JPH05193768A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve operability of supply of a recording paper sheet, to integrally form various feed paper sheet trays, and to form the paper sheet feeding part body of an image forming device in a compact size by a method wherein directions in which paper sheets are fed by a plurality of paper sheet feeding means in each of right and left rows arranged in two rows are all pointed in the outer directions at the right and the left of the image forming device. CONSTITUTION:Paper sheet feeding devices 4A-4C in three stage are arranged on the right side in a diagram of the lower part of a duplicator body. Directions in which recording paper sheets S1 are fed by the paper sheet feeding devices 4A-4C are all pointed to the central part of the duplicator body on the right side in a diagram. The recording sheets S1 conveyed from the paper sheet feeding devices are conveyed approximately in a vertical rising state by means of a guide plate 41 and intermediate conveyance rollers R4 and R5. A large capacity recording paper sheet feed tray 4D1 capable of containing recording paper sheets S2 is positioned and arranged on an elevating paper sheet feed table. The recording paper sheets S2 contained in the paper sheet feed tray 4D1 are fed from an upper layer to the left side in a diagram. This constitution improves operability of supply of recording paper sheets.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet recording sheet feeding device in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, and more particularly to an arrangement of a plurality of sheet feeding trays in a front loading type sheet feeding device. Is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, sheet-like recording papers (transferred sheets) accumulated in a paper cassette that can be pulled out and a large-capacity paper tray having a paper feed table elevating means have been conventionally used. A paper feeding device is provided for sequentially picking up one sheet at a time from the top or the bottom and feeding it to an image recording unit or the like.

For example, in order to transfer a toner image formed on an image forming body onto a transfer material in a timely manner, a recording paper conveyed from a paper feed cassette through a pickup roller and a feed roller is abutted against a registration roller in advance and loosened. Is stopped in the state where the sheet is formed, the registration roller is driven in synchronization with the scanning start operation of the optical system for reading the document information, and the recording sheet is nipped and conveyed to the transfer area.

An automatic double-sided recording function (ADU) capable of recording images on both sides of a recording paper and an automatic multiplex recording function (RAD)
In the image forming apparatus including U), generally, an intermediate stack tray for temporarily storing the recording paper on which one side has been recorded and a recording paper re-feeding device are provided below the image forming unit. The recording paper is sent out, separated and fed, and conveyed. Conventionally, the paper feed cassette and the large-capacity paper feed tray are mounted on the side surface of the main body of the copying machine and can be detached or moved. Therefore, not only a large operation space is required on the side of the main body of the copying machine, but there is a problem in terms of operability.

In recent years, many front loading type sheet feeding devices have been put into practical use in which a sheet feeding cassette or the like can be pulled out from the operator's front side. With this type of paper feeder,
Although a plurality of paper feed cassettes are arranged in a row below the main body of the copying machine, the height of the copying machine is restricted due to the operability of the copying machine.
The paper feed cassette generally has three to four stages.

On the other hand, according to the user's needs, a plurality of kinds of paper feed cassettes, a large capacity paper feed tray (LCT), an automatic double-sided recording function (ADU), etc. are provided to use recording papers of various sizes. Functional copiers are needed.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to meet the above-mentioned market requirement specifications of large-capacity paper feed trays and a large number of paper feed cassettes, the frequency of replacement of paper feed cassettes increases and operability increases. There are problems such as problems and enlargement of the copying machine body.

Further, if a plurality of paper feed trays are arranged in left and right columns, a jam paper processing space and a vertical conveyance unit space required for each paper feed tray are required, and the copying machine main body becomes large.

[0009]

According to the present invention, by arranging a plurality of front loading type paper feed cassettes and a large capacity recording paper storage tray of the same type in two columns in the lower part of the main body of the image forming apparatus, The purpose of the present invention is to improve the operability of replenishing recording paper, integrate a multi-purpose paper feed tray, downsize a paper feed unit main body of an image forming apparatus, and facilitate jam processing.

In the image forming apparatus of the present invention which achieves the above object, the toner image formed on the image carrier by the image forming means is transferred onto the recording paper fed from the paper feeding tray of the paper feeding means. In the image forming device that is discharged outside the machine,
Below the image forming means, a plurality of recording paper feeding means are arranged in two rows on the left and right sides, and each of the paper feeding trays is of a front loading type which can be drawn out to the operator side, and is arranged in the two rows. The present invention is characterized in that each of the plurality of paper feeding means in each of the left and right rows feeds and feeds each paper feed direction toward the outer left and right direction of the image forming apparatus main body.

The left and right paper feed trays arranged in two rows are
One of them is a large size and the other is a small size.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below based on the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram including an optional device of an image forming apparatus (copier) to which the paper feeding device of the present invention is applied. In the figure, 1 is an automatic document feeder (AD
F), 2 is a scanning exposure optical system, 3 is an image forming unit, 4 is a recording sheet feeding unit (paper feeding unit), 5 is a recording sheet conveying unit, 6 is a fixing device, 7 is a sheet discharge reversal switching conveying unit, 8 Is a recording paper feeding unit (ADU) for double-sided recording, 9 is a second recording paper feeding unit,
10 is a sorter for sorting and organizing the recording paper discharged from the main body of the copying machine. The dashed line in the figure is the recording paper (transfer paper).
The transport path of S is shown.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the recording paper conveying means of the copying machine. The upper body of the copying machine includes a scanning exposure optical system 2 arranged below a platen glass 21, a charger 32 around a photosensitive drum (image carrier) 31, a developing unit 33, and a transfer unit.
An image forming unit 3 including a separator 34, a separator 35, and a cleaning device 36, a recording sheet conveying unit 5 that conveys an image-formed recording sheet by a belt, a fixing unit 6, and a sheet discharge reversal switching conveying unit 7.
And a recording paper conveying unit (ADU) for double-sided recording. The lower main body of the copying machine is a paper feeding unit in which a plurality of recording paper feeding means (paper feeding means) 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D are arranged. The sheet feeding devices 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D
As shown in the plan view of FIG. 3, all of the recording sheets S1 and S2 fed by are arranged such that the long sides of the recording sheets are orthogonal to the sheet feeding direction indicated by the arrow, and each sheet feeding cassette 4A1.
(4B1, 4C1) and the paper feed tray 4D1 are positioned and housed on the basis of one side reference (BL).

Three stages of sheet feeding devices 4A, 4B and 4C are provided on the lower right side of the copying machine main body in the figure. A paper feed cassette 4A1 can be pulled out to the operator's front side when replenishing the recording paper in the upper paper feed device 4A. Similarly, the sheet feeding cassette 4B1 is attached to the sheet feeding device 4B in the middle stage, and the sheet feeding cassette 4C1 is attached to the sheet feeding device 4C in the lower stage so as to be drawn out. These paper feed cassettes 4A1 and 4B
1 and 4C1 have almost the same structure except that the heights and partition plates differ from each other according to the number of sheets of the recording paper S1 to be stored, and therefore, the upper sheet feeding cassette 4A1 and the sheet feeding cassette 4A1 are mainly used. Paper means will be described.

The upper sheet feeding device 4A includes a sheet feeding table 4A2 for accommodating the sheet feeding cassette 4A1 at a predetermined position and fixing it.
From a cassette unit composed of a movable bottom plate 4A3 in the housing of the sheet feeding cassette 4A1, a push-up lever 4A4 that pushes up the movable bottom plate 4A3 in a vibrating manner, a vibration shaft 4A5 that vibrates and drives the push-up lever 4A4, and a driving unit (not shown). It is composed of a recording paper pushing-up mechanism and a paper feed mechanism portion including a pickup roller 4A6, a feed roller 4A7, a reverse roller 4A8, and a conveying roller 4A9. The middle sheet feeding device 4B and the lower sheet feeding device 4C have the same configuration as the upper sheet feeding device, and since these sheet feeding devices are known sheet feeding mechanisms, detailed description thereof will be omitted. The sheet feeding devices 4A, 4B, and 4C accommodate large-sized recording sheets of maximum size A3 (or 11 ″ × 17 ″).

The sheet feeding direction of the recording sheet S1 by each of the sheet feeding devices 4A, 4B and 4C is toward the central portion of the copying machine main body on the right side in the drawing, and the recording sheet S1 conveyed from each sheet feeding device is , The guide plate 41 and the intermediate conveying rollers R4, R5 ascend vertically, and further pass through the intermediate conveying rollers R3, R2 in the upper main body of the copying machine and then the registration roller R.
To 1.

From the three stages of the sheet feeding devices 4A, 4B, and 4C on the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction and further to the left in the drawing, 1000 to 1000
A large-capacity recording paper feed tray (LCT) 4D1 capable of accommodating 3000 sheets of recording paper S2 is positioned and arranged on the elevating paper feed table, and can be pulled out to the front side of the operator when the recording paper is replenished. In addition, the maximum size A is included in the LCT.
4 size (or 3.5 ″ × 11 ″) small size recording paper is stored.

Above the large-capacity paper feed tray 4D1,
A sheet feeding mechanism section similar to the sheet feeding mechanism sections (4A6 to 4A9) is provided, and the recording sheet S2 stored in the sheet feeding tray 4D1 is fed from the upper layer to the left side in the drawing. The fed recording paper S2 is lifted, made a U-turn, and horizontally conveyed, and then the intermediate stack tray 81 in the double-sided recording paper conveying means (ADU) provided in the upper main body of the copying machine.
It is conveyed rightward in the horizontal direction by the conveyance rollers R81, R82, and R83 provided below the sheet, and further rises to the above-mentioned 3
It merges with the conveyance path from the sheet feeding devices 4A, 4B, and 4C,
Further, the registration roller R1 is passed through the intermediate conveying roller R2.
Through the transport route to.

A second recording paper feeding means 9 can be connected to the right side of the main body of the copying machine, and the three paper feeding devices 9 are connected.
A, 9B, 9C enables large-scale paper feeding of about 4,500 sheets. The three paper feed trays of these paper feed devices can also be pulled out to the front side of the operator when recording paper is replenished. The recording sheet S3 sent out from these sheet feeding trays by the sheet feeding means is conveyed to the upper main body of the copying machine via the intermediate conveying roller R9,
The intermediate transfer roller R2 reaches the registration roller R1.

Inside a paper feed passage formed by a pair of fixed and movable guide plates 41 provided on the left side of the three-stage paper feed devices 4A, 4B and 4C and two pairs of intermediate conveying rollers R3 and R4. When a paper jam (jam) of the recording paper S1 occurs at, the movable guide plate 41 and the driven rollers R3 and R4 supported by the movable guide plate 41 are opened to the left to open the paper feed path to remove the jammed paper. Can be easily removed. When the movable guide plate 41 is opened, the right side surface of the copying machine body has a space that can be opened, so that the movable guide plate 41 can be sufficiently opened to easily inspect the paper feed path and perform jam processing.
Even when the optional second recording paper feeding means 9 is connected to the main body of the copying machine, the movable guide plate 41 can be opened because there is a space below the connecting portion of the feeding means 9.

Further, the paper feed cassettes 4A1, 4B1, 4C
1, there is no recording paper conveyance path or paper feeding means between the large-capacity recording paper feed tray (LCT) 4D and the three right-sided paper feed cassettes 4A1 to 4C1.
And the left-hand side paper feed tray 4D can be arranged close to each other,
The copier body can be made compact.

Furthermore, since a space without obstacles is formed on the left side of the large-capacity recording paper feed tray (LCT) 4D1 in the figure, a sufficient space for jam processing in the paper feeding means can be obtained.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of front loading type paper feed cassettes or large capacity recording paper feed trays are arranged in two rows and columns in the lower part of the main body of the image forming apparatus, and are in an oppositely-opposed configuration. By doing so, it is possible to achieve an integrated structure of the apparatus main body of the multi-type sheet feeding tray, an improvement in the operability of recording paper replenishment, an easy jam processing, and a compact image forming apparatus main body.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus to which a multiple sheet feeding device of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of a recording paper conveyance unit of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the positioning of the recording paper size and the transport direction.

[Explanation of symbols]

3 Image Forming Means 31 Photosensitive Drums 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D Recording Paper Feeding Means (Paper Feeders) 4A1, 4B1, 4C1 Paper Feed Cassette 41 Guide Plate 4D1 Large Capacity Recording Paper Feed Tray (LCT) 8 Double Sided Recording Recording paper conveying means (ADU) 81 Intermediate stack tray 9 Second recording paper supplying means 9A, 9B, 9C Paper feeding tray R1 Registration roller R2, R3, R4 R81, R82, R83, R9 Intermediate conveying rollers S, S1, S2 S3 recording paper

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus for transferring a toner image formed on an image bearing member by an image forming unit onto a recording sheet fed from a sheet feeding tray of a sheet feeding unit and discharging the image outside the apparatus. Below the image forming means, a plurality of recording paper feeding means are arranged in two rows on the left and right sides, and each of the paper feeding trays is of a front loading type that can be drawn out to the operator side, and the left and right rows are arranged on the two rows. An image forming apparatus, characterized in that each of a plurality of sheet feeding means in each row is configured so that all feeding directions are directed to the left and right outer sides of the image forming apparatus main body. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the feed direction from the feed tray is A3 size long-side feed. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of the left and right two-row paper feed trays has a large size and the other has a small size.