JPH0124037Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a paper feeding device that feeds stacked and housed sheets one by one to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine according to the image forming process.

[Description of prior art]

Generally, as a paper feed device for a copying machine or other image forming apparatus, for example, in the case of a copying machine, a cassette loaded with paper is installed in the cassette loading slot of the copying machine, and the topmost sheet of paper in this cassette is placed at the entrance of the copying machine. The rollers are engaged to feed paper into the apparatus in accordance with the copying process. A so-called empty sensor for detecting the presence or absence of paper in the cassette is provided in the cassette loading slot along with an entrance roller on the copying machine side.

Such paper cassettes are usually small in size and can only hold a limited amount of paper, which has the disadvantage that the user must frequently load paper into the cassette. A paper feeding device has been proposed in which a paper feeding roller installed on the side feeds the paper to a cassette loading opening, and there is no need to load paper for a long period of time.

However, when this large-capacity paper feeding device is loaded into a copying machine, if an empty paper or a paper jam occurs on the paper feeding device side, the information is transmitted to the copying machine and the copying process is sent to the copying machine. It is necessary to take measures such as prohibiting the operation and displaying a warning to the user.

Conventionally, the signal connection between the copying machine main body and the paper feeding device has been done using a connector, etc., so a special electrical circuit must be installed on the copying machine side, and a wide variety of commercially available copying machines are equipped as necessary. It wasn't something I could do.

[Purpose of invention]

The present invention can be easily attached and detached as needed to an image forming apparatus in which an actuator of a switch means for detecting the presence or absence of paper in the paper feed port of the image forming apparatus is suspended. 1st
The second feature is that one or more sheets of paper can always be prepared to be fed to the paper feed port of the image forming device without receiving a paper feed support signal from the image forming device. It is an object of the present invention to provide a paper feeding device that can transmit information to an image forming apparatus without any wiring, and can be attached to various existing image forming apparatuses.

[Structure of the idea]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a shutter member, which engages and maintains the actuator of the paper presence/absence detecting means provided at the paper feed port of the image forming apparatus in the paper present state, at the paper feed/unloading portion of the paper feed device. providing a retracting actuation means for a shutter member that causes the actuator to shift from a paper present state to a paper out state; providing a first sensor for detecting the presence or absence of paper in the paper feed and discharge section; A drive circuit is provided that starts the feeding means in response to a paper out signal from the sensor and stops the feeding device in response to a paper presence signal. A jam circuit is provided to detect a paper jam when the jam is not detected; a second sensor for detecting an empty paper is provided within the paper storage frame of the paper feeding device; and the jam and empty detection of the first and second sensors is provided. This is accomplished by providing a control circuit that activates the actuating means to retract the shutter member at the time of the shutter.

[Explanation of Examples]

The configuration of the present invention will be described in detail below based on one embodiment shown in the drawings.

The illustrated one shows a copying machine as an image forming apparatus, and a paper feeding device indicated by the general symbol A is attached to a cassette loading port 10 which is a paper feeding port of the copying machine main body 5, and a paper feeding device indicated by the general symbol B Feed paper to the entrance section. An entrance roller 15 of a normal structure is connected to an appropriate drive system at the entrance section B of the main body of the copying machine, and is adapted to supply paper in synchronization with the copying process.

Therefore, if one sheet of paper is always prepared from the paper feeder A to the entrance roller 15, the copying machine can be supplied with just the right amount of paper.

At the same time, an actuator _S2 of a switch means _S1 for detecting the presence or absence of paper, as well as an inlet roller 15, is placed facing the entrance section B of the main body of the copying machine.

Paper feeding device A is a paper storage frame 1 that constitutes a paper feeding section.
, and a paper feed/unloading section 11 protruding from this.
Built into the paper storage frame 1 are a paper loading table 2 which can be raised and lowered, a feeding means 4 connected to a motor (M in the drawing), a separation pawl 8, and a motor M for raising and lowering the sheet loading table 2.

The paper feed/unloading section 11 is composed of an exit guide 14 that sends out the paper separated by the feeding means 4 and the separating pawl 8 to an entrance roller 15 of the copying machine main body. It's starting to match.

Therefore, a case where the present invention is adopted in such a device will be explained.

First, a first sensor detects when the leading edge of the paper fed out from the paper feed section 1 reaches the entrance roller 15 at the exit guide 14 constituting the paper feed/unload section 11, and at the same time detects a paper jam. 1
6 will be provided.

A drive circuit (not shown) for the motor M is configured to activate the feeding means 4 upon receiving a paper out signal from the first sensor 16, and to stop the feeding means 4 upon obtaining a paper present signal. It is configured.

Along with this, a jam circuit is configured which operates a jam timer at the same time as the feeding means 4 is activated, and determines a jam when the leading edge of the paper does not reach the first sensor 16 even after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. Further, a second sensor 17 for detecting whether the paper is empty is attached to the paper table 2 in a normal structure.

A shutter member (shutter plate 12 to be described later) and its operating means (a solenoid to be described later) are used to transmit the state to the copying machine main body 5 when determining a jam in the paper feeder A or detecting that the paper tray 2 is empty. 13) and a control circuit for the actuation means are provided as follows.

First, the actuator _S2 of the switch means _S1 extending to the cassette loading port 10 of the copying machine main body 5 is engaged with the shutter plate 12 provided in the paper feeding and unloading section 11 on the paper feeding device A side, and the switch is activated. The means _S1 is kept in a state where there is paper.

And this shutter plate 12 is a solenoid 13
When the solenoid 13 is actuated, the solenoid 13 is retracted to the position shown in FIG. 3, and the engagement with the actuator _S2 is released.

Therefore, when the paper feeding device B is detected to be empty or jammed, the solenoid 13 is energized to retract the shutter plate 12 from the engagement position of the actuator _S2 .

Then, a message indicating that there is no paper is displayed on the copying machine main body A, and copying operation is prohibited.

In such a structure, when the paper feeder A is installed in the cassette loading port 10 of the copying machine main body 5, the actuator _S2 of the switch means _S1 first contacts the shutter plate 12 provided on the exit guide 14 of the paper feeder A. When engaged, the switch means _S1 is held in the paper present state. (See FIG. 2) At the same time, a sensor 16 disposed on the exit guide 14 detects the absence of paper at the entrance roller 15. Then, the paper feeding means 4 is activated by this signal, and the uppermost paper of the stacked papers 3 on the paper stack 2 is fed out and sent to the exit guide 14. When the leading edge of this paper reaches the sensor 16, the signal causes the paper feeding means 4 to
stops. The paper prepared on the entrance roller 15 of the copying machine main body 5 is fed into the apparatus by rotation of the entrance roller 15 in response to a paper feed instruction signal for the copying process.

When the trailing edge of the paper comes off the sensor 16, the paper feeding means 4 is activated in response to the paper out signal from the sensor 16, and the next paper is sent to the entrance roller 15.

Therefore, when there is no paper on the paper tray 2 of the paper feeder A, the empty sensor 17 detects this.

On the other hand, if the paper jams between the paper feed means 4 and the entrance roller 15, and a so-called non-feed occurs in the paper feed means 4, a jam timer from the start of the paper feed means 4 will detect the sensor 16 within a predetermined time. detects a jam (non-feed) without detecting paper.

In response to this empty signal and jam signal, the solenoid 13 of the shutter plate 12 is energized, and the shutter plate ₁₂ is retracted from the actuator _S2 of the switch means S1 to the state shown in FIG.

Then, this switch means _S1 detects the state of no paper, and causes the copying machine main body 5 to prohibit the copying operation and display that there is no paper.

Although the user cannot immediately determine whether the paper feeder A is jammed or empty based on the display on the copying machine main body 5, in the illustrated embodiment, the opening/closing cover 7 for loading paper is placed on the paper tray 2. The transparent member 7 allows the laminated paper 3 to be confirmed from the outside.

In the illustrated embodiment, the paper empty sensor 17 on the paper tray 2 is shown as having a micro switch attached to the paper tray 2, but this is located at the uppermost position from the appropriate machine frame at the top of the paper storage frame 1. Various structures in which the actuator S ₂ is extended toward the paper table 2 can be adopted.

[Effects of this invention]

Since the present invention has the configuration described above, by connecting it to the paper feed port of the image forming apparatus, the following operations can be performed without electrically connecting the paper feed apparatus and the image forming apparatus.

Paper feeding by the paper feeding device is detected by a first sensor provided in the paper feeding and unloading section.When there is no paper at the paper feeding port of the image forming apparatus, the feeding means is activated and stops when the paper arrives, thereby preventing image formation. It is possible to always have paper waiting and ready at the paper feed port without receiving an instruction signal from the device.

Additionally, if a paper empty or paper jam occurs on the paper feeding device side, the shutter member can transmit the paper out status to a paper detection switch provided in the paper feeding section of the image forming device. , it is possible to feed paper to the paper feed slot without the need for electrical connections or signal exchange between it and the image forming apparatus, and at the same time, it is possible to prevent abnormalities on the paper feed device side such as paper empty or paper jam. The image forming apparatus can also be transmitted to an image forming apparatus, and can be installed in various image forming apparatuses, especially existing apparatuses.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the state in which the invention is installed in a copying machine.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of its operating state. 1... Paper storage frame (paper feed section), 3... Laminated paper,
5... Image forming device, 10... Paper feed slot, 11...
Paper feeding and unloading section, 12... Shutter member, 16...
First sensor, 17... Second sensor, S ₁ ...
...Switch means, S ₂ ...actuator.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A paper feed/output unit 11 is removably connected to the paper loading port 10 of the image forming apparatus main body 5.
In a paper feeding apparatus equipped with a feeding means 4 for sequentially feeding out stacked papers 3 in a paper storage frame 1, an actuator for a paper presence/absence detection means _S1 attached to the image forming apparatus main body 5 side of the paper feeding port 10 is provided. Aether
a shutter member 12 located opposite to the actuator _{S 2 and} provided on the paper feed/output unit 11 that engages and maintains the actuator S ₂ in the paper present state; a retracting actuator 13 for the shutter member 12 to shift the shutter member 12 to the state; a first sensor 16 provided in the paper feed/output section 11 for detecting the presence or absence of paper; 4 and stops the feeding means 4 in response to a paper presence signal; and a drive circuit that detects a paper jam when the first sensor 16 does not detect paper even after a predetermined time has elapsed from the activation of the feeding means 4. a second sensor 17 for detecting empty paper provided in the paper storage frame 1;
and a control circuit for activating the actuating means 13 and retracting the shutter member 12 when the sensors 16 and 17 detect a jam or an empty state.