JPH0420840Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a paper feeding device applied to an image forming apparatus.

[Prior art and its problems]

A paper feed cassette used in a paper feed device of an image forming apparatus has a structure in which the paper is pushed up via a cassette bottom plate in order to smoothly feed the paper by a paper feed roller.

Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 6, a compression spring S built into the paper feed cassette C is used to push up the cassette bottom plate B on which paper is placed, or as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Instead of incorporating a spring S inside the paper feed cassette C', a lever L for pushing up the cassette bottom plate B and a torsion spring S' were provided on the main body side of the image forming apparatus.

When using the compression spring S built inside the paper feed cassette C, the configuration is simpler than when the spring S' is provided on the device main body side, but it is possible to use the compression spring S built in the paper feed cassette C without leaving the paper During storage, the compression spring S is constantly subjected to stress, which causes fatigue, and since a compression spring S is required for each paper feed cassette C, the cost is high.

If the spring S' is provided on the main body side of the apparatus, the spring S' will not receive any stress except when the paper feed cassette C' is installed, which is preferable; however, as shown in FIG. Since the spring S' pushes up the cassette bottom plate B through the large notch H formed in the large notch, the moisture resistance of the paper P stored in the size-specific paper feed cassette C' during storage is reduced by the large notch. In addition, the number of parts on the main body side of the device increases, and various measures have been taken to keep the pushing force of the paper P uniform, but the spring S' There was a problem in that it was not easy to adjust the pushing force.

[Purpose of invention]

In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional paper, it is an object of the present invention to provide a paper feeding device that has a simple mechanism for pushing up the cassette bottom plate, can push up the paper uniformly, and has high moisture resistance for the paper during storage. .

[Key points of the idea]

According to the present invention, the above object is achieved by a paper feed roller rotatably provided at a predetermined position in the main body of an image forming apparatus, and a paper feed roller that can be inserted and removed at a position facing the paper feed roller along the paper feeding direction. In the paper feeding device, the paper feeding cassette includes a housing that is open at the top and has openings on both left and right sides in the insertion/removal direction, and a housing that is rotatably disposed inside the housing and has the openings. a cassette bottom plate having a protrusion penetrating through the cassette bottom plate and capable of loading a plurality of sheets of paper; and a notch on both left and right sides in the insertion/removal direction that has an inclined surface rising downstream in the paper feeding direction that can be engaged with the protrusion. and a cassette lid that is movable on the housing in the insertion/removal direction, and a predetermined position in the image forming apparatus main body is engaged with the cassette lid, and the cassette bottom plate is inserted through the cassette lid. This is achieved by providing a paper feeding device characterized in that it is provided with a spring mechanism that is deformable along the insertion/removal direction and pushes up toward the paper feeding roller.

[Example of idea]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, taking as an example a paper feeding device applied to a recording apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the main parts of the recording apparatus 1 to which the present invention is applied.

The recording device 1 has a recess 1a formed in the paper feed section, and a paper feed cassette 2 is removably inserted into the recess 1a with its rear part protruding by a predetermined length.
In this state, paper is set and the rear of the paper feed cassette 2 is in front of the recording apparatus 1. Paper cassette 2
includes a cassette main body 3 and a cassette lid 4.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cassette lid 4 is removed from the cassette main body 3 of the paper feed cassette 2. As shown in FIG.

The cassette main body 3 is a rectangular case having an opening at the top and having both long sides 3a, 3a and both short sides 3b, 3b, and has a cassette bottom plate 5 on the bottom and legs 3c protruding from the bottom. has been done.

The long side parts 3a, 3a are formed with side plate guides 6, 6 having a downward step part 3d on the outer surface side of the upper part. The side plate guides 6, 6 are the middle two, respectively.
Guide grooves 6a and 6b are provided along the vertical direction at the locations, and stoppers 6c and 6c bent downward are formed adjacent to the intersection with the short side portion 3b on the front side. Also, the guide grooves 6b, 6b of the side plate guides 6, 6
Arc-shaped openings 6d, 6d are provided near the openings 6d, 6d.

In the short side portion 3b on the back side, vertical shallow grooves 3e, 3e are formed at both ends of the inner surface, and inwardly facing separation claws 7, 7 are provided in the grooves 3e, 3e so as to be vertically slidable. The separating claws 7, 7 stop at a position where their upper surfaces are flush with the upper surface of the cassette main body 3, and cannot rise any further.

The cassette bottom plate 5 includes a small shaft 5a, which has one end protruding inwardly from the lower inner surface of the long side portions 3a, near a step portion 3f formed slightly toward the front from the longitudinal center of the bottom of the cassette main body 3; 5a, the other end reaches a position corresponding to the separating claws 7, 7, and upward movement is restricted by the separating claws 7, 7. Also, the cassette bottom plate 5
are protrusions 5b, 5b that protrude laterally to the left and right of the middle part.
The protrusions 5b, 5b pass through the arc-shaped openings 6d, 6d of the cassette main body 3, and the openings 6
It is rotatable around small shafts 5a and 5a using guides d and 6d.

The cassette lid 4 has a rectangular shape that fits the cassette main body 3, and covers the opening at the top of the cassette main body 3. It has corresponding lid guides 8, 8 and a short side part 4a, and lacks the short side part on the back side. The lid guides 8, 8 have notches 8 that engage with the protrusions 5b, 5b of the cassette bottom plate 5.
a, 8a. These notches 8a, 8a
The cassette lid 4 is provided with deep sloped surfaces 8b, 8b on the rear side in the longitudinal direction of the lid guides 8, 8, and as described later, the projection 5b of the cassette lid 4 engages with the sloped surface 8b, and the cassette bottom plate 5 is rotated. move in conjunction with the movement. Further, the cassette lid 4 is provided with upward protrusions 4b, 4b on both left and right sides of approximately the center in the longitudinal direction of the upper surface, and furthermore, inward protrusions (not shown) are provided on the lower inner surfaces of the lid guides 8, 8, which are connected to the guide grooves of the cassette body 3. The guide grooves 6a and 6b are formed so as to be able to fit and slide freely into the guide grooves 6a and 6b.

After the cassette lid 4 is placed over the cassette body 3, it can be moved diagonally downward to the left as indicated by the arrow a in the figure, and at this time the inward protrusion moves along the stepped portion 3d of the side plate guide 6. When the inward projections move from the positions of the guide grooves 6a and 6b, the cassette lid 4 cannot be removed upward from the cassette body 3. Furthermore, when the inward projection guide grooves 6a and 6b are moved a little, the notches 8a and 8a of the cassette lid 4 are removed.
The inclined surface 8b of 8a corresponds to the protrusion 5b of the cassette bottom plate 5,
5b, the cassette bottom plate 5 is engaged with the cassette lid 4.
The tip rotates in the upward direction in conjunction with the movement in the direction of arrow a.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the paper feed cassette 2 containing paper P is being installed in a predetermined position of the recording apparatus 1. As shown in FIG.

Recess 1a for inserting a cassette in the main body of the recording device 1
A compression spring 9 and a moving member 10 constituting a spring mechanism are provided on the inner upper surface, and a small recess 1c is formed near the entrance on the lower surface.

The compression spring 9 has one end fixed to a protrusion 1d projecting downward from the upper surface of the main body frame 1b at the back of the paper feed cassette insertion recess 1a, and a moving member 10 having a T-shaped cross section attached to the other end. 2, and the lower end of the movable member 10 contacts the upward protrusions 4b, 4b on the upper surface of the cassette lid 4 while causing the cassette lid 4 to protrude outward from the recess 1a, that is, in the direction indicated by the arrow c. It is biased in the direction shown.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are partially enlarged vertical cross-sectional views showing the operation of the paper feeding device, and show a state in which there is paper P inside and a state in which there is no paper P, respectively.

When paper P is in the paper feed cassette 2, as shown in FIG.
The cassette lid 4 is urged in the direction shown by the arrow d by the urging force of the compression spring 9, and the cassette bottom plate 5 is urged to rotate in the counterclockwise direction shown by the arrow e in the figure. Therefore, the cassette bottom plate 5 is biased in the direction in which the leading edge thereof rises, and the paper P is held in the paper feeding state at a position corresponding to the remaining amount of paper with the top surface being pressed by the separation claws 7, 7. Ru.

When the paper P is fed and used one by one by the paper feed roller 11 which is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow, and the remaining amount of paper in the paper feed cassette 2 decreases, the compression spring 9
The protrusion 5b is smoothly raised along the inclined surface 8b by the biasing force of the cassette bottom plate 5, and the cassette lid 4 protrudes from the recess 1a, i.e., in the direction shown by the arrow c, when the amount of remaining paper is increased. Move accordingly.

When the inside of the paper feed cassette 2 is empty, the protrusion 5b rises to the highest position on the inclined surface 8b, and the tip of the cassette bottom plate 5 reaches a position where it is flush with the top surface of the cassette main body 3, as shown in FIG. At the same time, the cassette lid 4 is stopped because an inward protrusion (not shown) of the lid guide 8 comes into contact with the stopper 6c. Remove the paper feed cassette 2 from the recess 1a, move the cassette lid 4 relative to the cassette body 3, and align the inward protrusions (not shown) of the lid guide 8 with the guide grooves 6a, 6b of the side plate guides 6, 6. Lift it up, remove the cassette lid 4 as shown in Figure 1, and place the paper P on the cassette bottom plate 5.
After storing the cassettes in a stacked manner, align the inward protrusions with the guide grooves 6a and 6b and insert the cassette lid 4 into the cassette body 3 in the direction shown by arrow a in FIG.
the paper feed cassette 2 along the direction shown by arrow b in FIG.
the paper feed roller 11 provided on the main body side of the recording apparatus 1 with the foot 3c fitted into the small recess 1c.
Attach it to the specified position so that the tip reaches the bottom.

According to the above embodiment, the paper feed cassette 2 stores the paper P and communicates with the outside only through the small opening 6d in the shape of an arcuate slit in the cassette body 3 when the paper cassette is stored with the cassette lid 4 covered. Therefore, there is little chance of adverse effects such as moisture absorption on the paper P. Also, when the paper P in the paper feed cassette 2 runs out and the state shown in FIG. 4 occurs, the paper feed cassette 2
Since it receives a biasing force in the direction of pulling it out from the main body of the recording device 1 by the compression spring 9, it can be easily pulled out, which is convenient.

Furthermore, as the paper P decreases, the cassette lid 4
Since it protrudes toward the front in the insertion/removal direction of the paper feed cassette 2, there is an advantage that the remaining amount of paper can be determined by the amount of protrusion.

The mounting positions of the protrusions 5b, 5b can be arbitrarily selected between the left and right ends of the cassette bottom plate 5 and the small shaft 5a, depending on the angle of inclination of the inclined surface 8b of the cassette lid 4 and the length of the compression spring 9. By appropriately selecting the spring constant, it is possible to provide a paper feeding device corresponding to the paper storage capacity, that is, the depth of the paper feeding cassette 2. Moreover, it is also possible to use a tension spring in place of the compression spring 9 constituting the spring mechanism.

The paper feed cassette 2' is similar to the previous embodiment in that it is composed of a cassette body 3' and a cassette lid 4', but the cassette body 3' has side plate guides 6 and guide grooves 6a, 6b. Not equipped with
Further, the cassette lid 4' is different from the above-described embodiment in that it consists of a lid front part 4'a and a lid rear part 4'b which are rotatably connected by a hinge part 4'c located approximately at the center in the longitudinal direction. The situation is different. The front part 4'a of the lid is formed so that the height of the side part thereof is lower than that of the rear part 4'b of the lid, so that when the cassette bottom plate 5' rotates, the protrusions 5b, 5b
It is designed so that the rotation will not be obstructed by the contact.

The spring mechanism includes a movable member 10' whose lower part is slidably fitted into a groove 12 formed in the lower guide of the main body frame 1b adjacent to the insertion path of the paper feed cassette 2', and The groove 12
It is composed of a compression spring 9' that can be freely expanded and contracted along.

The moving member 10' has on its upper surface an inclined surface 10'a that rises toward the rear of the paper feed cassette 2', and is biased by a compression spring 9' in the direction indicated by arrow f in FIG.

When the paper feed cassette 2' is inserted, the protrusion 5b of the cassette bottom plate 5' aligns with the inclined surface 10' of the moving member 10'.
a, and the leading end is rotated and biased in the upward direction by the biasing force of the compression spring 9', and as in the case of the previous embodiment, the paper feed cassette 2' corresponds to the amount of paper remaining in the paper feed cassette 2'. At this position, the top surface of the paper is held still by the separating claws 7, 7, and it rotates smoothly as the remaining amount of paper decreases. In this case, the paper feed cassette 2' has a simpler structure and is lower in cost than the previous embodiment. Further, the cassette lid 4' does not have any involvement in the paper feeding mechanism.

In the case of this embodiment, the spring mechanism can be provided not only on one side of the paper feed cassette 2' but also on both sides to further smooth the rotation of the cassette bottom plate 5'. They may be connected and may be provided on the upper guide instead of the lower guide. Further, the protrusions 5b, 5b on the cassette bottom plate 5' may be fixed, but it is even better if they are rotatable around an axis.

[Effect of idea]

According to the present invention, a plurality of paper feed cassettes are rotatably disposed in a paper feed cassette which can be freely inserted and removed along the paper feeding direction and have openings on both left and right sides in the insertion and removal direction, and have protrusions that penetrate through the openings. A cassette bottom plate capable of loading sheets of paper is provided with notches on both left and right sides in the insertion/removal direction that have sloped surfaces that rise toward the downstream side in the paper feeding direction and can be engaged with the protrusions, and is movable in the insertion/removal direction. Since the paper feed cassette is pushed up in response to the insertion operation of the paper feed cassette via the cassette lid by a spring mechanism that is provided at a predetermined position and can be deformed along the insertion/removal direction of the paper feed cassette, the mechanism for pushing up the cassette bottom plate is simple and , the paper can be pushed up evenly,
It is possible to provide a paper feeding device in which paper is highly moisture-proof during storage.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a paper feed cassette used in a paper feed device according to an embodiment of the present invention, with the cassette lid removed from the cassette body, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the paper feed cassette used in a paper feed device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 3 and 4 are partially enlarged longitudinal sectional views showing the operation of the paper feeding device, and show a state in which there is paper inside and a state in which there is no paper, respectively. 5 is a perspective view showing the main parts of a recording device to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a conventional example, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are a longitudinal sectional view and a perspective view, respectively, showing another conventional example. It is a diagram. 1...Recording device, 1a...Recess, 1b...Main frame, 1c...Small recess, 1d...Protrusion, 2...
...Paper feed cassette, 2a...Paper P, 3...Cassette body, 3a...Long side part, 3b...Short side part, 3c
...Feet, 3d...Step part, 3e...Groove, 4...Cassette lid, 4a...Short side part, 4b...Upward protrusion,
5...Cassette bottom plate, 5a...Small shaft, 5b...Protrusion, 6...Side plate guide, 6a, 6b...Guide groove, 6c...Stopper, 6d...Opening, 7...
Separation claw, 8... Lid guide, 8a... Notch, 8b
... Inclined surface, 9 ... Compression spring, 10 ... Moving member, 11 ... Paper feed roller.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A paper feed roller that is rotatably provided at a predetermined position within the main body of an image forming apparatus, and a paper feed that is freely insertable and removable at a position facing the paper feed roller along the paper feeding direction. In the paper feeding device, the paper feeding cassette includes a housing which is open at the top and has openings on both left and right sides in the insertion/removal direction, and a housing which is rotatably disposed inside the housing and has the openings. a cassette bottom plate having a protrusion passing through the cassette and capable of loading a plurality of sheets of paper; and a notch having an inclined surface rising downstream in the paper feeding direction that can be engaged with the protrusion on both left and right sides in the insertion/removal direction. a cassette lid that is movable on the casing in the insertion/removal direction; the cassette lid is engaged with the cassette lid at a predetermined position in the image forming apparatus main body, and the cassette bottom plate is inserted into the cassette via the cassette lid; A paper feeding device comprising a spring mechanism that is deformable along the insertion/removal direction and pushes up toward the paper feeding roller.