JPH045474Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an improvement of a paper feed cassette installed in a paper feed section of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and a printer.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, as shown in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-127037, a cassette body in which recording paper is stored,
In order to easily insert recording paper into the cassette body in a cassette body including a recording paper loading plate provided in the cassette body and a lid body for opening and closing the upper end opening of the cassette body, The recording paper mounting plate is configured to be pushed down in response to the opening operation of the lid. In other words, the push-down arm protruding from the front end of the lid comes into contact with the upper surface of the tip of the recording paper mounting plate in response to the opening operation of the lid, and the pressing arm protrudes from the front end of the lid, and the recording paper mounting plate is pushed onto the base end of the recording paper mounting plate. It is pushed down by swinging around a provided rotation fulcrum.

The above-mentioned paper feed cassette is usually configured so that the push-down arm touches the tip of the recording paper mounting plate so that the recording paper mounting plate can be pushed down with a small amount of force, and the lid body is opened wide. A pivot shaft, which serves as a pivot point for the lid body and the push-down arm, is provided near the front end of the cassette body so that the recording paper can be easily inserted. For this reason, the lid cannot be opened when the paper cassette is attached to the paper feeding section of the image forming apparatus, and recording paper cannot be inserted unless the paper cassette is removed from the paper feeding section. .

In addition, in order to be able to open the lid with the paper feed cassette attached to the paper feed section, it is possible to position the pivot a predetermined distance behind the front end of the cassette body. There was a problem that the opening angle of the lid could not be set large because the recording paper loading plate reached the lower end position before the lid was fully opened, making it difficult to insert the recording paper. .

(Purpose of the invention) The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is a paper feed cassette configured such that the recording paper mounting plate is pushed down in response to the opening operation of the lid. The purpose of this invention is to allow recording paper to be easily inserted by widening the lid with the paper feeding cassette attached to the paper feeding section of an image forming apparatus.

(Structure of the invention) The paper feed cassette according to the invention includes a cassette body in which recording paper is stored, a recording paper mounting plate disposed in the cassette body so as to be movable up and down, and this recording paper mounting plate. In a paper feed cassette that is equipped with a biasing device that biases upward and a lid that is openable and closable at the upper end opening of the cassette main body, the recording paper is loaded against the biasing force of the biasing device. A push-down member for pushing down the plate is provided separately from the lid, the base end of the push-down member is rotatably supported by a support shaft, and the tip of the push-down member is attached to the recording paper. An actuating piece is provided on the lid, which is disposed at a position opposite to the tip of the loading plate, and which comes into contact with the pressing member during the opening operation of the lid and starts the pressing operation of the recording paper loading plate. It was established.

With this configuration, the operating piece comes into contact with the push-down member when the lid is opened to a certain extent, and after the opening operation of the lid is started, the recording paper loading plate starts to descend after a predetermined timing delay.

(Embodiment) FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of a paper feed cassette 1 according to the present invention. It includes a lid 3 provided at the opening and a recording paper mounting plate 4 provided within the cassette body 2. This recording paper mounting plate 4 is swingably supported around a support shaft 5 protruding from the left and right sides of the base end, and biasing means 6 consisting of a compression spring or the like disposed below the tip. is forced upwardly through the
The front end of the recording paper A accommodated in the cassette main body 2 is brought into pressure contact with a paper feed roller or the like (not shown). Furthermore, a brake member 7 made of a material with a high friction coefficient such as a rubber material is disposed on the upper surface of the tip of the recording paper mounting plate 4, and a brake member 7 is provided on the upper surface of the recording paper mounting plate 4, and a brake member 7 is provided on the upper surface of the recording paper mounting plate 4, and a brake member 7 is provided on the upper surface of the recording paper mounting plate 4. Notches 9 corresponding to the recording paper guide members 8 are formed.

The lid body 3 is rotatably supported at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the front end of the cassette body 2 via a horizontal shaft 10 protruding from the side of the front end, so that the upper end opening of the cassette body 2 can be opened. It is attached to the section so that it can be opened and closed. Further, on the left and right front sides of the lid 3, there is provided a push-down member 11 that pushes down the tip of the mounting plate 4 in response to the opening operation of the lid 3, and the base end of the push-down member 11 is rotatably supported by a support shaft consisting of the horizontal shaft 10, and the tip of the push-down member 11 is disposed at a position opposite to the tip of the recording paper mounting plate 4. As shown in FIG. 3, there are front end surfaces 12 on the left and right sides of the front end of the lid 3 when the lid 3 is opened to a certain extent.
An actuating piece 13 is provided in a protruding manner to push down the tip of the push-down member 11 by contacting the upper side of the push-down member 11;
In addition, the lid 3 is located inside the side part of the push-down member 11.
A projecting piece 14 is formed that comes into contact with the side of the leading end of the recording paper loading plate 4 and pushes it down in response to the opening operation.

The recording paper guide member 8 projects upward from the notch 9 of the mounting plate 4 when the lid 3 is fully opened and the recording paper mounting plate 4 is lowered to the maximum depressed position. A height H is set at . Further, a regulating plate 15 is provided inside the side plate of the cassette body 2 to regulate the side edge of the recording paper.

When inserting recording paper into the paper feed cassette 1 configured as described above, hold the rear end of the lid 3 and rotate the lid 3 about the horizontal axis 10 until it is in the open position. Migrate. Then, when the lid body 3 is opened to a certain extent, the front end surface 12 of the actuating piece 13 comes into contact with the upper side of the push-down member 11, and the tip of the push-down member 11 is pushed down. The leading end of the recording paper mounting plate 4 is pushed down against the biasing force of the biasing means 6. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, when the lid body 3 is moved to the maximum open position, a space for inserting the recording paper is formed above the pressed-down recording paper loading plate 4, and a space for inserting the recording paper is formed. The recording paper guide member 8 protrudes upward from the notch 9 of the mounting plate 4, and the brake member 7 provided at the tip of the recording paper mounting plate 4 is positioned below the recording paper guide member 8.

In this way, the lid 3 and the push-down member 11 are formed separately, and the operation piece 13 starts pressing down the recording paper mounting plate 4 when the lid 3 is opened to a certain extent. Even if the horizontal shaft 10, which serves as the rotational fulcrum of the lid 3, is positioned a predetermined distance back from the front end of the cassette body 2, the recording paper cannot be loaded before the lid 3 is fully opened, as in the conventional device described above. It is possible to prevent the plate 4 from reaching the maximum lowered position and becoming unable to open any further, and the opening angle of the lid 3 can be set to a large value. Therefore, there is no need for the complicated operation of removing the paper feed cassette 1 from the paper feed section of the image forming apparatus when inserting recording paper, and the lid can be removed while the paper feed cassette 1 is attached to the paper feed section. The body 3 can be opened wide and recording paper can be easily inserted into the cassette body 2. Further, the base end of the push-down member 10 is rotatably supported by a horizontal shaft 11, and the tip of the push-down member 10 is arranged at a position opposite to the tip of the recording paper mounting plate 4. This push-down member 10
Since the distal end of the recording paper loading plate 4 is brought into contact with the distal end of the recording paper loading plate 4 and pressed downward, the horizontal shaft 10, which serves as the rotational fulcrum of the lid body 3, is aligned with the horizontal shaft 10 of the cassette body 2 as described above. Even though it is located a predetermined distance rearward from the front end, the recording paper mounting plate 4 can be smoothly pushed down with a slight force.

Further, in the above embodiment, a recording paper guide member 8 is provided protruding from the upper surface of the bottom wall of the cassette main body 2, and a notch 9 corresponding to the guide member 8 is provided in the recording paper mounting plate 4.
is provided, and when the recording paper mounting plate 4 is pushed down in response to the opening operation of the lid body 3, the recording paper guide member 8 moves into the notch 9.
Since the brake member 7 is configured to protrude upward from the top and is positioned below the recording paper guide member 8, the recording paper does not come into contact with the brake member 7 when inserting the recording paper, and is guided along the recording paper guide member 8. This has the advantage that it can be inserted smoothly into the cassette main body 2.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which a recording paper mounting plate 4a is connected to a rear member 17 whose base end is pivotally supported to the cassette main body 2 via a pivot 16; It is formed with a front member 19 which is connected to the tip part thereof in a freely bendable manner via a thin hinge part 18,
When the recording paper mounting plate 4a is pushed down via the push-down member 11 in response to the opening operation of the lid body 3, the rear member 17 engages with the locking member 20 protruding from the upper surface of the bottom wall of the cassette body 2. The structure is such that only the front member 19 is pushed down without being pushed down below the reference line L for recording paper insertion due to contact.
Even with such a configuration, as in the above embodiment,
When inserting the recording paper, the recording paper inserted along the rear member 17 is prevented from coming into contact with the brake member 7 provided on the front member 19, and the recording paper can be smoothly inserted into the cassette main body 2. can.

In the above embodiment, the actuation piece 13 is provided with the front end surface 12 made of a predetermined inclined surface to delay the actuation timing of the push-down member 11. The above-mentioned activation timing may be delayed by means such as.

(Effects of the invention) As explained above, in the present invention, the lid body and the pressing member for the recording paper mounting plate are formed separately, and
An actuating piece is provided that contacts the push-down member during the opening operation of the lid and starts pushing down the recording paper mounting plate, so that the rotation fulcrum of the lid can be moved a predetermined distance from the front end of the cassette body. Even if it is located at the rear, the opening angle of the lid can be set large. Therefore, when inserting recording paper, there is no need for the complicated operation of removing the paper feed cassette from the paper feed section of the image forming apparatus, and the lid can be opened with the paper feed cassette attached to the paper feed section. Two effects can be achieved at the same time: recording paper can be inserted into the cassette body by opening the lid, and recording paper can be inserted smoothly by setting the opening angle of the lid large.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the paper feed cassette according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the paper feed cassette, FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the lid in an open state, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention. 1...Paper feed cassette, 2...Cassette body, 3
. . . Lid body, 4 . . . Recording paper mounting plate, 6 .

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A cassette body in which recording paper is stored, a recording paper mounting plate disposed in the cassette body so as to be movable up and down, a biasing means for urging the recording paper mounting plate upward, and a cassette main body. In a paper feed cassette equipped with a lid that can be opened and closed at the upper end opening, a push-down member that presses down the recording paper mounting plate against the biasing force of the biasing means is separate from the lid. The base end of the push-down member is rotatably supported by a support shaft, and the tip of the push-down member is disposed at a position opposite to the tip of the recording paper mounting plate. A paper feed cassette, characterized in that the lid is provided with an actuating piece that comes into contact with the pressing member during the opening operation of the lid and starts a pressing operation of the recording paper loading plate.