JPH02295825A - Paper feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To carry forms quickly to a device to which the paper is fed when the selected cassette is a rotary cassette and the feeding direction of the feeding paper differs from the feeding direction of the forms of the selected rotary cassette by providing a control means for controlling a cassette rotation driving means so that the rotary cassette is rotated in the predetermined position. CONSTITUTION:When the forms of A4, for example, are selected to be fed laterally to a device to which the paper is fed, a control means selects a cassette having a form carrying path for carrying the forms to a device to which the paper is fed and which length is shorter between a fixed cassette for laterally feeding the forms of 4A and rotary cassettes 26, 27 housing the forms of 4A as a paper feeding cassette. When the rotary cassette is in the position from where the form carrying course is shorter and the rotary cassette is in the longitudinal feeding position, namely in the A4R position, a cassette rotation driving means 36 is driven for control so that the rotary cassette is rotated in the lateral feeding position, namely in the A4 position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a paper feeding device supplied to copying machines, printers, and the like.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a copying machine as a paper feeding device, for example, is provided with a paper feeding device that supplies paper, and this paper feeding device includes a plurality of paper feeding cassettes for each paper size. When transporting paper from the paper feeder, horizontal feeding, in which the width direction of the paper is the transport direction, is preferable to navy feeding, in which the longitudinal direction of the paper is the transport direction, from the viewpoint of transport speed. B.
4. Furthermore, there are some machines that feed even A3 paper horizontally.

On the other hand, if even large-sized sheets are fed horizontally, the photoreceptor drum, conveyance rollers, paper conveyance path, etc. within the copying machine become larger, leading to an increase in the size of the apparatus itself and an accompanying cost increase. Therefore, in general, a system is adopted in which large sheets of paper size, such as B4 and A3, are fed vertically, and small sheets of size A4 or smaller are fed horizontally.

However, with such a configuration, in a copying machine that has a variable magnification function that performs reduction and enlargement, paper cassettes such as B5R and A4R for vertical feeding are required for reduction copying, while paper cassettes such as B5R and A4R for vertical feeding are required. If so, 85 and A4 paper cassettes for horizontal feeding will also be required. Therefore, if such a variety of paper cassettes are provided, the paper feeding device must be made larger, or multiple paper cassettes must be replaced depending on the purpose, which increases the size of the device and increases costs. Otherwise, the operation becomes complicated.

Therefore, in order to avoid such problems, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 56-59245 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-12385 have been proposed.
As disclosed in Publication No. 9 etc., for example, B5 and B
A configuration has previously been proposed in which a common paper cassette is used for 5R1, A4, and A4R, and the cassette is rotated to feed the paper horizontally and vertically.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, there is a rotating cassette that can be rotated to a vertical feeding position for vertically feeding paper or a horizontal feeding position for horizontally feeding paper, and a rotary cassette that is fixed at either the vertical feeding position or the horizontal feeding position. If paper of the same size is stored in a fixed cassette and this paper is selected, consideration is not given to which cassette to select as the paper feed cassette in terms of transport speed. However, there is still a problem that the paper conveyance speed is insufficient.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the paper feeding device of the present invention includes a rotary cassette that can be rotated between a vertical feeding position for feeding paper vertically to a paper feeding device and a horizontal feeding position for feeding paper horizontally, and a rotating cassette that can be rotated between a vertical feeding position and a horizontal feeding position for feeding paper horizontally. A paper feeding device comprising a fixed cassette fixed at either one of the transverse feed positions, and in which the rotating cassette is rotated by a cassette rotation drive means, selected to supply paper to the feeding device. When there is a fixed cassette that stores paper that matches the size and vertical/horizontal feeding direction of the supplied paper, and a rotating cassette that stores paper that matches the size of the supplied paper, these fixed cassettes and rotating cassettes Among these, the cassette with the shorter paper transport path for transporting the paper to the paper receiving device is selected as the paper feeding cassette, and the selected cassette is a rotating cassette, and the above-mentioned supply When the paper feeding direction and the paper feeding direction of the rotating cassette at that time are different, the rotating cassette is rotated to a vertical or horizontal feeding position where the paper feeding direction matches the feeding direction of the supplied paper.
The apparatus is characterized by comprising a control means for controlling the cassette rotation drive means.

[For production]

According to the above configuration, when the control means is selected to feed, for example, an A4 sheet of paper horizontally to the sheet feeding device,
If there is a fixed cassette that feeds A4 paper horizontally and a rotating cassette that accommodates A4 paper, the length of the paper conveyance path for conveying paper to the paper feeding device 5 between these fixed cassettes and rotating cassettes Select the cassette with the shorter length as the paper feed cassette. When the above-mentioned rotating cassette is located at a shorter position on the paper transport path and the rotating cassette is at the vertical feed position, that is, the A4R position, the cassette is rotated so that the rotating cassette is rotated to the horizontal feeding position, that is, the A4 position. Control the rotation drive means. On the other hand, when the rotating cassette, which is located at a position shorter in the paper transport path than the fixed cassette, is at the horizontal feed position, that is, the A4 position, paper is fed in that state. Furthermore, if the fixed cassette is located at a position shorter in the paper conveyance path than the rotating cassette, the fixed cassette is selected.

Through control by such a control means, paper can be fed over the shortest distance, that is, in the shortest time, and the paper conveyance speed becomes faster. Therefore, if the paper feeding device is a copying machine, the copying speed for the first sheet can be increased.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.

As shown in FIG. 2, the copying machine is equipped with a desk section 38 under the copying machine main body 1 as a paper-fed device, a sorter 19 on the paper ejection side of the copying machine main body 1, and a An automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) 3 is provided on the top. As shown in FIG. 3, the desk section 38 includes:
From the top, the double-sided compositing unit 21, the first rotating cassette unit 26, the second rotating cassette unit 27, and the third
A fixed cassette 25 is provided. The first and second rotating cassette units 26 and 27 have a rotatable rotating cassette 32 inside an outer box 31.

The ADF 3 described above is provided on the document table glass 2 of the copying machine main body 1. The ADF 3 transports a document (not shown) placed on the document tray 3a to a predetermined position on the document table glass 2 according to its size and vertical or horizontal feeding direction, and also transports the document to the outside after copying is completed. It has a function to discharge Furthermore, for example, if you want to make double-sided copies,
It also has the function of inverting the original and conveying it again to a predetermined position on the original platen glass 2, and ejecting the original to the outside after double-sided copying is completed.

On the layer stacking table 3a, there are provided transport direction switches 5a and 5b for detecting the size of the document in the transport direction, and guides 4 for regulating both sides of the document in the width direction. This guide 4 is provided with a width direction switch (not shown) for detecting the width direction size of the document.

Below the document platen glass 2, there are a plurality of reflecting mirrors 6a...
An optical system 6 consisting of . . . and lenses 6b . This optical system 6 converts the reflected light from the document into a photoreceptor drum 7.
In addition to the basic functions that lead to the image, it also has a variable magnification function, making it possible not only to make copies at the same size, but also to make enlarged and reduced copies.

A cleaner 8, a charger 9, a charger 10, a developing device 11 with toner for color copying, and a developing device 12 with black toner are arranged around the photosensitive drum 7, and each of these means and the above-mentioned The optical system 6 performs a series of operations on the photoreceptor drum 7, including charging, exposure, development, removal of residual toner, and neutralization.

A transfer charger 13 and a peeling charger 14 are disposed below the photoreceptor drum 7 .
The upper toner image is transferred, and the peeling charger 14
The above paper is peeled off from the photoreceptor drum 7. This paper is conveyed by a conveyor belt 17 to a fixing device 18, and the fixing device 18 fixes the toner image on the paper by applying heat or pressure.

The paper that has passed through the fixing device 18 is basically discharged onto the paper output tray 19a after passing through the sorter 19. However, for example, when performing double-sided copying or composite copying, the paper returns to the paper return path 20.
It is designed to be guided to the double-sided composition unit 21 in the desk section 38 through the same. In the case of double-sided copying, the paper passes through the first conveyance path 21a in the duplex composition unit 21, is reversed onto the intermediate tray 21c, and is then sent out to the paper feed conveyance path 22 by the feed roller 21d. In the case of composite copying, the sheet is sent to the 2111th feeding path 21b in the double-sided combining unit 21, and after the trailing edge of the paper is detected in the second wt feeding path 21b, the sheet is sent out with the trailing edge as the leading edge in the traveling direction by switchback. , the above-mentioned first Wi transmission path 2
After passing through 1a and being reversely placed on intermediate tray 21c, it is sent out to paper feed conveyance path 22 by sending out roller 21d.

The paper feed conveyance path 22 extends to the vicinity of the photoreceptor drum 7, and a paper stop roller 15 is disposed at the end thereof for timing the rotation of the photoreceptor drum 7 and the feeding of the paper. Further, a plurality of paper feed means are connected to the paper feed conveyance path 22, and paper is appropriately supplied from these paper feed means. Specifically, the manual feeding section 30, the paper feed section 30, the paper feed section 30,
The first fixed cassette 29 can hold 250 sheets of paper.
A second fixed cassette 28 capable of holding 250 sheets, a double-sided combining unit 21, a first rotating cassette unit 26, a second rotating cassette unit 27, and a third fixed cassette 25 capable of holding 250 sheets are provided. The above-mentioned first fixed cassette 29 and second fixed cassette 28 arranged in the copying machine main body 1, and the double-sided combining unit 21, the first rotating cassette unit 26, and the second rotating cassette unit 27 arranged in the desk section 38 and the third fixed cassette 25 constitute a cassette group of the paper feeding device 39. Furthermore, the fixed cassettes 29, 28, 25 and the rotating cassette units 26, 27 are removably installed in the copying machine.

The above first and second rotating cassette units 26 and 27
As shown in FIG. 4(a), the outer box 31 and the outer box 31
It has a rotating cassette 32 that is provided inside and stores sheets of a predetermined size. The rotating cassette 32 has a rotating plate (not shown) that lifts up the sheets in the rotating cassette 32 appropriately as the number of sheets decreases. Outer box 31
A cassette support plate 33 whose center portion is spaced apart from the bottom wall of the outer box 31 is provided on the bottom wall of the cassette support plate 33 . This cassette support plate 3
3, a long hole-shaped guide hole 33a is formed in the paper feeding direction. At the center of the back surface of the rotating cassette 32, there is a guide shaft 34 disposed in the guide hole 33a.
is protruding downward.

Further, a screw shaft 35 is disposed in the outer box 31 in parallel with the paper feeding surface perpendicular to the paper feeding direction of the rotary cassette 32 and the bottom wall of the outer box 31. This screw shaft 35 is rotatably supported by a bearing (not shown), and is connected at one end to a cassette rotation motor 36, thereby allowing forward and reverse rotation. A nut member 37 that reciprocates in the axial direction by forward and reverse rotation of the screw shaft 35 is screwed into the screw shaft 35 . At the upper end of this nut member 37, as shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, one corner of the rotating cassette 32 is rotatably connected. Further, a light shielding plate 37a is formed at the lower part of the nut member 37.

On the other hand, the outer box 31 below near both ends of the screw shaft 35
On the bottom wall of the cassette position sensor HP, which consists of a photointerrupter equipped with a light emitting element and a light receiving element, detects when the rotating cassette 32 is rotated and moved to a predetermined horizontal feed position, and a cassette position sensor HP that detects when the rotating cassette 32 is rotated and moved to a predetermined horizontal feed position. A cassette position sensor HP for detecting the moved state is provided. These cassette position sensors HP, HP2 cause the light shielding plate 37a to block light from the light emitting element to the light receiving element when the rotating cassette 32 moves to a predetermined horizontal feed position and vertical feed position. The movement of the rotating cassette 32 to is detected. In addition, the above-mentioned cassette position sensor HP.

- HP is not limited to a photo ink club but may be a magnetic sensor, a contact type switch, or the like, for example.

Further, the copying machine main body 1 is provided with an operation panel 40 shown in FIG. 5(a) on the top surface. The operation panel 40 includes a copy button 41 for instructing the start of a copying operation, a numeric keypad 42 for setting the number of copies, etc., a copy number display section 43, a cassette operation section 44, a magnification display section 45, a magnification setting key 46, etc. There is.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the cassette operation unit 44 includes a cassette switching key 47 for selecting a cassette, a cassette rotation key 48 for instructing the rotation of the rotation cassette 32 of the first rotation cassette unit 26, and a second rotation A cassette rotation key 49 for instructing rotation of the rotating cassette 32 of the cassette unit 27 is provided. Furthermore, the cassette operation section 44
The document size display lamps DSL, -DSL6, the paper size display lamps PSL, -PSL, the manual feeding section 30, the first fixed cassette 29, the second fixed cassette 28,
The first rotating cassette unit 26, the second rotating cassette unit 27 and the third fixed cassette unit 25 are arranged in this order from 1 to 6.
Cassette display lamps displaying numbers C3L, -C3L
, and is equipped with.

These cassette display lamps C3L and -C3L6 light up when the cassette switching key 47 is operated to select each of the rotating cassette units 26 and 27, each of the fixed cassettes 25, 28, and 29, or the manual feed section 30. It looks like this. For example, the cassette switching key 47
is operated and the first rotating cassette unit 26 is selected, the cassette display lamp C5L lights up, and if A4 paper is stored in the rotating cassette 32 of the first rotating cassette unit 26, the paper size is displayed. Display lamp PS
L lights up to indicate that the paper is A4. At this time, when the cassette rotation key 48 is operated, the rotating cassette 32 is rotated from the horizontal feed position to the vertical feed position, and the paper size display lamp PSL4 lights up to indicate that the paper is A4R. . Note that when no paper is placed in the rotating cassette units 26 and 27, the fixed cassettes 25, 2, and 29, or the manual feed section 30, the paper size display lamp PSL+''=PS
L& is not lit.

The copying machine also has a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as microcomputer) 5 as a control means, as shown in FIG.
1. The above microcomputer 51 includes a motor driver circuit 52, a cassette position sensor IP, -HP2,
lift-up clutch 53, document size detection device 54,
An operation panel key 55, an operation panel display device 56, a rotary cassette unit paper feed solenoid 57, a paper entry detection switch 58, and the like are connected. Then, the first to third fixed cassettes 29, 28, 25 and the double-sided combining unit 2
1. First and second rotating cassette units 26 and 27, means for taking out and conveying paper from these means, microcomputer 51, motor driver circuit 52, cassette rotating motor 3
6 and other means constitute a paper feeding device 39.

The motor driver circuit 52 and the cassette rotation motor 36 constitute cassette rotation drive means, and although not shown in FIG. 6, the first and second rotation cassette units 2
It is provided independently every 6.27. The motor driver circuit 52 includes pull amplifier resistors R1 and Rt, and a NOT circuit 5.
9.60, transistor Tr, ~Tr4, resistor R
3~R8 and diode D as surge absorber
1 to D4, and according to the output of the microcomputer 51,
The cassette rotation motor 36 is driven in forward and reverse directions. The input side of the pull-up resistor R, NOT circuit 59 and the transistor Tr, or the microcomputer 51
The output side of the NOT circuit 59 is connected to the base of the transistor Tr via a resistor R3. One end of a resistor R4 is connected to the base of the transistor Tr, one end of a resistor R2 is connected to the base of the transistor Tr, and the other ends of the resistors R4 and R3 and the emitters of the transistors Tr and Tr,
The cathodes of diode D and Dt are connected to each other. A voltage of +24■ is applied to this connection point. Further, the collector of the transistor Tr and the anode of the diode D are connected to one of the input terminals of the cassette rotation motor 36, and the collector of the transistor Tr2 and the anode of the diode D2 are connected to the other input terminal of the cassette rotation motor 36. There is. On the other hand, the pull-up resistor R2, the input side of the NOT circuit 60, and the base of the transistor Tr3 are connected to the output terminal CCW of the microcomputer 51.
The output side of the NOT circuit 60 is connected to the base of the transistor Trz via a resistor R4. One end of the resistor R1 is connected to the base of the transistor Tr3, one end of the resistor R8 is connected to the base of the transistor Tr, and the other ends of the resistors R1 and R8, the emitters of the transistors Tr and Tr4, and the diode D are connected. ,
and the anode of D4 are mutually connected. A voltage of +24V is applied to this connection point. moreover,
The collector of the transistor Trz and the cathode of the diode D are connected to one of the input terminals of the cassette rotation motor 36, and the collector of the transistor Tr and the cathode of the diode D4 are connected to the other input terminal of the cassette rotation motor 36. .

In the above motor driver circuit 52, the rotating cassettes 32, 32 of the first rotating cassette unit 26 or the second rotating cassette unit 27 are connected to the output terminal C of the microcomputer 51.
When CW is at High level (output terminal CW remains Low), it is rotated to the horizontal feed position, for example, the A4 position or B5 position, and when the output terminal CW is at High level, it is rotated to the vertical feed position, that is, for example, A4R position or It is designed to be rotated to the B5R position.

The lift-up clutch 53 connects and disconnects the transmission of driving force to the lift plate that raises and lowers the rotary plate in the rotary cassette 32.

The document size detection device 54 detects the guide 4 of the document placement table 3a.
It is composed of a width direction switch (not shown) and conveyance direction switches 5a and 5b provided in the microcomputer 51, and supplies 4-bit data to input terminals O8, -O84 of the microcomputer 51.

The operation panel key 55 is connected to the operation panel 40 of the copying machine main body 1.
It consists of a copy button 41, a numeric keypad 42, a magnification setting key 46, a cassette switching key 47, cassette rotation keys 48 and 49, etc. provided on the .

The operation panel display device 56 includes a copy number display section 43, a magnification display section 45, a document size display lamp DSL, -DSL, and a paper size display lamp P provided on the operation panel 40.
SL, -PSL, and cassette display lamp C3L, ~
Consists of C3L6 etc.

The rotating cassette paper feed solenoid 57 is connected to the drawing rollers 26a and 26a of the first and second rotating cassette units 26 and 27, respectively.
This is for driving the paper feeder 27a.

The paper entry detection switch 58 is arranged just before the paper stop roller 15 shown in FIG.
This is to detect the arrival of the paper at the position 5.

The microcomputer 51 is configured to perform control in accordance with the operation of each key of the operation panel keys 55. For example, when the cassette rotation key 48 corresponding to the first rotating cassette unit 26 is operated, this key operation instructs rotation of the rotating cassette 32 of the first rotating cassette unit 26 from the horizontal feeding position to the vertical feeding position. If so, set output terminal CW to Htgh level and output terminal CC
While W is set to Low level, if rotation from the vertical feed position to the horizontal feed position is instructed, output terminal CCW is set to High level and output terminal CW is set to Low level. Further, the rotating cassette 32 moves to the horizontal feed position and the cassette position sensor HP is activated.

is ON, that is, the light of the photointerrupter is blocked,
Immediately set the output terminal CCW to Low level to stop the cassette rotation motor 36, and similarly, the rotation cassette 32
moves to the vertical feed position and the cassette position sensor HP moves to O.
When N is input, the output terminal CW is immediately set to Low level,
The cassette rotation motor 36 is stopped.

Further, the microcomputer 51 determines the document size based on 4-bit data input from the document size detection device 54, and displays a corresponding document size display lamp DSL.

-DSL, and automatically selects a cassette containing sheets corresponding to the above document size.

Further, the microcomputer 51 selects the cassette containing the paper selected by the automatic paper selection function, and outputs the output
By changing the output level of W and output terminal CCW, the first or second rotating cassette unit 2 can be
A control operation is performed to automatically rotate 6 and 27.

The microcomputer 51 stores the order of shortest length of the paper transport path for transporting the paper to the paper stop roller 15 of the copying machine main body 1, and also stores the order in which the length of the paper transport path for transporting the paper to the paper stop roller 15 of the copying machine main body 1 is shortest.
- The size and vertical and horizontal feeding direction of the paper stored in the rotating cassettes 32 and 32 of the rotating cassette units 26 and 27 are memorized.

In the above configuration, first, the rotational operation of the rotating cassette 32 will be explained using the first rotating cassette unit 26 as an example.

Now, the rotating cassette 32 of the first rotating cassette unit 26
For example, if A4 paper is stored in the cassette 32 and the rotating cassette 32 is placed at the horizontal feed position < the A4 position, then the cassette position sensor HP is ONL, and the first rotating cassette unit 26 in the operation panel display device 56 The display is A4. At this time, the nut member 37 disposed on the threaded shaft 35 is assumed to be at position P, as shown in FIG.

Here, when the cassette rotation key 48 corresponding to the first rotation cassette unit 26 of the operation panel keys 55 is operated, the output terminal CW of the microcomputer 51 becomes High and the output terminal CCW becomes Low. As a result, the transistor T
r, and transistor Tr 4 are ONL, +24v power supply → transistor Tr.

→Cassette rotating motor 36 →transistor Tr.

→ Current flows through the ground path, and the cassette rotation motor 36
rotates forward (rotates in direction C). Therefore, the screw shaft 35 rotates in the C direction. As a result, the nut member 37
to P, and the guide shaft 34 of the rotating cassette 32
rotates and slides within the guide hole 33a of the cassette support plate 33, and reciprocates in the order of Q to Q6. Then, the nut member 37 is the cassette position sensor HP! When the cassette position sensor HP is turned on, the cassette rotation motor 36 stops. In this state, the rotating cassette 32 is placed at a predetermined vertical feed position (A4R position).

In this state, when the cassette rotation key 4B is operated again, the output terminal CCW of the microcomputer 51 becomes Hk g h.
, the output terminal CW becomes Low, transistors Tr and Tr3 are ONL, +24 ■ power supply → transistor Trz → force set rotary motor 36 → transistor Tr → ground, and current flows through the path, and the cassette rotary motor 36 is reversed. Rotate. As a result, the rotating cassette 32
moves from the above-mentioned vertical feed position to the horizontal feed position through the reverse process. And cassette position sensor HP.

When turned on, the cassette rotating motor 36 stops and the rotating cassette 32 is placed at a predetermined traverse feed position.

Next, the microcomputer 5 selects the paper feed cassette that supplies paper to the paper stop roller 15 of the copying machine main body 1.
1 will be explained based on the flowchart of FIG.

When the automatic paper selection function selects, for example, A4 (horizontal feed) paper, it is determined whether the paper in the first fixed cassette 29 with the shortest length of the paper transport path to the paper stop roller 15 of the copying machine main body 1 is A4 or not. SL), A4
If so, the first fixed cassette 29 is selected (S2).

If the paper in the first fixed cassette 29 is not A4, it is determined whether the paper in the second fixed cassette 28, which has the next shortest paper conveyance path after the first fixed cassette 29, is A4 (S3),
If the number is 4, the second fixed cassette 28 is selected (S4).

If the paper in the second fixed cassette 28 is not A4, the paper in the rotating cassette 32 of the first rotating cassette unit 26 is A4.
If it is A4, the rotating cassette 32 of the first rotating cassette unit 26 is selected (S5).
S6). Further, if the paper in the rotating cassette 32 of the first rotating cassette unit 26 is not A4 but A4R (S7)
, rotate the rotary cassette 32 of the first rotary cassette unit 26 to the horizontal feed position (S8), set the paper to A4, and select this rotary cassette 32 (S9); 32 papers are A
4 or A4R, it is determined whether the paper in the rotary cassette 32 of the second rotary cassette unit 27 is A4 (510), and if it is A4, the rotary cassette 32 of the second rotary cassette unit 27 is selected (Sll ).

In addition, the rotating cassette 3 of the second rotating cassette unit 21
If the second paper is A4R instead of A4 (S12), the second
The rotating cassette 32 of the rotating cassette unit 27 is rotated to the horizontal feed position (S13), the paper is set to A4, and this rotating cassette 32 is selected (S14). Also, the paper in the rotating cassette 32 of the second rotating cassette unit 27 is A4.
However, if it is not A4R, it is determined whether the paper in the third fixed cassette 25 is A4 (515), and if it is A4, the third fixed cassette 25 is selected (S16).

If the paper in the third fixed cassette 25 is not A4, the selection operation ends.

In the above operation, it is determined whether or not there is a selected paper in order from the first fixed cassette 29 whose paper transport path to the paper stop roller 15 is the shortest, and in this process, the first rotating cassette unit 29 Alternatively, if there are sheets of the same size but different feeding directions in the second rotating cassette unit 270 rotating cassette 32, the rotating cassette 32
Since the feeding directions are made to coincide with each other by rotating the paper, the paper can be fed to the paper stop roller 15 in the shortest distance, that is, in the shortest time.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the paper feeding device according to the present invention includes a rotary cassette that can be rotated between a vertical feeding position for vertically feeding paper to a paper feeding device and a horizontal feeding position for horizontally feeding the paper, and a rotating cassette that can be rotated between a vertical feeding position and a horizontal feeding position for feeding paper horizontally. a fixed cassette fixed at one of the positions, and the above-mentioned rotating cassette is rotated by a cassette rotation drive means. When there is a fixed cassette containing paper of the same size and length/horizontal feed direction and a rotating cassette containing paper of the same size as the above-mentioned supplied paper, which one of the fixed cassette and the rotating cassette is , the cassette with the shorter paper transport path for transporting the paper to the paper receiving device is selected as the paper feeding cassette, and the selected cassette is a rotating cassette, and the above-mentioned supply paper feed The cassette rotation driving means is configured to rotate the rotary cassette to a vertical or horizontal feeding position where the paper feeding direction matches the feeding direction of the supplied paper when the paper feeding direction and the paper feeding direction of the rotating cassette at that time are different. This configuration includes a control means for controlling.

Therefore, there is an effect that the paper to be supplied to the paper receiving device can be transported over the shortest distance, that is, in the shortest time.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 7 show one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the control operation of the paper feeding device. FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram showing a copying machine equipped with a paper feeding device. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the second rotating cassette unit shown in FIG. 2 in a pulled out state. FIG. 4(a) is a partially sectional perspective view of the first and second rotating cassette units shown in FIG. 2. FIG. FIG. 4(b) is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the nut member shown in FIG. 4(a). FIG. 5(a) is a front view showing the operation panel. FIG. 5(b) is a front view showing the cassette operation section provided on the operation panel. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the control device. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the rotation process of the rotating cassette. 1 is a copying machine main body (sheet feeding device), 25 is a third fixed cassette (fixed cassette), 26 is a first rotating cassette unit, 27 is a second rotating cassette unit, 28 is a second fixed cassette (fixed cassette), 29 is a first fixed cassette (fixed cassette), 32 is a rotating cassette, 36 is a cassette rotation motor (cassette rotation driving means), 39 is a paper feeding device,
51 is a microcomputer (control means) and a motor driver circuit 52 (cassette rotation drive means).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A rotary cassette rotatable between a vertical feeding position for vertically feeding paper and a horizontal feeding position for horizontally feeding the paper to a paper feeding device, and a position in either the vertical feeding position or the horizontal feeding position. A paper feeding device comprising a fixed cassette fixed to a paper feeding device, and the rotating cassette is rotated by a cassette rotation driving means, and the paper feeding device is configured to provide paper feeding device that is selected to be fed to the paper receiving device, its size, and the vertical and horizontal feeding directions. When there is a fixed cassette that stores paper that matches the size of the supplied paper and a rotating cassette that contains paper that matches the size of the above-mentioned supplied paper, which one of the fixed cassette and the rotating cassette is sent to the paper receiving device. Select the cassette with the shorter paper transport path for transporting the paper as the paper feed cassette, and if the selected cassette is a rotating cassette, and the feeding direction and rotation of the supplied paper as described above. control means for controlling the cassette rotation driving means so that when the paper feeding direction of the cassette is different from the paper feeding direction, the rotating cassette is rotated to a vertical or horizontal feeding position where the paper feeding direction matches the feeding direction of the supplied paper; A paper feeding device characterized by: