JPH05330670A - Sheet stacking base for paper feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a paper feeding device with a sheet stacking base reduced in the number of part items for positioning stacked sheets so as to attain cost reduction by rotating a cam plate with a pair of side fences respectively engaged with it, and forming cam grooves, moved laterally interlocking these side fences, at the cam plate. CONSTITUTION:Sheets S are stacked on a sheet stacking base 20, and a cam plate 40 is rotated appropriately according to the size of the stacked sheets S. Then cam grooves 45, 45 are guided to move laterally with the center as the mutual reference while interlocking side fences 35, 35 respectively so that the side fences 35, 35 are brought into contact with the side edges of the stacked sheets S to perform the positioning of the stacked sheets S. At this positioning time, an end fence 36 also moves interlockingly with the rotation of the cam plate 40, and this end fence 36 is brought into contact with the rear ends of the stacked sheets S. With this simple constitution of moving the side fences by the rotation of the cam plate, a small number of part items is sufficient for the positioning of the stacked sheets so as to prevent cost increase.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention
It can be applied to facsimiles, copiers, printers, etc. More specifically, the present invention can be applied to a sheet feeding device that is provided in such a printer or a copying machine and rotates a sheet feeding roller to feed a sheet such as a sheet or a document into the apparatus main body. More specifically, it relates to a sheet stacking stand such as a sheet feed cassette or a sheet feed tray for stacking sheets fed by such a sheet feeder.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in, for example, FIG.
Is provided so as to be movable to the left and right in the sheet conveying direction A. Each side fence 1.1 is a rack 2.2
Were mounted in parallel, and the racks 2 and 2 were connected via a pinion 3 that meshes with them.

Then, after the sheets S are stacked on the sheet stacking base 4, one side fence 1 is moved toward the other according to the size of the stacked sheets S. Then, the other side fence 1 is interlocked with each other through the meshing of the racks 2 and 2 and the pinion 3, and the side fences 1.1 move to the left and right. Then, the side fences 1.1 are applied to the side edges of the stacked sheets S, and the stacked sheets S are positioned at predetermined positions with the center line L as a reference.

[0004]

However, in this conventional sheet stacking stand 4, since the side fences 1.1 are moved by using the racks 2.2 and the pinions 3, the number of parts is increased and the cost is increased. There was a problem that it would be higher.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to reduce the number of parts for positioning the stacked sheets in the above-described sheet stacking table and to reduce the cost.

[0006]

Therefore, the present invention provides
For example, as shown in the following illustrated embodiment, a pair of side fences 35, 35 are provided so as to be movable left and right in conjunction with each other with a center as a reference, and sheets S are stacked and the side fences are stacked according to the size of the stacked sheets S. A cam plate 40 is provided on the sheet stacking table 20 of the sheet feeding device 19 that moves 35, 35 and applies them to the side edges of the stacked sheets S,
The pair of side fences 35, 35 are engaged with each other, and the cam plate 40 is rotated, whereby the side fences 35, 35 are interlocked to move to the left and right.
45 is formed on the cam plate 40.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, for example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, in the sheet stacking table 20 of the sheet feeding device 19 according to the first aspect, a pinion 50 is provided at the rotation center of the cam plate 40. A rack 51 that meshes with the pinion 50 is provided, and an end fence 36 that applies to the rear end of the stacked sheets S according to the sheet size is attached to the rack 51.

[0008]

Then, the sheets S are stacked on the sheet stacking table 20, and the cam plate 40 according to the size of the stacked sheets S.
Rotate as appropriate. Then, the side fences 35, 35 are guided by the cam grooves 45, 45 to move side by side with respect to each other with the side fences 35, 35 interlocked with each other and applied to the side edges of the stacked sheets S to position the stacked sheets S.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, at the time of positioning, the end fence 36 also moves in association with the rotation of the cam plate 40, and the end fence 36 is applied to the rear end of the stacked sheets S.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 shows an overall schematic configuration of a laser printer including a sheet stacking base which is an embodiment of the present invention.
Reference numeral 10 in the figure denotes the apparatus main body. The apparatus main body 10 is provided with a photoconductor 11 substantially in the center thereof, and a charger 12, an optical writing device 13, a developing device 14, a transfer device 15, and a cleaning device 16 are sequentially arranged around the photoconductor 11. Then, as the photoconductor 11 rotates clockwise in the figure, the surface of the photoconductor 11 is uniformly charged by the charger 12, and then the optical writer 13
To irradiate a laser beam to form an electrostatic latent image, and toner is attached to the electrostatic latent image by the developing device 14 to form a visible image.

On the other hand, a sheet feeding device 19 is provided on the lower right side of the apparatus main body 10 in the figure, and a sheet stacking table 20 is detachably attached thereto. Then, the sheet S stacked on the sheet stacking table 20 is fed out by rotating the sheet feeding roller 21 and abutted against the pair of registration rollers 22 to be stopped. After that, photoreceptor 1
The registration roller 22 is rotated in synchronism with the rotation of 1 to convey the sheet S, and the transfer device 15 transfers the visible image on the surface of the photoconductor 11 to the sheet S. After the image transfer, the sheet S is conveyed to the fixing device 23, the transferred image is fixed by the fixing device 23, and then the sheet S is discharged to the paper discharge unit 25 through the paper discharge path 24. On the other hand, after the image transfer, the surface of the photoconductor 11 is cleaned by the cleaning device 16.

By the way, the sheet stacking table 20 is, as shown in detail in FIG. 1, a box-shaped cassette 28 whose upper side is opened.
Equipped with. The bottom plate 29 of the cassette 28 has a side guide groove 29a on a straight line in a direction perpendicular to the center line L.
-29a is provided symmetrically, and the end guide groove 29b is provided on the center line L on the rear plate portion 30 side. The side guide grooves 29a and 29a are respectively provided with downward guide shafts 35a and 35 of the side fences 35 and 35.
The side fences 35, 35 are provided so as to be movable along the side guide grooves 29a, 29a. A downward guide shaft 36a of the end fence 36 is inserted into the end guide groove 29b, and the end fence 36 is movably provided along the end guide groove 29b.

Further, the sheet stacking base 20 is provided with a downward support shaft 39 on the center line L on the lower surface of the bottom plate portion 29, and a cam plate 40 is rotatably mounted around the support shaft 39. The cam plate 40 has a disc shape, and a part of the peripheral edge of the cam plate 40 is arranged so as to protrude from the bottom plate portion 29 to the outside. As shown in FIG. 2, the cam plate 40 is provided with cam grooves 45, 45 with which the guide shafts 35a, 35a of the side fences 35, 35 engage.

As shown in FIG. 3, the cam grooves 45, 45 have six linear positioning groove portions 45a, 45b, 45c, which are opposed to each other with the center of rotation 40a interposed therebetween.
45d, 45e, and 45f are formed in parallel. Then, the positioning groove portions 45a, 45a are formed with an interval of a size corresponding to the narrowest B6 size, for example.
The width between the other positioning groove portions is gradually increased to A5.
-B5, EXE, A4, LT / LG sheets are formed with a space corresponding to each sheet size. And
On the peripheral edge of the cam plate 40, sheet size indications 55 of B6, A5, B5, EXE, A4, LT / LG corresponding to the facing positioning grooves 45a, 45b, 45c, 45d, 45e, 45f. I will give it.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the cam plate 40 has a pinion 50 attached to the support shaft 39 at the center of rotation. On the other hand, the end fence 36 has the pinion 5
Attach the rack 51 that meshes with 0. Then, the end fence 36 is movable in association with the rotation of the cam plate 40.

Therefore, in the sheet stacking table 20, when the sheets are stored, as shown in FIG. 1, the sheets S of an appropriate size are stacked on the bottom plate portion 29. Then, for example, when stacking A4 sheets S, the cam plate 40 is set to "A" after stacking.
The sheet is rotated to the angular position where the sheet size display 55 "4" appears. Then, the guide shaft 35a is guided by the cam grooves 45, 45, and the side fences 35, 35 are guided by the side guide grooves 29.
A and 29a move to the left and right in conjunction with each other based on the center. At the same time, the end fence 36 is moved in conjunction with the rotation of the cam plate 40. Then, the side fences 35, 35 are applied to the side edges of the A4 sheet S, and the end fence 36 is applied to the rear end thereof.
The stacked sheet S is positioned at a predetermined position based on the center. Then, the sheet stacking table 20 is attached to the apparatus main body 10 for sheet feeding.

In the illustrated embodiment described above, the cam plate 40 is linearly arranged in the cam grooves 45, 45 so that when the cam plate 40 is rotated by a predetermined angle, the side fences 35, 35 move according to the sheet size. Positioning groove 45b ~
45 g was formed. However, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the cam plate 40 is rotated, the side fence 35.
It is also possible to form the cam grooves 45, 45 by a curved groove as a whole so that the moving position of 35 gradually changes in an analog manner. In that case, in the middle of the cam grooves 45, 45,
The narrow part 45g as shown in (b) is attached to the side fence 35.
-It is formed corresponding to each moving position of 35. And
The cam plate 40 is rotated so that each moving position of the side fences 35, 35 can be confirmed by a click feeling when the guide shafts 35a, 35a hit the narrow portion 45g.

In the illustrated embodiment described above, the sheet stacking base 20 is a detachable and cassette-shaped one, but it is not limited to this and may be, for example, a fixed tray-shaped one.

[0019]

Therefore, according to the present invention, since the cam plate is provided in the sheet stacking table and the side fence is moved by the rotation of the cam plate, the number of parts for positioning the stacked sheets is increased. Can be reduced and the cost can be prevented from increasing.

According to the second aspect, since the end fence is moved in association with the rotation of the cam plate, the positioning work of the stacked sheets on the sheet stacking base can be further simplified. ..

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a sheet stacking table that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the sheet stacking table.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a cam plate of the sheet stacking table.

FIG. 4A is a plan view showing another example of the cam plate, and FIG. 4B is a partially enlarged view showing a narrow portion provided in the cam groove of the cam plate.

FIG. 5 is an overall schematic configuration diagram of a laser printer including the sheet stacking base of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a conventional sheet stacking table.

[Explanation of Codes] 19 Paper Feeding Device 20 Sheet Stacking Table 35 Side Fence 36 End Fence 40 Cam Plate 45 Cam Groove 50 Pinion 51 Rack S Sheet

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A pair of side fences are provided so as to be movable to the left and right in association with each other with a center as a center, sheets are stacked, the side fences are moved according to the size of the stacked sheets, and the side fences are placed on the side of the stacked sheets. A cam plate is provided in the sheet stacking table of the sheet feeding device which is applied to the edge, and the pair of side fences are engaged with each other to rotate the cam plates to move the side fences to the left and right in conjunction with each other. A sheet stacking stand of a sheet feeding device, in which a cam groove is formed in the cam plate. 2. A pinion is provided at the center of rotation of the cam plate, a rack that meshes with the pinion is provided, and an end fence that applies to the rear end of the stacked sheets according to the sheet size is attached to the rack. A sheet stacking table of the sheet feeding device according to Item 1.