JPH04903B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] The image forming apparatus (electronic printer, etc.) of the present invention includes:
It has another tray (hereinafter referred to as sub-tray) that is separate from the original tray (hereinafter referred to as main tray) that receives printed paper, and by installing the sub-tray in the device, the direction in which the paper is ejected can be changed. The main tray side is switched to the sub tray side, and the front and back sides of the ejected paper are automatically reversed.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus using cut paper, such as an electrophotographic device or a copying machine, and particularly relates to a face-up tray (a tray in which the paper is stored with the image forming surface facing upward) and a face-down tray (in which the paper is stored with the image forming surface facing upward). The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a function of freely using a tray (a type of tray in which the image is stored with the forming surface facing downward).

[Conventional technology]

Conventional image forming devices are often manufactured with two types, one for the face-up method and the other for the face-down method, from the design stage, or when it becomes necessary to equip one device with both functions, options are available. This was handled by adding a tray that was prepared as a product.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, installing the tray and its switching mechanism requires specialized skills, and there are problems such as long switching times, so there is a strong need to develop an image forming device that can easily handle this problem. It was requested.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a main tray installed to receive paper on which an image has been formed and processed in the apparatus main body, and a main tray that is arranged to place the paper into the main tray in a predetermined front-back relationship. The paper guide is configured to be able to move the paper introduction end of the paper guide, and a tray guide for a sub-tray is installed adjacent to the paper introduction path for the paper guide, and the paper guide is inserted into the tray guide. The paper guide and the end portion are displaced in response to an actuating surface provided on a part of the subtray to connect the paper introduction path to the subtray, and when the subtray is inserted, the main tray is connected to the main tray. The sheets on which images have been formed are discharged onto the sub-tray with the front-back relationship reversed to the front-back relationship of the stacked sheets.

[Effect]

The image forming apparatus configured in this manner can switch the paper ejection direction from the main train side to the subtray side by a simple operation of inserting the subtray into the paper guide.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be described in detail below based on embodiment figures.

FIGS. 1a and 1b are side sectional views of essential parts of an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, where a shows a state in which a subtray is not installed, and FIG. 1b shows a state in which a subtray is installed.

As shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, the image forming apparatus of the present invention has a paper 1 discharged from a discharge roller
A main tray 1 that accumulates sheets 10 in a face-down state, a tray guide 5 that removably supports a sub-tray 2 that accumulates sheets 10 in a face-up state, and ejected sheets 1.
The paper guide 3 is equipped with a paper guide 3 for switching the feeding direction of paper sheets. The paper guide 3, which has a cam 11 formed at its tip, is supported by a pin 4 disposed approximately at the midpoint between the main tray 1 and the tray guide 5 so as to be freely displaceable in the direction of arrow X-X'. has been done.

Below is a diagram of paper being ejected to the main tray side.
In the case of , and the paper is ejected to the sub tray side (Figure b)
Each case will be explained.

(1) In the case of Fig. 1 a Since the subtray 2 is not inserted into the tray guide 5, the cam 11 formed at the tip of the paper guide 3 is pulled in the direction of arrow X' by the spring 6. and is in contact with the stopper 7.

Therefore, the paper guide port 8 of the paper guide is located directly above the ejection roller 9 that constitutes the paper introduction path, and the paper 10 ejected from the ejection roller 9 is transferred from the paper guide port 8 to the paper guide 3. The sheet enters the inside of the container, advances therein in the direction of arrow A, and is sent out to the main tray 1 side by the delivery roller 12 in a face-down state (with the image forming surface F facing downward).

(2) In case of Fig. 1 b Sub-tray 2 inserted into tray guide 5
The cam 1 is operated by the cam operating surface 13 provided at the tip of the
1 is pressed in the direction of the arrow X, and the paper guiding port 8 of the paper guide 3 also changes its position in the direction of the arrow X accordingly. For this reason, the ejected paper 10 cannot proceed to the paper guide port 8, but instead proceeds in the direction of arrow B along the tray guide 5 and is accumulated on the subtray 2 in a face-up state (with the image forming surface F facing upward). be done.

As is clear from the above description, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, when the sub tray 2 is not inserted into the tray guide 5, the paper 10 is inserted into the main tray 1.
When the sub-tray 2 is inserted into the tray guide 5, the paper is ejected face-down to the sub-tray 2 side.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the image forming apparatus of the present invention includes
The one-touch operation of attaching and detaching the sub-tray allows
Since it is possible to select between face-up and face-down, the user's labor can be reduced, and there is a cost advantage in that a single device can perform both functions.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1a and 1b are side sectional views of essential parts showing an embodiment of the present invention, in which figure a shows a state with the sub-tray removed;
b shows the state in which the sub-tray is attached. In the figure, 1 is the main tray, 2 is the sub tray, and 3 is the main tray.
is paper guide, 4 is pin, 5 is tray guide, 6
1 is a spring, 7 is a stopper, 8 is a paper guide port, 9 is a discharge roller, 10 is a paper, 11 is a cam, 12 is a delivery roller, and 13 is a cam operating surface.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A main tray 1 installed to receive paper with images formed thereon processed by the apparatus main body, and a paper guide 3 for guiding the paper to the main tray in a predetermined front-back relationship. , The paper introduction side end of the paper guide is configured to be displaceable, and a tray guide 5 for the subtray 2 is installed adjacent to the paper introduction path to the paper guide, and a part of the subtray to be inserted into the tray guide is configured to be movable. The paper guide 3 is configured to displace the end portion of the paper guide 3 in response to a provided operating surface to communicate the paper introduction path with the sub-tray, and when the sub-tray is inserted, the front and back relationships of the paper stacked on the main tray are changed. An image forming apparatus characterized in that, on the contrary, sheets on which images have been formed are discharged onto a sub-tray with the front and back sides facing each other.