JPH0122182B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention is applicable to machines such as electrophotographic copying machines and facsimile machines, which are used to produce stacked sheets of paper cut into various sizes and stacked together, or stacked sheets of originals of different types. In a sheet feeding device that can selectively feed sheets, it relates to a device that can selectively pull out a specific storage means from among a large number of storage means such as trays that store the same sheets. It is.

Prior Art For example, in a conventional electrophotographic copying machine,
Since paper storage trays are installed inside the aircraft, it was only possible to store about two or three of the same paper storage trays.

In addition, there are many sizes of originals such as B4, B5, A4, and A5, and in order to avoid wasting paper, it is necessary to prepare many types of paper corresponding to the original size. If the paper dimensions do not match the original size,
The paper storage tray had to be replaced, and the replacement work was complicated.

In particular, recently, electrophotographic copying machines capable of multi-step variable magnification copying have become widespread, and the frequency of replacing the paper storage tray described above has increased, making it impossible to ignore from the standpoint of copying work efficiency. In order to reduce the work as much as possible, if the number of paper storage trays stored in one copying machine is increased, the number of conveyance means such as paper feed rolls in the area where each tray is installed will correspondingly increase. The cost of the entire paper device increases significantly.

As a solution to such problems, there is, for example, an automatic paper feeding device disclosed in the specification of Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-48835.

This automatic paper feeder has multiple paper storage trays that can be moved between a paper feeding position and a non-paper feeding position depending on the paper size, while a single paper transport means feeds each paper storage tray. The paper storage tray is normally placed at the paper feeding position, and when the desired paper storage tray is selected, paper transport is performed by retracting the unselected storage tray to the non-paper feeding position. The means can be moved to the paper feeding position of the selected storage tray.

However, the moving mechanism for the sheet storage means applied to an automatic paper feeder with such a configuration is configured to move the sheet storage means that is not selected during paper feeding, so it is particularly difficult to move the sheet storage means when feeding sheets. As the number of paper storage means increases, there are problems in that the operability deteriorates and the structure of the entire paper feeding device may become complicated.

Purpose of the invention The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate such problems,
To provide a sheet storage means drawer device with a simple configuration and excellent operability, which moves only a selected sheet storage means from a plurality of sheet storage means to a paper feeding position. There is a particular thing.

Structure of the Invention The present invention comprises a plurality of support means 5 arranged at required intervals in the vertical direction, a plurality of sheet storage means 2 each supported by the support means 5 so as to be movable back and forth, A conveying means 1 that contacts the uppermost sheet 1 in the sheet storage means 2 and conveys it to the paper discharge side.
8, an elevating member 7 on which the transport means 18 is mounted and moves up and down along the paper discharge side of the sheet storage means 2; and an elevating member 7.
a cylindrical cam mechanism 45 which is provided on the elevating member 7 or other elevating member and whose driven joint can be brought into contact with the sheet storage means 2 and pulled out from the support means 5; a cam driving means 43 for driving the cam mechanism 45; the elevating means and the cam driving means 43;
control means 50 for controlling the driving of the sheet storage means 2 to draw out a required sheet storage means 2 and to bring the conveying means 18 into contact with the sheet 1 in the sheet storage means 2;
It is characterized by having the following.

Embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention illustrated in the drawings will be described.

Copy paper 1 is a laminated sheet of paper cut and stacked in various sizes such as A3, A4, A5, B4, B5, etc. Copy paper 1 is divided into paper trays 2 according to size or in the vertical and horizontal directions. It is stored in a layered manner with different layers.

Reference numeral 4 denotes shelf supports oriented vertically, and on the front and rear shelf supports 4, at regular intervals in the vertical direction, there are shelves facing diagonally upward in the paper feeding direction (to the right in Figure 1). Six stages of shelf support members 5 are installed facing each other, and paper trays 2 are connected to the shelf support members 5 via guide rolls 3.
The paper tray 2 is supported by the shelf support member 5 and can be moved back and forth along its longitudinal direction.

Further, the paper tray 2 is located closer to the paper feed position (first
A total of 4 guide rails 6 (2 pairs) are oriented vertically on both left and right sides (front and rear sides perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 1), and one pair is installed on the same guide rail 6. A lifting member 7 is fitted so as to be able to move up and down.

Furthermore, a screw rod 8 oriented parallel to the two guide rails 6 is pivotally supported via a bearing 9, and a bevel gear 10 is fitted to the lower end of the screw rod 8. Rotating shaft 12 of step motor 13 via bevel gear 11
A transport means lifting clutch C ₁ is interposed on the rotary shaft 12, and the first lifting member 7 is screwed to the screw rod 8. By forward and reverse rotation of the step motor 13, the first lifting member 7 is adapted to be driven up and down.

Moreover, in the first elevating member 7, a bracket 14 is provided protrudingly on the side facing the paper tray 2,
The base end of a swinging lever 16 is pivoted to the bracket 14 via a pivot shaft 15 so as to be able to swing up and down, and a paper feed roll shaft 17 is pivotally attached to the tip of the swinging lever 16. Pulley 19 integrated with paper roll shaft 17
A belt 20 is stretched over a driving pulley 21 which is supported on the same axis as the pivot shaft 15 of the swing lever 16, and a transmission means (not shown) and a paper feed clutch C ₃ are attached to the transport roll 29 described later. (See Figure 7)
When the driving pulley 21 connected to the drive pulley 21 is rotated in conjunction with the rotation of the conveyance roll 29, a sheet feed unit integrated with the roll shaft 17 is connected via the belt 20, pulley 19, and sheet feed roll shaft 17. roll 18
is designed to be rotated counterclockwise in FIG.

Further, a paper guide 22 is integrally attached to the lower part of the first elevating member 7 near the paper tray 2 so as to be directed diagonally downward. It is designed to be guided between a pair of upper and lower transport rolls 29.

Further, on the bottom surface of the paper guide 22, a paper 1
A reflective paper feed completion detector RS is installed so as not to interfere with the paper transport. It is now possible to detect whether or not the process has been completed.

Furthermore, the first elevating member 7 and the paper receiving section 3 of the dry type electrophotographic copying machine 34 capable of multi-step variable magnification copying.
5 is connected by a connecting means 24 formed by three pairs of connecting links 25, 26, 27 pivotably connected to each other and a pair of upper and lower flexible guide chute 28, and Four upper and lower pairs of transport rolls 29, 30, 31, 32 are pivoted to the joints and ends of the connecting means 24 so as to protrude and come into contact with each other. A paper feed motor 33 (see FIG. 7) is appropriately connected to the paper feed motor 31 and 32 by a belt (not shown), etc., and the transport rolls 29, 30, 31, and 32 are rotated all at once by the operation of the paper feed motor 33.
The copy paper 1 taken out by the paper feed roll 18 is fed to a paper receiving section 35 of a copying machine 34.

Further, two pairs of guide rails 36 are vertically oriented on both left and right sides at the rear of the paper tray 2 (on the left side in FIG. 1), and screw rods 37 oriented parallel to these are installed via bearings 38 A second elevating member 39 is fitted into the guide rail 36 so as to be able to rise and fall freely up and down, and is also screwed into the threaded rod 37.
A bevel gear 40 is fitted to the lower end of the screw rod 37,
A second elevating member elevating clutch _C2 is interposed on the other rotating shaft 42 of the step motor 13, and a bevel gear 41 that meshes with the bevel gear 40 is fitted on the shaft end of the rotating shaft 42, and the tray drawer When the step motor 13 is rotated in the forward and reverse directions while the clutch _C2 is connected, the second elevating member 39 is driven up and down.

Further, the second elevating member 39 includes a rotating shaft 44.
A tray extrusion motor 43 is installed with the tray oriented in the front-rear direction, and a cylindrical cam 45 is connected to the front end of a rotating shaft 44 of the motor 43 and rotatably supported. a tray ejector rod 46 is slidably attached to the second elevating member 39;
A roll 47 is pivotally attached to the tip of the tray push-out rod 46, and when the tray push-out motor 43 is driven and the cylindrical cam 45 is rotated by half a rotation, the tray push-out rod 46 can move back and forth. .

Furthermore, a cam 48 is provided on the rear surface of the paper tray 2 (on the left side in FIG. 1) to protrude in opposition to the tray push-out rod 46. A cam surface 49 is formed that stands upright, and when the tray pushing rod 46 is driven back and forth, the roll 47 at the tip of the rod 47 collides with the cam surface 49 so as to be able to move toward and away from the cam surface 49, and the paper tray 2 moves forward. It is adapted to be pulled out or retracted backwards.

Moreover, in the first elevating member 7, a limit switch LS is disposed integrally with the swing lever 16 and adjacent to the upper part of the base protrusion 23, and when the limit switch LS is turned off and on, the paper feed roll 18 is moved to the paper tray. It is possible to detect whether or not the paper is in contact with the copy paper 1 in the paper 2.

Also, the operation panel of the copying machine 34 (not shown)
includes a paper feed ready indicator PD, a tray selection switch SE that allows you to select one of the six paper trays 2, and a copy number setting that allows you to set the number of copies by specifying a number from 0 to 9. Switch group NE and
A copy start switch ST and other switch groups are provided.

Furthermore, a microcomputer 60 is installed in the copying machine 34.
The microcomputer 60 has an input interface 61, a ROM 62, and a ROM
63, CPU 64, and output interface 65
It's getting more and more familiar.

Furthermore, the input interface 61 includes a tray selection switch SE, a copy number setting switch group NE,
Copy start switch ST, reflective paper feed completion detector
Signals from input means such as RS, limit switch LS, other switches, and various counters in the copying machine 34 are appropriately adjusted and input to the CPU 64.

The ROM 62 also stores sequence programs necessary for normal copying operations, programs necessary to execute the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 8 through 11, and the like.

Furthermore, the RAM 63 can read and write the input data, data obtained by the operation of the CPU 64 (described later), and other data.

Furthermore, the CPU 64 executes programs and instructions stored in the ROM 62 according to input signals from the input interface 61, and outputs signals to the step motor 13, paper feed motor 33, tray pull-out motor 43, and transport means via the output interface 65. Control signals are output to the lifting clutch C ₁ , the second lifting member clutch C ₂ , the paper feed clutch C ₃ , the paper feed ready indicator PD, and each operational part of the copying machine 34 .

Since the illustrated embodiment is configured as described above, as shown in FIG.
When the user presses the button and inputs the selection of tray 2 to be drawn out and the number of copies to be made (step), the program enters a paper feed preparation subroutine (step).

In the paper feed preparation subroutine, as shown in FIG. 9, the steps of the program are to determine whether the previously selected tray 2i and the currently selected tray 2j are equal (step 〓〓); Proceed to step 〓〓. If they are not equal, that is, if i≠j, then in step aj-ai is calculated and set as the value of s.

Here, ai is the standby position of the first elevating member 7 for the i-th paper tray (a position slightly higher than the highest paper level in the paper tray 2i) when the step motor 1
The number of steps is 3, which indicates the standby position of the lifting member 7 for the first paper tray ₂₁ from the top.
A ₁ is set as the reference position (a ₁ =0) (see Fig. 12). Similarly, for aj, the standby position of the elevating member 7 with respect to the paper tray 2j is shown.

This standby position is also the position to which the first elevating member 7 returns when a series of copying operations is completed.

Note that bj will also be explained here with reference to FIG.

At the position of the first elevating member 7, there is a position range (ⓓ part) in which paper can be fed, corresponding to each paper tray and spaced apart from each other, and the lowest position of this position range is b. The position is also expressed by the number of steps of the step motor 13 with respect to _a0 .

The above values for each paper tray a and b are stored in the ROM 52 of the computer.

In the paper feed preparation subroutine, the program proceeds to step after the calculation in the step, where it is determined whether s is positive or negative, and if it is positive, the conveying means lifting clutch _C1 is turned on and the step motor 13 is reversed, so that the first lifting member 7 is moved. If s is negative, the clutch _C1 is turned on and the step motor 13 rotates in the normal direction to raise the lifting member 7 by s (Step〓〓). Then, the tray drawer subroutine (Step〓〓) to go into.

Here, the first elevating member 7 is located at the standby position aj for the newly selected paper tray 2j.

In the tray drawer subroutine, as shown in FIG.
When the second elevating member elevating clutch _C2 is turned on, the step motor 13 reverses, and the second elevating member 39 moves to dj-.
It is lowered by di and proceeds to step 〓.

On the other hand, if j is not larger than i, it is determined in step 〓 whether or not j is smaller than i, and if j is smaller than i, the clutch _C2 is turned on and the step motor 13 is turned on. As a result of the rotation, the second elevating member 39 is raised by di-dj and proceeds to step 〓.

However, if j is neither greater than nor less than i, i.e., equal, proceed from step 〓 to step 〓. Tray extrusion motor 43 at step
is rotated 180 degrees, the tray push-out rod 46 is pushed forward, and the paper tray 2j is pulled out forward.

Next, when the predetermined paper tray 2j is pulled forward and the process returns to the paper feeding preparation subroutine, the elevating member 7 is lowered at step 〓〓, and the number of steps m of the step motor 13 is counted at step 〓〓. begins to be

Then, the paper feed roll 18 continues to descend by repeating the steps 〓〓〓〓〓〓 until it comes into contact with the copy paper 1 in the tray 2j. limit switch
When LS is turned off, the value of m is entered in l (step 〓〓), and the position correction subroutine is entered (step 〓〓).

However, the limit switch LS is not turned off and the number of steps m being counted at step 〓〓 is bj-
When the value is equal to or exceeds the value of aj (when the first elevating member 7 has passed the paper feeding position and there is no copy paper 1 in the paper tray 2j), the step motor 13 is stopped at step 〓〓. After that, number of steps m
The first elevating member 7 is returned to the standby position aj (step 〓).

Then, in step 〓, the tray push motor 43 is activated.
After the tray push-out rod 46 is moved backward by the 180° rotation and the tray 2j that has been pulled out is retreated backward, the value of j is entered in i at step 〓〓, and the progress of the program is stopped. Same paper tray 2
Preparations are made to supply copy paper 1 to paper j.

Next, when the program proceeds to the position correction subroutine, the number of steps n of the step motor 13 that is lowering the first elevating member 7 is counted again as shown in FIG.

This number of steps n means that the paper feed roll 18 is
Touch the copy paper 1 in j and turn the limit switch.
After the LS is turned off, the first elevating member 7 is further lowered by a certain number of steps ( _n0) , so that the paper with a thickness corresponding to the number of steps ( _n0) can be easily moved at the stop position of the first elevating member (7). Paper can be fed.

Therefore, the number of steps n during counting is compared with n ₀ (step 〓), and when n exceeds n ₀ , the value of l is added to the value of n, and the value of l is set again ( Step 〓〓), the step motor 13 is stopped (Step 〓〓), and the position correction subroutine ends.

Also, before n reaches n ₀ , the value of l+n changes to bj−
When the value of aj is equal to or larger than the value of aj (step〓), the step motor 13 is stopped (step〓), and the first elevating member 7 is lowered from aj.
The step motor 13 is rotated forward again by +n and raised (step 〓〓).

Then, in step 〓〓, the tray extrusion motor 43 is activated.
The tray push-out rod 46 is moved backward by the 180° rotation, and the tray 2j that has been pulled out is moved backward, and then the value of j is entered into i at step 〓〓, and the program stops. Same paper tray 2
Preparations are made to supply copy paper 1 to paper j.

When the position correction subroutine shown in FIG. 11 is completed, the paper feed preparation completion indicator PD is activated to display the paper feed preparation completion in the step of FIG. 8, and the copy start switch ST is turned on ( In step 1, it is determined whether the number of copies z is 1 or not, and if it is 2 or more, the paper feed motor 33 is driven in step 2, and the paper feed clutch C is connected in step 2, and thus the paper feed roll is 18,
With the rotation of the transport rolls 29, 30, 31, 32, j
The copy paper 1 in the th paper tray 2j is conveyed to the dry electrophotographic copying machine 34.

After copying is done in step, the number of copies z is subtracted by one (step), and if the limit switch LS remains off in step,
The steps of the program are returned to the step again, and the steps are repeated. Meanwhile, copy paper 1 in paper tray 2j
When the paper feed roll 18 is no longer able to contact the copy paper 1 with the required contact force, the limit switch is activated.
LS is turned on and step motor 1
After the lifting member 7 is lowered by the reversal of step 3, the program steps return to the step via the position correction subroutine. When the number of copies z becomes 1 in step, the program advances to step.

On the other hand, when the number of copies z is 1, the program advances from step to step, and after the paper feed motor 33 is operated, the paper feed clutch C is connected at step, and the program advances to step. It will be done.

Then, in step, when the copy paper 1 passes the paper feed roll 18 by the reflective paper feed completion detector RS, the paper feed clutch C is shut off in step, and after t time elapses, the copy paper 1 in the guide chute 28 is released. After the paper has been completely conveyed to the paper receiving section 35 of the copying machine 34, the step is stopped and the final copy is made in the step.

After copying is completed, the first elevating member 7 is
The tray 2j is raised by 180 degrees and returned to the standby position aj, and in step, the tray push-out motor 43 is rotated 180 degrees, and the tray 2j that has been pulled out is moved backward and returned to its original storage position.

Then, at step 〓〓, the value of j is entered into i, and the progress of the program is stopped.

In this way, the required paper feeding and copying are accomplished.

In addition, when changing the type of copy paper 1 to be supplied, select and press the tray selection switch Sj as appropriate, and the elevating member 7 and paper feed roll 18 will move to the selected paper tray. 2j, the same paper tray 2j is pulled out forward, and the required copy paper 1 is supplied.

Furthermore, by appropriately changing the spacing between the paper trays 2 and the height of the shelf supports 4, and changing the number of steps a and b stored in the ROM 52 to appropriate values, a wide variety of types can be produced regardless of the size of the copying machine 34. It is possible to quickly and easily select and supply copy sheets 1 of different paper sizes and vertical and horizontal orientations.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the paper tray 2 was pulled out forward or retreated backward by rotating the tray push-out motor 43 by 180 degrees. In addition to the 180° rotation, by raising and lowering the second elevating member 39 by a certain height Δd, the tip roll 47 of the extrusion rod 46 collides with the inclined surface 49a of the cam surface 49, and the stroke is insufficient. You may try to make up for it.

Also, instead of providing the tray extrusion motor 43, cylindrical cam 45, etc. on the second elevating member 39,
These are provided in the first elevating member 7, and by engaging the tip of a rod (not shown) driven back and forth by the cylindrical cam 45 with a protrusion of the paper tray 2, the paper tray 2 can be pulled out forward. Good too.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the shelf support member 5 is tilted rearward and urged to apply a force to constantly move the paper tray 2 backward, but the paper tray 2 is moved using the spring force of the spring. It may be made to retreat backwards.

In addition, although the first elevating member 7 was raised and lowered by rotating the screw rod 8, it can be freely inserted and retracted by supplying and discharging fluid to a multistage cylindrical body such as a cylindrical cam mechanism, a pantograph mechanism, or a telescope barrel. The first elevating member 7 may be moved up and down using a fluid expansion/contraction means, a belt mechanism, or the like.

Furthermore, instead of the copy paper 1, a manuscript may be processed as a sheet.

Effects of the Invention In the present invention, the conveyance means or other elevating means is operated to make the cylindrical cam means face the required sheet storage means, and the required sheet storage is performed simply by rotating the cylindrical cam means. Since only the means can be selectively pulled out or pushed in, sheets can be immediately transported and fed from the required sheet storage means, resulting in excellent operability and simple configuration. be able to.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a side view illustrating an embodiment of a drawer device for sheet storage means according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of its main parts, Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof, and Fig. 4 is a paper tray. A side view of the main parts illustrating the state before pulling out the
FIG. 5 is a side view of the main part with the paper tray pulled out, FIG. 6 is a longitudinal side view of the main part, FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the control system of the embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart thereof. FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the paper feed preparation subroutine in the same flowchart.
Figure 0 is a flowchart of the tray drawer subroutine in the flowchart of Figure 9, and Figure 11 is the flowchart of the tray drawer subroutine of Figure 8.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the elevating member of the embodiment. 1... Copy paper, 2... Paper tray, 3... Guide roll, 4... Shelf support, 5... Shelf support member, 6
... Guide rail, 7 ... First elevating member, 8 ...
Screw rod, 9... bearing, 10, 11... bevel gear,
12...Rotating shaft, 13...Step motor, 14
... Bracket, 15 ... Pivot shaft, 16 ... Swing lever, 17 ... Paper feed roll shaft, 18 ... Paper feed roll, 19 ... Pulley, 20 ... Belt, 21 ...
... Drive pulley, 22 ... Paper guide, 23 ... Base protrusion, 24 ... Connection means, 25, 26, 27 ...
...Connection ring, 28...Guide chute, 29,
30, 31, 32... Conveyance roll, 33... Paper feed motor, 34... Dry electrophotographic copying machine, 35...
Paper receiving section, 36... Guide rail, 37... Screw rod, 38... Bearing, 39... Second elevating member, 4
0,41...Bevel gear, 42...Rotating shaft, 43
... Tray extrusion motor, 44 ... Rotating shaft, 45
... Cylindrical cam, 46 ... Tray extrusion rod, 47 ... Roll, 48 ... Cam, 49 ...
...Cam surface, 50...Microcomputer, 51
...Input interface, 52...ROM, 53
...RAM, 54...CPU, 55...Output interface, C ₁ ...Transportation means lifting clutch, C ₂ ...
...Second lifting member lifting clutch, C ₃ ...Paper feed clutch, PD...Paper feeding ready indicator, RS...Reflective paper feeding completion detector, LS...Limit switch,
SE...Tray selection switch, NE...Copy number setting switch group, ST...Copy start switch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A plurality of support means 5 arranged at required intervals in the vertical direction, and a plurality of sheet storage means 2 each supported by the support means 5 so as to be movable back and forth.
and the uppermost sheet 1 in the sheet storage means 2.
In a sheet feeder equipped with a conveyance means 18 that is in contact with and conveys the sheet to the sheet discharge side, the sheet feeder is equipped with a lifting device that is mounted with the conveyance means 18 and moves up and down along the sheet discharge side of the sheet storage means 2. a member 7; an elevating means for elevating the elevating member 7; and a driven joint provided on the elevating member 7 or another elevating member that abuts the sheet storage means 2 and can be pulled out from the supporting means 5. A cylindrical cam mechanism 45, a cam driving means 43 for driving the cylindrical cam mechanism 45, and a drive control of the elevating means and the cam driving means 43 to draw out the required sheet storage means 2 and store the sheets. The conveying means 1 is placed on the sheet 1 in the means 2.
8. A drawer device for a sheet storage means, characterized in that it is equipped with a control means 50 for controlling 8 to be brought into contact with each other.