JPH02138031A - Cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effectively utilize the space occupied by an image forming device and improve the workability of the image forming device by providing a cassette with a sheet containing section and another section for containing consumption material for forming images. CONSTITUTION:Consumption material 49 is contained in the consumption material containing section 50 of a cassette 11 in which a sheet containing section 47 for containing sheets 37 to be fed to an image forming device 1. As a result, the considerable part of the unused space for the multi-step type and float loading type cassette 11 out of the space occupied by the image forming device 1 can be effectively used. In addition, time for searching a separated consumption material storing place and the trouble of carrying the consumption material can be eliminated, and the workability of the image forming device 1 can be improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (a) Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to a gusset attached to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, and particularly relates to a gusset formed in a multi-stage and front-loading type. The present invention relates to a cassette suitable for being installed in an image forming apparatus.

(B) Conventional technology In recent years, in order to reduce the effective installation area of a copying machine and make effective use of space, front-loading copying machines have been developed in which a cassette for storing image forming sheets is removably attached to the front of the machine. Many have been developed.

Furthermore, as the variable magnification function of copying machines has expanded, the number of cassette stages has tended to increase in order to avoid having to load a variety of sheets into the main body of the apparatus and replace the cassette every time the magnification is changed. Then, a device appeared in which the cassette was placed close to the floor.

(c) Problems to be solved by the invention However, when the cassette is placed close to the floor,
The conventional space for storing consumables such as developer is no longer available inside the copying device, resulting in the disadvantage that a separate space is required to store them. In addition, since consumables are placed in a location separate from the copying machine, for example, when replenishing developer, it takes time to find a place to store it, and it is troublesome to bring it from a remote location. It had the disadvantage of being.

Therefore, the present invention provides a cassette with a sheet storage section for storing sheets to be fed to the image forming apparatus and a consumable material storage section for storing consumable materials, thereby effectively utilizing the space occupied by the image forming apparatus. The purpose is to provide a cassette that

(d) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances. For example, referring to FIG. 1, a cassette (11) installed in an image forming apparatus (1) is provided. In, image forming apparatus (1)
A sheet storage section (
47), and a consumable material storage section (50) that stores consumable materials (49) and (55) other than the fed sheet (37), (
56).

Further, both the storage sections (47) and (50) may be partitioned by a positioning member (45) that positions the seat (37) to be stored in the seat storage section.

Furthermore, for example, as shown in FIG.
56) may be provided separately from the seat storage section (47).

(E) Function Based on the above configuration, there is a sheet storage section (47) for storing the sheet (37) fed to the image forming bag 'W, (1), and consumables for image forming (49), ( Since consumable storage parts (50) and (56) for storing sheets (55) are provided in the cassette (11), they are the same as the cassette (11) for storing the sheets (37) to be fed. Material storage section (5
0) Consumables (49) and (55) are stored in (56).

Also, the sheet 1-(37) fed to the image forming apparatus (1)
) and the storage section (50) for image forming consumables (49) and the positioning member (45), so one type of cassette (11) is separated by the positioning member (45).
By changing the mounting positions of 5) and (46), it can be transformed into many types of cassettes (11).

Note that the symbols in parentheses above are shown for reference and do not limit the structure in any way.Examples Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, the entire copying apparatus will be described as an example of an image forming apparatus embodying the present invention.

1 is a multi-stage and front-loading cassette 1
As shown in FIG. 1, there is a copying machine equipped with a copying section 2, a platen 3, a light source 5, a mirror 6a,
6b, 6c, 6d, 6e.

6f, a lens 7, and a cassette 11 that can be moved on guide rails 9a and 9b to be attached and detached in the front-back direction. It is arranged. A registration roller pair 13 is disposed downstream of this sheet feeding device 12, a copying section 2 is disposed downstream of this registration roller pair 13, and a copying section 2 is disposed downstream of this copying section 2. A conveyor belt 15 and a fixing device 16 are provided. A flapper 17 and a paper discharge roller 19 are arranged downstream of the fixing device 16, and a re-feeding path 20 is also provided branching off from the flapper 17. A pair of paper rollers 21 and a paper refeed sensor 22 are also provided.

As shown in FIG. 4, the guide rails 9a and 9b are positioned and installed on the frame 23 of the main body, and the notches in the front and rear side plates of the sheet feeding device 12 are aligned with the guide rails 9b.
By fitting with the sheet feeding bag 7112, the position of the sheet feeding bag 7112 is determined.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sheet feeding device 12 includes upper, middle and lower stays 25a and 2 which are arranged substantially parallel between the left and right side plates.
5b, 25c are provided with a paper feed roller 26, a conveyance roller 27, a separation roller 29, a sheet presence/absence sensor, a pressure plate 3o, a positioning sensor, guide plates 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d, and a registration roller 32. It is a unit.

The copying apparatus 1 described above is mounted on the auxiliary paper feeding device 33, is connected to the copying section 2 by the sheet feeding device as described above, and is a paper feeding device having a multistage and front loading type cassette 11. is configured.

Then, when the cassette 11 is mounted on the guide rails 9a and 9b, a control section (not shown) that receives a detection signal from a cassette sensor (not shown) determines that the paper feed roller 26 is located at the paper feeding position. Waits until the start key is pressed. In addition, when the control unit is not located at the paper feeding position, the shaft 35 is rotated by a motor (not shown) to push up the pressure plate 30 or the middle plate 36, and the middle plate 36 feeds the paper through the feeding sheet 37. Push up the roller 26,
The motor is stopped when it is determined that the paper is at the paper feeding position. Then, when the operator presses the start key (not shown),
The paper feeding roller 26 rotates to feed the fed sheet 37 stacked on the intermediate plate 36 to the conveyance roller 27, and the fed sheet 37 is separated into one by the separation roller 29 and the conveyance roller 27. The guide plates 31a, 31b are separated one by one.
It is guided to the registration roller pair 32 by 31c and 31d. Further, the feeding sheet 3 is moved by the registration roller pair 32.
7 is conveyed to a pair of registration rollers 13, synchronously conveyed by the pair of registration rollers 13 to the copying section 2 to copy an image, conveyed to a fixing device 16 by a conveyor belt 15, where the image is fixed, and then ejected by a flapper 17. The sheet is guided to the rollers 19 and discharged to the outside of the apparatus 1 by the discharge rollers 19. In the case of double-sided image formation, the sheet 37 with an image copied on one side is guided to the re-conveying path 20 by the flapper 17, and is re-fed to the registration roller pair 13 by the re-feeding roller pair 21, and the same process as described above is carried out. The image is copied on the back side and discharged to the outside of the apparatus 1.

Next, an embodiment of the cassette 11 of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of the cassette 11 according to the invention.

The left side member 39 and the right side member 40 are the guide rails 9a, 9.
b. Front member 41, rear member 4
2. A rear end positioning plate 45 is removably attached to approximately the center of the recess 43 surrounded by the left side member 39 and the right side member 40, and a side positioning plate 46 is removably attached to the back of the right side. A sheet storage section 47 for the sheet 37 to be fed is formed, and a consumable material storage section 50 for the reserve sheet 49 which is a consumable material is formed on the left side thereof. The middle plate 36 is pivotally supported by a shaft 51 at an intermediate portion of the front and rear members 41 and 42, and a handle 52 is provided on the front side of the rear member 42.

The width of the recess 43 of this cassette 11. =2L+t+a. Here L = width of A4 size sheet, t
=thickness of the rear end positioning plate 45, α =marginal dimension, thickness of wrapping paper, etc.

Therefore, the A4 size sheet 37 to be fed can be stored in the sheet storage section 47, and the A4 size spare sheet 49 can be stored in the consumable material storage section 50.

In addition, as shown by the broken line, the rear end positioning portion 45 or the recessed portion 4
3, a full A3 size sheet 37 is placed in the same four section 43.

B4 size or LDR (11 inches x
The same is true when placing a fed sheet 47 of B5 size or LTR (11 inches x 8% inches) and a spare sheet 49 as half sizes.

Note that the sheet 37 being fed moves in the direction of the arrow 53.

Further, the left and right side members 39, 40 extend forward from the front side member 41, and the cassette 11 is partially guided by the guide rails 9a, 9.
It is possible to replenish and take out stored items while it is locked in b.

Further, since the middle plate 36 swings, a notch 36a is provided so as not to interfere with the rear end positioning plate 45.

Since this embodiment has the above-described configuration, half-size sheets are generally used more than three times as often as full-size sheets, but frequently used half-size sheets are always kept in reserve in the copying device 1. It can be stored as.

Further, the handling of the copying apparatus 1 can be greatly improved, such as being able to take out and replenish the stored sheets without removing the cassette 11.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

The cassette 11 is a sheet storage section 4 for sheets 37 to be fed.
7 and a developer replenishment cartridge 55 which is a consumable material.
A consumable storage section 56 is formed on the front side of the cassette 11.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 3. The cartridge 55 is installed in a portion corresponding to the thickness of the outer cover 57 of the copying device 1.
A consumable material storage section 56 is formed in which a consumable material storage section 56 is stored.

Note that the consumable material storage section 56 can store not only the developer replenishment cartridge 55 but also, for example, fixing roller cleaning oil or the like. In addition, the same applies to the second embodiment as to what has been explained in the first embodiment.

Since the present embodiment is configured as described above, replenishment or maintenance materials such as the developer replenishment cartridge 55 or fixing roller cleaning oil are always stored in the copying bag Tll, and at the time of replenishment or maintenance. It saves you the trouble of finding a place to put it, or having to bring it from a distance.

(g) As described in detail of the invention, according to the present invention, the image forming apparatus (1
), and other image forming consumables (49) and (55).
Since consumable storage parts (50) and (56) are provided for storing the unused multi-stage and front-loading cassette (11), which occupies a considerable portion of the space occupied by the image forming apparatus n(1), The effective use of space can be greatly improved.

Furthermore, since the image forming consumables (49) and (55) can be stored inside the image forming apparatus (1), it is possible to save the trouble of searching for a distant consumable storage area and the trouble of carrying the image forming apparatus. (1) Workability can be improved.

Further, the consumable material (49) and the sheet (37) to be fed to the image forming apparatus (1) are connected to positioning members (45) and (46).
Since one type of cassette (11) is divided by
The positioning members (45) and (46) can be installed and replaced, and can be used for many types of cassettes (11).
In the remaining space of 1), there is a storage section (56) for consumables (55).
), space can be used more effectively.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a dark blue sectional view of the entire copying apparatus embodying the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
A plan view showing the embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 3. Fig. 2 1... Image forming device (copying device) 11... Cassette 37... Sheet being fed, 45
．． 46... Positioning member (positioning plate) 47... Sheet storage section 50.56... Consumables storage section
49.55...Consumables diagram Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In a cassette installed in an image forming apparatus, a sheet storage section that stores sheets to be fed to the image forming apparatus, and a consumable storage section that stores consumable materials other than the sheets. A cassette characterized by having a section. 2. The cassette according to claim 1, wherein both of the storage sections are partitioned by a positioning member that positions the sheets to be stored in the sheet storage section. 3. The cassette according to claim 1, wherein the consumable material storage section is provided separately from the sheet storage section.