JPH06592B2 - Film sheet supply cassette - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a film sheet supply cassette, for example, a supply cassette in which a photosensitive film sheet used for image formation in a laser beam printer is stored so as to be fed out one by one. Regarding

Conventional Technology and Problems In general, in a laser beam printer that forms an image on a photosensitive film sheet, film sheets horizontally stacked in a supply cassette are placed one by one in the exposure unit from the topmost one. I need to send it out.

Conventionally, in order to prevent multiple feeding of film sheets,
As shown in FIG. 9, a large number of film sheets are mounted on a push-up plate (61) swingably provided in a supply cassette (60).
(S) and load the coil spring (6
Film sheet (S) is pushed up by pushing up 2) and (62).
A method is used in which both corners of the tip of the are brought into contact with the pair of separating claws (63), (63). In this case, the film sheet
As for (S), one of the uppermost layers is sucked up by a suction plate (not shown) and lifted up, and both corners of the tip are pressed by the separating claws (63) and (63), so that as shown in FIG. At the same time, the second film sheet which is curved upward and lifted up with it is peeled off, so that only the uppermost one film sheet is taken out from the supply cassette (60).

By the way, in the conventional supply cassette,
3), (63) is the cassette body, that is, when the cassette (60) is composed of a bottom box having a push-up plate (61) and an upper lid, it was attached to the bottom box, so the film sheet (S) Not only did it make it difficult to insert the film sheet (S) due to obstacles of the separating claws (63) and (63) when replenishing the cassette (60), but also the end of the film sheet (S) was broken or rubbed. It had a problem of being damaged by.

Therefore, it has been proposed that the separating claw can be moved and the separating claw is retracted to the outside when the film sheet is replenished (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-37124). However, this method has a problem in that it is necessary to rotate the separating claw with each hand at the time of replenishment, which is complicated in operation.

On the other hand, it has been proposed that a separating claw is provided on the printer body side so that it can be moved back and forth to a predetermined separating position in association with the attachment / detachment of the supply cassette to / from the printer body (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-58).
-55923). However, even this one has a problem that there are many movable parts and the structure is complicated.

Therefore, in the supply cassette of the film sheet according to the present invention, an upper lid is provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to a bottom box capable of storing the film sheet, and a separating claw is provided at the tip of the film sheet of the upper lid. It is characterized in that it is provided at a position facing both corners.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

First, referring to FIG. 8, a supply cassette according to the present invention
An outline of the overall configuration of the laser beam printer including (1) will be described.

The photosensitive film sheet (S) is stacked in the supply cassette (1) with the photosensitive surface facing upward, and the suction plate (31) connected to the air cylinder (30) is located above the tip of this sheet (S). is set up. The suction plate (31) can move up and down with the air cylinder (30) about the shaft (32) as a fulcrum, and after descending to contact the photosensitive film sheet (S), the air cylinder (3
The sheet (S) is sucked by the air suction operation of (0), and the tip of one sheet (S) at the uppermost layer is lifted.

The transport roller pair (35) is installed so that it can move in the front-rear direction at approximately the same height as the leading edge of the sheet (S) lifted by the suction plate (31), and is driven to rotate by a sheet transport start signal. While moving to the right in the figure, the seat already lifted
Insert the sheet (S) immediately into the holding plate (4
0) Carry on.

The holding plate (40) is a sub-scanning drum from the conveying roller pair (35).
It is installed horizontally in the path leading to (45), and the seat
It has a slightly longer overall length than (S) and its surface is finished so that the sheet (S) can slide. The sheet (S) is conveyed on the holding plate (40) to the left in the drawing by a conveying means (not shown).

The sub-scanning drum (45) is continuously rotated in the counterclockwise direction while the printer is operating, and the nip rollers (46) and (46) are always in contact with the drum (45) and are driven to rotate. Seat (S)
As soon as it is sandwiched between this drum (45) and the front and rear nip rollers (46), it is conveyed leftward in the figure by the rotational force of the sub-scanning drum (45).

On the other hand, the laser beam unit (50) is installed above the holding plate (40), and the laser beam generated from the beam generator (51) is passed between the nip rollers (46) and (46) via the reflecting mirror (52). The photosensitive film sheet (S) that is irradiated with the light and is conveyed on the sub-scanning drum (45) is subjected to main scanning to form a predetermined image. The sheet (S) on which the image is formed in this way is fed to the sub-scanning drum (4
5) and the nip roller (46) at the rear stage, it is sent to the left in the figure and hangs down from the tip by its own weight and the take-up cassette.
It is stored in (55). The take-up cassette (55) has a lid that opens and closes when the conveyance of the sheet (S) is detected, and a sufficient light-shielding measure is taken.

Sheets stored in this take-up cassette (55)
(S) is still exposed and is taken out from the printer main body while being stored in the cassette (55) and processed by the developing and fixing device.

Next, referring to FIGS. 1 to 8, the supply cassette
The configuration and operation of (1) will be described.

1 to 4, the supply cassette (1)
Is roughly composed of a bottom box (2) and a top lid (10), and the bottom box (2)
Has a handle (3) on its side, and a push-up plate (4) is swingably attached to the bottom through a pin (5) at the rear end, and the tip of the push-up plate (4) is a coil spring ( It is constantly pushed up in 6). The film sheet (S) is stacked on the push-up plate (4), and the tip end of the film sheet (S) is pushed up by the coil spring (6) together with the push-up plate (4). The spring force of the coil spring (6) is the seat
The height of the upper surface of (S) is adjusted so as to be always constant regardless of the remaining amount of the sheet (S).

The upper lid (10) is rotatably attached first to the rear end of the bottom box (2) via hinge fittings (19) and (19), and the opening angle is the link lever (16a),
It is regulated by (16b), (17a) and (17b).
Most of the top end of the upper lid (10) is an opening (10a) slightly wider than the width dimension of the sheet (S), and is closed by a light shielding plate (11) slidable in the front-rear direction. This light-shielding plate (11) normally closes the opening (10a) (see FIG. 3), and the pin (12) is hooked by the driving means on the printer main body side during the printing operation and moved backward to open the opening. The sheet (S) can be fed by opening (10a) (see FIG. 2).

A pair of separating claws (13), (13) and locking claws (14), (14) are fixed to the upper lid (10). When the upper lid (10) is closed, the separating claws (13) and (13) face each other with a gearup (α) at both corners of the top end of the sheet (S) stacked on the push-up plate (4). Is installed as. As described above, the gearup (α) is always kept constant because the upper surface of the sheet (S) is constant regardless of the remaining amount.

On the other hand, the lock claws (14) and (14) are provided on the inner surfaces of both sides of the bottom box (2).
A locking piece (7) (not shown on the right side in FIG. 4) engageable with the groove portions (14a), (14a) of the above is installed with a spring means (not shown) constantly biased rearward. There is. Therefore, when the upper lid (10) is closed, the locking piece (7) once locks the claws (14), (14).
After being pushed forward by the inclined surface (14b) of the
The upper lid (10) is locked by engaging with (a). Buttons (8) (not shown on the left side in FIG. 4) projecting from the outer surfaces of both sides of the bottom box (2) are fixed integrally with the locking piece (7), and the lock is released by this button ( Operate by 8) to the front.

In the above configuration, the sheet (S) is replenished by the cassette (1)
From the printer body and open the top cover (10) in the dark. In this case, the separating claws (13), (13) are largely retracted upward together with the upper lid (10), and the seat (S) is placed in the bottom box (2).
There are no obstacles when inserting into.

Notches (4a) on both sides of the tip of the push-up plate (4),
(4a) is formed so that the operator can smoothly take in and out the sheet (S). on the other hand,
The sheet (S) stored in the cassette (1) is the suction plate described above.
By the vertical movement of (31), it is sent out from the top layer one by one through the opening (1a). Here, the operation of the suction disc (31) and the separating claw (1
The operation of 4) will be described with reference to FIG.

Four suction discs (31) are installed above the sheet (S) in a line in the width direction of the tip portion, and at the time of standby, they are located at the same height as shown in (i). Each suction plate (31) descends in response to the feed start signal and contacts the uppermost surface of the sheet (S) as shown in (ii). At this time, the air cylinder (30) operates to adsorb the sheet (S), and at the same time, as shown in (iii), both corners of the tip of the sheet (S) come into contact with the separating claws (13) and (13). Rise to. Since the air cylinder (30) is operating continuously, the suction disc (3
The negative pressure in 1) becomes considerably large, and the sheet (S) is more surely adsorbed to each adsorption disc (31).

Next, as shown in (iv) and (v), the two suction cups (3
The two suction cups (31) on both sides rise, leaving 1). As a result, both corners of the leading edge of the sheet (S) get over the separating claws (13), (13), and the second sheet (S), which is lifted together, is reliably separated. Since the second sheet (S) is judged below the separating claws (13), (13), that is, in the state shown in (iv), it should be caught by the separating claws (13), (13). It returns on its own sheet (S) by its own weight.

After that, the two suction discs (31) in the central part are raised, and the tips of the sheets (S) are aligned at the same height, as shown in (vi). The sheet (S) is conveyed at this position, and while the conveying roller pair (35) shown in FIG. 8 is rotationally driven, the sheet (S) is moved to the right in the figure and the front end of the sheet (S) is pinched. , Holding plate
(40) Carry it on.

As described above, the sheets (S) are cassettes one by one from the top layer.
It is sent out from (1). Here, the means for detecting that the number of sheets (S) in the cassette (1) is equal to or less than a specified number that needs to be replenished, or is completely eliminated, as shown in FIGS. 6a, 6b and 6c. It will be described with reference to FIG.

This detection means is provided on one side of the bottom box (2), and the detection lever (20) is rotatably mounted coaxially with the rotation support shaft (15) of the lever (17a), and at the rear end. Has a pin (16) fixed to the lever (17a) abutting from above. The rotatable roller (18) provided at the end of the lever (17a) is in pressure contact with the upper surface of the sheet (S) and descends as the remaining amount of the sheet (S) decreases.
As the lever (17a) descends, the lever (17a) rotates in the clockwise direction in FIG. 6a about the support shaft (15) as a fulcrum. At the same time, the detection lever (20) is also pressed by the pin (16) and rotates clockwise around the support shaft (15) as a fulcrum, and this rotation amount is proportional to the remaining amount of the sheet (S). On the other hand, a reflector (21) is attached to the tip of the detection lever (20).
Is fixed, and the slits (22), (2
3) is formed, and reflection type photo interrupters (24), (25) are installed corresponding to the slits (22), (23). As shown in FIG. 7, the photo interrupters (24) and (25) are connected to the display elements (27) and (28) through the input / output ports of the microcomputer (26). The slit (22) corresponds to the rotational position of the reflection plate (21) when the number of sheets (S) has decreased to a specified number, and the slit (23) has no sheet (S) at all and the roller (18) is Bottom box
It corresponds to the turning position of the reflection plate (21) when it falls to the bottom of (2).

Therefore, when the remaining amount of the sheet (S) is still sufficient (see FIG. 6a), the light emitted from the light emitting diodes of the photo interrupters (24) and (25) is emitted into the slits (22) and (23). It is absorbed and the photoelectric conversion element does not operate. When the number of sheets (S) is reduced to the specified number, the reflection plate (21) faces the slit (22) (see FIG. 6b), and the light emitted from the light emitting diode of the photo interrupter (24) is reflected by the reflection plate (21). Then, the photoelectric conversion element operates and this operation signal is sent to the microcomputer.
It is input to the display element (27) via (26) and this display element (2
At step 7), the outside is warned of the necessity to replenish the seat (S).

On the other hand, when the printing operation is continued and the sheet paper runs out, the reflection plate (21) faces the slit (23) (6c
(See the figure), while the operation of the photo interrupter (24) is stopped, another photo interrupter (25)
Operates to warn that the display element (27) is replaced by another display element (28) and the sheet (S) is completely lost outside. At the same time, the print operation is prohibited.

In addition, the sheet (S) by the photo interrupter (24), (25)
Detection, that is, output from the output port of the microcomputer (26) to each light emitting diode is not always performed, but is performed only at the timing necessary for detection. Furthermore, the cassette (1) is arranged so that light from the photo interrupters (24) and (25) does not enter the sheet storage section through the slits (22) and (23).
Of course, sufficient light-shielding measures are taken inside.

Further, the roller (18) is provided with the lever when the upper lid (10) is opened.
Since it is lifted together with the lever (17a) at (17a), there is no obstacle when the operator inserts the seat (S) into the bottom box (2).

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the upper lid is provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to the bottom box capable of accommodating the film sheet, and the separating claws are opposed to both corners of the tip of the film sheet of the upper lid. It has a very simple structure that it is installed at a position, and when the upper lid is opened to take in and out the film sheet, the separating claw also retracts upward, there is no need to particularly retract the separating claw, and the film sheet is damaged or damaged. It is possible to easily replenish without fear of loss.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 8 show an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional view, FIG. 2 is a plan view, FIG. 3 is a perspective view, and FIG.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view when the upper lid is opened, FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of the sheet flicking operation, FIGS. 6a, 6b, and 6c are operational explanatory views of the sheet remaining amount detecting means, and FIG. Circuit diagram, No. 8
The figure is a schematic diagram of a laser beam printer. FIG. 9 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional supply cassette, and FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of its judgment operation. (1) ... Supply cassette, (2) ... Bottom box, (4) ... Push-up plate, (6) ... Coil spring, (10) ... Top lid, (10a) ... Opening, (13)
... Saw claws.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References: 57-45647 (JP, U): 58-106332 (JP, U): 57-180337 (JP, U): 59- 26452 (JP, U) Actual public Sho-57-39390 (JP, Y2)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A bottom box capable of accommodating a large number of film sheets in a stacked state and an upper lid having an opening for pulling out the film sheets from the front end thereof, the upper lid being openable and closable with respect to the bottom box. In addition, the film sheet supply cassette is characterized in that, when the film sheets are pulled out from the opening, a separating claw for separating the overlapped sheets is provided at a position facing both corners of the tip of the film sheet of the upper lid. 2. The film according to claim 1, further comprising a film sheet holding means for holding the film sheet in the bottom box while maintaining a predetermined space between the separating claw and the upper surface of the film sheet. Sheet supply cassette.