JPH04286551A - Paper feed cassette device for image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To positively prevent the slip-out of a paper feed cassette from a cassette housing part. CONSTITUTION:This paper feed cassette device for an image forming device is provided with a cassette case 5 for detachably mounting a paper feed cassette 15; an outer frame member 14, movable in the direction of the rotary shaft 29 of paper feed rollers 20, for supporting the cassette case 5 in the vertically movable state; and catch mechanisms 42, 43 for removably fixing the outer frame member 14 into a cassette housing part 45.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a paper feed cassette device, and more particularly, to a paper feed cassette device for arranging a paper feed cassette so that it can be inserted into and removed from a cassette accommodating portion having a paper feed roller in the direction of the rotational axis of the paper feed roller. The present invention relates to a paper feed cassette device.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art A so-called front loading type image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine, is known in which a paper feed cassette is mounted from the front of the main body of the image forming apparatus. In this front-loading type image forming apparatus, when the paper feed cassette is installed, the paper feed cassette moves in the direction of the rotation axis of the paper feed roller in the cassette accommodating section. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the paper from shifting laterally due to the paper coming into contact with the end surface of the paper feed roller.

[0003] Therefore, the paper feed cassette is made movable in the front and back direction of the apparatus main body at a position below the paper feed roller, and when the paper feed cassette is placed in the cassette accommodating section, the entire paper feed cassette or the paper in the paper feed cassette is moved. It is conceivable that the edge of the paper is brought into pressure contact with the paper feed roller by moving the edge on the take-out side upward.

On the other hand, a so-called catch mechanism is employed to prevent the paper cassette from slipping out toward the front of the apparatus main body due to vibrations from the floor or the like when the paper cassette is set in the cassette accommodating section. This catch mechanism includes a protrusion provided on the paper feed cassette, and a locking portion provided within the cassette accommodating portion that detachably locks the protrusion.

However, as mentioned above, since the paper feed cassette moves upward when it is set in the cassette accommodating section, the engagement between the protrusion on the paper cassette side and the locking section on the cassette accommodating section is difficult. It may not work, and as a result,
In the conventional device, there are cases where it is not possible to reliably prevent the paper feed cassette from slipping out of the cassette storage section.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a paper feed cassette device for an image forming apparatus that can reliably prevent the paper feed cassette from slipping out of the cassette accommodating section.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A paper feed cassette device according to the present invention arranges a paper feed cassette in a cassette accommodating portion having a paper feed roller so that it can be inserted and removed in the direction of the rotation axis of the paper feed roller. This is a paper feed cassette device for an image forming apparatus. This device includes a paper feed cassette case, a support section, and a fixing section.

[0008] The paper feed cassette case is used to removably mount a paper feed cassette. The support portion is movable in the direction of the rotation axis of the paper feed roller, and supports the paper feed cassette case in a vertically movable manner. The fixing part is for detachably fixing the support part in the cassette housing part.

[0009]

[Operation] In the present invention, the paper feed cassette is detachably attached to the paper feed cassette case. Then, the paper feed cassette case is moved in the direction of the rotation axis of the paper feed roller by the supporting part that supports the paper feed cassette case so as to be movable up and down, and is placed in the cassette housing section. Inside the cassette accommodating part, the fixing part detachably fixes the support part. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the paper feed cassette from slipping out of the cassette accommodating section.

In this case, since the fixing part is fixed to the support part that supports the paper feed cassette case, the support part can be securely fixed in the cassette storage part, and the paper feed cassette can be fixed from the cassette storage part to the support part that supports the paper feed cassette case. It is possible to reliably prevent the material from slipping out.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a copying machine incorporating an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a document table 2 on which a document is placed is arranged at the top of a copying machine main body 1, and a document presser 3 is provided on the top surface of the document table 2 so as to be openable and closable. Also,
A paper discharge tray 4 and an outer frame member 14 that supports a cassette case 5 are arranged on the left side of the copying machine main body 1 in the figure. A paper feed cassette 15 is detachably installed in the cassette case 5. Further, the outer frame member 14 is installed into the copying machine main body 1 from the front side in the drawing. A tray 6 for bypass paper feeding is arranged on the right side of the figure.

Inside the copying machine body 1, there is a photosensitive drum 7.
is located. Around the photosensitive drum 7, in addition to a charging device, a transfer device, a paper separation device, and a cleaning device, there are developing devices 10, 11, which are arranged vertically side by side.
A developing device 8 having 12 and 13 is provided. Each developing device 10, 11, 12, 13 is used for magenta, magenta, magenta, magenta, etc., for example.
There are cyan, yellow, and black developing devices. These developing units 10 to 13 are fixed to a movable frame 9. The moving frame 9 can be moved in the vertical direction by a moving mechanism 16 including bevel gears 17, 18, a ball screw 19, and the like.

A transfer drum 2 is provided below the photosensitive drum 7.
1 are placed close to each other. Further, above the photosensitive drum 7, a laser unit 22 is arranged. The laser beam from the laser unit 22 is directed to the photosensitive drum 7.
It is designed to illuminate the upper end surface of the . On the other hand, below the document table 2, a reader 23 including a CCD element is arranged. The reader 23 is movable in the left-right direction in the figure, and is configured to scan a document placed on the document table 2. Image information obtained by the reader 23 is sent to the laser unit 22 as an electrical signal.

The lower part of the transfer drum 21 and the paper feed cassette 1
5 and the bypass paper feed tray 6, paper feed conveyance devices 24 and 25 are arranged, respectively. Each paper feed conveyance device 24, 25 is composed of a paper feed guide and a plurality of paper feed rollers. Between the transfer drum 21 and the paper discharge tray 4, a paper discharge conveyance device 26 and an image fixing device 27 are arranged in order from the transfer drum 21 side. A separation claw 28 for separating the recording paper on the transfer drum 21 from the transfer drum 21 is provided between the transfer drum 21 and the paper discharge conveyance device 26 .

Next, details of the attachment portion of the outer frame member 14 are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In these figures, inside the copying machine main body 1, a pair of Accuride (registered trademark) 30 are arranged in the front-rear direction (vertical direction in FIG. 2). The Accuride 30 has one end connected to the rear panel 1 of the copying machine main body 1.
Consists of a fixing member 31 with a U-shaped cross section fixed to a, an intermediate slide member 32 that is slidable within the fixing member 31, and a slide member 33 with a U-shaped cross section that supports the intermediate slide member 32 in a slidable manner. has been done. The intermediate slide member 32 and the slide member 33 can protrude forward from the copying machine main body 1 through an opening 34 formed in the front panel 1b. Further, a paper feed roller 20 is arranged at an upper position between each of the fixing members 31. Paper feed roller 20
is rotatably supported by a rotating shaft 29 disposed in the front-rear direction.

The outer frame member 14 is a box-shaped member, and left and right side plates 14a and 14b are fixed to slide members 33 of the Accuride 30, respectively. Further, the outer frame member 14 has openings at the top and bottom (top and bottom in FIG. 3). A cassette case 5 is arranged inside the outer frame member 14. Outer frame member 1
A support shaft 35 is inserted through the front and rear side plates 14c and 14d of the cassette case 4 and one end of the cassette case 5 (the side away from the paper feed roller 20). The cassette case 5 is rotatable around a support shaft 35. Furthermore, a pair of protrusions 36 that protrude downward are provided at the lower part of the cassette case 5 on the side away from the support shaft 35 . Each protrusion 36 is formed with a long hole 36a extending in the vertical direction. On the other hand, on the inner surface of the side plate 14b of the outer frame member 14, a pair of connecting members 37 extending in the front-rear direction are fixed. A pin 38 is attached to each connecting member 37 to be inserted through the elongated hole 36a. Further, in the lower part of the cassette case 5, on the side of the protrusion 36, there is a
A pair of rails 39 are fixed.

Further, a coil spring 41 is attached to the paper feed cassette 15 installed in the cassette case 5 to generate an appropriate paper feed pressure depending on the size of the paper 40 to be accommodated.

At the center of the side plate 14c of the outer frame member 14, a protrusion 42 made of, for example, resin is provided to protrude rearward. On the other hand, on the rear panel 1a, a locking portion 43 made of resin, for example, is provided at a position corresponding to the projection 42 to releasably lock the projection 42. These projections 42 and locking portions 43 constitute a catch mechanism.

Next, FIGS. 4 and 5 show cross-sections taken along line AA in FIG. 2. Note that FIG. 5 shows a state in which the cassette case 5 is placed in the cassette accommodating part 45, and FIG.
2).

In these figures, a support plate 50 provided on the front panel 1b (FIG. 2) side of the copying machine main body 1 has a support plate 50 that is attached to the support plate 50 in the front-rear direction (left-right direction in FIGS. 4 and 5) above the paper feed roller 20. One end of the plate 51 extending to is fixed. The plate 51 has two slits 51a extending in the front-rear direction.
formed in places. On the other hand, a slide member 52 is arranged below the plate 51. The front and rear ends of this slide member 52 are each bent downward, and the rotating shaft 29 is inserted through each of the bent portions 52a and 52b. With each bent portion 52a, 52b, the rotating shaft 29 is
It is rotatably supported and moves integrally with the slide member 52 in the axial direction. Further, the upper part of the slide member 52 has a slit 5 of the plate 51.
A screw 53 inserted through 1a is screwed together from above. With this screw, the slide member 52 is supported by the plate 51 so as to be slidable in the front and rear directions.

Further, a coil spring 54 is installed in a tensioned state between the support plate 50 and the slide member 52. Each end of the coil spring 54 is locked to the support plate 50 and the lower part of the slide member 52, respectively. Due to the spring force of this coil spring 54, the slide member 52 is always urged forward (to the left in the figure) together with the rotating shaft 29. The support plate 50 also has a cylindrical protrusion 5 that protrudes rearward.
5 is provided. One end of the rotating shaft 29 is inserted into the hole 55a of the protrusion 55, and the rotating shaft 29 can freely slide within the hole 55a. Further, an abutment plate 56 extending downward is attached to the bent portion 52b of the slide member 52. The side plate 14c of the outer frame member 14 can come into contact with this contact plate 56 from the left side in the figure. Also, paper feed roller 2
A pair of rollers 60 and 61 are provided below the roller 0. Each roller 60, 61 is rotatable around a support shaft 60a, 61a extending in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. Further, the lower surface of the rail 39 fixed to the lower part of the cassette case 5 has an inclined surface 39a whose protrusion amount increases toward the front, and a recessed portion 39b formed continuously with the inclined surface 39a. The recess 39b is adapted to engage with the upper portions of the rollers 60, 61 (see FIG. 5).

Next, the operation will be explained. When installing the paper feed cassette 15 in the cassette housing section 45 (FIG. 2), first remove the outer frame member 14 and cassette case 5 toward the front side of the copying machine body 1 (see FIG. 2), and then insert the cassette The paper feed cassette 15 is installed inside the case 5. Next, the outer frame member 14 is pushed into the copying machine main body 1. Outer frame member 14
Then, the cassette case 5 moves to the cassette accommodating section 45 side via the Accuride 30. Then, when the cassette case 5 comes close to the cassette accommodating section 45, the rail 39 at the bottom of the paper feed cassette case 5 comes into contact with the rollers 60 and 61 (see FIG. 4). When the outer frame member 14 is further pushed in from this state, the inclined surface 39a of the rail 39
1, the cassette case 5 rotates around the support shaft 35, and the end of the cassette case 5 on the rail 39 side is gradually lifted.

On the other hand, due to the movement of the outer frame member 14, the side plate 1
4c comes into contact with the contact plate 56 (FIG. 4). When the outer frame member 14 is further pushed in from this state, the slide member 52 to which the abutting plate 56 is fixed expands the coil spring 54.
Against the spring force of this coil spring 54, the outer frame member 14,
The slide member 52 and the rotating shaft 29 move integrally. As a result, relative movement between the paper feed cassette 15 and the paper feed roller 20 in the cassette case 5 is eliminated, and lateral displacement of the paper due to interference with the paper feed roller 20 is prevented.

When the paper feed cassette 15 in the cassette case 5 is located below the paper feed roller 20, the upper part of the roller 60 fits into the recess 39b of the rail 39 (FIG. 5). At this time, the paper 40 in the paper feed cassette 15 is transferred to the paper feed roller 20.
Press from below (Figure 6). In this way, the paper feed cassette 15 is arranged within the cassette storage section 45. Also,
When the paper feed cassette case 5 is placed in the cassette accommodating part 45, the projection part 42 fixed to the side plate 14c of the outer frame member 14 is inserted into the locking part 43 on the front panel 1a,
The protruding portion 42 is locked to the locking portion 43.

In this case, the protrusion 42 of the catch mechanism
However, since it is attached to the outer frame member 14 which does not move in the vertical direction, the protrusion 42 is reliably locked to the locking part 43. This reliably prevents the outer frame member 14 and paper feed cassette case 5 from slipping out of the cassette accommodating portion 45 due to vibrations from the floor surface or the like during the copying operation. Moreover, since the paper feed cassette case 5 is supported by the outer frame member 14 via the support shaft 35, vertical rattling is less likely to occur. Thereby, the paper 40 is reliably pressed against the paper feed roller 20, and the paper feed performance is improved.

[Other Embodiments] (a) The protrusion 42 is attached to the side plate 14 on the front side of the outer frame member 14.
It may be attached on d. In this case, a locking portion for locking this protrusion is arranged on the front panel 1b of the main body 1 of the copying machine.

(b) In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a case in which the cassette case 5 is rotatably supported, but it may also be applied to a case in which the entire paper feed cassette case 5 is supported in a vertically movable manner. The same applies.

[0028]

Effects of the Invention In the paper feed cassette device for an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the fixing portion is fixed to the support portion that supports the paper feed cassette case. It can be fixed and reliably prevents the paper feed cassette case from slipping out from the cassette storage section.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a copying machine to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the attachment portion of the outer frame member.

FIG. 3 is a schematic front view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Copy machine body 5　Cassette case 14 Outer frame member 15 Paper cassette 20 Paper feed roller 29 Rotation axis 42 Protrusion 43 Locking part 45 Cassette storage section

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A paper feed cassette device for an image forming apparatus for arranging a paper feed cassette in a cassette accommodating portion having a paper feed roller such that it can be inserted and removed in the direction of the rotational axis of the paper feed roller. , a paper feed cassette case to which the paper feed cassette is removably attached; a support part that is movable in the direction of the rotational axis of the paper feed roller and supports the paper feed cassette case in a vertically movable manner; A paper feed cassette device for an image forming apparatus, comprising: a fixing portion for detachably fixing the cassette in the cassette storage portion.