JPH04117762U - Printer paper feed structure - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] In a printer that can print both cut paper and continuous paper, by arranging the manual paper feeding section, cut paper feeding section, and continuous paper feeding section from the top in this order, The purpose is to improve the operability of each paper feed section. [Structure] Separate paper feed sections A2 and A3 for cut paper 4 and continuous paper 18, and cut paper 4 and continuous paper 18 set in these paper feed sections A2 and A3 are placed at the image transfer position P of the photoreceptor 12. In a printer equipped with conveyance means 13, 16, and 20 for conveying, a manual paper feed section A1 is provided above the cut paper feed section A2, and these three independent paper feed sections are connected to the manual paper feed section A1, the cut paper feed section A1, and the cut paper feed section A1. The paper feed section A2 and the continuous paper feed section A3 are arranged in the vertical direction in this order.

Description

[Detailed explanation of the idea]

0001

[Industrial application field]

This invention relates to the structure of the paper feed section of printers, and is particularly concerned with light emitting elements such as LEDs, lasers, etc. Regarding the structure of the paper feed section of a printer using an electrophotographic method that uses a beam as an exposure means do.

0002

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, electrophotographic printing using light-emitting elements such as LEDs and laser beams There is a type of computer that uses so-called cut paper or continuous paper as a means of outputting information. . In this type of printer, the paper set in the paper feed section is transported by a photosensitive drum. The toner image formed on the photosensitive drum is transferred onto the paper. At the same time, the toner is transferred onto the paper using a flash fixing device consisting of a xenon lamp, etc. - The image is fixed and then output.

0003 By the way, depending on the print mode you select, you can print on either cut paper or continuous paper. Some printers are being considered that can print cut sheets (manually A paper feed section that takes into consideration operability when feeding paper (including printed paper) and how to take the reference surface. Structure is required.

0004

[Problem that the idea aims to solve]

Therefore, the technical issues that this invention attempts to solve are the manual paper feed section, cut paper feed section, When a single printer is equipped with a paper section and a continuous paper feed section, the operability of the paper feed section and The purpose is to improve the way the reference plane is drawn.

[0005]

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention First, there are separate paper feed sections for cut paper and continuous paper, and the paper that is set in these paper feed sections. and a conveyance means for conveying cut paper and continuous paper to the image transfer position of the photoreceptor. In this printer, a manual paper feed section is installed above the above-mentioned cut paper feed section, and these The three independent paper sources are arranged in the following order: manual paper feed section, cut paper feed section, and continuous paper feed section. Using the structure of the printer's paper feed section arranged downwards, Second, a reference surface for setting paper is provided on one side of each of the arranged paper feed sections, and In addition, set these reference planes on the same line to set manual paper, cut paper, and continuous paper. The paper feed section structure of the printer is used to align the paper reference planes of the printer.

[0006]

[Effect]

According to the above-mentioned means, since the paper is set in the same direction in each paper feed section, It is easy for the operator to feed paper, and the manual paper feed section is located at the top. It is easy to insert paper and has excellent operability. Also, the same Since a linear reference surface is provided, each paper can be easily set by aligning each paper with this reference surface. It can be used as a reference when printing paper.

[0007]

【Example】

FIG. 1 shows the structure of a paper feeding section of a printer according to the present invention. This puri The printer uses cut paper and continuous paper using LEDs, laser beams, etc. as an exposure means. It is a shared electrophotographic type, with manual paper feed section A1 and cut paper feed section A from the top. 2 and continuous paper feed section A3 are arranged in the vertical direction in this order. Manual paper feed section A1 is equipped with a manual feed table 1 that opens horizontally, and on its top surface is a tray shown in Figure 2. As shown, manual feed guides 3a and 3b that can be adjusted according to the size of the manual paper 2 are provided. It is provided.

[0008] The cut paper feed section A2 is provided immediately below the manual paper feed section A1, Push the paper tray 5 containing the cut sheets 4 all the way into the set position. It will be done. When the paper feed tray 5 is set, the bottom surface of the paper tray 5 is pushed up by the spring 6 and cut. The upper surface of the paper 4 comes into contact with the delivery roller 8 of the paper feed path 7. Then, select the cut paper print mode. When the feed roller 8 rotates, a pair of separation rollers rotate in opposite directions. The cut sheets 4 are fed out one by one onto the sheet feed path 7 by the roller 9. In addition, this fruit In the embodiment, the paper feed path 10 of the manual paper feed section A1 is the paper feed path of the cut paper feed section A2. 7, and when the manual feed table 1 is opened, the feed roller 8 is cut. By separating them from paper 4, they communicate with each other. The transport path 11 for paper 4 can be used. From the paper feed path 7 to the photosensitive drum 12 Registration rollers 13 are arranged on the conveyance path 11 of the cut paper 4 leading to the image transfer position P. is installed, and the paper fed from cut paper feed section A2 or manual paper feed section A1 is Abut the leading edge of the paper against the bonding roller surface of the registration roller 13, and in this state, place the paper on the register. The leading edge of the paper can be aligned straight by first curving it using the registration guide section 14. Perform the so-called resist correction to make the image smaller. After correction, rotate registration roller 13 and cut A leading edge detection sensor 15 that feeds out the paper 4 and is installed near the rear of the registration roller 13 After detecting the passage of the cut paper 4, it rotates at the same speed as the registration roller 13. The paper is introduced into the guide section 17 by the transport rollers 16.

[0009] Continuous paper feed section A3 is located at the bottom of the printer, far below cut paper feed section A2. a paper feed hopper 19 that stores continuous paper 18 that has been folded along perforations; A tractor 20 is located above the paper feed hopper 19. And these At the rear of the printer is a working opening 21 for setting the continuous paper 18 on the tractor 20. located on the body. In the continuous paper feed section A3, the image transfer position P of the photosensitive drum 12 is The transport path 22 is provided separately from the transport path 11 for the cut paper 4. , the transport passes from the paper feed hopper 19 through the end sensor 23 installed near its top. It consists of a route leading to the tractor 20 and a route leading from the tractor 20 to the guide part 17. Note that there is a conveyance path 11 for the cut paper 4 and a conveyance path for the continuous paper 18 in the middle of the guide section 17. There is a confluence Q where route 22 and route 22 join together, and both routes are connected behind this confluence Q. It has a common conveyance route.

0010 In this example, three different paper feed sections are arranged as described above, so the operator The printer has good workability when feeding cut sheets 4 and continuous sheets 18, and can be manually fed. It also has excellent operability when moving. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the Since the manual feed section A1 is provided at the top, cut paper can be loaded in manual feed print mode. Four transport routes 11 can be used. Therefore, we have set up a transport route exclusively for manual feeding. In addition, there is no need to separate the merging point Q with the continuous paper 18, which reduces the printing time. The paper feed section of the printer has a simple structure, and the paper feed section is designed to be compact. It has the advantage of being able to

[0011] Next, when paper is set in each paper feed section A1, A2, A3 consisting of the above arrangement, We will explain how to draw the reference plane. As shown in Fig. 2, the manual feed table 1, the cover Both the paper feed tray 5 for sheet paper 4 and the tractor 20 for continuous paper 18 are located at the front of the printer. That is, a reference surface for setting paper is provided on the operation panel side. Manual feed The cable 1 has manual feed guides 3a and 3b on both sides, but depending on the paper size, It is only the manual feed guide 3b on the other side that slides in the guide groove 26. The front manual feed guide 3a always remains stationary and is the standard for the manual feed table 1. It makes up the surface. Paper feed trays 5 are generally prepared for each size of cut paper 4. Tray guides 27a and 27b are provided on both sides according to their respective sizes. However, in this embodiment, the tray guide 27a on the near side constitutes the reference surface of the paper feed tray 5. has been completed. Note that if cut sheets 4 of different sizes are set in one paper feed tray 5, Even in the case where the tray guide 27a on the near side is used as a reference surface. The tractor 20 is left and right It is composed of a pair of tractor belts 20a and 20b provided, and the The tractor belt 20a is positioned by a fixing plate 37 via a collar 36. The tractor belt 20b on the other side slides left and right depending on the paper size. do. The reference plane of the tractor 20 is a tractor located inside the fixed plate 37 by a dimension L1. The continuous paper 18 is placed on the inner end surface 29 of the tractor belt 20a. Vertical perforations formed inward by dimension L2 from both ends when set in This corresponds to position 31. The reference planes of these three people are the same vertical line 32 is set above. On the other hand, the manual feed paper 2, cut paper 4, and continuous paper 18 are also Each has a setting reference surface when setting it in each paper feed section A1, A2, A3, Manual feed paper 1 and cut paper 4 have the front side edges 33 and 34, and continuous paper 18 has the front side edges 33 and 34. The perforations 31 are each configured as a set reference plane. Then, set the paper When loading the manual feed paper 2, place the side edge of the manual feed paper 2 on the manual feed guide 3a of the manual feed table 1. 33, and place the side edge 34 of the cut paper 4 on the tray guide 27a of the paper feed tray 5. Also, the paper feeding claws 24 of the tractor belt 20a are formed on both sides of the continuous paper 18. Set the paper feed hole 30 that is located on the inside of the tractor belt 20a, and By aligning the eyes 31, the reference plane of each paper feed section A1, A2, A3 and each paper 2, The set reference planes 4 and 18 match.

0012 In this way, in the above embodiment, a simple means that only uses one side of each paper feeding section as a reference is used. The reference planes of each paper in the paper feed section can be aligned with each other. And that reference plane By using this as the reference surface when printing, for example, compared to the reference surface for centering, There are fewer errors, and the equipment is simpler than when setting a reference plane within the transport path. become.

[0013] FIG. 3 shows a printer equipped with the above-described paper feeding section structure. This puri The printer has a paper feed section for feeding manual paper, cut paper, and continuous paper separately. Conveys paper from A1, A2, A3 and each paper feed section A1, A2, A3 at a constant speed The paper feed section B transfers the image to the paper conveyed from the paper feed section B to the common conveyance path. It basically consists of a printing section C that performs fixing and a paper ejection section D that ejects the printed paper. It is composed of

[0014] The paper feed section includes a manual paper feed section A1 arranged in the vertical direction as described above, and a paper feed section A1 arranged in the vertical direction. The continuous paper feeding section A2 and the continuous paper feeding section A3 are provided. Note that the tractor 20 is As described above, it constitutes the paper feed section A3 for the continuous paper 18 and conveys the continuous paper 18. It also constitutes a paper feeding section B for Then, the amount of rotational movement is applied to the tractor 20. A rotary encoder 38 to detect and a counter 3 to cumulatively count the number of pulses. 9 is attached, and the paper feed amount of the continuous paper 18 by the tractor 20 is integrated. ing. In addition, these are used not only for forward rotation of the tractor 20 but also for reverse rotation. It has a function to integrate the feed amount in the negative direction. Near the rear of the tractor 20, there is a A leading edge detection sensor 40 is installed to detect the leading edge of the follow-up paper 18.

[0015] The printing section C consists of a process of transferring an image to paper and a fixing process of fixing this image. Become. In the transfer process, it is rotated by the same drive motor as the transport roller 16 of the cut paper 4. First, the photosensitive drum 12 is uniformly charged by the charging unit 41, and then the LED is turned on. An exposure section 42 consisting of an LED array arranged in a row receives images from the host computer. The image information is exposed, and a toner image is further formed in the developing section 43. Image at exposure section 42 The start timing of writing is determined by the tip detection sensor 1 in the case of cut paper printing mode. It is controlled based on the tip detection signal from 5. Near the bottom end of the photosensitive drum 12 A transfer section 44 is arranged corresponding to the image transfer position P, and the transfer section 44 is The paper that is being conveyed is stuck to the photosensitive drum 12 due to electrical charge. The toner image formed on the optical drum 12 is transferred at an image transfer position P. image transfer A guide for guiding the paper to position P is placed close to the photosensitive drum 12 at a position immediately before it. This is done by the guide part 17 that is The paper on which the image has been transferred is located at the transfer position. It is transported on a transport belt 46 set on almost the same horizontal plane. A flash fixing device 47 that uses radiant heat is arranged above the rear part of the root 46. Ru. This flash fixing device 47 includes preheating halogens arranged in the paper width direction. A xenon lamp 48 and a xenon lamp 49 for fixing are arranged adjacent to each other in a reflective case. The output is based on the paper feed timing for cut paper and continuous paper. It emits light and uses radiant heat to melt the toner and fix it on the paper. Further, the conveyor belt 4 6 is provided with a large number of small holes (not shown) over the entire surface of the conveyor belt 46. A suction device 50 provided on the back side conveys the paper while sucking it onto the belt. To go. Note that paper is removed from the photosensitive drum 12 around the photosensitive drum 12 after transfer. a static eliminator 51 that applies an alternating voltage to remove static from the charged paper in order to peel it off; A peeling claw 52 that prevents paper from wrapping around the photosensitive drum 12 and a peeling claw 52 that scrapes adhered toner. A cleaner unit 53 for scraping is provided.

[0016] Immediately behind the conveyor belt 46, there is a motor that is rotated by the same drive motor as the conveyor belt 46. A pair of scuff rollers 54 are provided to sweep the paper that has completed the fixing process on both sides. Insert it from the sides and send it to the paper discharge section D. This scuff roller 54 and the conveyor belt The rotation speed of the rotor 46 is slightly faster than the rotation speed of the tractor 20 in continuous paper printing mode. It is set to rotate with some slippage against the continuous paper, and transfer Appropriate tension is applied to the paper during fixing. In addition, the scuff roller 54 A paper passage detector 55 and a cutting device 56 are provided close to each other on the downstream side. ing.

[0017] The paper discharge section D has a first paper discharge gate at its entrance to switch between cut paper and continuous paper. 57 and so-called face-up printing, in which the cut paper is ejected with the printed side facing upward. A second discharge gate that switches between so-called face-down paper discharge and paper discharge with the surface facing downward. 58 on the upstream and downstream sides of the conveyance path, and the first paper discharge gate 57 It is switched in conjunction with the mode switching, and the second paper ejection gate 58 is set to the cut paper ejection tray. - It is designed to switch in conjunction with the operation of 59. In addition, when printing continuous paper, Even if there is, switch the first paper ejection gate 57 to the cut paper side and switch the second paper ejection gate 58 to the cut paper side. By switching to the base-up side, continuous paper can be scanned using the cut paper ejection port. When it is possible to output to a tray and the continuous paper is transferred to the next process for processing. It is effective for such things. In the paper ejection section of continuous paper, the continuous paper is located at the perforation in the paper ejection hopper 60. They are sequentially folded and stacked, but in order to make this folding happen smoothly, It includes a flat belt 61 and a chain belt 62 having claws at predetermined intervals. stop Then, by ejecting the continuous paper between the two, the chain is secured by the claw of the flat belt 61. Belt 62 makes it easy to bend the mountain folds and valley folds of the perforation alternately, making it easy to fold the regular Stack them in position. This paper ejection hopper 60 is moved up and down depending on the amount of ejected paper accumulated. Since it has a moving structure, the flat belt 61 and chain belt 62 are effective. By setting the paper ejection hopper 60 in a position where it is effective, paper ejection problems can be effectively resolved. It can be prevented.

[0018] FIG. 4 shows the guide section 17, the transfer section 44, and the transport section in the printing section C of the printer. This figure shows a mechanism for separating the feed belt 46. The guide portion 17 is attached to the photosensitive drum 12. Consists of a pair of upper and lower guide plates 17a and 17b arranged close to each other, especially the upper guide plate Proper transfer position is achieved by the rear end bent portion 63 of the lower guide plate 17a and the rear end curved portion 64 of the lower guide plate 17b. The paper is guided to the right position. The guide section 17 and the transfer section 44 are connected to the printing section. It is fixed to a support member 72 rotatably supported by a shaft 71 on the main body 70. , a guide hole 74 into which an eccentric roller 73 is inserted is opened in this support member 72, Further, one end portion of an operating rod 75 extending downward is pivotally supported near it. printing department In addition to the support member 72, the main body 70 includes a conveyor belt 46 and a conveyor belt 46. Connecting rods 76 for interlocking the support members 72 rotate around shafts 77 and 78, respectively. The other end of the operating rod 75 is supported at the rotating end of the connecting rod 76. is supported, and at approximately the middle part is spanned between the conveyor belt 46 and the conveyor belt 46. One end of the operating arm 79 is pivotally supported. The actuation arm 79 has a hook 80 at the top. With the spring 81 stretched between the connecting rod 76, the conveyor belt is always It engages with a pin 82 implanted in the frame of the seat 46. In addition, this operating arm 79 moves along a guide groove 83 provided in the frame of the conveyor belt 46. A guide roller 84 is rotatably attached.

[0019] The separating mechanism with this configuration prevents transfer and transfer to paper when not printing. This is to minimize the effects of printing and fixing on cut paper and continuous paper. It is activated each time the continuous paper is paper parking and when switching the print mode from continuous paper to cut paper. It operates down during the cutting operation. For down operation, first The eccentric roller 73 rotates under the external drive and pushes the guide hole 74 downward to open the support part. Rotate the material 72 clockwise to connect the guide section 17 and transfer section 44 to the photosensitive drum 12. At the same time, the operating rod 75 is also pushed down, thereby pivoting the connecting rod 76. Rotate counterclockwise around 78. Along with this movement, the actuating arm 79 is pushed. the conveyor belt 46 is lowered, and while the pin 82 remains engaged, the conveyor belt 46 is lowered to resume normal conveyance. A series of operations is completed by separating from the position. In addition, troubles such as paper jams When this occurs, the hook 80 of the actuating arm 79 and the pin 82 are disengaged, and the By moving the idle roller 84 along the guide groove 83 of the frame, the conveyance is carried out. It becomes possible to separate the belts 46 by a large distance as shown by the dashed line.

[0020] Next, using the printer configured as described above, cut paper 4, manual paper 2, and continuous A method for printing the continuation sheet 18 will be explained. First, in print mode with cut paper 4, With respect to the rotational speed of the optical drum 12, a pair of motors rotated by the same drive motor. The transport rollers 16 and the transport belt 46 are controlled to have the same speed. stop Then, feed the cut sheets 4 from the paper feed tray 5 into the conveyance path one by one into the registration row. The registration roller 13 corrects the registration at a constant speed, and the rear of the registration roller 13 Based on the tip detection signal from the tip detection sensor 15 installed nearby, the photosensitive drum 12 starts writing an image from the exposure section 42 which is constituted by an LED array. cut The conveyance of the paper 4 is transferred from the registration roller 13 to the conveyance roller 16, and the separation mechanism is activated. It is fed at a constant speed into the guide part 17 which returns to its normal position by the push operation. . Then, after the leading end of the cut paper 4 hits the lower guide plate 17b, the guide part 17, and the rear end bent portion 63 of the upper guide plate 17a or the lower guide plate 17b is forcibly guided to the image transfer position P of the photosensitive drum 12 by the rear end curved portion 64. It will be destroyed. Then, the transfer section 44 is also set to the image transfer position P at the same time as the guide section 17. The toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 12 by charging in the transfer section 44 is transferred to the photosensitive drum 12. Immediately after the transfer, the static electricity is removed by the static elimination unit 51, and the image is further peeled off. When the tip of the claw 52 contacts the photosensitive drum 12 for a predetermined period of time, the tip of the claw 52 contacts the photosensitive drum 12. This prevents entanglement. The cut paper 4 that has come off the conveyor roller 16 is transferred to the conveyor belt. 46 and is conveyed at the same speed as above by suction force from below, and undergoes the fixing process. After passing through, it is sent to the paper discharge section D.

[0021] When printing on manual feed paper 2, the print mode is switched by opening manual feed table 1. Then, the delivery roller 8 separates from the paper feed tray 5 for the cut paper. press start key As a result, the paper is fed into the paper feed path 10, and then the cut paper feed path 7 is fed into the paper feed path 10. and enters the cut paper conveyance path 11, and is printed using the same means as for the cut paper 4 described above. be done. In addition, in the case of manual feed paper 2, the separation mechanism is However, if you feed it without leaving a gap, the number of prints will decrease as in the case of cut paper 4. Remains up until finished.

[0022] On the other hand, when printing continuous paper 18, image information and synchronization are performed from the host computer. At the same time, a continuous paper selection signal is input to the printer to enter continuous paper printing mode. and , the paper feeding speed of the tractor 20 is the same speed as the rotational speed of the photosensitive drum 12. Furthermore, the speeds of the conveyor belt 46 and the scuff roller 54 are slightly faster than these. controlled so that In the case of continuous paper printing mode, continuous paper 18 is already available for printing. If it is set in the correct position, printing will start as is, but if it is not set In some cases, the horizontal perforation of the continuous paper 18 is automatically set by the auto-set operation. Printing starts after the paper is fed into the specified position. This autoset operation allows the separation While the down position of the mechanism is maintained, the continuous paper is fed by the paper feeding action of the tractor 20. 18 is sent into the conveyance path. Then, a tip inspection device is installed near the tractor 20. The leading edge of the continuous paper 8 is detected by the output sensor 40, and the amount of subsequent movement is determined by the contact with the tractor 20. It is integrated by a rotary encoder 38 and a counter 39 which are connected to each other. Continuous paper 1 The tip of 8 hits the upper guide plate 17a of the guide part 17 to restrict the direction of movement. This prevents the particles from getting caught on the photosensitive drum 12. In addition, as shown in Figure 4, When the leading end of the continuous paper 18 passes the photosensitive drum 12, the peeling claw 52 touches the photosensitive drum. 12, and entrainment is similarly prevented. The continuous paper 18 is further fed to the destination Immediately after the end passes through the conveyor belt 46 and is held between the scuff rollers 54, a passage detector is detected. 55, the continuous paper 1 is removed by the tractor 20 based on the detection signal. When the feed amount of 8 is calculated and the perforation of the continuous paper 18 aligns with the image transfer position P. At this point, the tractor 20 is stopped. Please note that the perforation position during auto-set operation As shown in Figure 5, when the continuous paper is 18 is an auto-set position that is slightly stretched compared to the normal position 18a when printing. It is located at 18b. Therefore, during auto-set operation, the perforations should be adjusted in consideration of the correction value. The image transfer position P2 is shifted backward by Δl with respect to the regular image transfer position P1. When the separating mechanism is moved up during printing, the continuous paper 18 is Control is performed so that the center line coincides with the regular image transfer position P1. Do it like this image information from the host computer after a series of autosets are completed. When the image is written on the photosensitive drum 13, the start signal for writing the image is used as a timing signal. Then, the conveyance of the continuous paper 18 by the tractor 20 is started, and the separation mechanism is moved up. The image is transferred at the image transfer position P by moving. Note that the autoset operation is not performed. This occurs when the continuous paper 18 is in so-called paper parking or when it is not in use. This is a case where the continuous paper 18 is not set on the tractor 20 due to paper shortage or the like. mentioned above Continuous paper mode identification signal along with image information from the host computer as shown is input into the printer, it will automatically turn off when paper parking. Loading and printing are performed automatically, but an error signal is output when the paper runs out. Therefore, as described above, the operator first performs continuous setting along both sides of the continuous paper 18. Insert the cut paper feed hole 30 into the paper feed claw 24 of the tractor 20, and insert the continuous paper 1. When the tip of 8 is set at any position on the tractor 20, the reference planes are aligned and the rear The series of operations are performed automatically as described above. On the other hand, from the host computer For printers with only image information signals and a paper selection switch on the printer side, , the above-mentioned auto-set operation and printing are performed automatically based on input from the printer by the operator. It is carried out according to

[0023] Immediately after the image is transferred at the image transfer position P, the continuous paper 18 is removed by the static eliminator 51. Powered up. Further, the conveyor is conveyed by suction force from below on the conveyor belt 46. However, since this conveyor belt 46 is driven at a higher speed than the tractor 20, it is continuously It is conveyed while causing slippage between the paper 18 and the paper 18. Therefore, there is no tension in the continuous paper 18. This will prevent uneven printing during the transfer and fixing processes. It turns out. Note that a scuff roller 54 installed behind the conveyor belt 46 also constitutes a similar sliding conveyance means. The continuous paper 18 that has completed the fixing process is delivered to the paper ejection section. D, but when the cutting process is selected, the cutting device 56 is operated, and the continuous paper 18 is separated. Cutting process selection is continuous paper printing mode, when you want to manage output information at hand, or when you want to set up continuous paper of different paper sizes. or switch from continuous paper printing mode to cut paper printing mode. cases, etc.

[0024] By the way, the above-mentioned printer can switch from continuous paper printing mode to cut paper printing mode and When switching to the manual feed printing mode, the continuous paper 18 is replaced by the cut paper 4 and the manual feed paper. It has a so-called paper parking function that runs in reverse and waits to a position where it does not interfere with the transport of However, the continuous paper 18 is also cut at that time. In other words, in this case, first The intermediate mechanism operates to lower the guide section 17, transfer section 44, and conveyor belt 46, and then The tractor 20 rotates forward to transport the continuous paper 18, and the paper at the image transfer position P is The thin line reaches the cutting position and is cut off. Then, the tractor 20 is reversed. The leading edge of the continuous paper 18 that has rotated and remains in the conveyance path is located at the leading edge detection sensor 40. After returning to the position where the tractor 20 is placed, stop rotating the tractor 20 and place the continuous paper 8 is kept on standby to maintain the paper parking state. Note that this standby position is for cut paper 4. It is not necessarily limited to the above-mentioned position as long as it does not interfere with the conveyance of the manual paper 2. For example, it may be located near the merging point Q provided within the guide portion 17.

[0025]

[Effect of the idea]

As explained above, according to the structure of the paper feed section of the printer according to the present invention, manual feed The paper section, cut paper feed section, and continuous paper feed section are arranged in this order from the top, so the The pelleter has good workability when feeding cut sheets and continuous sheets, and it can also be used manually. It also has excellent operability when moving. In addition, in this design, one side of each paper feed section is used as a reference. You can align the reference plane of each paper in the paper feed section with just a simple method. Therefore, by using that reference surface as the reference surface during printing, for example, you can use it as the reference surface for centering. There are fewer errors during printing compared to It has the advantage that the device is simpler.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of a paper feed section of a printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing how to align reference planes in a paper feed section.

FIG. 3 is an overall view showing an electrophotographic printer equipped with a paper feeding section structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a separating mechanism for printing units in the printer.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a correction means when aligning perforations of continuous paper with image transfer positions during autosetting.

[Explanation of symbols]

A1 Manual paper feed section A2 Cut paper feed section A3 Continuous paper feed section P Image transfer position 2 Manual paper feed 3a Manual feed guide (reference surface of manual paper feed section) 4 Cut paper 8 Delivery roller 9 Separation roller 12 Photosensitive drum (photosensitive drum) 13 Registration roller 16 Conveyance roller 18 Continuous paper 20 Tractor 27a Tray guide (reference surface of cut paper feed section) 29 Inner surface of tractor belt (reference surface of continuous paper feed section) 31 Perforation of continuous paper (set 33 Side edge of manual feed paper (set reference plane) 34 Side edge of cut paper (set reference plane)

──────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued from the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical display location B65H 11/00 K 7111-3F G03G 15/00 109 7369-2H (72) Inventor Eiji Nakazawa Yamanashi Prefecture Niska Co., Ltd., 430-1 Kobayashi, Masuho-cho, Minamikoma-gun (72) Creator Koichi Sugihara Inside Niska Co., Ltd., 430-1 Kobayashi, Masuho-cho, Minamikoma-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture

Claims (3)

[Scope of utility model registration request] Claim 1: A printer comprising independent paper feed units for cut paper and continuous paper, and a conveying means for conveying the cut paper and continuous paper set in these paper feed units to an image transfer position on a photoreceptor. , a manual paper feeding section is provided above the cut paper feeding section, and these three independent paper feeding sections are arranged vertically in the order of manual paper feeding section, cut paper feeding section, and continuous paper feeding section. A paper feed section structure of a printer characterized by the following. 2. A printer comprising independent paper feed units for cut paper and continuous paper, and a conveying means for conveying the cut paper and continuous paper set in these paper feed units to an image transfer position on a photoreceptor. , a manual paper feed section is provided above the cut paper feed section, and these three independent paper feed sections are arranged vertically in the order of the manual paper feed section, the cut paper feed section, and the continuous paper feed section. In addition, a reference plane for setting paper is provided on one side of each paper feed unit, and these reference planes are set on the same line, so that the setting reference planes for manual paper, cut paper, and continuous paper are aligned. Characteristic structure of the printer's paper feed section. 3. The paper feed section structure of a printer according to claim 1, wherein the manual paper feed section shares a conveying means with a cut paper feed section.