged onto the discharge tray 100 in the document discharge direction X2).

Next, the internal structure of the image reading device 201 will be described using FIG. 3, which is a cross-sectional view of the image reading device 201 viewed from the Y direction. The ADF 300 includes a pickup roller 401, a separation roller pair 402, and a plurality of conveyance roller pairs (403 to 406) as conveyance means for conveying the sheet. The pickup roller 401 contacts the uppermost document 400 placed on the feed tray 302 and feeds the document toward the separation roller pair 402 . A pair of separation rollers 402 separates the document 400 received from the pickup roller 401 one by one and conveys it.

The plurality of conveyance roller pairs sequentially deliver the document 400 and convey it through a reading position (a position where the document is scanned by the image sensors 409 and 410). Of these, the pull-out roller pair 403 pulls out the document from the separation roller pair 402 and conveys it. The first lead roller pair 404 and the second lead roller pair 405 transport the original 400 while passing the reading positions of the image sensors 409 and 410, and stabilize the position of the original 400 at the reading position to improve reading accuracy. Contribute. The ejection roller pair 406 receives the document 400 that has passed the reading position and ejects it onto the ejection tray 100.

An image sensor 409 is provided inside the reader section 301 as a first reading means. When reading an image from the first side of the original document 400 transported by the ADF 300, the image sensor 409 stops at a position facing the scanning glass 407 (the position shown in the figure). When reading an image from a stationary original placed on the original table glass 408, the image sensor 409 reads the image by moving in the X direction, which is the sub-scanning direction, on a rail provided inside the reader section 301. .

Further, inside the ADF 300, an image sensor 410 as a second reading means is provided at a position facing the image sensor 409 of the reader section 301. Therefore, it is possible to simultaneously read images from both sides of the document 400 transported by the ADF 300 using the two image sensors 409 and 410. Note that the image sensors 409 and 410 include a contact image sensor (CIS), which is a module of an image sensor such as a CMOS and a same-magnification optical system, and a CCD type sensor, which is a combination of a charge-coupled device (CCD) and a reduction optical system. Any image sensor can be used.

As described above, the ADF 300, which is the sheet ejecting device of this embodiment, uses the ejecting roller pair 406 as an ejecting means for ejecting the original document whose image has been read, and the ejecting tray 100 on which the ejected sheets are stacked. It is equipped with.

(oscillating guide)
Next, the swing guide provided in the ADF 300 of this embodiment will be explained using FIGS. 4 to 11. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the swing guide 102 attached to the ADF 300. FIGS. 5A and 5B are perspective views showing the front and back surfaces of the swing guide 102. FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the extension tray 101. FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the swing guide 102 and the extension tray 101. FIGS. 8A and 8B are cross-sectional views for explaining a method of attaching the swing guide 102 to the extension tray 101. FIG. 9(a, b) and FIG. 10(a, b) are diagrams for explaining the functions of the swing guide 102 and the extension tray 101. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the positional relationship between the swing guide 102 and the feeding tray 302.

As shown in FIG. 4, the ejection tray 100 of the ADF 300 according to this embodiment is provided with an extension tray 101. The extension tray 101 is slidable with respect to the ejection tray 100 between a storage position where the extension tray 101 is stored in the ejection tray 100 and a pulled-out position where it protrudes from the ejection tray 100 in the document ejection direction X2. The extension tray 101 is capable of supporting the lower surface of the document ejected by the ejection roller pair 406 together with the ejection tray 100 at least in the pulled out position. That is, the discharge tray 100 and the extension tray 101 constitute the sheet stacking section of this embodiment. Although it is assumed that the extension tray 101 of this embodiment is used in either the storage position or the pulled-out position, it may be configured to be movable between three or more usage positions.

The extension tray 101 is provided with a swing guide 102 as a swing member that can swing relative to the extension tray 101 . The swing guide 102 is a member that functions as a stopper that restricts the movement of the document that has come out of the discharge roller pair 406 in the document discharge direction X2 by coming into contact with the leading edge of the document in the document discharge direction X2. By providing the swing guide 102, it is possible to increase the speed at which the document is discharged by the pair of discharge rollers 406, thereby increasing the throughput of the ADF 300, and at the same time, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the alignment of the document on the discharge tray 100.

The swing guide 102 is swingably supported by the extension tray 101. Specifically, the swing guide 102 is in an upright position in which it protrudes upward in the Z direction with respect to the extension tray 101 (the states shown in FIGS. 4, 9(a), and 10(a)), and in the upright position. It is possible to swing between the collapsed position (states shown in FIGS. 9(b) and 10(b)) in which it is retracted downward. The swing guide 102 in the upright position can restrict the movement of the document in the document discharge direction X2 by the contact portion (in this embodiment, a second rib portion 506, which will be described later) against the sheet. On the other hand, when the swing guide 102 is in the collapsed position, the abutting portion is retracted downward compared to the upright position, so that the movement of the document is not obstructed. The upright position of the swing guide 102 is the first position of this embodiment, and the collapsed position is the second position of this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 4, a first opening 103 is provided on the upper surface of the discharge tray 100. The first opening 103 has a concave shape in which a part of the downstream end of the discharge tray 100 in the document discharge direction X2 is recessed toward the upstream side in the document discharge direction X2, and is located at a position corresponding to the swing guide 102 in the Y direction. It is set in. The presence of the first opening 103 allows the swing guide 102 to swing between the upright position and the collapsed position when the extension tray 101 is in the storage position as shown in FIGS. 9(a, b). . The functions of the swing guide 102 in each state shown in FIGS. 9(a, b) and 10(a, b) will be described later.

The detailed configuration of the swing guide 102 will be explained using FIG. 5. FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the swing guide 102 viewed from the front side (the same side as the contact portion of the swing guide 102 with respect to the sheet). FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the swing guide 102 viewed from the back side (the side opposite to the contact portion of the swing guide 102 with the sheet, the side facing the extension tray 101).

The swing guide 102 includes a swing shaft 500, a first rib portion 502, a second rib portion 506, a first surface 501, a second surface 503, a third surface 504, a fourth surface 505, and a snap It has a fit shape 510. Back surfaces 511, 513, 514, and 515 are provided on the back sides of the first surface 501, the second surface 503, the third surface 504, and the fourth surface 505, respectively. The swing guide 102 may be one in which each of these parts is integrally molded from a resin material. Note that the swing guide 102 has a substantially symmetrical shape with respect to the XZ plane passing through the center position of the swing guide 102 in the Y direction.

The swing shaft 500 is a substantially cylindrical member that extends in the Y direction in a posture when assembled to the extension tray 101. By engaging the swing shafts 500, 500 with the bearings of the extension tray 101, which will be described later, the swing guide 102 moves the extension tray 101 around the swing axis Y0 that passes through the swing shafts 500, 500 and extends in the Y direction. oscillates against. In other words, the swing shaft 500 is an example of a shaft portion extending on the swing axis.

Hereinafter, in the circumferential direction centered on the swing axis Y0, the swing direction when the swing guide 102 goes from the lying position to the standing position will be referred to as a first swing direction R1, and the swing direction when the swing guide 102 moves from the standing position to the lying position. The swinging direction when heading toward the posture is defined as a second swinging direction R2 (see FIG. 7).

The first rib portions 502, 502 are provided on both sides of the first surface 501 in the Y direction (front and back direction), and extend substantially perpendicularly to the Y direction. The swing shafts 500, 500 are provided on the first rib portions 502, 502 on both sides, respectively, and protrude outward from the first rib portions 502, 502 in the Y direction.

The first surface 501, the second surface 503, the third surface 504, and the fourth surface 505 are arranged so as to move away from the swing axis Y0 in this order. That is, when the swing guide 102 is in the second position, the first surface 501, the second surface 503, the third surface 504, and the fourth surface 505 are arranged in the order from upstream to downstream in the document ejection direction X2. They are arranged side by side. The second surface 503 and the third surface 504 and the third surface 504 and the fourth surface 505 are adjacent to each other in the document ejection direction X2.

The second rib portions 506, 506 are provided on both sides of the second surface 503, the third surface 504, and the fourth surface 505 in the Y direction (front and rear direction of the image reading device), and are provided in the Y direction. It extends almost vertically. When the swing guide 102 is in the upright position, it forms the upstream surface of the swing guide 102 in the document discharge direction X2 (see FIG. 7). Therefore, the second rib portions 506, 506 function as contact portions in this embodiment that can come into contact with the leading edge of the document in the document discharge direction X2.

A first recess 519 is formed by the second surface 503, the third surface 504, the fourth surface 505, and the second rib portions 506, 506. The first recess 519 has a shape that is recessed downward in the Z direction from the upper ends of the second rib portions 506, 506, which are the contact portions against the seat, when the swing guide 102 is in the collapsed position. In other words, the first recess 519 is located downstream of the second rib portions 506, 506 in the swinging direction (second swinging direction R2) when the swinging guide 102 moves from the upright position to the collapsed position. It has a concave shape.

This first recess 519 is formed when the user pulls out the extension tray 101 from the storage position shown in FIG. 9(a) to the drawer position shown in FIG. It functions as a finger rest on which a finger can be hung. In particular, the third surface 504 facing upstream in the document ejection direction X2 when the swing guide 102 is in the laid-down position has a force that causes the user's finger to press the swing guide 102 in the document ejection direction X2, which is the pull-out direction. It becomes the pressure surface that receives the pressure.

Furthermore, a fourth surface 505 on the downstream side of the third surface 504 in the document ejection direction Ribs 507 are provided. The anti-slip rib 507 protrudes from the fourth surface 505 at a height that does not protrude from the second rib portion 506 when viewed in the Y direction (see FIG. 7). A plurality of anti-slip ribs 507 are provided, each extending in the Y direction. Note that the anti-slip rib 507 is an example of an uneven shape that functions as an anti-slip, and for example, the fourth surface 505 may have hemispherical protrusions arranged in a lattice pattern as an uneven shape for anti-slip.

Here, the swing shafts 500, 500 are located at the upstream end of the swing guide 102 in the document discharge direction X2 when the swing guide 102 is in the collapsed position. In other words, when the swing guide 102 of this embodiment is in the second position, the second rib portions 506, 506, which are contact portions against the sheet, are located on the downstream side in the sheet ejection direction with respect to the swing axis Y0. ing. Therefore, the swing guide 102 switches from the lying position to the standing position as the second rib portions 506, 506 located downstream of the swing axis Y0 in the document discharge direction X2 move upward.

In other words, when the swing guide 102 is in the upright position, the inclination angle (θ1 in FIG. 7) of the direction in which the second rib portion 506 extends when seen from the Y direction with respect to the horizontal plane is It is larger than the inclination angle in a certain case (θ2 in FIG. 7). However, θ1 and θ2 represent angles counterclockwise in the figure with respect to a straight line heading downstream in the document ejection direction X2. In order to provide the swing guide 102 with the function of maintaining the integrity of the document by coming into contact with the leading edge of the document, it is preferable that the inclination angle θ1 in the upright position is, for example, 45 degrees or more, more preferably 60 degrees or more. . On the other hand, the operability of the swing guide 102 is prevented from being impaired due to the swing guide 102 interfering with members above the discharge tray 100 such as the feeding tray 302 or being close to such members. For this purpose, it is preferable that the inclination angle θ1 in the standing posture is 90 degrees or less.

A snap-fit shape 510 is provided on the opposite side of the swing guide 102 from the contact portion with respect to the document, as a posture holding means for holding the swing guide 102 in an upright position. However, "the side opposite to the contact portion" refers to the side surface of the swing guide 102 facing downstream in the document ejection direction X2 in the upright position. In other words, the second rib portions 506, 506 as contact portions constitute a surface of the swing guide 102 in the first swing direction R1 from the collapsed position to the upright position. Further, the snap-fit shape 510 as an engaging portion is provided on the surface of the swing guide 102 in the second swing direction R2 from the standing position to the collapsed position. In other words, the snap-fit shape 510 is provided on the surface of the swing guide 102 that faces the extension tray 101.

The snap-fit shape 510 of this embodiment is a protrusion that protrudes downstream in the second swing direction R2 from the back surface 513 of the second surface 503, and is made of an elastically deformable material. As will be described later, the snap-fit shape 510 is configured to maintain the upright posture of the swing guide 102 by engaging with the peripheral edge of an opening provided in the extension tray 101.

Next, a detailed configuration of the extension tray 101 and a method of assembling the swing guide 102 to the extension tray 101 will be explained using FIGS. 6 to 8.

As shown in FIG. 6, the extension tray 101 is provided with bearings 600, 600, a second opening 601, and a convex shape 603. The bearing parts 600, 600 are parts that engage with the swing shafts 500, 500 of the swing guide 102 and support the swing guide 102 so as to be swingable (rotatable) about the swing axis Y0. The second opening 601 is located downstream of the bearings 600, 600 in the document discharge direction X2. The second opening 601 functions as a space for receiving the snap-fit shape 510 and avoiding interference with the extension tray 101 when the swing guide 102 is in the collapsed position.

When the swing guide 102 is in the upright position as shown in FIG. come into contact with When a force in the second swing direction R2 is applied to the swing guide 102 in the upright position, the receiving portion 602 receives the snap-fit shape 510, thereby causing the swing guide 102 to rotate in the second swing direction R2. is regulated. In other words, the receiving part 602 as an engaged part is configured to restrict the swinging of the swinging guide 102, which is a swinging member, by being engaged with the snap-fit shape 510 as an engaging part. ing.

When the swing guide 102 in the upright position receives a force in the second swing direction R2 with a force greater than a predetermined threshold, the snap fit shape 510 is elastically deformed and moves from the receiving portion 602 to the inside of the second opening 601. break away. This allows the swinging guide 102 to swing in the second swinging direction R2, so the swinging guide 102 switches from the upright position to the collapsed position. The predetermined threshold value is larger than the expected force that the swinging guide 102 receives when the document ejected from the ejecting roller pair 406 hits the second rib portion 506, and that the force is applied by the user's finger. This value is as small as possible.

Here, a configuration has been described in which the snap-fit shape 510 as an engaging part is a protrusion, and the receiving part 602 as an engaged part is provided at the periphery of an opening that receives the protrusion. However, a structure in which the extension tray 101 is provided with a snap-fit shape (protrusion) as an engaged part and the swing guide 102 is provided with a receiving part 602 as an engagement part also holds the swing guide 102 in an upright position. It is established as a mechanism to However, in that case, it is desirable that the snap-fit shape does not protrude upward from the swing guide 102 when the swing guide 102 is in the laid-down position. In addition, as a mechanism for engaging the engaging portion and the engaged portion to maintain the posture of the swinging member, a mechanism other than an elastically deformable snap-fit shape may be used.

A swing regulating portion 700 is provided at the upstream peripheral edge of the second opening 601 in the document ejection direction X2. The swing regulating part 700 is a surface (see FIG. 7) that is arranged to face the first rib parts 502, 502 with a predetermined clearance in between when the swing guide 102 is in the upright position. be. When the swing guide 102 attempts to further swing in the first swing direction R1 from the upright position, the swing regulating portion 700 comes into contact with the first rib portions 502, 502, and prevents the swing guide 102 from swinging. It functions as a second regulating section.

The convex shape 603 protrudes upward in the Z direction on the downstream side of the second opening 601 in the document discharge direction X2. The top surface 604 of the convex shape 603 is a surface that comes into contact with the back surface 515 (FIG. 5(b)) of the fourth surface 505 when the swing guide 102 is in the collapsed position. The back surface 515 of the fourth surface 505 of the swing guide 102 comes into contact with the top surface 604 of the convex shape 603, so that the swing guide 102 maintains the collapsed posture due to its own weight. In other words, the top surface 604 of the convex shape 603 functions as a first restricting portion that restricts the swing guide 102 from further swinging in the second swing direction R2 from the collapsed position.

Furthermore, a second recess 605 is formed in the convex shape 603 so that the user can easily place his or her finger on the swing guide 102 when raising the swing guide 102 from the collapsed position to the standing position. . The second recess 605 is a part of the convex shape 603 in the Y direction, and has a concave shape in which the downstream end of the convex shape 603 in the document discharge direction X2 is concave toward the upstream side. When the swing guide 102 is in the collapsed position, at least a portion of the back surface 515 of the fourth surface 505 is exposed inside the second recess 605. Therefore, the user can raise the swing guide 102 by applying a finger to the back surface 515 from below through the second recess 605.

FIGS. 8A and 8B show how the swing guide 102 is assembled to the extension tray 101. FIG. When assembling the swing guide 102, the swing shafts 500, 500 are moved downward through the second opening 601, then moved to the upstream side in the document ejection direction X2, and then moved upward. The shafts 500, 500 are fitted into the bearing parts 600, 600. An arrow P in FIG. 8(a) represents an example of a movement trajectory of the swing shaft 500 in such an assembly operation.

Here, each bearing portion 600 has a shape that opens downward, and has a protrusion shape below the position of the swing shaft 500 in the assembled state as a drop-off prevention means to prevent the swing shaft 500 from falling off. 800,800 are provided. The protrusions 800, 800 are arranged to sandwich the locus of movement of the swing shaft 500 during the assembly operation, and form a communication section through which the swing shaft 500 can pass toward the bearing section 600. Further, the width of the opening of the protrusion shapes 800, 800 (the minimum interval between the protrusion shapes 800, 800) is set to be slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the swing shaft 500. Therefore, when fitting the swinging shaft 500 into the bearing portion 600, the protrusion shapes 800, 800 are passed through the swinging shaft 500 by a light press fit. The swing shaft 500 fitted into the bearing part 600 is prevented from dropping downward from the bearing part 600 by the protrusions 800, 800.

(How to use the swing guide)
The possible states of the swing guide 102 and the extension tray 101 and the functions of the swing guide 102 in each state will be described using FIGS. 9(a, b) and 10(a, b).

FIG. 9A shows a state (first state) in which the extension tray 101 is in the storage position and the swing guide 102 is in the collapsed position. In this state, the second rib portions 506, 506 of the swing guide 102 are located below the upper surface of the discharge tray 100. Specifically, the ejection tray 100 is provided with ribs 100r, 100r that support the lower surface of the sheet on both sides of the swing guide 102 in the Y direction and in an area overlapping with the swing guide 102 in the document ejection direction X2. ing. When viewed from the Y direction in the state of FIG. 9(a), the second rib portions 506, 506 of the swing guide 102 are retracted below the upper surfaces of the ribs 100r, 100r. Therefore, the swing guide 102 does not hinder the movement of the document discharged onto the discharge tray 100 in the document discharge direction X2.

FIG. 9B shows a state (second state) in which the extension tray 101 is in the storage position and the swing guide 102 is in the upright position. In this state, at least a portion of the second rib portions 506, 506 of the swing guide 102 protrudes above the upper surfaces of the discharge tray 100 and the extension tray 101. Further, the inclination angle (θ1 in FIG. 7) of the second rib portions 506, 506 with respect to the horizontal plane is closer to vertical than the angle in the collapsed position (θ2 in FIG. 7). Therefore, the swing guide 102 can restrict movement in the document discharge direction X2 by receiving the leading edge of the document discharged in the document discharge direction X2 by the discharge roller pair 406 with the second rib portions 506, 506. be. As a result, even if the speed at which the document is discharged by the pair of discharge rollers 406 is high, the consistency of the document on the discharge tray 100 can be maintained.

Here, in the first state shown in FIG. 9A, substantially the entire swing guide 102 is exposed through the first opening 103 provided in the output tray 100 when viewed from the upper side in the Z direction. are doing. Therefore, it is possible to change the posture of the swing guide 102 between the upright posture (FIG. 9(a)) and the collapsed posture (FIG. 9(b)) while the extension tray 101 remains positioned at the storage position. It is possible.

FIG. 10A shows a state (third state) in which the extension tray 101 is in the drawn-out position and the swing guide 102 is in the laid-down position. In this state, the second rib portions 506, 506 of the swing guide 102 protrude upward from the upper surface of the extension tray 101, but the inclination angle of the second rib portions 506, 506 with respect to the horizontal plane is kept relatively small. ing. Therefore, the swing guide 102 does not hinder the movement of the document discharged onto the discharge tray 100 in the document discharge direction X2. Furthermore, the swing guide 102 can support the lower surface of the document on the downstream side of the document discharge tray 100 in the document discharge direction X2.

FIG. 10(b) shows a state (fourth state) in which the extension tray 101 is in the drawn-out position and the swing guide 102 is in the upright position. In this state, at least a portion of the second rib portions 506, 506 of the swing guide 102 protrudes above the upper surface of the extension tray 101. Further, the inclination angle (θ1 in FIG. 7) of the second rib portions 506, 506 with respect to the horizontal plane is closer to vertical than the angle in the collapsed position (θ2 in FIG. 7). Therefore, the swing guide 102 can restrict movement in the document discharge direction X2 by receiving the leading edge of the document discharged in the document discharge direction X2 by the discharge roller pair 406 with the second rib portions 506, 506. be. As a result, even if the speed at which the document is discharged by the pair of discharge rollers 406 is high, the consistency of the document on the discharge tray 100 can be maintained.

In this embodiment, when handling originals whose length in the transport direction is A4R size or less, the extension tray 101 is used as the storage position, and when handling originals whose length in the transport direction is longer than A4R size (for example, legal size), the extension tray 101 is used. 101 is set to be the drawer position. However, the notation "R" regarding the document size means that the long side and short side of the document are set on the feed tray 302 with the long side extending in the transport direction and the short side extending in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. This indicates that the manuscript was originally written.

As described above, in this embodiment, in a configuration in which the extension tray 101 is movable between a plurality of positions, it is possible to take the swinging guide 102 into the upright position in at least two positions (see FIG. 9(b)). and FIG. 10(b)). Thereby, the leading edges of documents of multiple sizes having different lengths in the transport direction can be regulated by the swing guide 102 to maintain alignment on the discharge tray 100.

Note that in the state shown in FIG. 9A in which the extension tray 101 is in the storage position and the swing guide 102 is in the collapsed position, the swing guide 102 is stored inside the ejection tray 100 when viewed from vertically above. , does not protrude downstream from the discharge tray 100 in the document discharge direction X2. Therefore, when both the extension tray 101 and the swing guide 102 are not used, the width occupied by the image reading device 201 in the X direction can be suppressed by setting the state as shown in FIG. 9(a).

It is desirable that the amount of protrusion of the second rib portion 506 with respect to the ejection tray 100 is ensured so that the swing guide 102 can sufficiently regulate the leading edge of the document even when the extension tray 101 is in the storage position. For example, when the extension tray 101 is in the storage position and the swing guide 102 is in the upright position, a line drawn vertically downward from the upper end of the second rib portion 506 when viewed from the Y direction is the discharge tray 101. Alternatively, the length up to the point where it first intersects with the extension tray 101 is defined as the first protrusion amount. Further, when the extension tray 101 is in the pulled out position and the swing guide 102 is in the upright position, a line drawn vertically downward from the upper end of the second rib portion 506 when viewed from the Y direction is a line drawn downward from the extension tray 101. The length up to the point where it intersects with is defined as the second protrusion amount. At this time, for example, if the first protrusion amount is one half or more of the second protrusion amount, it is expected that the swing guide 102 will have a function of regulating the leading edge of the document even when the extension tray 101 is in the storage position. Cheap. Further, for example, it is preferable that both the first protrusion amount and the second protrusion amount are 10 mm or more.

(Positional relationship with feed tray)
Next, the swing direction of the swing guide 102 and its advantages will be explained using FIG. 11. As described above, the swing guide 102 extends downstream in the document ejection direction with respect to the swing axis Y0 in the collapsed position. Therefore, when raising the swinging guide 102 from the collapsed position to the standing position, as shown in FIG. It will be swung in the counterclockwise first swiveling direction R1. When the rocking guide 102 is in the upright position, the snap-fit shape 510 provided on the opposite side of the rocking guide 102 to the seat contact portion contacts the receiving portion 602 of the extension tray 101, causing the rocking The guide 102 is maintained in an upright position.

In this configuration, even if there is another member such as the feeding tray 302 above the swing guide 102, the swing guide 102 may not be connected to the other member when swinging between the collapsed position and the upright position. Interference can be avoided. Therefore, it is possible to easily change the attitude of the swing guide 102 even in a narrow space.

As an alternative configuration to this embodiment, the swing guide 102 extends upstream in the document ejection direction X2 from the swing axis Y0 in the collapsed position, and by swinging the swing guide 102 clockwise in the figure, It is conceivable to make it possible to swing to the standing position at the same angle as 11. However, in this alternative configuration, the highest point of the trajectory when swinging the swing guide 102 from the lying position to the standing position is higher than in this embodiment. As a result, there is a concern that the swing guide 102 may be difficult to operate due to members such as the feed tray 302 located above the discharge tray 100. In order to avoid this, if the swing guide 102 is swung while the feed tray 302 is retracted upward, even if the swing guide 102 is easier to operate, the feed tray 302 Since the number of evacuation steps increases, it does not lead to improved operability.

On the other hand, in the case of this embodiment, regardless of whether the extension tray 101 is in the storage position or the pulled-out position, the user can press the swing guide 102 upward by hooking his/her finger on the swing guide 102 in the laid-down position. The swing guide 102 can be in an upright position. In other words, it is not necessary to secure the space above the swing guide 102 by pulling out the extension tray 101 from the storage position, or to secure the space above the swing guide 102 by lifting the feed tray 302 upward. However, it is possible to improve the operability.

In the configuration of this embodiment, the swing radius r1 of the swing guide 102 (the distance from the swing axis Y0 to the end of the swing guide 102 on the far side from the swing axis Y0) is in contact with the swing axis Y0. This can be suitably applied when the distance from the feed tray 302 is smaller than the minimum distance (d1 in FIG. 11). If an attempt is made to ensure that the second rib portion 506 protrudes upwardly from the discharge tray 100 and the extension tray 101 in the upright position, the length of the swing guide 102, that is, the radius of the swing trajectory increases. On the other hand, in order to reduce the size of the image reading device 201 in the height direction, it is preferable to make the discharge tray 100 and the feed tray 302 as close as possible in the Z direction. As a result, as shown in FIG. 11, the swing radius r1 of the swing guide 102 may become smaller than the minimum distance d1 between the swing axis Y0 and the feed tray 302. According to the configuration of this embodiment, even under such an arrangement relationship, it is possible to change the attitude of the swing guide 102 without interfering with the feeding tray 302.

In addition, as another alternative configuration to the present embodiment, an engaging portion for maintaining the posture of the swing guide 102, such as a snap-fit shape 510, is arranged on the same side as the contact portion of the swing guide 102 with respect to the document. It is possible to do so. In this alternative configuration, arranging the engaging part so as not to interfere with the function of the abutting part may be a problem, but in this embodiment, a simple method is adopted in which the snap-fit shape 510 is arranged on the side opposite to the abutting part. The configuration makes it possible to maintain the posture of the swing guide 102.

Note that when placing the engaging part on the same side as the abutting part, it is a good idea to place the engaging part near the swing axis Y0 so that the abutting part does not interfere with the function of regulating the leading edge of the document. It will be done. However, as the engaging part is closer to the swing axis Y0, due to the principle of leverage, the force acting on the contact part between the engaging part and the engaged part when regulating the swinging of the swing guide 102 becomes smaller. growing. Therefore, in order to sufficiently restrict the swinging of the swing guide 102, it is necessary to ensure the strength of the engaging part and the engaged part, which tends to increase costs. There is a concern that the part will rub strongly against the engaged part and wear will progress. In contrast, in this embodiment, the snap-fit shape 510 can be arranged at a position relatively far from the swing axis Y0, and for example, the relatively small snap-fit shape 510 can be used to sufficiently control the swing of the swing guide 102. can be regulated.

(Modified example)
In the first embodiment described above, a configuration is illustrated in which the swing guide 102 is provided on the extension tray 101 that is movable with respect to the ejection tray 100, but the present technology is applied to a configuration in which the sheet stacking section does not include the extension tray 101. You may. For example, when the ejection tray 100 is provided with the same configuration as the bearing part 600, the second opening part 601, the receiving part 602, the convex shape 603, etc. of this embodiment, and the extension tray 101 is in the storage position in this embodiment. The swing guide 102 is assembled at the same position.

Further, in the first embodiment described above, the feed tray 302 is exemplified as a member located above the sheet stacking section provided with the swinging member, but the present technology does not depend on the member located above the sheet stacking section. applicable. For example, even in a configuration in which there is another sheet stacking section above the sheet stacking section, the present technology makes it possible to change the attitude of the swinging member in a narrow space. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to a configuration in which other members are always present above the sheet stacking section.

Next, the configuration of the swing guide 102A according to the second embodiment will be explained using FIGS. 12 to 14. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the swing shaft of the swing guide 102A is attached to a flexible arm, and the swing guide is assembled to the extension tray using the elasticity of the arm. This is different from the swing guide 102. Hereinafter, components having the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment will be described as having substantially the same functions as those in the first embodiment.

FIG. 12(a) is a perspective view of the swinging guide 102A in this embodiment seen from the front side, and FIG. 12(b) is a perspective view of the swinging guide 102A seen from the back side. The swing guide 102A has a swing shaft 500, a rib portion 506A, a first surface 501, a second surface 503, a third surface 504, a fourth surface 505, and a snap-fit shape 510. Back surfaces 511, 513, 514, and 515 are provided on the back sides of the first surface 501, the second surface 503, the third surface 504, and the fourth surface 505, respectively. Further, the rib portions 506A, 506A are provided on both sides of the swing guide 102A in the Y direction, similar to the second rib portions 506, 506 in the first embodiment, and function as contact portions for the document.

Here, the swing guide 102A has arm portions 520, 520 extending in a direction intersecting the swing axis Y0, and the swing shafts 500, 500 are provided in the arm portions 520, 520. The arm portions 520, 520 of this embodiment extend in substantially the same direction as the rib portions 506A, 506A when viewed from the Y direction. Further, at least the arm portions 520, 520 of the swing guide 102A are molded from a resin material such as ABS (resin made of a copolymer of acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene) or PC+ABS (alloy resin of polycarbonate and ABS resin). Furthermore, slits 521, 521 are provided between the arm portions 520, 520 and the second surface 503, and the arm portions 520, 520 are rigid enough to allow the user to bend them inward in the Y direction by hand. is set to .

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the extension tray 101 of this embodiment. The extension tray 101 is provided with bearings 600A, 600A, a second opening 601A, and a convex shape 603. The bearing parts 600A, 600A are parts that engage with the swing shafts 500, 500 of the swing guide 102A, and support the swing guide 102 so as to be swingable (rotatable) about the swing axis Y0. The second opening 601A is located downstream of the bearings 600, 600 in the document discharge direction X2. The second opening 601A functions as a space for receiving the snap-fit shape 510 and avoiding interference with the extension tray 101 when the swing guide 102 is in the collapsed position.

However, in the swing guide 102A in this embodiment, after each swing shaft 500 is moved to a position facing the corresponding bearing part 600A with the arms 520, 520 being bent, the arm part 520 is released. By doing so, each swing shaft 500 is configured to fit into the bearing portion 600A. In accordance with this, the bearing portions 600A, 600A are formed as holes that open inward in the Y direction, and are closed on the lower side in the Z direction. Further, the second opening 601A is smaller than the first opening 601 in the first embodiment (see FIG. 6), and is set to a size that does not allow the swing shafts 500, 500 to pass through.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the swing guide 102A assembled to the extension tray 101. The operations and functions of the swing guide 102A after being assembled to the extension tray 101 are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted. Therefore, when using the swing guide 102A of this embodiment, the attitude of the swing guide can be easily changed even in a narrow space, as in the first embodiment.

(Other embodiments)
In each of the above embodiments, a configuration example in which the present technology is applied to the image reading device 201 attached to the upper part of the image forming apparatus main body 202 is illustrated, but the present technology is applied to an image reading device independent of the image forming device. It's okay. Further, the present technology is also applicable to a sheet ejecting device other than the ADF that constitutes an image reading device (for example, a device that ejects a recording material on which an image has been formed in an image forming device).

3... Image forming means (image forming section)/100... Sheet stacking section (ejection tray)/101... Sheet stacking section (extension tray)/102, 102A... Swinging member (swinging guide)/103... First opening Part/500... Shaft part/506, 506A... Contact part (second rib part)/507... Non-slip uneven shape (non-slip rib)/510... Engagement part (snap fit shape)/519... No. 1 recessed part /520...Arm part/600,600A...Bearing part/601...Second opening part/602...Engaged part (receiving part)/604...First regulating part (convex top surface)/ 605...Second recessed part/700...Second regulation part (swing regulation part)/800...Communication part (protrusion shape)/200...Image forming device/201...Image reading device/300...Sheet discharge device (ADF) /302...Feeding tray/406...Ejection means (ejection roller pair)/409, 410...Reading means (image sensor)/Y0...Owing axis of swinging member

Claims (17)

a discharge means for discharging the sheet in the sheet discharge direction;
a sheet stacking section on which sheets discharged by the discharge means are stacked;
A sheet discharging device comprising:
The sheet stacking section is
an ejection tray that supports the sheet ejected by the ejection means;
an extension tray that supports sheets together with the ejection tray, the extension tray being arranged with respect to the ejection tray between a storage position stored in the ejection tray and a drawer position protruding downstream from the ejection tray in the sheet ejection direction; an extension tray that moves with
a swinging member provided on the extension tray;
including;
The swinging member has a contact portion that can come into contact with the sheet discharged by the discharge means, and the contact portion restricts movement of the sheet discharged by the discharge means in the sheet discharge direction. Between a first position and a second position in which the abutting part is moved downward compared to the first position, the seat is lower than the abutting part with the swinging member in the second position. It oscillates around the oscillation axis located upstream in the discharge direction,
A first recessed part is provided on the same side of the swinging member as the contacting part, and the first recess is recessed downward compared to the contacting part when the swinging member is in the second position.
The first recess is configured such that the extension tray slides from the storage position to the pull-out position when the swinging member is pressed downstream in the sheet ejection direction while the swing member is at the second position. ing,
A sheet discharging device characterized by: The discharge tray is provided with a first opening that allows the swinging member to swing between the first position and the second position while the extension tray is in the storage position. ing,
The sheet discharging device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first opening has a concave shape in which a part of the downstream end of the discharge tray in the sheet discharge direction is recessed toward the upstream side in the sheet discharge direction when viewed from the vertical direction.
The sheet discharging device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The swing axis of the swing member is provided upstream of the downstream end of the extension tray in the sheet discharge direction,
When the extension tray is in the storage position and the swinging member is in the second position, the swinging member is located inside the ejection tray when viewed from the vertical direction.
The sheet discharging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , characterized in that: The swinging member has an uneven shape for preventing slipping on the downstream side of the first recess in the sheet ejection direction when the swinging member is in the second position.
The sheet discharging device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . The swinging member is an engaging part provided on a surface of the swinging member opposite to the contact part, and the swinging member is attached to the extension tray when the swinging member is in the first position. an engaging portion configured to restrict the swinging of the swinging member from the first position to the second position by engaging with a provided engaged portion;
The sheet discharging device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The engaging portion is a protrusion that protrudes from a surface of the swinging member opposite to the contact portion toward the downstream side in the swinging direction from the first position to the second position.
The sheet discharging device according to claim 6 , characterized in that: The sheet stacking section is formed with an opening that receives the protrusion when the swinging member is in the second position,
The engaged portion is a peripheral portion of the opening,
The sheet discharging device according to claim 7 , characterized in that: The protrusion is made of an elastically deformable material, and detaches from the engaged portion when the swinging member in the first position receives a force equal to or greater than a threshold toward the second position; allowing the swinging member to swing to the second position;
The sheet discharging device according to claim 7 or 8 , characterized in that: The sheet stacking portion contacts a surface of the swinging member opposite to the contact portion, thereby moving the swinging member in the second position from the first position to the second position. a first regulating portion that regulates further swinging in the swinging direction toward the
The sheet discharging device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 . The first regulating portion is formed such that at least a portion of a surface of the swinging member opposite to the contact portion is exposed when the swinging member is in the second position. a second recess is provided;
The sheet discharging device according to claim 10 . The sheet stacking section contacts a surface of the swinging member on the same side as the contact section, thereby moving the swinging member in the first position from the second position to the first position. a second regulating portion that regulates further swinging in the direction of the swinging direction;
The sheet discharging device according to any one of claims 1 to 11 . The swinging member has a shaft portion extending on the swing axis,
The sheet stacking section has a bearing section that rotatably supports the shaft section, and a communication section that forms an opening that communicates with the bearing section from a direction intersecting the swing axis,
The communication portion is configured such that the width of the opening is set smaller than the outer diameter of the shaft portion, and the shaft portion is fitted into the bearing portion by being pushed in from a direction intersecting the swing axis. be done,
The sheet discharging device according to any one of claims 1 to 12 . The swinging member has a shaft extending on the swing axis, and an arm that supports the shaft and is elastically deformable in the direction of the swing axis,
The sheet stacking section has a bearing section that rotatably supports the shaft section, and is configured such that the shaft section fits into the bearing section by bending the arm section.
The sheet discharging device according to any one of claims 1 to 12 . a feeding tray on which sheets are loaded;
a conveying means for feeding and conveying the sheets stacked on the feeding tray;
a reading unit that scans the sheet being conveyed by the conveying unit at a reading position to read image information;
The sheet discharging device according to any one of claims 1 to 14 , configured to discharge the sheet that has passed the reading position.
An image reading device characterized by: The sheet stacking section is arranged below the feeding tray ,
the swinging member swings between the first position and the second position without contacting the feeding tray;
The image reading device according to claim 15 . An image reading device according to claim 15 or 16 ;
an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording material based on image information read by the image reading device;
An image forming apparatus characterized by:

Images