JPH0351226A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform the attaching and detaching operation of a cassette smoothly by providing a driving member for locking and driving the cassette at the time of the carrying and a lifting member for lifting the cassette by predetermined height at the time of carrying in the cassette with linking to the driving member, at an automatic carrying-in device. CONSTITUTION:A cassette 3 in which transfer materials are housed is set at the device 1 by an automatic carrying device 5 and the transfer material is carried in a direction normal to the attaching and detaching direction of the cassette. At the time of attaching and detaching the cassette 3, the cassette 3 is locked and carried-in/out by driving members 21, 22, 29 provided at the automatic carrying device 5. At the time of finishing the carrying-in of the cassette 3, the cassette 3 is lifted by predetermined height by lifting members 30, 31, 32, 33 linking to the driving member 21, 22, 23 provided at the automatic carrying device 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to image forming apparatuses such as electronic copying machines and printers, and specifically relates to a conveying device that automatically loads and unloads cassettes containing transfer materials. Conventional technology Traditionally, cassettes used in paper feeding devices such as copying machines and printers have been attached to and removed from the device body for replenishing transfer material, changing the size, etc. configured to be possible. Further, regarding the direction in which the cassette can be attached and removed, there are a side-loading type in which the cassette is pulled out toward the side of the device body, and a front-loading type in which the cassette is disposed at the bottom of the device body and is pulled out in the front direction.

In order to improve the operability of this front-loading type cassette, an auto-loading system has been considered in which the cassette is automatically loaded and unloaded in the same horizontal plane.

(8) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with front-loading type cassettes, the cassettes are carried in at a position distant from the paper feeding means of the main body of the apparatus, and when the cassette is installed in the main body of the apparatus, the cassettes do not touch or come close to the paper feeding means. If it is not maintained in this condition, there is a drawback that the attachment/detachment operation cannot be carried out smoothly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus having a cassette lifting mechanism that can be incorporated into a conventional autoloading device without adding a simple member and adjusting the member.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is illustrated with reference to, for example, FIGS. 1(a), (b), 3, and 4. Transfer the cassette (3) that stores the transfer material to the device F.
(1) In an image forming apparatus (1) having an automatic conveyance device (5) that automatically attaches and detaches toward the front side, and conveys the transfer material in a direction perpendicular to the attachment and detachment direction of the cassette (3),
A drive member (21, 22, 29) that locks and drives the cassette (3) during transportation; Lifting member (3) that lifts (3) to a predetermined height
0, 31, 32, 33) are provided in the automatic transport device (5).

(n) A cassette containing transfer material based on the structure above the function (3)
is loaded from the front side of the device 11F (1) by an automatic conveyance device (5), and the transfer material is conveyed in a direction perpendicular to the direction of attachment and detachment of the cassette (3). Regarding attachment and detachment of the cassette (3), the cassette (
3) Loading and unloading. Then, when the loading of the cassette (3) is completed, the cassette (3) is installed in the automatic transport device (5) and the drive members (21, 22, 29
) is lifted to a predetermined height by lifting members (30, 31, 32, 33) that are interlocked with each other.

Note that the reference numerals in parentheses are examples and do not limit equivalent configurations.

(f) Example Embodiments of the present invention will be described below along with the drawings.

FIG. 3 shows an electronic copying machine 1 implementing the present invention.

A cassette 3 containing a large number of transfer materials for recording latent images formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 2 is adapted to be attached and detached by an automatic conveyance device 5.

A paper feed roller 4 integrally formed with a shaft 4a is disposed above the mounting position of the cassette 3, and a motor (not shown) is connected to the shaft 4a.

When a start key (not shown) is pressed, the motor starts rotating, and while the paper feed roller 4 is rotated by this motor, the transfer material stored in the cassette 3 is pressed, so that the uppermost transfer material in the cassette 3 is is now being delivered.

The automatic transport device 5 is constructed as shown in FIG. 4.

Frames 6.7 are provided at the bottom of the copying machine 1 in parallel to the left and right,
A shaft 8 is supported perpendicularly to the frames 6, 7 on the other side of the frames 6, 7, and gears 9.1 of the same shape are attached to both ends of the shaft 8.
0 is attached, and a gear 11.12 of the same shape meshing with this gear 9.1o is pivotally supported on the frame 6.7 by a shaft 13.14, at the inner end of this shaft 13.14 and at the frame 6.7. A sprocket 15.16 of the same shape is mounted on the inside of the frame 6.7, and a sprocket 15.16 of the same shape is mounted on the inside of the front side of the frame 6.7.
At a position opposite to 16, a sprocket 17.18 having the same shape as the sprocket 15.16 is pivoted on a shaft 19.20. A chain 21.22 is wound around the sprockets 15.17 and 16.18, and a motor 23 is connected to the right end of the shaft 8.

A sensor 24 is attached close to the middle part of the upper side of the chain 21, and a plate 25 is attached to the chain 21.
is installed facing outward. Further, flange-shaped cassette guide portions 6a, 7a are provided inside the lower portions 2 of the frames 6, 7.
A guide roller 26 is provided on the guide portions 6a and 7a, and a sensor 27 is attached to the front side of the guide portion 6a.

Next, the locking/elevating pin will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1(a) is a side view of the cassette 3 seen from the frame 7 side in FIG. 4, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the cassette 3 shown in FIG.
This is a perspective view.

In FIG. 1, the locking pin 29 locks the locking hole 28 of the cassette 3 and locks the cassette 3 when it is moved to the mounting position. This locking pin 29 is attached to the chain 22 facing outward, as shown in FIG.
A lift pin 30 is attached to the back side (outside) of.

A lifting pin 31 (see FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b)) is attached to the outside of the chain 22 at a symmetrical position on the chain 22 to which the locking pin 29 and the lifting pin 3o are attached.

A lift lever 32.33 is pivoted adjacent to the sprocket 16.18 of the shaft 14.20, and the state in which the cassette 3 is lifted is shown in solid lines, and the other states are shown in broken lines.

The cassette 31 is also provided with a flange portion 3a that engages with the lift levers 32, 33.

Further, a locking pin 29 and a lifting pin 30.31 are attached to the chain 21 symmetrically to the center planes of the frames 6 and 7, and a lifting lever 32.33 is pivotally supported on the shaft 13.19. ing.

Note that when the lifting pin 30 moves in the direction of arrow C,
It can be bent in the direction of arrow B so as to be able to return to its original state.

Further, in FIG. 4, the cassette 3 is removed from the guide portions 6a, 7a of the frame 6.7 by the operator, and the sensor 27 is removed.
When the motor 23 is turned off, the motor 23 is stopped, and the locking pin 29 is stopped at a substantially central position in front of the sprocket 17, 18, and is in a position to wait for the next loading of the cassette 3.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

When the operator moves the cassette 3 to the guide portions 6a and 7a of the frames 6 and 7,
When inserted into the cassette 3, the locking pin 29 will fit into the locking hole 28 of the cassette 3.
When the cassette 3 is inserted into the horizontal portion 28a of the cassette 3 and pushed further, the sensor 26 is turned on by the cassette 3. Then, the motor 23
begins to rotate, first the bottle 29 descends, then the hole 28
Press the wall 28b to transport the cassette 3 to the back side.

In this case, in FIG. 1(a), the locking pin 29 and the lifting pin 30 on the left side move in the direction of arrow B from the position where the lifting pin 31 is shown. And the lifting pin 30
comes into contact with the lift lever 33 indicated by the broken line, lifts it up a little, and passes. On the other hand, the lifting pin 31 located at the position of the lifting pin 3o passes over the upper side of the chain.

Next, the locking pin 29. Lifting pin 30 to the back side, bin 3
1 moves to the front.

Next, the lift lever 32 with the lift pin 30 indicated by a broken line
Press.

At the same time, the locking pin 29 brings the cassette 3 close to the predetermined setting position, and the lifting lever 32 pushed up by the lifting pin 30 pushes up the flange portion 3a of the cassette 3.

On the other hand, after moving the upper side of the chain 22, the elevator lever 33, which is indicated by a broken line, is rotated clockwise to approach the position indicated by a solid line.

As shown in FIG. 4, the plate 25 is connected to the sensor 2.
4 is shut off and turned on. At this time, the motor 23 is stopped by a signal from the sensor 24, and the cassette 3 is set at a predetermined paper feeding position.

Note that while the cassette 3 is rising, the cassette 3 may be set at a more accurate paper feeding position by a vertical guide (not shown).

Next, when the operator operates a cassette ejection button (not shown), the motor 23 starts rotating in reverse. Then, the lifting pin 30
．． 31 moves in the opposite direction to that described above, the lifting levers 32 and 33 are rotated counterclockwise, and the cassette 3 is lowered, and the cassette 3 is moved by the locking pin 29 into the locking hole 28 shown in FIG. i! 28C is pressed and cassette 3
moves in the unloading direction.

Next, the lifting pin 30 moves along the lower side of the chain 22. On the other hand, the lifting pin 31 moves the upper side of the chain 22 to the back side.

Next, the lift pin 30 is moved to the lift lever 33 indicated by a broken line.
However, when it bends in the direction of arrow B and passes, it immediately returns to a straight line.

Next, the lifting pin 31 is moved to the lifting pin 3 shown in FIG. 1(a).
It returns to the 0 position, and the locking pin 29 and lifting pin 3o are in the first position.
12r When the lifting pin 31 returns to the position shown in (a), the cassette 3 turns off the sensor 27 and the motor 2
3 stops. Then, the locking bin 29 is in a position waiting for the next loading of the cassette 3.

(G) As described in detail of the invention, according to the present invention, the automatic conveyance device (5
) The drive members (21, 22, 29) provided in
The cassette (3) is carried in at a position separated from the paper feeding means (4), and when the carrying is finished, the elevating members (30, 3
1, 32, 33) to a predetermined height.
Since the cassette (3) is lifted up and held at a position in contact with or close to the paper feeding means (4), it is possible to smoothly attach and detach the cassette (3). In addition, the elevating member (30, 31, 3
2, 33) are members that interlock with the drive members (21, 22, 29), so they have a simple structure and do not require adjustment work, so handling can be simplified and costs can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 show a locking pin, a lifting pin, and a lifting lever according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1(a) is a side view, and FIG.
Figure (b) is a plan view, Figure 2 is a parent view of Figure 1 (b), Figure 3 is a sectional front view of the electronic copying machine, and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the automatic cassette conveying device. 1... Image forming device (electronic copying machine) 3... Cassette 5... Automatic transport device 21.2
2.29... Drive member (chain, locking bottle),
30, 31, 32. 33... Elevating member (elevating pin, elevating lever)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an image forming apparatus that has an automatic conveyance device that automatically attaches and detaches a cassette that stores a transfer material to the front side of the device, and conveys the transfer material in a direction perpendicular to the direction of attaching and detaching the cassette, the cassette is The automatic transport device is characterized in that the automatic transport device is provided with a drive member that locks and drives during transport, and an elevating member that is interlocked with the drive member and lifts the cassette to a predetermined height when the cassette is finished being transported. Image forming device.