JPH0416427A - Apparatus for feeding and loading sheet - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make positioning easy by providing an operating means of a widthwise regulating member on a loading member outside a loading range in an apparatus for feeding and loading sheets such as a copy machine. CONSTITUTION:A guide groove 23c in a direction of feeding sheets is provided at the bottom on a side of a widthwise regulating member 24 of a rotatable frame 23 which supports a sheet stacking plate 21, a stringer 29a of a carrier 29 is fitted into the groove, and the carrier 29 is made movable. A beam groove 29b is provided widthwise of the sheet of the carrier 29 while the beam groove 29b is equipped with a positioning adjusting member 30 as an operating means which moves the widthwise regulating member 24 so that the member 30 can be freely slid widthwise. Since the operating member is placed outside a sheet loading range in such a constitution, positioning is possible while size indications are checked so that positioning is easy.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a sheet feeding and stacking device installed in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer.

<Prior Art> Conventionally, note loading and feeding devices installed in image forming apparatuses such as copying machines and printers are of the cassette type as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, or of the type shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, for example. A manual feed type device as shown in Fig. 1 and a deck type device (not shown) are used. Particularly in the case of small-sized image forming apparatuses, cassette-type or manual-feed type apparatuses are generally used for reasons such as compactness and ease of use.

The above-mentioned cassette type sheet stacking and feeding device will be explained with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12.

In FIGS. 11 and 12, the sheet materials stacked on the middle plate 51 provided at the bottom of the cassette body 50 are It is positioned in the width direction by regulating plates 52a and 52b. That is, positioning is performed by pressing the sheet material in the width direction and abutting it against a reference abutment member 53a attached to the width direction regulation plate 52a using the pressure member 53b attached to the width direction regulation plate 52b. was.

Further, the middle plate 51 is rotatably attached around a shaft 51a provided at the rear end of the cassette main body 50,
The amount of rotation is determined by the rotation angle until the front upper surface of the uppermost sheet material stacked on the intermediate plate 51 comes into contact with the feeding roller 54.

Further, a pressure shaft 55 is attached to the tip of the cassette body 50, and cams 56a and 56b are fixed to both ends of the pressure shaft 55. A pressure plate 57 is installed between the pressure shaft 55 and the intermediate plate 51, and a pressure spring 58 is attached between the pressure plate 57 and the pressure shaft 55. The pressing force of the intermediate plate 51 is determined by the opening angle of the pressure spring 58. 11th
As shown in the figure, the front edge 50a of the cassette main body 50
, 50b rides on the main body of the apparatus, the elastic force of the pressure spring 58 presses the middle plate 51 via the pressure plate 57 in a clockwise direction around the shaft 51a, causing it to rotate by a predetermined amount. .

In addition, when detecting the size of the sheet material fed from the cassette main body 50, the size of the sheet material fed from the cassette main body 50 can be detected by operating a microswitch between the main body 50 and the main body of the device, or by detecting the size of the sheet material fed from the cassette main body 50. Detection is performed by operating an actuator.

The force-cent type sheet feeding and stacking device mentioned above can be attached to and removed from the main body of the device along with the cassette loaded with sheet materials, and is excellent in preventing deformation and dustproofing when storing sheet materials, and organizes them by size. It has advantages such as being able to store 100 to 500 sheets, and is suitable for medium-sized storage of 100 to 500 sheets.

Next, a manual sheet feeding and stacking device will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14.

In FIG. 13, the sheet loading table 59 is held on a frame 6o, and the sheet materials stacked on the sheet loading table 59 are controlled by width direction regulating plates 61a provided along both side edges thereof. , 61b in the width direction. The width direction regulating plates 61a, 61b have ranks 62a, 62b integrated or fixed on the back side of the tont mounting table 59.
are provided, respectively, and these mesh with a pinion gear 63 provided at the center of the outer frame 60, respectively. Further, the width direction regulating plate 61a.

As shown in FIG. 14, the cross section 61b is formed into an angular shape, and is gripped by its handles 64a and 64b and moved in the width direction along the guide holes 59a and 59b provided in the sheet stacking table 59. The notebook material is positioned by moving it.

A manual sheet feeding and stacking device feeds sheet materials one by one, and is generally not provided with an independent pressure mechanism.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> However, the cassette 7) type sheet feeding and stacking device shown in the above-mentioned prior art has limitations in reducing the size and cost of the device, and it is too expensive for small-scale users. It may have a function. On the other hand, in manual sheet feeding and stacking devices, in order to accommodate users who are dissatisfied with the capacity,
A notebook feeding/loading device using a multi-feeding system equipped with a simple dynamic pressure dividing function for feeding a small capacity of about 100 sheets has been developed and put into practical use.

By adding extended functions to the sheet feeding and stacking device using the multi-feeding method described above, it is possible to make the device itself smaller, lower costs, and meet user needs.

For example, FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a printer equipped with an envelope feeder 65 and an adapter 66 above the multi-feeding section 67, and FIG. 165 is a cross-sectional view of a printer equipped with an envelope feeder 68 above the multi-feeding section 67. Figure, No. 17
The figure shows a plan view when the above-mentioned opening case 65 or envelope feeder 68 is installed.

When the optional function is installed above the multi-feeding section 67 shown in FIG. 16, the width direction regulating plates 61a and 61b are hidden under the optional function as shown in FIG. There is a possibility that the work of gripping and positioning the sheet material in the width direction becomes difficult.

Furthermore, if the optional function is installed below the manual feeding section or the multi-feeding section 67, the height of the main body of the device will increase, making it larger, and there is a risk that the types of sheet materials that can be transported will be restricted. .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems of the prior art and to provide a sheet feeding and stacking device in which an operating means for moving a width direction regulating member is provided outside the sheet material stacking range.

<Means for Solving the Problems> Means for solving the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and applied to the embodiments described below is a sheet feeding and loading device that feeds and loads sheet materials. a sheet stacking member for stacking materials, a movable width direction regulating member for positioning the sheet materials placed on the sheet stacking member in the width direction, and a sheet material loading range on the sheet stacking member. It is characterized by having an operating means for moving the width direction regulating member provided outside.

<Operation> According to the above means, since the operating means for moving the widthwise regulating member is provided outside the sheet material loading range on the sheet stacking member, the widthwise positioning of the sheet material can be determined depending on the presence or absence of the optional mechanism. Regardless, it can be done easily.

In particular, when the operating means is a sliding member that is movable in the feeding direction of the sheet material or a rotating member that is rotatable, the width of the sheet stacking member can be kept to a minimum and the operability can be improved. can be done.

<Embodiment> Hereinafter, an embodiment of a sheet feeding and stacking device to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of the sheet stacking and feeding device, Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof, Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the main parts of the sheet stacking and feeding device, and Fig. 4 is the above-mentioned sheet stacking and feeding device. 1 is a cross-sectional explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a laser beam printer equipped with a sheet stacking and feeding device.

First, the schematic structure of the laser beam printer will be explained with reference to FIG.

1 is a scanner unit that irradiates and scans with a laser beam according to recorded information; 2 is a process cartridge; 3 is a photosensitive drum that is an image carrier; 4 is a primary charger that is a corona discharger; Developing device containing toner5. cleaner 6
It has built-in recording means such as

The circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 3 is uniformly exposed to light by an eraser 7, and static electricity is uniformly removed.
Uniform charging is performed to a predetermined positive or negative potential.

Further, when the laser beam emitted from the scanner unit 1 is irradiated onto the photosensitive drum 3 in the process cartridge 2 via the folding mirror 8, an electrostatic latent image is formed.
Next, a toner image is formed by the developing device 5 and visualized.

On the other hand, the sheet materials 11 fed by the feeding roller 1° from the sheet feeding and stacking device 9 are separated one by one by a separation pad 12 provided opposite to the feeding roller 10. The separated sheet material 11 is guided by guide plates 13a and 13b provided above and below, and is conveyed between a pair of registration rollers 14a and 14b, which are temporarily stopped, to correct the skew.

Next, the note material 11 is attached to the registration roller pair 14a1.
4b, the toner image is intermittently conveyed to the transfer section in synchronization with the leading edge of the toner image formed on the photosensitive tram 3.

Reference numeral 15 denotes a transfer charger for transferring the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 3 onto the sheet material 11.

The transfer charger 15 charges the back side of the sheet material 10 with a polarity opposite to that of the toner, and the toner image is sequentially transferred from the photosensitive drum 3 to the notebook material 11. The sheet material 11 to which the image has been transferred by the transfer charger 15 is charged to a polarity opposite to that of the transfer charger 15 by a separation charger I6, and separated from the photosensitive drum 3. The toner remaining on the photosensitive drum L3 is removed by a cleaner 6 in preparation for the next recording. Further, the separated sheet material 11 is transported to a fixing device 18 by a transport device 17. Then, the sheet material 11 on which the unfixed transferred image has been permanently fixed by the fixing device 18 is conveyed to the outside of the apparatus by a pair of discharge rollers 19a19b serving as a discharge means, and placed on a discharge tray 20.
It is something that is discharged upwards.

[First Embodiment] Next, a first embodiment of the sheet feeding and stacking device 9 installed in the laser beam printer will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

In FIG. 1, 21 is a sheet stacking plate which is a sheet stacking member for stacking the sheet materials 11. As shown in FIG.

The sheet stacking plate 21 is supported by a frame 23 that is rotatable about a pivot point 22 . Width direction regulating members 24 and 25 for positioning the sheet material 11 in the width direction are movably mounted on the sheet stacking plate 21. As shown in FIG. 2, the widthwise regulating members 24 and 25 have regulating plates 24a and 25a each having a U-shaped cross section and protruding toward the front side from openings 21a and 21b provided in the sheet stacking plate 21, respectively. , on the back side, grooves 24b, 25b are integrally attached to the regulating plates 24a, 25a via links 26a, 26b.

The ranks 24b and 25b are respectively incorporated into the guide portions 23a and 23b of the frame body 23 shown in FIG. 1 and can move only in the width direction. Also, the above rank is 24b.

The pinion gear 25b meshes with the pinion gear 27 provided at the center of the back side of the sheet stacking plate 21 in the width direction so as to be symmetrical with respect to the left and right (up and down direction in the drawing). In addition, the sheet stacking plate 2
1, a guide plate 26c is integrally fixed to the link 26a. As shown in FIG. 3, on the back side of the guide plate 26c, a guide groove 28 is provided, in which alignment grooves 28a parallel to the sheet material feeding direction and gently oblique grooves 28b are alternately continuous. . The alignment grooves 28a are provided corresponding to the size of the sheet material 11 in the width direction.

Further, a crank-shaped guide groove 21c is provided on the outside of the width direction regulating member 24 of the sheet stacking plate 210, and the prescribed size of the sheet material 11 is displayed around the guide groove 21c at a position corresponding to the alignment groove 28a. has been done.

Further, at the bottom of the width direction regulating member 24 of the frame body 23,
As shown in Fig. 3, there are guide grooves 2 in the feeding direction of the sheet material.
3c is provided. A stringer portion 29a of the carrier 29 is fitted into the guide groove 23C, and the carrier 29 is attached to be movable along the guide groove 23c.

A beam groove 29b is provided in the carrier 29 in the width direction of the notebook material, and a positioning adjustment member 30 constituting an operating means for moving the width direction regulating member 24 is installed in the beam groove 29b in the width direction. is slidably attached to. A projection 30a that is inserted into the guide groove 2B provided on the back side of the guide plate 27 is provided at the sheet material loading side end (left end in FIG. 3) of the positioning adjustment member 30. Further, at the end of the positioning adjustment member 30 outside the sheet material loading range (third right end), a knob portion 30b that is movable along the guide groove 21C protrudes toward the surface side of the sheet stacking plate 21. It is provided.

When stacking the sheet materials 11 on the notebook feeding and stacking device configured as described above and positioning them in the width direction, after stacking the sheet materials 1 on the sheet stacking plate 21, the positioning adjusting member 30 is adjusted. The knob portion 30b is moved along the guide groove 21c in accordance with the size indication of the sheet material. At this time, the positioning adjustment member 30 moves together with the carrier 29 along the guide groove 23 in the sheet material feeding direction. At the same time, the protrusion 30a is aligned with the positioning groove 28a of the guide groove 28.
and along the gently slanted groove 28b, the guy F plate 2
6C, the regulation plate 24a and the rack 2 via the link 26a.
4b is moved inward in the width direction along the guide portion 23a. At this time, since the rack 24b is meshed with the pinion gear 27, it is rotated and at the same time the rack 25b is moved inward in the width direction along the guide portion 23b. By moving the rack 25b,
The regulation plate 25a is connected to the regulation plate 24a via the link 26b.
It can be moved in sync with the

According to the above configuration, simply by moving the knob portion 30b along the guide groove 2]C to the specified size position of the notebook material,
The notebook material 11 can be positioned in the width direction, and operability can be significantly improved. Further, since the guide groove in which the knob portion 30b moves is configured in the shape of a crank, it is possible to position the sheet material according to the size of the sheet material.

In addition, since the above-mentioned knob portion 30b is provided outside the sheet material loading range, it is necessary to use the sheet feeding loading bag. ! Even if an opnoyon function is installed above the E9, operability can be maintained.

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the sheet feeding and stacking device will be described with reference to the fifth example and FIG. 6.

In FIG. 5, 31 is a sheet stacking plate for stacking the sheet materials 11. The sheet stacking plate 31 is supported by a frame 33 that is rotatable about a pivot point 32 . Width direction regulating members 34 and 35 are movably mounted on the sheet stacking plate 31 to position the sheet material 11 in the width direction. Above width direction regulating member 34.35
As shown in FIG. 6, a regulation plate 34a having a U-shaped cross section;
35a is an opening 31a provided in the sheet stacking plate 31;
Racks 34b and 35b are respectively protruded from 31b toward the front side, and racks 34b and 35b are integrally attached to the regulating plates 34a and 35a via links 36a and 36b on the back side.

As shown in FIG. 5, the racks 34b and 35b are incorporated into guide portions 33a and 33b of the frame 33, respectively, and can move only in the width direction. The rack 34b, 3
5b meshes with a pinion gear 37 provided on the back side of the sheet stacking plate 31 and closer to the regulating plate 34a of the frame body 33 so that the pinion gear 5b is symmetrical in phase.

Further, a positioning adjustment member 38 is attached to the guide portion 31c on the back side of the sheet stacking plate 31 outside the sheet material stacking range so as to be movable in the sheet material feeding direction. This positioning adjustment member 384 is on the sheet material loading side (
(Left side in Figure 5) A groove 38a is formed on the side surface.
A grip portion 38b is provided to protrude from the opening 31d of the sheet stacking plate 31 on the front surface side. Above sheet stacking plate 3
The prescribed size of the sheet material 11 is displayed around the opening 31d.

Frame 33 between the pinion gear 37 and rack 38a
An idler gear 39 is rotatably provided above. This idler gear 39 meshes with the pinion gear 37 and rack 38a, respectively. In addition, the above idler gear 39
are arranged so as not to interfere with the racks 34b and 35b.

When the sheet feeding and stacking device W4 configured as described above loads the sheet materials 11 and positions them in the width direction, after loading the sheet materials 11 on the sheet stacking plate 31, the positioning adjusting member 38 is adjusted. The knob portion 38b is moved along the guide portion 31c in accordance with the size indication of the sheet material. At this time, the idler gear 39 that engages with the rank portion 38a of the positioning adjustment member 38 rotates, and further moves the racks 34b and 35b that engage with the idler gear 39 in the width direction. Therefore, the link 36 is connected to the racks 34b and 35b.
The sheet material 11 can be positioned in the width direction by moving the regulation plates 34a and 35a connected to each other via a and 36b in synchronization in the width direction.

[Third Embodiment] Next, a third embodiment of the sheet feeding and stacking device will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

As shown in FIG. 7, the structure of the movement mechanism for the width direction regulating member is the same as that of the second embodiment.

In this embodiment, a dial 40 on which a size display scale is written is used as the operating means instead of the sliding positioning adjustment member 38 having the rack 38a and the knob portion 38b in the second embodiment.

That is, as shown in FIG. 8, a dial gear 40a that meshes with the idler gear 39 is rotatably provided on the frame 33 on the back side of the sheet stacking plate 31. Also,
On the surface side of the sheet stacking plate 31 and outside the notebook stacking range, a dial 40 is provided coaxially with the dial gear 40a.
It is rotatably provided. Idler gear 39 above
The dial gear 40a is arranged so as not to interfere with the racks 34b and 35b.

According to the above configuration, by rotating the dial 40 to match the display size position of the sheet material 11, the dial gear 40a, the idler gear 39. The sheet material can be positioned by moving the regulating plates 34a, 35a in the width direction via the pinion gear 37, and operability can be further improved.

[Fourth Embodiment] Next, a fourth embodiment of the sheet feeding and stacking device will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10.

As shown in FIG. 9, the structure of the movement mechanism and the operating means for the width direction regulating member is the same as that of the third embodiment.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a dial 41 and a dial gear 41a are provided on the back side of the sheet stacking plate 31, and a notch 31 is provided at the end of the sheet stacking plate 31.
A portion of the dial 41 is exposed to the outside.

According to the above configuration, the designation of the size to be displayed by operating the dial can be displayed by the cutout portion 31e, so that the diameter of the dial can be increased, and the operating force can be reduced and damage to the operating section can be prevented.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, in the present invention, since the operating means for moving the width direction regulating member is provided outside the sheet material loading range on the sheet stacking member, the sheet material cannot be loaded on the sheet stacking member. Even when the sheet material is placed, the sheet material can be positioned in the width direction while checking the size display, and the positioning can be easily performed regardless of the presence or absence of an optional mechanism.

In particular, when a slide member movable in the feeding direction of the sheet material or a rotatable rotating member is provided as the operating means, the width of the sheet stacking member is kept to a minimum, and the operation can improve sex.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of the sheet stacking and feeding device, Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof, Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the main parts of the sheet stacking and feeding device, and Fig. 4 is the above-mentioned sheet stacking and feeding device. A cross-sectional explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a laser beam printer equipped with a sheet stacking and feeding device, FIGS. 5 and 6 are explanatory diagrams of a second embodiment of the sheet feeding and stacking device, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are FIGS. 9 and 10 are explanatory views of the third embodiment, FIGS. 9 and 10 are explanatory views of the fourth embodiment, and FIGS. 11 to 17 are explanatory views of conventional sheet feeding and stacking apparatuses. 1 is a scanner unit, 2 is a process cartridge, 3
1 is a photosensitive drum, 4 is a primary charger, 5 is a developer, 6 is a cleaner, 7 is an eraser, 8 is a folding mirror, 9 is a sheet feeding/loading device, 10 is a feeding roller, 11 is a sheet material,
12 is a separation pad, 13a and 13b are guide plates, 14a
, 14b is a registration roller pair, 15 is a transfer charger, 16
is a separation charger, 17 is a conveyance device, 18 is a fixing device, 19a
, 19b is a pair of discharge rollers, 20 is a discharge tray, 21.3
1 is sheet area IM, 4 rolls, 21a, 21b31a, 31
b, 31d are openings, 21c, 23c, 2
8 is a guide groove, 23.33 is a frame body, 23a, 23b, 3
3a, 33b are guide parts, 24.25.34.35 are width direction regulating members, 24a, 25a, 34a, 35a are regulation plates, 24b, 25b, 34b, 35b, 38a are ranks,
26a, 26b, 36a36b are links, 26c is a guide plate, 27.37 is a pinion gear, 29 is a carrier, 2
9a is part of the stringer, 29b is the beam groove, 30.38
30a is a positioning adjustment member, 30a is a protrusion, 30b, 38b are knobs, 31e is a notch, 39 is an idler gear, 40
．． 41 is a dial, and 40a and 41a are dial gears.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A sheet feeding and stacking device that feeds and stacks notebook materials, including a sheet stacking member for stacking the sheet materials, and a sheet stacking member placed on the sheet stacking member in the width direction. A sheet feeding and stacking device comprising: a width direction regulating member movable for positioning; and an operation means for moving the width direction regulating member provided outside a sheet material stacking range on the sheet stacking member. (2) The sheet feeding and stacking device according to claim 1, wherein the operating means includes a sliding member movable in the feeding direction of the sheet material. (3) The sheet feeding and stacking device according to claim (1), wherein the operating means includes a rotatable rotating member.