JPH05132200A - Paper feed device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make compact a paper feed device equipped with an automatic paper feed passage for feeding a recording paper sheet from a cassette and a manual sheet feed passage for feeding a manually fed recording paper sheet, and enable the device to be installed in small space. CONSTITUTION:In a paper feed device having an automatic paper feed passage 22 paper feeding a recording sheet from a cassette to a register roller 15, and a manual paper feed passage 23 for feeding a manually fed paper sheet, a rotating body 24 for manually feeding a paper sheet is provided at the guide plate 21 of opposite guide plates 20 and 21 forming the passage 22 at a position immediately before the resister roller 15. In addition, the peripheral sections of the rotating body 24 and the resist roller 15 are made to intersect each other.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile or a laser printer, has two paper feed paths, an automatic paper feed path from a cassette and a manual paper feed path. Regarding a paper feeding device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a sheet feeding device provided with two types of sheet feeding paths, an automatic sheet feeding path for feeding sheets from a cassette and a manual sheet feeding path for manually feeding sheets, for example, The structure as shown in FIG. 5 is implemented. That is, by disposing two guide plates 2 and 3 facing each other on the front side of the pair of registration rollers 1, a recording paper (not shown) from a cassette (not shown) is automatically fed. A paper path 4 is formed, a paper feed roller 6 attached to a paper feed roller shaft 5 is disposed at the entrance of the automatic paper feed path 4, and paper is fed to the outer peripheral surface of the paper feed roller 6. A separation member 7 that separates the recording paper sheet by sheet is in contact therewith.
On the other hand, two guide plates 8 and 9 facing each other on the front side of the registration roller 1 are further provided, and a manual paper feed path 10 for feeding the recording paper manually fed by these guide plates 8 and 9 is provided. Has been formed. This manual paper feed path 10
On the front side of, the manual feed roller 12 attached to the manual feed roller shaft 11 and the manual feed roller 14 attached to the manual feed roller shaft 13 are arranged with their outer peripheral surfaces abutting against each other.

In such a structure, the recording paper from the cassette is fed through the automatic paper feed path 4, and after the leading end of the recording paper comes into contact with the registration roller 1, the registration roller is synchronized with the internal mechanism. 1 starts rotating, and the recording paper is carried inside. Further, the manually fed recording paper is fed in the manual feeding path 10 and is carried in by the registration roller 1 which starts rotating in synchronization with the internal mechanism, as in the case of feeding from the cassette. ..

[0004]

In the conventional paper feeding device having the two paper feeding paths 4 and 10 of the automatic paper feeding path 4 and the manual paper feeding path 10, the two directions with respect to the registration roller 1 are provided. Since the independent paper feed paths 4 and 10 are formed, a wide space must be secured to form these paper feed paths 4 and 10.

Further, since the two paper feed paths 4 and 10 merge before the registration roller 1, the space of the merged area becomes small, and the bending of the recording paper occurs before the registration roller 1 starts to rotate. There is also a problem that it is difficult to absorb and the recording paper is damaged.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the invention, an automatic paper feed path for feeding recording paper from a cassette to a registration roller and a manual paper feeding for feeding manually fed recording paper. In a paper feeding device having a path formed therein, a rotating body for manual paper feeding is arranged at a position just before the registration roller of one guide plate of the guide plates facing each other forming the automatic paper feeding path. Then, the outer peripheral portions of the rotating body and the registration roller are alternately crossed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a guide sheet that forms a manual sheet feeding path and faces the rotating body is provided, and recording is performed on a surface of the guide plate facing the rotating body. A plurality of ribs are formed along the paper feeding direction, and an elastic member for guiding the manually fed recording paper toward the registration roller is attached, and the height of the elastic member at the attachment portion to the guide plate is increased. The height is lower than the height of the rib.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the invention, since the rotating body for manual paper feeding also serves as a part of the guide plate forming the automatic paper feeding path, the automatic paper feeding path and the manual paper feeding path are provided. The space required for forming is essentially only the addition of a rotating body to the automatic paper feed path, and the automatic paper feed path and the manual paper feed path can be formed in a narrow space. .. Further, since the outer peripheral portions of the rotating body and the registration roller intersect with each other in an alternating manner, the rotation center of the rotating body and the registration roller are close to each other, which further saves space, and the recording paper fed Is prevented from entering between the rotating body and the registration roller.

According to the second aspect of the invention, since the height of the elastic member at the portion where it is attached to the guide plate is lower than the height of the rib, the recording paper fed along the rib after being manually inserted is on the elastic member. The transition to is smoothly performed.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, a pair of registration rollers 15 are attached to a registration roller shaft 16, and the registration rollers 15 are provided so as to rotate in synchronization with a photoconductor or the like (not shown). A plurality of registration rollers 15 are attached to each of the registration roller shafts 16 at predetermined intervals, as shown in FIG. A sheet feeding roller 18 attached to a sheet feeding roller shaft 17 is provided below the registration roller 15, and an outer peripheral surface of the sheet feeding roller 18 is fed from a cassette (not shown). A separation unit 19 that separates recording sheets (not shown) one by one is in contact. Two guide plates 20 and 21 facing each other are provided between the paper feed roller 18 and the registration roller 15. The two guide plates 20 and 21 are used to guide the registration roller from the cassette. An automatic paper feed path 22 for feeding recording paper is formed for 15.

A portion of one of the guide plates 20 and 21 that is close to the registration roller 15 of the guide plate 21 is cut out, and a manual paper feed path 23 for feeding the manually fed recording paper is formed in this cutout position. A manual feed roller 24, which is a rotating body, is rotatably supported by a manual feed roller shaft 25. A plurality of manual feed rollers 24 are held on the manual feed roller shaft 25 at predetermined intervals as shown in FIG. A guide plate 26 that is connected to the guide plate 21 and that forms the manual paper feed path 23 by facing the manual paper feed roller 24 is provided below the manual paper feed roller 24. Also,
The manual feed roller shaft 2 while penetrating the guide plate 26
A manual feed roller 28, which is held by 7 and is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the manual feed roller 24, is provided. The manual feed roller 24 thus arranged serves as a member for constituting the automatic paper feed path 22 in addition to forming the manual paper feed path 23.

A plurality of ribs 29 are formed on the surface of the guide plate 26 facing the manual feed roller 24 in the paper feed direction of the recording paper. One end of a plurality of elastic members 30 guiding toward the registration rollers 15 is located between the adjacent ribs 29 and attached. The portion of the elastic member 30 attached to the guide plate 26 is lower than the height of the rib 29.

Next, the manual feed roller 24 and one of the registration rollers 15 are arranged such that their outer peripheral portions cross each other in an alternating manner. Further, the curved surface between the manual feed roller 24 and the registration roller 15 and the space in front of the registration roller 15 surrounded by the guide plate 20 can bend the leading end side of the fed recording paper. It is defined as part 31.

In such a structure, when the paper is fed from the cassette, the recording papers separated by the separating member 19 one by one are conveyed along the guide plate 21, and the recording papers are further separated. Is guided by the outer peripheral surface of the manual feed roller 24 and the elastic member 30, and rises in the automatic paper feed path 22. The leading edge of the recording paper is the stationary registration roller 1
5 and stops, and the excess feed amount is absorbed by bending at the bending portion 31. Then, from this state, the registration roller 15 starts rotating in synchronization with the internal mechanism such as the photoconductor, so that the recording paper is fed into the inside of the apparatus. Here, since the manual feed roller 24 and the registration roller 15 have their outer peripheral portions alternately intersecting each other, the leading end of the fed recording paper is prevented from entering between the manual feed roller 24 and the registration roller 15. To be done.

When the paper is manually fed, the fed recording paper is conveyed along the guide plate 26, further on the rib 29, and at the same time, the elastic member 30 and the manual feed roller 24. Guided by and manual paper feed path 2
Ascend within 3. Then, the recording paper that has been manually fed is collided with the registration roller 15 whose leading end is stationary and stopped, and is bent at the bending portion 31, as in the case of the recording paper fed from the cassette. Results in
The registration roller 15 that has started to be rotated sends the toner to the inside of the apparatus. Here, since the attaching portion of the elastic member 30 to the guide plate 26 is lower than the height of the rib 29, the transfer of the recording paper conveyed on the rib 29 onto the elastic member 30 is smoothly performed, and It is possible to prevent the recording sheet from being damaged by the recording sheet being caught on the portion where the member 30 is attached to the guide plate 26. Since the manual feed roller 24 and the registration roller 15 have their outer peripheral portions alternately intersecting each other, the leading edge of the recording paper fed by manual feeding may enter between the manual feed roller 24 and the registration roller 15. Is prevented.

[0016]

According to the first aspect of the invention, as described above, the automatic paper feed path for feeding the recording paper from the cassette to the registration roller and the manual paper feeding for feeding the manually fed recording paper. In the paper feeding device having the path formed, by arranging the rotary body for manual paper feeding at a position just before the registration roller of one guide plate of the guide plates facing each other forming the automatic paper feeding path. Since this rotating body also serves as a part of the guide plate forming the automatic paper feed path, the space required for forming the automatic paper feed path and the manual paper feed path is substantially automatic. Since only the rotary member is added to the paper feed path, the automatic paper feed path and the manual paper feed path can be formed in a narrow space, and the outer peripheral portion between the rotary body and the registration roller can be formed. Crossing the comrades alternately Therefore, the rotation centers of the rotating body and the registration roller are close to each other, so that the space can be further saved and the fed recording paper can be prevented from entering between the rotating body and the registration roller. According to the second aspect of the present invention, further, a guide plate that forms a manual sheet feeding path and faces the rotating body is provided, and a surface of the guide plate facing the rotating body is provided along the sheet feeding direction of the recording sheet. By forming a plurality of ribs and attaching an elastic member that guides the recording paper fed by hand toward the registration roller, the height of the elastic member to the guide plate is lower than the height of the rib. ,
The recording paper fed along the ribs after being manually fed can be smoothly transferred to the elastic member, and it is possible to prevent the recording paper from being damaged during the transfer.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a guide plate on which a rib is formed and an elastic member is attached.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a manual feed roller attached to a manual feed roller shaft.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a registration roller attached to a registration roller shaft.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 15 Registration Roller 20 Guide Plate 21 Guide Plate 22 Automatic Paper Feeding Path 23 Manual Paper Feeding Path 24 Rotating Body 26 Guide Plate 29 Rib 30 Elastic Member

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A paper feeding device having an automatic paper feeding path for feeding recording paper from a cassette to a registration roller and a manual paper feeding path for feeding manually fed recording paper. A rotary member for manually feeding paper is disposed at a position immediately before the registration roller on one guide plate of the guide plates facing each other forming a paper feed path, and an outer circumference of the rotary member and the registration roller. A paper feeder characterized in that the members of the department cross each other. 2. A guide plate which forms a manual paper feed path and faces the rotating body, and a plurality of ribs are formed on a surface of the guide plate facing the rotating body along a feeding direction of recording paper. In addition, an elastic member for guiding the manually fed recording paper toward the registration roller is attached, and the height of the elastic member at the attaching portion to the guide plate is lower than the height of the rib. The sheet feeding device according to claim 1.