JPH043783A - Sheet feed cassette and printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To save a space and perform printing on multiple types of sheets without replacing sheet feed cassettes each time by forming a nearly vertical sheet passage where sheets can pass on a cassette main body in front of a sheet storage section in which the sheets can be stacked and stored. CONSTITUTION:A sheet passage 26 extended in the nearly vertical direction and having such a size that a sheet can be inserted is formed on a cassette main body 24 in front of a sheet storage section 25. For duplex printing, sheets in a sheet feed cassette 11 in a printer main body 1A are directly guided into the first sheet passage 9, and sheets in a sheet feed cassette 22 are guided into the first sheet passage 9 via a sheet passage 35 in a duplex printing unit 16A and the sheet passage 26 of a sheet feed cassette 11A of the printer main body 1A.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a paper feed cassette equipped with a paper storage section for storing paper in piles, and a printer using this paper feed cassette. The present invention relates to an operable printer and a paper feed cassette used in the printer.

[Conventional technology]

First, a conventional electrophotographic printer capable of double-sided printing will be described with reference to FIG. 6.

In FIG. 6, a printing section 2 is disposed in the center of the printer main body 1. As shown in FIG. The printing unit 2 has a photosensitive drum 3 which is rotatably disposed as an image carrier holding an electrostatic latent image. A charger 4 for uniformly charging 3,
An LED head 5 as an optical writing member that forms an electrostatic latent image on a uniformly charged photosensitive drum 3, a developing device 6 that visualizes this electrostatic latent image with toner and forms a toner image, and transfers the toner image to a sheet of paper. A transfer device 7 that transfers the toner to the photosensitive drum 3, a cleaner 8 that removes residual toner on the photosensitive drum 3, and the like are provided.

Inside the printer main body 1, there is a first paper path 9 that extends horizontally and supplies paper between the photosensitive drum 3 and the transfer device 7.
A fixing device 10 faces the first paper path 9 on the downstream side of the printing section 2 and fixes the toner image transferred to the paper onto the paper using heat and pressure.

Further, a paper feed cassette 11 is attached to the printer main body 1 on the extension of the first paper path 9 on the upstream side of the printing section 2, and the paper feed cassette 11 is stacked and stored. A supply roller 12 is disposed within the printer main body 1 for supplying sheets of paper to the first paper path 9 one by one.

Furthermore, a pair of mutually connected conveyance rollers 13 , 13 are disposed in the first paper path 9 on the upstream side of the printing section 2 , and a pair of conveyance rollers 13 , 13 on the downstream side of the fixing device 10 are arranged. 1
A direction switching member 14 is disposed in the paper path 9, and a paper discharge tray 15 is attached to the printer main body 1 near the direction switching member 14.

A duplex printing unit 16 for inverting the paper and printing on both sides of the paper is removably attached to the printer main body 1.
is the printer main body 1 via the direction switching member 14.
It has a horizontal reversing path 17 that can communicate with the first paper path 9 within.

A pair of conveyance rollers 18.18 that can convey the paper supplied into the reversal passage 17 in either the left or right direction are disposed in the reversal passage 17, and these conveyance rollers 18.18 Reversing passage 17 of one example of printer main body
A second paper path 19 is connected to the second paper path 19 for returning the paper reversely fed from the transport roller 18, 18 side to the first paper path 9 on the upstream side of the printing section 2.

At the connection between the second paper path 19 and the reversing path 17,
A plurality of pairs of transport rollers 13, 13 are provided for transporting the paper from left to right in the figure, and this reversing path 17 opens above the duplex printing unit 16 at its most downstream position. There is.

Note that in the printer main body 1, the first paper path 9 is provided.
A third paper path 21 is formed which communicates with the upstream end of the second paper path 19 and the downstream end of the second paper path 19, respectively.

To perform double-sided printing with the above-described configuration, first, the topmost sheet of paper stored in the paper feed cassette 11 attached to the printer main body 1 is moved to the first paper path by driving the supply row 512. 9 and is disposed in the first paper path 9 on the upstream side of the printing section 2.
3, and conveyed in the first paper path 9 from right to left in the figure.

On the other hand, a toner image corresponding to the print information is sequentially formed on the photosensitive drum 3 of the printing section in synchronization with the conveyance of the paper, and the toner image is transferred to the photosensitive drum 3 and the transfer device 7 by the action of the transfer device 7. are sequentially transferred onto the top surface of the paper passing through.

After that, the toner image transferred onto the paper is fixed on the paper by pressure and temperature when the paper passes through the fixing device 10,
Further, the paper is transferred to the second paper path 1 by the direction switching member 14.
9, and the direction switching member 20 causes the transport rollers 18,
18 and conveys the paper so as to take a position beyond the direction switching member 20 to the rear end of the paper.

When the trailing edge of the paper passes the direction switching member 20, the driving of the transport rollers 18, 18 is stopped, and the direction of the direction switching member 20 is switched to introduce the paper in the reversing path 17 into the second paper path 19. Then, the transport rollers 18, 18 are driven in the opposite direction to introduce the paper in the reversing path 17 into the second paper path 19 from the rear end. Then, the plurality of pairs of transport rollers 13.13 disposed in the second paper path 19 transport the paper, and the paper is transferred to the first paper path 9 again via the third paper path 21 in the printer main body 1.
to be introduced within. At this time, the back side of the paper, on which printing has not yet been performed, faces the photosensitive drum 3.

Therefore, the toner image corresponding to the print information formed on the photosensitive drum 3 is sequentially transferred onto the upwardly facing back surface of the paper by the action of the transfer device 7 in synchronization with the conveyance of this paper, and then the toner image corresponding to the print information formed on the photosensitive drum 3 is sequentially transferred onto the upwardly facing back surface of the paper. After being fixed on the paper, the paper being conveyed by the switched direction switching member 14 is ejected to the paper ejection tray 15.

In this way, printing can be performed on both sides of the paper.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the conventional printer described above, the paper feed cassette 11 is installed on one side of the printer main body 1, while the paper output tray 15 is installed on the other side of the printer main body 1, and the Considering the movement of workers, the front and both sides of the printer main body 1 must be left open, requiring a large space for installing the printer. Therefore, how much printer body 1
Even if it was downsized, effective space savings could not be achieved.

In addition, the paper feed cassette 1 installed in the printer main body 1
1, a part of which protrudes to the side of the printer main body 1. Therefore, when storing large-sized paper, the size of the paper cassette 11 also increases in accordance with the size of the paper, and the paper cassette 11 does not fit into the printer. It was supposed to protrude significantly to the side of the main body 1. Furthermore, in order to perform printing using paper of multiple sizes, it is sometimes necessary to replace the paper feed cassette.

The present invention overcomes the above-mentioned problems with the conventional paper, effectively saves space, and has a simple configuration that allows printing on multiple types of paper without having to replace paper cassettes each time. It is an object of the present invention to provide a paper feed cassette for configuring a printer, and a printer that uses this paper feed cassette to save space.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a paper feed cassette according to the present invention is provided with a paper feed cassette consisting of a cassette body in which paper is stacked and a hanging paper storage section is formed. The cassette main body in front of the storage section is characterized by forming a substantially vertical paper path through which the paper can pass.

Further, in the printer according to the present invention, a cassette storage section that opens to the side is formed in the printer main body including the printing section, and the paper can be passed through the cassette storage section into the cassette main body in front of the paper storage section. A paper feed cassette formed with a vertical paper path is stored so that the paper path is located at the front, and a cassette storage section is formed below the printer main body in the same direction as the printer main body. At least one paper feed unit is arranged in a stacked manner, and each cassette storage section of at least the second or higher paper feed unit from the lowest position is provided with a paper feed unit that communicates with the paper path of the paper feed cassette in the printer main body. It is characterized by housing a paper feed cassette that forms a paper path in the vertical direction.

[For production]

Since the paper feed cassette with the above-mentioned configuration has a paper path in the vertical direction, such a paper feed cassette is stored in the cassette storage section of the paper feed unit, and the paper feed unit is installed at the bottom of the printer body. If installed in the printer, paper from the lower paper feed unit can be transported upward through the paper path of the paper feed cassette, allowing paper of multiple sizes to be transported through the printer body without creating a separate paper path. It can be supplied to the printing section. In addition, since the printer main body and the cassette storage section of each paper feed unit are formed in the same direction, it is possible to form the paper ejection section of the printer main body in the opening direction of the cassette storage section or on the top of the printer main body. Since all operations can be performed only from the side, it is possible to simplify the configuration and achieve downsizing and space saving.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be explained below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. Note that components that are the same as or correspond to those of the prior art described above are designated by reference numerals in the drawings, and their explanations will be omitted.

1 and 2 show an embodiment of a printer according to the present invention, and in this embodiment, a paper feed unit 22 is disposed at the lowest level. Also, on this paper feed unit 22, a double-sided printing unit 16A for double-sided printing is provided.
are stacked on top of each other, and a printer main body 1A is stacked on top of this double-sided printing unit 16A.

A cassette storage section 23 is formed in the lower part of the printer main body 1 on an acid base (not shown), and this cassette storage section 23 is opened to the outside from the right side in FIG. 1. A paper feed cassette IIA according to the present invention is housed in the cassette storage portion 23 so as to be insertable and removable from the right side in the figure.

The paper feed cassette 11A has a paper storage section 25 which is open at the top in the cassette main body 24, and in the cassette main body 24 in front of the paper storage section 25, there is a paper storage section 25 extending in the vertical direction. A paper path 26 is formed having dimensions that allow one sheet of paper to be inserted therethrough. The dimensions of the paper through which this paper path 26 is inserted are not limited to the dimensions of the paper in this paper feed cassette 11A. ing.

Further, the lower end of the paper passage 26 is widened to facilitate the introduction of paper, while the upper end of the paper passage 26 is connected to the first paper passage 9 for supplying paper to the printing section 2. It is arranged at an angle in order to improve the introduction of the paper.

On the top surface of the printer main body 1A, there is a paper discharge I/ray 15A.
is formed in a convex shape. Further, a curved paper discharge passage 27 for discharging paper to the paper discharge tray 15A branches upward from the first paper passage 9 on the downstream side of the fixing device 10, and a curved paper discharge passage 27 for discharging the paper to the paper discharge tray 15A branches upward. A direction switching member 28 is disposed in the first paper path 9 so that the paper being conveyed through the first paper path 9 can be selectively introduced into the paper discharge path 27 .

In the first paper path 9 on the downstream side of the direction switching member 28,
A descending passage 29 is formed which communicates with the first paper passage 9 and allows the paper to descend, and the downstream end of this descending passage 29 opens laterally. A pair of transport rollers 30A and 30B are disposed outside the downstream end of the descending passage 29 for guiding the paper in the descending passage 29 to the outside of the descending passage 29. A reversing passage 17A extending upward is formed on the downstream side of the reversing passage 17A. The conveyance rollers 30A and 30B move the paper to the reversing path 17.
In order to push diagonally upward in the A direction, the imaginary line segment connecting the axes is inclined, as shown in detail in FIG. The transport roller 30A is a driven roller that is in pressure contact with the transport roller 30B.

The reversing passage 17A extends to the lower end of the printer main body 1A below the conveying roller 30B, and the conveying roller 30C, which is a driven roller that conveys the paper in the reversing passage 17A downward, is driven by the conveying roller 30B, which is a driving roller. It is arranged so that it comes into pressure contact with the

By the way, the conveyance roller 30B is connected to the descending passage 29.
from the reversing path 17A by both conveyance rollers 30A and 30B.
In order to reliably introduce the trailing edge of the paper introduced in
As shown in Figure A, on the outer periphery of the conveyance roller 30B,
At least one (two in the figure) engagement piece 31 is attached along the outer periphery of the conveyance roller 30B to guide the rear end of the sheet toward the conveyance roller 30C.

Each engagement piece 31 is attached to a support bin 32 as shown in FIG. 4B.
The spring member 33 causes a smooth curved engagement surface 34 to protrude toward the outer circumferential side of the transport roller 30B, and engages with the trailing edge of the paper to move the paper in the direction of the transport roller 30C. It is designed to guide you. In addition, each engaging stand piece 31 is connected to other conveyance rollers 30A, 30.
When it comes into contact with G, it resists the spring force of the spring member 33 and retreats inside the conveyance roller 30B.

In the double-sided printing unit 16A located below the printer main body 1A, there is a reversing passage 17 of the printer main body 1A.
A second sheet for re-feeding the reversed paper to the printing unit 2 of the printer main body 1A so as to move forward from the rear end at A.
A paper path 19A is formed.

The upstream end of this second paper path 19A is communicated with the downstream end of the reversing path 17A when the printer main body 1A is installed above the duplex printing unit 16A, and the second paper path The intermediate portion 19A extends in the horizontal direction so that the paper can be transported by a plurality of pairs of transport rollers 13.13.

Furthermore, in the front part of the double-sided printing unit 16A, there is a vertical paper path that communicates with the paper path 26 of the paper feed cassette IIA of the printer main body 1A when the printer main body 1A is installed above the double-sided printing unit 16A. 35
A downstream end of the second paper path 19A is communicated with this paper path 35, so that the paper is conveyed upward within the paper path 35.

A cassette storage section 36 is formed in the paper feed unit 22 located below the double-sided printing unit 16A on an elevator plate (not shown), and this cassette storage section 36 is located on the right side in FIG. It is now open to the outside world. A large-capacity paper feed cassette 11 is housed in the cassette storage portion 36 so as to be freely inserted and removed from the right side in the figure.

In addition, a paper feed cassette 11 is provided in the paper feed unit 22.
A supply roller 12 is disposed for taking out sheets of paper stacked one by one in the paper feed unit 2.
2, another paper passage 37 is formed for introducing the paper taken out by the supply roller 12 into the paper passage 35 of the duplex printing unit 16A.

Incidentally, a cassette drawer portion 38 is formed in each of the main body 1A of the printer and the paper feed unit 22 in FIG.

Next, the operation of this embodiment having the above-described configuration will be explained.

To perform double-sided printing, first, the paper feed cassette 11 installed in the printer main body 1A or the paper feed unit 22 is
The uppermost one of the sheets is taken out by the drive of the supply roller 12, and the paper is taken out from the paper cassette 11 in the printer main body 1A.
Paper in the paper feed unit 22 is introduced directly into the first paper path 9, while paper in the paper feed unit 22 is introduced through the paper path 35 in the duplex printing unit 16A and the paper path 26 in the paper feed cassette 11A of the printer main body 1A. The paper is introduced into the first paper path 9 through the paper.

On the other hand, a toner image corresponding to the print information is sequentially formed on the photosensitive drum 3 of the printing section in synchronization with the conveyance of the paper, and the toner image is transferred to the photosensitive drum 3 and the transfer device 7 by the action of the transfer device 7. are sequentially transferred onto the top surface of the paper passing through. Thereafter, the toner image transferred onto the paper is fixed on the paper by pressure and temperature as the paper passes through the fixing device 10, and then the paper is introduced into the descending path 29 by the direction switching member 28 and further lowered. The paper is caught in the conveyance rollers 30A and 30B at the downstream end of the passage 29 and transferred to the reversing passage 17A.
to be introduced within.

When the rear end of the paper passes between the transport rollers 30A and 30B, the rear end of the paper is moved in the rotational direction of the transport roller 30B by an engagement piece 31 protruding outward from the outer periphery of the transport roller 30B by a spring member 33. Convey roller 30C along
direction, and finally the trailing edge of the paper is transferred to the conveyance roller 3.
Insert it between 0B and 30G. Then, the paper is introduced from the rear end into the second paper path 19A of the duplex printing unit 16A, and from there it is introduced into the paper feed cassette 11 of the printer main body 1A.
The paper is again supplied to the printing section 2 of the first paper passage 9 via the paper passage 26 of A. At this time, the back side of the paper, on which printing has not yet been performed, faces the photosensitive drum 3.

Therefore, the toner image corresponding to the print information formed on the photosensitive drum 3 is sequentially transferred onto the upwardly facing back surface of the paper by the action of the transfer device 7 in synchronization with the conveyance of this paper, and then the toner image corresponding to the print information formed on the photosensitive drum 3 is sequentially transferred onto the upwardly facing back surface of the paper. After being fixed on the paper, the switched direction switching member 28 introduces the paper into the paper discharge path 27, from which the paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray 15A on the top surface of the printer main body 1A.

In this way, printing can be performed on both sides of the paper.

According to the embodiment described above, the paper feed cassette 11 can be replaced at the front of the printer main body 1A and the paper feed unit 22, and the paper output tray 15A is formed on the top surface of the printer main body 1. , printer main body IA, double-sided printing unit 16A, and paper feed unit 22
There are no members provided on the rear or both sides that require any manipulation. Therefore, the only part that needs to be opened for installing the printer is the front side of the printer body 1, so a large space is not required for installing the printer. In addition, since the paper path W126 is formed in the paper feed power set 11A itself, there is no need for a special paper path inside the printer body 1A, and even if printing with multiple types of paper is possible, it is easy to use. The configuration allows for miniaturization. Note that since the descending passage 29 is provided and the reversing passage 17A is disposed upright, size reduction can also be achieved in this respect.

On the other hand, if the transport roller 30B, which is a driving roller for introducing the paper into the reversing path 17A, is rotated only in the counterclockwise direction, the paper can be reversed and re-supplied to the printing unit 2, so the transport roller 30B The motor that drives the can be made inexpensive. Roughly, conveyance roller 30B
By pressing the two transport rollers 30A and 30C into contact with each other, it is possible to supply the paper introduced from the descending passage 29 to the reversing passage 17A to the second paper passage 19A without providing a direction switching member.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, and in this embodiment, the duplex printing unit 1 in the first embodiment is
A paper feed unit 22A is provided in place of the paper feed unit 6A. In this embodiment, the paper feeding unit 22
The paper feed cassette 11A with the paper passage 26 is installed in the cassette storage section 23 in the printer main body 1A from the same direction as the paper feed cassette 11A in the printer main body 1A. It has become.

According to such a configuration, double-sided printing cannot be performed, but 3
Printing can be performed on sheets of various sizes, and the same effects as in the embodiments described above can be achieved.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the two embodiments described above, and can be well applied to printers that use insulating or magnetic image carriers, and can be modified in various ways as necessary. is possible.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the printer according to the present invention using the paper feed cassette according to the present invention, it is possible to effectively save space, and it is possible to print on multiple types of paper with a simple configuration, so that the paper feed cassette according to the present invention is used. This has an excellent effect in that it can be carried out without replacing the paper cassette.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 4 show an embodiment of the printer according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a longitudinal side view of the printer, and FIG.
The figure is a perspective view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the conveyance roller of FIG. 1, FIGS. 4A and B are explanatory views of the retaining piece of the conveyance roller of FIG. 3, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of a conventional printer. 1.1A...printer body, 2...printing section, 9...
・First paper path, ii, iiΔ...paper feed cassette, 1
6゜16A...Double-sided printing unit, 17.17A...
- Reversing path, 19.19A...second paper path, 22.
22A...Paper feeding unit, 23...Cassette storage section, 24...Cassette main body, 25...Paper storage section, 2
6... Paper path, 27... Paper discharge path, 30.30A
, 30B... Conveyance roller, 31... Engagement piece. Applicant's agent Shunsuke Nakao Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) In a paper feed cassette consisting of a cassette body in which a paper accommodating portion capable of stacking and storing sheets is formed, the cassette body in front of the paper accommodating portion has an approximately longitudinal direction through which the sheets can pass. A paper feed cassette characterized by forming a paper path. 2) A cassette storage section that opens laterally is formed in the printer main body equipped with a printing section, and a substantially vertical paper path is formed in this cassette storage section through which paper can pass through the cassette main body in front of the paper storage section. at least one paper feeding unit that stores a paper feeding cassette with its paper path facing toward the front, and has a cassette storage section formed below the printer main body in the same direction as the printer main body. are arranged in a stacked manner, and a substantially vertical paper path communicating with a paper path of the paper feed cassette in the printer main body is formed in each cassette storage section of at least the second or higher paper feed unit from the bottom. A printer characterized by storing a paper feed cassette.