JPH07251998A - Image forming device and ink jet recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an image forming device the cost and the size of which are reduced by a method wherein a loading means is obliquely disposed, a discharge means consists of a plurality of rotary bodies, and a paper material is energized toward the loading means side. CONSTITUTION:A recording sheet 102 on which a given image is formed is conveyed in the direction of an arrow mark (a) and conveyed by discharge rollers 110a1, 110a2, and 110b (first - third rotary bodies) being a discharge means and discharged to the outside of placing. The recording sheets are loaded by a discharge tray ill being a loading means. The discharge means consists of a plurality of rotary bodies and is provided with the second rotary body 110a2 making contact with the first rotary body 110b, and a third rotary body 110a1 making contact with the first rotary body 110b in a position different in a sectional direction from the second rotary body 110a2. By obliquely disposing the loading means, the installation area of a device body is reduced and since the recording paper 102 is energized toward the loading means side, the recording paper 102 is reliably loaded on the loading means.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as an ink jet recording apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ink jet type recording apparatus,
For example, in a recording apparatus using a recording head that ejects ink by causing a state change in the ink by using thermal energy, there are the following methods for ejecting the recording sheet after printing.

An ink jet recording apparatus usually ejects ink downward or in an oblique direction close to downward to print, and the recording sheet is fed in a horizontal or oblique direction. However, a water-repellent roller is often used as the discharge roller in order to prevent print stains, and is stacked in the horizontal direction. Therefore, most of the recording units are also installed vertically.

There is also a mechanism in which after printing, the ink is held in the main body until the ink is sufficiently dried and then discharged.

[0005]

However, the above-mentioned conventional example has the following drawbacks.

First, in order to stack the printed recording sheets horizontally, it is necessary to horizontally install a tray for the size of the recording sheets outside the main body. Therefore, there is a drawback that the installation area becomes large.

Further, the method of holding the recording sheet in the main body has a drawback that the space for holding the recording sheet in the main body is increased by a necessary amount, the mechanism is complicated, and the cost is increased.

On the other hand, when the recording unit and the tray are installed obliquely, that is, inclined from the vertical, there is an advantage that the apparatus can be downsized, but the recording sheet is curled and cannot be loaded onto the tray successfully.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus which improves image quality and is inexpensive and compact. is there.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a feeding means for feeding a sheet material,
The recording medium has recording means for recording an image on the fed sheet material, discharging means for discharging the sheet material having the image recorded by the recording means, and stacking means for stacking the sheet material discharged by the discharging means. In the image forming apparatus, the stacking unit is obliquely arranged, and the discharging unit is composed of a plurality of rotating bodies, and a second rotating body that is in contact with the first rotating body and a second rotating body at different positions in the cross-sectional direction. At the 3rd contact with the 1st rotating body
A rotating body, and the sheet material is biased toward the stacking unit side.

The first of the second rotating body and the third rotating body
The contact point with the rotating body is preferably located at the closest position in the cross-sectional direction.

It is preferable that the rotating body, which comes into contact with the image recording surface side of the sheet material, is made of a water-repellent material.

The loading means may have an angle of up to 45 ° from the vertical.

It is preferable that the conveying direction of the sheet material in the recording section is from the bottom to the top and the angle from the vertical is 45 °.

[0015]

In the image forming apparatus constructed as described above, the stacking means is arranged obliquely, so that the installation area of the apparatus main body is reduced, and the discharging means is composed of a plurality of rotating bodies.
Since the second rotating body that is in contact with the rotating body and the third rotating body that is in contact with the first rotating body at a position different from the second rotating body in the cross-sectional direction are provided, the sheet material is biased toward the stacking unit side. The sheet material is reliably loaded on the loading means.

Since the contact point between the second rotating body and the first rotating body in the third rotating body is located at the closest position in the sectional direction, the sheet material conveying direction which is changed by the discharging means is reduced.

Since the rotating body, which is in contact with the image recording surface side of the sheet material, is made of a water-repellent material, the image on the sheet material is less likely to be stained.

Since the loading means has an angle of 45 ° from the vertical, the installation area of the apparatus main body is further reduced.

Since the conveying direction of the sheet material in the recording means is from the bottom to the top and has an angle of 45 ° from the vertical, the main body of the apparatus itself becomes small.

[0020]

The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a first overall structure of a facsimile apparatus which is an image forming apparatus as a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a second overall structure of the apparatus, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the recording control, and FIG. 5 is a detailed diagram of the recording unit B.

First, the overall structure of the facsimile apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 1, this facsimile apparatus has a sheet feeding system A as a feeding means for feeding a recording sheet as a sheet material, a recording system B as a recording apparatus, and an image written on an original. The reading system C for reading and the operation unit D.

A sheet feeding system A as a sheet feeding means includes a recording sheet 102 as a sheet material placed on a sheet feeding cassette 101.
A paper feed roller 103 and a paper feed piece 104 that presses the paper feed roller 103 into contact with each other.
The recording sheet 102 is separated and fed one by one by a sheet feeding unit consisting of and, and the recording sheet 102 is conveyed by feed rollers 105a and 105b and supplied to a recording system B described later. Further, near the front of the recording system B, a leading edge sensor 1 such as a photo sensor / micro switch for detecting the leading edge position of the recording sheet 102.
06 is provided.

The paper feeding cassette 101 is detachably attached to the apparatus main body 107, and the paper feeding roller 10 is also provided.
3, feed piece 104, feed rollers 105a, 105
b, the tip sensor 106 is provided in the apparatus main body 107.

The recording system B is supplied from the paper feeding system A in accordance with an image signal transmitted from another device, an image signal transmitted from a reading system C described later, or data output from a computer described later. An image is recorded on the formed recording sheet 102. That is, the recording sheet 102 is conveyed by the platen roller 108 of the recording system B, and the ink droplets ejected from the ink jet cartridge 109 as a recording unit adhere to the recording sheet 102 in accordance with the image signal or data to form an image. To form.

The recording sheet 1 on which a predetermined image is formed
02 is further conveyed in the direction of arrow a, and discharge rollers 110a1, 110a2, 110b (first rotating body 110b, second rotating body 110a2, third rotating body 110) as discharging means.
The sheet is conveyed by a1), discharged to the outside of the apparatus, and stacked by the discharge tray 111 as a stacking unit. 1 and 2
Discharge rollers 110a1, 110a2, 110b in
The positional relationship of (1) is schematic, and in an actual embodiment, the discharge rollers 110a1 and 110a2 overlap in the cross-sectional direction.

The platen roller 108 and the discharge roller 1
10a1, 110a2 and 110b are the main body 1 of the apparatus, respectively.
It is provided in 07.

Inkjet cartridge 109
Is configured to be detachable from the apparatus main body 107 in the arrow d direction by opening the recording cover 112 in the arrow c direction shown in FIG.

On the other hand, the reading system C irradiates the manuscript 113 with light and converts the reflected light into an electric signal, which is transmitted to another device according to the operation mode or to its own recording system B. It is a thing.

In detail, a plurality of originals 113 are placed on the original placing table 114 and the original tray 115, and the originals 113 are pressed against the separation roller 116a and the pressure contact piece 116.
and the original 113 is conveyed by the conveying rollers 117a and 117b and the discharge rollers 118a and 118a.
It is configured to be conveyed by 118b and discharged to the outside of the apparatus. Then, the photoelectric conversion element 119 such as a contact sensor and the white roller 120 are fed while the document 113 is conveyed.
The image reading unit reads the image information, and transmits the image signal to its own recording system in the copy mode, and to the recording system of another machine in the transmission mode. .

The original placing table 114 and the original tray 11
5, the separation roller 116a, the conveyance roller 117a, the discharge roller 118a, the photoelectric conversion element 119, and the white roller 120 are provided in the apparatus main body 107, respectively.

The operation section D is for performing the above-mentioned mode switching operation, copy operation, transmission operation, printer operation, etc., and is provided with keys corresponding to various operations.

The operation section D is provided above the document conveying mechanism in the reading system C, and is rotatable with respect to the apparatus main body 107 in the direction of arrow e shown in FIG.
In addition, a handset of a telephone (not shown) for transmitting / receiving is provided on one end side of the operation unit D.

Next, the arrangement of the electrical system and the external perspective view of FIG. 3 will be described.

The system board 121a of this apparatus is provided on the bottom of the apparatus, and the power supply unit 121b is provided on the right side of the apparatus.
Further, the present device is provided with an operation unit 1 for controlling the operation unit D
21c, a relay board 121d, an NCU board unit 121e for controlling a telephone and a telephone line, and a board 121f on which a printer interface 121f1 is mounted.

Next, this device will be specifically described.

(Paper Feeding Unit) The paper feeding roller 103 is a roller made of a material having a high friction coefficient such as silicon rubber, and rotates in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1 to feed the recording sheet 102 at the top of the paper feeding cassette 101. The sheet feeding piece 104 rotatably supports a sheet portion 104a such as urethane rubber containing cork by an arm portion (not shown), and is pressed toward the sheet feeding roller 103 by a spring (not shown).

Therefore, when the sheet feeding roller 103 is rotated by a drive source (not shown), the sheet feeding roller 103 comes into contact with the recording sheet 102, and the uppermost recording sheet 102 is fed out. At this time, when a plurality of recording sheets 102 are fed out, the recording sheet 102 at the bottom has a sheet portion 104a.
Since the conveyance is blocked by the contact friction with the feed roller 105a, 105, only the uppermost recording sheet 102 is fed.
Then, the recording sheet 102 is conveyed by the feed rollers 105a and 105b.

(Recording Sheet) As the recording sheet 102, it is possible to use plain paper, a plastic sheet or the like and other materials that can transfer ink. In this embodiment, plain paper cut into B4 size or A4 size is used as the recording sheet 102.
Then, the paper feed cassette 101 on which the recording sheet 102 is placed
Is stored at a predetermined position (position in FIG. 1) of the apparatus main body 107.

(Description of Control System) Next, the control system of the present apparatus will be described with reference to the block diagram shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the control system of the present apparatus includes a control unit 121 for facsimile, a power supply unit 121b for supplying electric power to the entire apparatus, a modem 151 and a telephone (handset) 152, and an NCU board for connecting a line. The unit 121e, the display unit 150 that displays the contents input from the operation unit 121c, and the peripheral computer 153.
Printer interface 1 to get data from
21f1 and the like.

The control section 121 includes a CPU 121a1 for controlling the entire apparatus, a ROM 121a2 for storing various programs and various data, and the CPU 121a.
RAM 121a3 that is used as a work area for one and temporarily stores various data such as the number of records, an input / output switching interface 121a7 that switches between a facsimile and a printer, a line memory 121a4, an encoding / decoding unit 121a5, and a memory. Buffer 121a6
Have.

The line memory 121a4 stores the image of each line of the image data. When transmitting or copying a document, the image data for one line from the document reading system C is stored. In the case of receiving, the composited data for one line is stored. Then, the image data stored in the line memory 121a4 is output to the CPUB1 of the recording system B from the input / output switching interface 121a7 by adding the recording system control code through the CPU 121a1, and the CPUB1 decodes the recording system control code. As a result, image recording is performed.

Further, the encoding / decoding unit 121a5 encodes the image information to be transmitted by MH encoding or the like, or decodes the received encoded image data to convert it into image data. The memory buffer 121a6 stores the transmitted and received encoded image data.

Next, the control of the print function will be described.

First, data and recording system control codes are sent from the peripheral computer 153 to the printer interface 12.
It is taken into this device from 1f1. From the input / output switching interface 121a7 to the CPU of the recording system B
The data is output to B1, and the CPU B1 decodes the recording system control code to perform print recording. At this time, the CPU 121a1 included in the control unit 121 is configured not to control print recording. By doing so, the distinction between the facsimile and the printer is simplified.

(Recording Section) The recording section B is characterized in that the ink jet cartridge 109 is moved forward by an angle E (15 ° in this embodiment) with respect to the installation surface (horizontal) 154 shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. It is tilted to lean. That is, the nozzle 109a for ejecting ink is provided at the end of the inkjet cartridge 109, but the surface forming the ink ejection port of this nozzle 109a, that is, the ejection surface, is inclined from the vertical direction.

FIG. 5A shows the ink jet cartridge 109 in which the ink is FULL, and FIG. 5B shows the ink jet cartridge 1 in which the ink is EMPTY.
09 is shown.

If the ink is in the vicinity of the EMPTY by inclining the ink jet cartridge 109 with respect to the installation surface 154 (usually horizontal), that is, the ejection surface of the nozzle 109a is inclined from the vertical direction, FIG. ，
As shown in (b), ink is not sequentially ejected from the upstream side in the direction of arrow f at each ejection port of the nozzle 109a. By utilizing this action, the nozzle 109a, which is a feature of the present invention, is discharged from a part of the discharge ports on the upstream side of the arrow f shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b), that is, from the upper discharge port. By recording a footer mark (mark for recognizing ink shortage) with ink, it is possible to quickly detect the presence or absence of ink in the inkjet cartridge 109. Furthermore, in the inkjet cartridge 109, for example, sponge is impregnated with ink. Also,
Since the ink runs out from the upper part, it is possible to detect early that the ink amount in the ink jet cartridge 109 has decreased when the footer mark due to the ink from the upper ejection port is no longer recorded. Since the footer marks are recorded by ejecting ink only from the upper ejection ports, this is less noticeable than the footer marks recorded by ejecting ink from all the ejection ports, and the image quality of the entire recording sheet 102 is improved. There is no loss.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the recording portion B including the ink jet cartridge 109 is installed on a horizontal installation surface 15
The recording sheet 102 is ejected in the direction of arrow a (that is, inclined from the vertical direction) by inclining the passage path of the recording sheet 102 from the vertical direction by inclining with respect to 4, and the recording sheet 10
It is also possible to obtain the effect that 2 is tilted toward the discharge tray 111 side by its own weight and is naturally loaded on the image tray 111.

For example, the ink jet cartridge 109 of the recording section B is installed parallel to the horizontal installation surface, and its ejection surface is perpendicular to the installation surface.
If the passage of the recording sheet 102 is also vertical, the recording sheet 102 is discharged perpendicularly to the installation surface, so it is not constant whether the recording sheet 102 falls on the discharge tray 111 side or the opposite side. . Therefore, in order to bias the recording sheet 102 in the direction of arrow a in FIG.
It is necessary to change the angle of 0a2 (the two discharge rollers are made of a water repellent material). However, since the ink is not yet fixed on the recording sheet 102 after recording with the inkjet cartridge 109, if the sheet discharge path is suddenly changed with respect to the recording section, the discharge roller 11
0a1 and 110a2 stain the print surface of the recording sheet 102 and deteriorate the image quality.

This will be described in detail. The recording sheet 10
2 is recorded by the inkjet cartridge 109,
When passing through the discharge rollers 110a1, 110a2, 110b, the leading end and the trailing end of the recording sheet 102 are supported on one side by the rollers and the like, so that the leading end and the trailing end of the recording sheet 102 become more fluttered. Cheap. In particular, the discharge rollers 110a1 and 110
If the changing angle is increased during paper ejection by a2 and 110b, this fluttering will be further increased.
The ink that has not been fixed oscillates and the image quality is degraded. Since the contact point between the discharge rollers 110a1 and 110a2 and the discharge roller 110b is located at the closest position in the cross-sectional direction, the angle that changes during this discharge is changed by the discharge rollers 110a1, 110a2, and 110b. There are few directions and flapping is suppressed. However, an appropriate curl is formed in order to urge the device in the direction of arrow a in FIG. Of course, this is an angle change that does not deteriorate the image quality.

Therefore, by tilting the recording portion B with respect to the installation surface as described above, there is also an effect that the printed image can be stacked on the discharge tray 111 without being contaminated (degrading the image quality). The discharge tray 111 is arranged so that the leading end of the discharged recording sheet 102 abuts at a certain angle, and the recording sheet 102 is smoothly stacked.

Also, the ink jet cartridge 109
When the recording unit B is configured such that the recording sheet B is vertical to the horizontal installation surface, that is, the ejection surface faces downward, the recording sheet 102 is discharged horizontally with respect to the installation surface 154.
Since the ejection space for the recording sheet 102 must be secured for the size of the recording sheet 102, the installation area of the main body is increased. Also, with such a configuration,
Since the ink is ejected downward, when the absence of ink is detected, recording failure has already occurred. Therefore, if printing is continued with printing failure until printing by ink ejection is stopped, data may be lost during that time. However, according to the present invention configured as shown in FIG. Since it is possible to detect the absence of ink before it completely disappears, such a problem of data loss does not occur. Further, according to the present invention, the recording sheet 1 is formed by inclining the recording portion B with respect to the installation surface as shown in FIG.
Since 02 can be loaded with an inclination with respect to the installation surface, it is possible to reduce the installation area of the main body, and as a result, it is an effective means for downsizing the apparatus.

From the above, the forward inclination angle of the ink jet cartridge 109, that is, the acute inclination angle of the ejection surface from the vertical direction is preferably within 60 °.

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show details of the recording sheet 102 paper discharge portion, which is a feature of the present invention. After printing the recording sheet 102 and detecting the footer mark,
It is conveyed along the route indicated by arrow b.

The structure of the paper discharge unit will be described. The discharge roller 110b is driven by a motor (not shown). A material that repels ink on the circumference of the discharge roller 110b,
For example, two discharge rollers 110a1 made of Teflon
Four 110a2 (of course, the number is not limited to this) are arranged. This discharge roller 110a
1, 110a2 is provided with a recording cover 112 that can be opened and closed together with a spring shaft 122.

The spring shaft 122 is made of a coil spring, and when the recording cover 112 is closed, that is, in normal use, the spring shaft 122 bends and presses the discharge rollers 110a1 and 110a2 against the discharge roller 110b1 to thereby cause the recording sheet 102 to move. Can be transported.

The discharge roller 110b1 and the discharge roller 1
Since it is also gripped by the discharge roller 110a1 immediately after the recording sheet 102 that has been gripped by 10a2, the entering angle and the exiting angle with respect to the discharging roller 110b change as described above. As a result, the recording sheet 102 is discharged onto the discharge tray 111.
It can be urged so as to bend to the side and abut against the discharge tray 111 to be stacked. In addition, the discharge roller 110b
Is provided with a business trip section 110b ', and has a role of scraping out the recording sheet 102 so that the rear end of the recording sheet 102 does not remain between the discharge rollers 110b, 110a1, 110a2.

[0061]

According to the present invention having the above-mentioned structure and operation, the installation area of the apparatus main body can be reduced by disposing the loading means obliquely, and the discharging means is composed of a plurality of rotating bodies. A second rotating body that is in contact with the first rotating body and a third rotating body that is in contact with the first rotating body at a position different from the second rotating body in the cross-sectional direction are provided, and the sheet material is biased toward the stacking unit side. As a result, the sheet material can be reliably stacked on the stacking unit.

Since the contact point between the second rotating body and the first rotating body in the third rotating body is located at the closest position in the cross-sectional direction, the sheet material conveying direction changed by the discharging means is reduced,
The conveyance in the discharging means becomes smooth, the flapping of the sheet material is suppressed, and the printing accuracy and the image quality can be improved.

Since the rotating body with which the image recording surface side of the sheet material is in contact is made of a water repellent material, the image of the sheet material is less likely to be stained and the image quality is further improved.

Since the loading means has an angle of 45 ° from the vertical, the installation area of the apparatus main body can be further reduced.

Since the conveying direction of the sheet material in the recording section is from the bottom to the top and the angle from the vertical is 45 °, the apparatus itself can be made small.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing a facsimile apparatus as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the facsimile apparatus of FIG.

3 is an external view showing the facsimile apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing control of the facsimile apparatus of FIG.

5A and 5B are schematic diagrams showing an inkjet cartridge applied to a facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the vicinity of a discharge roller applied to a facsimile device.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the vicinity of a discharge roller applied to a facsimile device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A paper feed system (feeding means) 102 recording sheet (sheet material) 107 apparatus main body 109 inkjet cartridge (recording means) 110a1 discharge roller (third rotating body, discharging means) 110a2 discharge roller (second rotating body, discharging means) 110b discharge roller (first rotating body, discharge means) 111 discharge tray (loading means)

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A feeding means for feeding a sheet material, a recording means for recording an image on the fed sheet material, and a discharging means for discharging the sheet material image-recorded by the recording means.
An image forming apparatus having a stacking unit for stacking the sheet material discharged by the discharging unit, wherein the stacking unit is obliquely arranged, and the discharging unit includes a plurality of rotating bodies, and a first rotating body. A second rotating body that is in contact with the second rotating body; and a third rotating body that is in contact with the first rotating body at a position different from the second rotating body in the cross-sectional direction, and the sheet material is urged toward the stacking unit. Image forming apparatus. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a contact point between the second rotating body and the first rotating body of the third rotating body is located at a close position in a cross-sectional direction. 3. The rotating body, which is in contact with the image recording surface side of the sheet material, is made of a water-repellent material.
Alternatively, the image forming apparatus described in 2. 4. The loading means has an angle of up to 45 ° from the vertical.
The image forming apparatus according to item 1. 5. The image according to claim 1, wherein the sheet material is conveyed in a direction from the bottom to the top of the recording means at an angle of 45 ° from the vertical. Forming equipment. 6. A feeding means for feeding a sheet material, an inkjet cartridge for recording an image on the fed sheet material, a discharging means for discharging the sheet material image-recorded by the inkjet cartridge, and the discharging. In an inkjet recording apparatus having a discharge tray for stacking sheet materials discharged by the discharging means, the discharge tray is obliquely arranged, and the discharging means includes a plurality of rotating bodies and is in contact with the first rotating body. 2 rotating bodies,
An inkjet recording apparatus, comprising: a third rotating body that is in contact with the first rotating body at a position different from the second rotating body in a cross-sectional direction, and biases the sheet material toward the discharge tray. 7. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a contact point between the second rotary body and the first rotary body of the third rotary body is at a close position in a cross-sectional direction. 8. The rotating body in contact with the image recording surface side of the sheet material is made of a water-repellent material.
Alternatively, the inkjet recording device described in 7. 9. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the discharge tray has an angle of 45 ° from the vertical. 10. The inkjet according to claim 6, 7, 8 or 9, wherein the sheet material is conveyed in a direction from the bottom to the top of the recording means at an angle of 45 ° from the vertical direction. Recording device.