JPH0524708A - Paper-sheet guide device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To inexpensively and smoothly transfer paper sheets with simple structure. CONSTITUTION:In a paper-sheet guide device provided with a first transfer passage 1, a second transfer passage 2, and a third transfer passage 3 where the first transfer passage 1 and the second transfer passage 2 are joined together; a thin-plate-shaped guide means 5 which is extended from the joining point 4 of the first transfer passage 1 and the second transfer passage 2 in the transfer direction and a part of which is abutted on the inside wall of the third transfer passage 3 or positioned in the vicinity of the inside wall thereof is provided, and a part A6 (not shown) of the guide means 5 of a prescribed length from the foremost end is made more flexible than the remaining part B7 (not shown) thereof.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet guide device for conveying sheets of an image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus in which a plurality of paper feed cassettes can be mounted has a first feed path for feeding paper from one paper feed cassette and paper feed from another paper feed cassette. And a sheet conveyed from the first conveying path and the sheet conveyed from the second conveying path are conveyed to a pair of conveying rollers provided on the upstream side. In order to do so, the first transport path and the second transport path merge, and a third transport path extending toward the pair of transport rollers is provided.

When a sheet in the sheet feeding cassette on the first conveying path side is selected, the sheet is conveyed by the sheet feeding roller for the sheet feeding cassette to the third conveying path through the first conveying path to the conveying roller pair side. When the paper is sent and the paper in the paper feed cassette on the side of the second conveyance path is selected, the paper is conveyed by the paper feed roller for the paper feed cassette to the third conveyance path through the second conveyance path and the pair of conveyance rollers. Sent to.

[0004]

However, in the paper guide device as described above, the paper is fed by the first paper feed depending on the carrying direction of the first carrying path, the second carrying path and the third carrying path, and the way of merging. When the roller conveys the sheet to the third sheet feeding roller through the first conveying path, the conveying direction of the sheet changes at a steep angle, and the leading edge of the sheet conveyed through the second conveying path is changed. There is a case where it is unavoidable to change the direction by hitting the inner wall of the third conveyance path, and in such a case, there is a problem that the sheet is not smoothly fed to the side of the conveyance rollers and is bent in the third conveyance path.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems of the conventional paper guide device, and an object of the present invention is to provide a paper guide device which has a simple structure, is inexpensive, and can smoothly convey a paper. It is a thing.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a first transport path, a second transport path, and a third transport path in which the first transport path and the second transport path are merged into one. In a sheet guide device provided, a thin plate-shaped guide that extends from the confluence of the first transport path and the second transport path in the transport direction and abuts on the inner wall of the third transport path or a part of which is located near the inner wall. The guide means is a paper guide device in which the part A having a predetermined length from the leading end is more flexible than the remaining part B.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the paper in the paper feed cassette is supplied to the first conveying path, the paper passing through the first conveying path hits the portion B of the guide means which is hard to bend, and the conveying direction is surely changed. Of the other sheet feeding cassette, which is guided to the side of the conveyance roller via the third conveyance path, is fed to the second conveyance path, and the paper that has passed through the second conveyance path is the tip of the guide means. Is guided to a gap between the inner wall of the third conveying path, a portion of which abuts or is located in the vicinity of the inner wall, and the flexible portion A of the guide means, and the tip of the guide means is smoothly pushed down and fed downstream.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a part of an image forming apparatus equipped with a paper guide device according to the present invention. That is,
A paper feed cassette 14 that stores paper for the first transport path 1 is provided in a part of the image forming apparatus. Paper cassette 1
4, a pickup roller 13 for supplying a sheet is provided, a guide plate 18 for guiding the sheet is provided on the downstream side of the pickup roller 13, and a guide plate 18 is provided in the middle of the guide plate 18. A paper feed roller 10 for conveying the paper is provided on the upper side, and a friction pad roller 11 for preventing double feeding of the paper is provided on the lower side. The guide plate 18 has an inclined surface 19 for guiding the paper to the downstream side of the friction pad roller 11.
Is provided, and from the paper feed roller 10 to the inclined surface 19 is the first
The conveyance path 1 is formed. The guide means 5 is attached to the confluence 4 near the tip of the inclined surface 19. The tip 8 is provided so as to contact the inner wall on the upper side of the third transport path 3.

Further, below the paper feed cassette 14, another paper feed cassette, a pickup roller, a guide plate, a paper feed roller, a friction pad roller, etc. are provided in the same manner as described above (not shown), and the guide plate A conveyance roller 22 for feeding the sheet to the second conveyance path 2 is provided on the downstream side of the inclined surface. The second transport path 2 is the above-mentioned first transport path 1
And the third conveyance path 3 are formed.

The downstream side of the third conveying path 3 is formed by two guide plates 21a and 21b for guiding the sheet, and the conveying roller pair 12 is arranged close to the downstream side of the guide plates 21a and 21b. Is provided. The photosensitive drum 16 is provided further downstream of the conveying roller pair 12 via a guide plate or the like.
A registration roller pair 15 is provided for feeding the sheet to the sheet.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the guide means of the above embodiment.

As shown in the figure, in order to make the part A6 of the elastic thin plate-shaped guide means 5 easier to bend than the part B7, a slit of a predetermined length is formed in the part A6 from its tip 8. A plurality of 19 are provided and a part B7 is left as it is.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

When the paper of the paper feed cassette 14 is selected to transfer the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 16, the pickup roller 13 supplies the paper stored in the paper feed cassette 14 to the paper feed roller 10 side. To do. The fed paper is sent to the first transport path 1 by the paper feed roller 10 which rotates in the arrow direction along the surface of the guide plate 18. At this time, when a plurality of sheets are overlapped and supplied to the sheet feeding roller 10, the lower sheet is not conveyed by the frictional force of the friction pad roller 11 on the lower side and abuts on the sheet feeding roller 10. Only one is sent (see Figure 1).

As shown in FIG. 2, when the sheet 17 is sent to the first conveying path 1, the sheet 17 moves diagonally upward right along the inclined surface 19, and the leading end of the sheet 17 is guided by the guide means 5. The part B7 is hit and the conveyance direction is bent to the left. At this time, the sheet 17 absorbs the deflection normally generated in the sheet 17 by the elastic force of the part B7 of the guide means 5,
It is conveyed along the surface of the guide means 5 to the conveying roller pair 12 side.

When a sheet in another sheet feeding cassette (not shown) provided below the sheet feeding cassette 14 is selected, the sheet feeding roller (not shown) on the sheet feeding cassette side is used to perform the same operation as described above. The sheet thus sent is sent to the carrying roller 22 of FIG. 1, and is sent to the second carrying path 2 by the carrying roller 22. At this time, as shown in FIG.
The leading edge of the sheet 17 sent to the transport path 2 hits an inner wall formed on the curved surface of the third transport path 3, and is bent to the left along the curved surface. Then, it is conveyed along the gradually narrowing gap between the inner wall on the side where the tip 8 of the guide means 5 abuts and the guide means 5. When the front end of the paper 17 reaches the vicinity of the front end 8 of the guide means 5, a part A6 including the front end 8 of the guide means 5 is formed so as to bend more easily than a part B7. The sheet 17 smoothly passes through the inner wall between the inner wall and the tip 8 of the guide means 5 and is conveyed to the pair of conveying rollers 12.

In this way, whether the sheet 17 is conveyed from the first conveying path 1 or the second conveying path 2, the guide means 5 has a part A on the leading end 8 side thereof.
The paper 17 can be smoothly fed to the third transport path 3 by utilizing the flexibility of No. 6 and the flexibility of the remaining part B7.

Although the guide means of the above-mentioned embodiment changes flexibility by providing a plurality of slits, the flexibility is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. Part A is made thinner than part B.
(B) The entire thickness of the guide means 5 is reduced, and a part B is doubled so as not to bend. (C) The thickness of the guide means 5 is inclined so that the mounting portion of the guide means 5 is thick and the tip 8 is thin. (D) The material of part A of the guide means 5 is made more flexible than the material of part B. It is also possible to Further, although the part A of the guide means 5 is in contact with the inner wall in the above-mentioned embodiment, it may be positioned in the vicinity of the inner wall without making such contact.

[0020]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a part A having a predetermined length from the tip and a remaining part B are provided.
Since it is provided with a guide means that is more flexible, it has the advantages that the configuration is simple, the cost is low, and the paper can be smoothly transported.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a part of an image forming apparatus including a sheet guide device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view explaining the operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating the operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the guide means of the embodiment.

5A is a schematic sectional view of guide means of another embodiment, FIG. 5B is a schematic sectional view of guide means of another embodiment, and FIG. 5C is another schematic view. FIG. 6D is a schematic cross-sectional view of the guide means of the embodiment, and FIG. 7D is a schematic cross-sectional view of the guide means of another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1st transport path 2 Second transport path 3rd transport path 4 confluence 5 Guide means 6 part A 7 Part B

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A paper guide device comprising a first conveyance path, a second conveyance path, and a third conveyance path formed by merging the first conveyance path and the second conveyance path into one. Extending from the confluence of the first transport path and the second transport path in the transport direction,
The guide means is provided with a thin plate-shaped guide means abutting against the inner wall of the third transport path or a part of which is located in the vicinity of the inner wall, and the guide means has a part A having a predetermined length from the tip end and the remaining part. A paper guide device that is more flexible than B. 2. The part B of the guide means is hard to bend to the extent that the sheet conveyed to the first conveying path can be redirected to the third conveying path, and the part A is the first portion. 2. The sheet conveyed to the second conveying path is easily bent to such an extent that it does not prevent the sheet from passing through between the tip of the guide means and the inner wall of the third conveying path with which it abuts. Paper guide device described.