JPH04197939A - Paper supply cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the charging of a paper supply cassette from becoming impossible in relation to a paper supply part by providing a sheet pressing member in such a way as to be offset vertically across the specified range. CONSTITUTION:At the time of charging a paper supply cassette in relation to a paper supply part, a sheet pressing member 16 in the state of its upper end part or its sheet pressing means 16f coinciding with the position of the floating regulating member 23 of the paper supply part is pushed down by receiving the pressing force of the floating regulating member 23 in association with the push-in of the paper supply cassette, and restored into its original sheet pressing position at the time of passing through under the floating regulating member 23. Also at the time of pulling the paper supply cassette out of the paper supply part, the sheet pressing member 16 is pushed down by the floating regulating member 23, and restored into its original sheet pressing position at the time of passing through under the floating regulating member 23.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a paper feeding power cent that is loaded into a paper feeding unit of a printer, a copying machine, or the like.

[Conventional technology]

B4, B5 as paper feed targets according to the paper feed power cents above.
Or A3. Examples include large-sized cut sheets such as A4 sheets, small-sized cut sheets such as postcards and business cards, and envelopes of various sizes, standard and irregular (all of the above are collectively referred to as paper as needed).

The paper feeding cassette for the above-mentioned paper includes a cassette body that can be inserted into and removed from the paper feeding section, a paper loading plate provided in the cassette body so as to be able to swing up and down, and the paper loading plate being lifted and biased. A device is known that is provided with a pair of paper pressing members that can move toward and away from each other and are provided with a pressing means that prevents both sides of the front part of the paper from lifting up. By moving them close to each other, it is possible to prevent the front sides of both sides from lifting up, depending on the size of paper of various sizes.

On the other hand, the paper feed section into which the above-mentioned paper feed mechanism is loaded has a mechanism to prevent the paper from floating up like a wave between the paper presser and the paper feed roller when feeding large size paper. A lifting regulating member is provided on the paper feed roller laterally in the axial direction of the roller.

This lifting regulating member has a paper lifting regulating surface formed into an arcuate surface when viewed in the axial direction of the roller, and the lifting regulating surface is positioned slightly above the paper feeding surface of the paper feeding roller. It is provided.

[J' that the invention tries to solve! ! By the way, the above-mentioned paper feed cassette is equipped with a paper holding member which is connected with a paper holding device so that it can be approached and separated so that paper of various sizes can be fed. When the target paper is small-sized, such as a postcard or an envelope, and the position of the paper holding member is adjusted accordingly, the upper end of the paper holding member or the position of the paper holding tool may rise, causing the restriction member to rise. When the paper feed force center is inserted or removed, the paper feed cassette may come into contact with each other, making it impossible to load the paper feed cassette into the paper feed unit, or due to forceful loading. This has the disadvantage of deforming or damaging the paper holding member or the paper holding tool.

The present invention was made in view of the actual situation, and
It is an object of the present invention to provide a paper feed cassette that can feed paper of various sizes without the above-mentioned disadvantages.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the above-mentioned paper feed cassette including a pair of paper holding members that can move toward and away from each other, in which the paper holding members are moved up and down over a predetermined range. It is distinctive in that it is configured so that it can be biased in any direction.

[Effect]

According to the above characteristic configuration, when loading the paper feeding force cent into the paper feeding unit, if the upper end of the paper holding member or the paper holding tool is aligned with the position of the lifting control member of the paper feeding unit, the paper feed The paper holding member lifts up as the force is pressed, and is pushed downward by the pressure from the regulating member, and when the paper holding member lifts up and passes under the regulating member, it returns to its original paper holding position. be done.

When the paper feed cassette is removed from the paper feed section, the paper pressing member is pushed down by the lifting regulating member and returns to its original paper holding position when it passes under the lifting regulating member. Posture is restored.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

Figure 1 shows the entire paper feed cassette with an envelope as an example of the paper to be fed. A rear end regulating device 3 for regulating the rear ends of the envelopes E1 to E3 and an envelope mounting plate 4 for mounting the front ends of the envelopes E, to E are provided.

The rear end restrictor 3 is engaged with a guide groove 2b formed in the bottom 2a of the cassette main body 2, and is slidable in the front-rear direction. Further, the envelope mounting plate 4 is provided to be able to swing up and down, and a biasing means (for example, a compression spring) 5 is interposed between the envelope mounting plate 4 and the bottom portion 2a. The mounting plate 4 is lifted and biased.

Reference numeral 6.6 denotes left and right side plates made of metal, each of which is integrally formed with a guide portion 6a and an extending portion 6b. The guide portions 6a each extend inward of the cassette main body 2, forming racks on opposing sides, and meshing the racks with the bins 8 pivotally supported on the bottom portion 2a. The left and right side plates 6 are movable toward and away from each other in the width direction.

9.9 is an envelope holding mechanism, which has a symmetrical structure,
As shown in FIG. 2, the respective main body portions 11.11 are connected to the extension portions 6b of the left and right side plates 6. An opening 9a is formed at the base end of the main body 11, and a substantially rectangular box 13 is fixed to the lower surface side.

The tip side 9b is bent into a dogleg shape, and a long hole 9C is formed near the tip side 9b, so that the envelope pressing member 16 is connected via the guide bin 15. There is.

This envelope holding member I6 is made of a metal plate like the main body part 11, and has a narrow proximal end bent to form a locking piece 16a for insertion into the opening 9a, and a locking piece 16a formed on the free end. 16
b is slightly tilted toward the cassette ejecting direction (for example, 5 degrees)
The upper part is further bent in the cassette ejection direction to form a pressure receiving part 16e that is inclined downward toward the free end (for example, 5 degrees with respect to the top surface of the envelope), and the pressure receiving part 1
An envelope presser 16f is connected to the side of the envelope 6e.

Furthermore, guide pieces 16c are integrally formed on both side edges, and a tapped hole 16d is provided approximately in the center. The envelope holding member 16 is connected to the main body portion 11 so as to be movable up and down with its proximal end inserted into the opening 9a of the main body portion 11.

That is, the guide pin 15 is inserted from the long hole 9c toward the small hole 16d with the second biasing means (for example, a compression spring) 14 interposed between the lower surface of the locking piece 16a and the bottom of the box 13. The envelope pressing member 16 is held so as to be freely biasable in the vertical direction within the range of the elongated hole 9c.

Although a pressure receiving member 18 made of synthetic resin is firmly attached to the upper surface of the front 3 pressure receiving portion 16e and the envelope presser 16f, this pressure receiving member 18 can be omitted.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of the paper feeding section. This paper feeding section 19 includes a pair of paper feeding rollers 21 fixed to a roller shaft 20,
A floating regulating member 23 disposed on the outside of the paper feed roller 21 and double feeding prevention rollers 22', 24 pairs for preventing double feeding of the envelope E1 fed out as the roller shaft 20 rotates. Configured with the necessary features.

The paper feed roller 21 comes into contact with the front upper surface 62 of the envelope E1 in the paper feed cassette 1 when the paper feed cassette 1 is loaded in a cassette loading section (not shown), and the gear train G shown in FIG. As the envelope rotates, the uppermost envelope E1 is fed (see FIG. 3).

The floating regulating member 23 has a substantially circular arcuate surface excluding the flat upper part, which serves as a floating regulating surface 23a of the envelopes E, ~E. is pivotally supported by the holder 25 so as to be positioned slightly above the paper feeding surface portion 21a of the paper feeding roller 21 (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

This retainer 25 is U-shaped and has small holes 25a formed on both sides, and a bolt 27 with a head is inserted through the small hole 25a to attach a bolt provided on both sides of the uplift regulating member 23. It is screwed into the hole 23b to hold the uplift regulating member 23 supporting the roller shaft 20.

According to the above configuration, by mounting the envelope on the envelope mounting plate 4 and moving the left and right side plates 6.6, the envelopes E, -E,
The position of the envelope holding mechanism 9°9 can be adjusted according to the shape of the envelope. For example, if the loaded envelope is small size E,
Although the envelope holding mechanism 9.9 is located inside, the paper feed section 19
When loading the paper feed cassette 1 into the
The envelope holding mechanism 9.9 may coincide with the position 3.23.

Then, when the paper feed cassette 1 is inserted in the direction of arrow A in FIG.

At this time, since the pressure receiving member 18 is pressed by the lifting-up regulating surface portion 23a, the envelope pressing member 16 moves downward in the arrow direction by the width of the elongated hole 9c necessary for passing the lifting-up regulating member 23. The envelope pressing member 23 is relatively passed through.

Then, at a position where the pressure receiving member I8 is separated from the lifting-up regulating surface portion 23a of the lifting-up regulating member 23, the envelope pressing member 16 is moved back by the second urging means 14, and the paper is fed as shown in FIG. The roller 21 is held at a position slightly above the lifting-up regulating surface 23a than the paper feeding surface 21a.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, only the paper feed roller 2I comes into contact with the top surface of the envelope E1, making it possible to feed the envelope E.

On the other hand, when pulling out the paper feed cassette 7) 1, when the pressure receiving member 18 comes into contact with the floating regulating member 23, the envelope pressing member 16 moves downward as shown in FIG.
8 passes smoothly and returns to the position where there is no contact. When the mounting plate 4 is lifted as shown in FIG. 1, envelope pressers 16f connected to each envelope presser member 16 come into contact with both front sides of the envelope E1, and the envelope E1 is held without coming off. .

As described above, when the paper feed cassette 1 containing envelopes is inserted or removed, the envelope pressing member 16 moves downward and allows the floating regulating member 23 to pass while relatively sliding on the pressure receiving member 18. Envelope pressing member 16 and envelope pressing tool 16''
Problems such as deformation or damage are avoided.

Then, the envelope pressing member 16 is attached to the second urging means 1
Since the envelope presser 4 is always urged upward, envelopes can be supplied to the paper feed cassette 1 without lifting the envelope presser 16f.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the second urging means 14 is provided,
Although the operability of replenishing envelopes with respect to the paper feed force cent l is facilitated, the second biasing means 14 may be omitted and envelopes may be replenished while lifting the envelope presser 16f; in this case, , the upper surface of the envelope is pressed against the envelope presser 16f by the urging force of the urging means 5 that lifts and urges the envelope mounting plate 4.
is pressed and biased.

Furthermore, in the embodiment, the paper feed target is an envelope, but it can also be used for small-sized cut sheets such as postcards and business cards, B4, B5, and A3.
．． It is possible to apply the present invention to paper feed cassettes that can accommodate large-sized cut-sort sheets such as A4 paper and accommodate sheets of various sizes.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the paper feed cassette of the present invention, when the upper end of the paper presser member or the paper presser is aligned with the position of the lifting control member of the paper feed section, the paper feed cassette cannot be loaded. Alternatively, the paper holding member is pushed down as the paper is removed, and the floating regulating member passes over the upper end of the paper holding member or the paper holding tool, so that the paper feeding cassette is not loaded into the paper feeding unit. This prevents the paper from becoming inoperable, and also prevents deformation or damage of the paper pressing member or the paper holding tool.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the paper feed cassette, Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the paper holding mechanism, Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view of the paper feed section, and Fig. 4 shows the operation of inserting and removing the paper feed cassette from the paper feed section. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing the state in which the paper feed cassette is loaded in the paper feed section. 2...Cassette body, 4...Paper mounting plate, 5...
Biasing means, 14...Second biasing means, 16...Paper pressing member, 16e...Pressure receiving section, 16f...Paper pressing tool, 19...Paper feeding section, 21... Paper feed roller, 2
3... Lifting regulating member, E, ~E,... Paper (
envelope). Applicant: Mita Kogyo Co., Ltd. Agent: Hideo Fujimoto, patent attorney

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A cassette body that can be freely inserted into and removed from the paper feed unit, which is equipped with a paper lifting control member on the side of the paper feed roller, and a paper mounting plate that is provided in the cassette body so as to be able to swing vertically. , a biasing means for lifting and biasing the paper mounting plate;
It consists of a pair of paper holding members that are movable toward and away from each other and are provided with paper holding tools that prevent the front sides of the paper from lifting up, and the paper holding members are configured to be freely biasable in the vertical direction over a predetermined range. A paper feed cassette with certain characteristics. (2) The paper feed cassette according to claim (1), further comprising a second biasing means for biasing the paper pressing member upward. (3) The upper side of the paper holding member is bent in the cassette removal direction to form a pressure receiving part that slopes downward toward the free end, and the paper holding tool is connected in a state in which the upper surface is connected to the pressure receiving part. The paper feed cassette according to claim (1), characterized in that: