JPH0623946U - Positioning mechanism for additional cassette holder - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] When mounting an existing device on the additional cassette holder by mounting it, the additional cassette in the cassette paper feed type image forming device can be easily positioned at the required matching position. A positioning mechanism for a holder is provided. [Structure] A positioning pin 12 is provided in the front part on the bottom surface of the device body 1 of the single cassette, while on the upper surface of a lower cassette holder 2 to be additionally installed below the positioning pin 12, the positioning pin 12 is formed in the notch side. Notch bottom 20 on the front side of the guide
A positioning guide 19 having a V-shaped notch 20 to be received and locked in the aligned position by a is provided.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a cassette holder positioning mechanism which is added as a user option to a cassette paper feeding type image forming apparatus.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 For example, in the case of a cut paper (plain paper) type facsimile machine, a standard single cassette type facsimile machine is selected to meet the needs of each user in order to select the recording paper size according to the size of the received document. It is required to be able to add an additional paper feed cassette as an option.

When a paper cassette is added by a user option, a cassette holder that is usually sold as an option is usually purchased and assembled by the user for use. The single (or multi) cassette type existing device is mounted on the additional cassette holder at the matching position so that the mechanical assembly and electrical connection of both can be performed simultaneously. The stacking method is oriented as the simplest mounting structure.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, when adding cassette holders by this stacking method, it is necessary to manually lift and stack the existing equipment, which is a considerable heavy volume, onto the additional cassette holder. It is difficult to correctly position the on the additional cassette holder at the matching position, so it takes a long time for the installation work, and the work is likely to be tired. Also, due to repeated trial and error in positioning during stacking, the existing equipment being lifted may be accidentally dropped, or it may hit the extension cassette holder locally and damage each other's parts or the exterior cover. The danger is also amplified.

The present invention addresses such a problem, and when the existing device is mounted on the additional cassette holder and mounted, the cassette feeding type can be easily positioned at the necessary matching position between the two devices. The present invention provides a positioning mechanism for the additional cassette holder in the image forming apparatus.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 As a means for achieving the above object, the present invention provides a positioning pin on the bottom surface of the main body of the apparatus or the upper cassette holder, while the positioning pin is provided on the upper surface of the lower cassette holder to be added below this. A positioning guide is provided for guiding and receiving and locking in the aligned position.

[0007]

[Action]

 With this mechanism, the positioning of the existing device when it is lifted and stacked on the additional cassette holder is performed by inserting the positioning pin on the bottom of the former into the positioning guide on the top of the latter, and then using the positioning pin with the positioning guide. This can be done easily by engaging with the existing equipment while guiding.

[0008]

【Example】

 The embodiment will be described in detail. First, FIG. 4 shows an outline of a front-loading W cassette facsimile apparatus F as a specific example of an image forming apparatus of a cassette sheet feeding type to which the present invention is applied. This device F is a separate single-cassette type device main body 1 in which the first-stage paper feeding cassette A is inserted in the bottom part thereof It is constructed by adding the cassette holder 2 of the body, and when the lower cassette holder 2 is added, the existing apparatus body 1 is mounted and mounted on the upper cassette holder 2 at the matching position.

In addition, the outline of the illustrated cut sheet feeding type facsimile apparatus F will be briefly described. Reference numeral 3 is an operation panel provided on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 1 on the front side, and 4 is an original mount for setting a transmission original. Numeral 5 is a recording paper discharge section for discharging the cut recording paper selectively loaded from the paper feed cassette A or B after the image is formed in the image forming section in the main body 1, and 6 is the left side of the apparatus main body 1. A document ejecting unit 7 which is opened on the surface and ejects the document taken in from the document mount 4 to the reading unit in the main body 1, and 7 is a handset for communication.

1 to 3 show the details of a positioning mechanism for an apparatus main body 1 of an existing single cassette and a lower cassette holder 2 to be additionally installed below the apparatus main body 1, together with a mounting / connecting structure for both. ing.

First, the structure of the apparatus main body 1 side will be described. At the center of the bottom portion (bottom plate 8) of the main body 1, a substantially square recess 10 formed of a metal plate 9 is provided. A bracket 11 having a U-shaped cross section is attached to the front part of the recess 10, and a positioning pin 12 is provided so as to project downward from the lower surface thereof.

Further, at the rear portion of the recess 10, a female connector 13 is attached to which wirings on the main body 1 side are connected. The female connector 13 has a mounting portion on both sides which is fixed to stupid holes provided on the inner surface of a recess (not shown) so as to have an appropriate amount of play, and is connected to a male connector (to be described later) provided on the lower cassette holder 2 side. The fitting is done smoothly. A pair of left and right projection engagement holes 15 and 15 for fixing the apparatus body 1 at a position aligned with the lower cassette holder 2 are formed in the sheet metal plate 14 behind the female connector 13.

On the other hand, the structure of the lower cassette holder 2 is as follows. On the upper surface of the lower cassette holder 2, mounting surfaces 16, 16 of a flat main body (or upper cassette holder) integrally formed with the exterior cover are formed on both front and rear sides. A groove-shaped mounting plate 17 made of sheet metal is installed in the front-rear direction at the center of the opening in the middle where the mounting surfaces 16, 16 are interrupted. The mounting plate 17 is formed on both sides of its front portion by bending the upper edge of the mounting plate 17 to the side, and the rails 18 and 18 on which the bracket 11 on the apparatus main body 1 side slides. In addition, a positioning guide 19 is provided on the front end portion of the mounting plate 17 at a floating position which is one step lower than the rails 18, 18, and the positioning pin 12 on the apparatus body 1 side is provided on this positioning guide 19. A notch bottom 20a is formed with a V-shaped notch 20 that is received and locked in the aligned position.

Further, at the rear portion of the mounting plate 17, a male connector 21 on which wirings on the lower cassette holder 2 side are connected, corresponding to the mounting position of the female connector 13 on the apparatus main body 1 side, is mounted on the rear portion. Further, at the rear of the male connector 21, a pair of left and right pins 22, corresponding to the opening positions of the projecting engagement holes 15, 15 on the apparatus main body 1 side, on the main body mounting surface 16. 22 is projected. The pins 22 and 22 serve to fix the apparatus body 1 and the lower cassette holder 2 in the aligned position while being engaged with the projection engagement holes 15 and 15 on the apparatus body 1 side, and at the same time, to the apparatus body 1 When it is aligned on the lower cassette holder 2, it comes into contact with the sheet metal plate 14 on the side of the apparatus main body 1 to play a role of floating the bottom surface on the rear side of the main body on the lower cassette holder 2. It should be noted that, instead of the pins 22 and 22, a roller mounted so as to be rotatable can be used.

In addition, in the figures, 1A and 2B show a cassette insertion opening opened on the bottom front surface of the apparatus main body 1 and the lower cassette holder 2, and 25 shows a bottom plate of the lower cassette holder 2. If necessary, the bottom cassette holder 2 is provided with a mounting structure similar to that of the apparatus main body 1 side. Reference numerals 26 and 27 denote a sheet feeding roller and a registration roller provided on the upper surface side of the lower cassette holder 2, and 28 denotes a stopper projecting from the main body mounting surface 16 on the front side of the positioning guide 19. .

If the above-mentioned positioning mechanism is adopted, when the existing apparatus body 1 is lifted and stacked on the lower cassette holder 2 to be added, the positioning pin 12 provided on the bottom front part of the apparatus body 1 is used. , The lower cassette holder 2 may be inserted into the notch 20 of the positioning guide 19 provided in the front portion of the upper surface of the lower cassette holder 2, and then the apparatus main body 1 being lifted may be pulled toward the front as shown by an arrow IN in FIG. . Then, the V-shaped notch 20 of the positioning guide 19 guides the positioning pin 12 at both sides 20b thereof, and at the locking position where the positioning pin 12 is stopped at the notch bottom portion 20a, both are automatically positioned at the aligned position. Will be done. Then, when the rear portion of the apparatus main body 1 which is held in a floating state is placed on the lower cassette holder 2 while the positioning pin 12 is engaged with the notch bottom portion 20a, the former projection engaging hole is formed. The latter pins 22 are respectively engaged with 15 to position and fix the apparatus main body 1 and the additional cassette holder 2 at the matching position, and the latter female connector 21 fits into the former female connector 13, The electrical connection between the two, which is necessary for driving and controlling the additional cassette holder 2, can be achieved at the same time. It should be noted that the position guide 19 may be provided with a hole having a V-shaped guide edge instead of the notch 20.

The positioning mechanism according to the present invention can, of course, be applied to the case where two or more cassette holders are added. In that case, as described above, the required positioning is made on the bottom surface of the cassette holder which is added to the upper step. The pins 12 and the like will be provided. Further, in the embodiment, the case of a cut sheet feeding type facsimile apparatus is illustrated, but the present invention can be generally applied to the purpose of forming a multi-cassette image forming apparatus by cassette feeding.

[0018]

[Effect of device]

 As described above, according to the positioning mechanism of the present invention, it is possible to eliminate the difficulty of the positioning work when the cassette holder is added under the existing device by the stacking method, and the positioning device is installed on the bottom of the existing device body or the upper cassette holder. Both can be easily positioned at the alignment position by guiding the provided positioning pins to the alignment guides provided on the upper surface of the lower cassette holder and locking them in the alignment position. The effect is quick and simple.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of a facsimile apparatus main body showing an embodiment and a lower cassette holder installed below the facsimile main body.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of an essential part showing a positioning mechanism for the apparatus main body and the lower cassette holder shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part showing a mounting / connecting structure between the apparatus main body shown in FIG. 1 and a lower cassette holder.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an outline of a W cassette sheet feeding type facsimile apparatus in which a cassette holder is added as a user option.

[Explanation of symbols]

 F Facsimile device A, B Paper feed cassette 1 Main body 1A Cassette insertion slot 2 Lower cassette holder 2B Cassette insertion slot 3 Operation panel 4 Original mount 5 Recording paper ejection section 6 Original ejection section 7 Handset 8 Main unit bottom (bottom plate) 9 Sheet metal 10 Recessed portion 11 Bracket 12 Positioning pin 13 Female connector 14 Sheet metal plate 15 Projection engagement hole 16 Mounting surface of main body (or upper cassette holder) 17 Sheet metal mounting plate 18 Rail 19 Positioning guide 20 V-shaped notch 20a Notch bottom 20b Notch side Side 21 Male connector 22 Pin 25 Lower cassette holder bottom plate 26 Paper feed roller 27 Registration roller 28 Stopper

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] May 20, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be amended] Scope of utility model registration request

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Scope of utility model registration request]

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A positioning guide is provided on the bottom surface of the apparatus main body or the upper cassette holder, and on the other hand, on the upper surface of a lower cassette holder to be additionally installed, a positioning guide for guiding the positioning pin and receiving and locking the positioning pin at an alignment position. Positioning mechanism for the additional cassette holder, which is provided with.