JPH07285680A - Paper sheet detection mechanism of universal cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the number of sensors for detection and a wiring amount, to reduce cost, to miniaturize a device main body, etc., by devising it possible to detect various kinds of paper sheet sizes by a small number of the sensors. CONSTITUTION:A sheet detection member 14 provided in correspondence with the inside of a moving passage of a sheet rear end regulating plate 5 to be integrally moved with a cassette l, having a sheet size detection part 16 on the outer surface, made contact with the sheet rear end regulating plate 5 and integrally slid and moved when the cassette l is inserted halfway is provided. Additionally, micro switches 17a-17c provided in correspondence with the detection part 16 in the moving passage where the sheet detection member 14 is slided and to output a detection signal when they corresponds with the detection part 16 and a coil spring 18 to energize the sheet detection member 14 in the direction in which the sheet rear end regulating plate 5 is slid are provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mechanism for detecting the size of paper stored in a universal cassette.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, recording apparatuses such as electronic copying machines and printers often employ a method in which a medium such as a single-cut sheet is housed in a cassette and is set integrally with the cassette. In the method of setting using this cassette, there is a method of setting media of various sizes, that is, paper, using the same cassette. In so-called universal cassettes, which can load paper of various sizes, a regulation plate is provided to move the paper to the position corresponding to the size of the loaded paper and hold the paper at a predetermined position in the cassette. ing.

10 and 11 are perspective views showing an example of a conventional universal cassette. In FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the cassette 101 has a flat rectangular main body 102 with an open top surface and a paper width direction of paper (not shown) stored in the cassette main body 102. A pair of left and right paper width regulating plates 103, 104
Similarly, a sheet trailing edge regulating plate 105 for regulating the trailing edge side of the sheet in the cassette body 102, and the cassette body 10
Paper push-up plate 10 for pushing up the paper in 2
6 and a pressure spring (not shown) for applying a force in the paper pushing-up direction to the paper pushing-up plate 106.

Then, the paper is stored in the cassette body 102 in the paper width regulating plates 103 and 104 and the paper pushing plate 1.
The sheet is set on the sheet push-up plate 106 in a portion surrounded by 06, and is set in the apparatus main body 201 (see FIG. 12) such as the recording apparatus together with the cassette 101. Further, in the arranged apparatus main body 201, a sheet is taken out one by one from the uppermost portion and supplied by an unillustrated feeding roller.

Further, when changing the size of the paper set in the cassette 101, as shown in FIG. 11, the fixing release levers 107 of the paper width regulating plates 103 and 104 are raised in the directions indicated by arrows 108, respectively. Paper width regulation plate 1
03 and 104 are unfixed and slid in the direction indicated by arrow 110, and guide members 112 and 113 attached to the left and right sides of the sheet trailing edge regulating plate 105 are attached to the left and right inner side surfaces of the cassette body 102 in the front-back direction. The protrusions 114 (see FIG. 11) formed downward in the central portion of the paper trailing edge regulating plate 105 are replaced with the guide grooves 115 formed in a scattered manner, and the protrusions 114 are formed on the bottom surface of the cassette body 102 in the front-back direction. It is changed by replacing it with the holes 117 which are formed in a scattered manner.

When the size of the sheet is changed in this way, the cassette 101 is replaced by the apparatus main body 201.
When mounted inside, the apparatus main body 201 side automatically detects and sets the recording mode according to the paper size.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a conventional paper size detecting mechanism which can automatically recognize the paper size when the cassette 101 having the changed paper size is mounted. In FIG. 12, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 10 and 11 denote the same parts as those in FIGS.

In FIG. 12, one guide member 113 of the cassette 101 is integrally formed with a detection projection 113a protruding outside the cassette body 102,
Further, the detection projection 119 is provided on the outer surface of the cassette body 102.
Are formed. Further, a detection protrusion 120 is formed on the fixing release lever 107 of the paper width regulation plate 104.

On the other hand, on the side of the apparatus main body 201 in which the cassette 101 is mounted, in the cassette chamber 202 in which the cassette main body 101 is mounted, five sheet size detecting members corresponding to the detecting protrusions 113a on the cassette 101 side are installed. Micro switches 211, 212, 213, 214,
215 is provided, one microswitch 210 for detecting the presence / absence of a cassette is arranged corresponding to the detection protrusion 119, and a microswitch 216 is arranged corresponding to the detection protrusion 120 on the cassette 101 side. ing. The micro switch 216 is, for example, A4.
The paper width regulating plate 10 when the size paper is set in the landscape orientation and when the A3 size paper is loaded in the portrait orientation
It is arranged at the corresponding position only when 3 is arranged.

Therefore, in this paper size detection mechanism, when the cassette 101 is set, the microswitches 210 to 216 to which the detection projections correspond are directly pressed, and by detecting these signals. The paper size etc. can be detected automatically. In this case, seven micro switches 210-2
With 16, it is possible to detect eight types of paper sizes.

[0011]

However, in the above-described conventional paper size detection mechanism, the paper width regulating plate 1 is used.
Position 03 (protrusion 120 for detection) and sheet trailing edge regulation plate 1
Since the position (05) (detection protrusion 113a) is directly detected by the micro switch, a plurality of positions are provided on the apparatus main body 201 side of the recording device or the like corresponding to the position of the trailing end or the width of each sheet size. A micro switch for detection is required. Therefore, the number of microswitches increases,
Moreover, a large amount of wiring is required because the wiring must be arranged over a wide range. This is a factor that increases the cost, and also a factor that hinders the downsizing of the main body of the apparatus.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to allow other types of paper sizes to be detected by a small number of sensors, thereby reducing the number of detection sensors and the amount of wiring, thereby reducing the cost. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a paper detection mechanism for a universal cassette that can reduce the number of sheets and reduce the size of the apparatus body.

[0013]

According to the present invention, there is provided a regulating plate for regulating the sheet by moving it to a position corresponding to the size of the sheet set, and the object is slidable in the main body of the apparatus. In a universal cassette paper detection mechanism that is freely arranged, a paper size detection unit is provided corresponding to the inside of the movement path of the regulation plate that is moved integrally with the universal cassette, and has a paper size detection unit on the outer surface. A sheet detection member that slides integrally with the regulation plate, and a detection signal that is provided corresponding to the detection unit in a moving path in which the sheet detection member slides. It is achieved by a configuration including a sensor that outputs a sheet and a biasing unit that biases the sheet detection member in the direction in which the regulation plate slides.

[0014]

According to this structure, the paper size can be detected by the combination of the sensor and the detection unit, and all types can be detected by the number of sensors smaller than the types of paper size. Further, even if the size of the detection unit on the side of the paper detection member is finely formed, it is possible to detect even a paper having a small difference in paper size.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 6 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a side view of a cassette chamber provided on the apparatus main body side of a recording apparatus or the like shown with a universal cassette mounted, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the chamber, FIG. 3 to FIG. 5 are schematic top views, side views, and rear views of the cassette chamber with the universal cassette mounted, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the universal cassette alone.

First, the structure of the universal cassette 1 will be described. As shown in detail in FIG. 6, the universal cassette 1 has a flat rectangular main body 2 having an open upper surface, and the inside of the cassette main body 2. A pair of left and right sheet width regulating plates 3 and 4 for regulating the sheet width direction of the sheet (not shown) stored in the cassette, and a sheet rear edge regulation for regulating the rear edge side of the sheet in the cassette body 2 as well. Board 5
The cassette main body 2 includes a sheet push-up plate 6 for pushing up the sheet, and a pressure spring (not shown) for constantly applying a force in the sheet push-up direction to the sheet push-up plate 6. The paper trailing edge regulating plate 5 has a bottom surface 2a.
A retaining plate portion 5a that is attached to the back side of the
A sheet trailing edge regulating portion 5b bent upward at a right angle from the retaining plate portion 5a and a constricted portion 5c formed at a boundary portion between the retaining plate portion 5a and the sheet trailing edge regulating portion 5b are integrally formed. The cassette body 2
Slot 1 formed in the bottom surface 2a of the base plate extending in the front-rear direction
The constricted portion 5c is positioned at 0 and is attached so that it can be slid in the front-rear direction by guiding the elongated hole 10.

Then, the sheet is set in the cassette body 2 in a portion surrounded by the sheet width regulating plates 3 and 4 and the sheet pushing-up plate 6 while being placed on the sheet pushing-up plate 6, and the cassette is set. Together with 1, the main body 11 of the recording device
(See FIGS. 1 and 2). Further, in the arranged apparatus main body 11, by a feeding roller (not shown),
The sheets 30 are taken out one by one from the top and supplied.

Further, when changing the size of the paper set in the cassette 1, the operator raises the fixing release levers 7 of the paper width regulating plates 3 and 4 in the directions shown by the arrows 8, and the paper width regulating plate 3 is moved. , 4 unlocked and arrow 9
It is changed by sliding in the direction indicated by, and further by moving the sheet trailing edge regulation plate 5 with the fingers and moving it in the front-rear direction with the guide of the elongated hole 10.

Next, the structure of the apparatus main body 11 will be described. A cassette chamber 12 in which the cassette 1 is slid in the front-rear direction and is received in the lower portion of the apparatus body 11.
Are provided, and a pair of guide rails 13 are provided in parallel on the upper surface of the cassette chamber 12 in a state of being extended in the front-rear direction. Further, rail grooves 13a are formed on the surfaces of the pair of guide rails 13 facing each other in the state of being similarly extended in the front-rear direction. The rail grooves 13a, 13a each have one side end. Paper detection member 1 with the slidably engaged state
4 is attached. Further, a bar 15 is fixedly mounted between the pair of guide rails 13 and 13 at the inlet side (front side) of the cassette chamber 12.

The paper detecting member 14 includes rail grooves 13a, 1
3a and a parallel surface portion 14a that is moved in parallel with the cassette chamber 12 and a parallel surface portion 14a on the rear end side.
Vertical surface portion 1 bent at a substantially right angle toward the lower side
4b is integrally formed with a substantially L-shaped cross section.
The amount of protrusion of the vertical surface portion 14b is set to such a size that when the cassette 1 is mounted in the cassette chamber 12, the vertical surface portion 14b is brought into contact with the sheet trailing edge regulating plate 5 of the cassette 1 and can perform a copying operation integrally. There is. In addition, the vertical surface portion 14b,
A plurality of detection units 16 are formed so as to project to the upper surface. The detectors 16 are formed in rows in the front-rear direction, and in this embodiment, they are divided into three rows, row a, row b, and row c, as indicated by the reference numerals in FIG. Four detectors 16 are provided in row a, and two detectors 1 are provided in row b.
6 is divided into two in the front and rear in the c column, and two detection units 16 are provided.
Are formed. Then, the paper detection member 14 and the bar 1
Between 5 and 5, a coil spring 18 as a biasing means.
The sheet detecting member 14 is always urged toward the front side (in the direction of arrow 21 shown in FIG. 3) by the tension of the coil spring 18, and is the most front side when the cassette 1 is not mounted. It is located at the position moved to the side.

In addition, three microswitches 17a, 17b, 17c are attached to the apparatus main body 11 side so as to face the parallel surface 14a of the paper detection member 14 in a line in the left-right direction. Each of these micro switches 17a to 17c forms a sensor for detecting the detection unit 16, of which the micro switch 17a corresponds to the detection unit 16 in the above row a, and the micro switch 17b is in the above row b. The microswitch 17c corresponds to the detection unit 16 and the detection unit 16 in the c-th column.

7 and 8 are operation state diagrams. Therefore, next, the cassette detection operation of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. First, FIG. 7 shows a state in which the cassette 1 is not mounted in the cassette chamber 12. The paper detection member 14 is moved to the frontmost side by the tension of the coil spring 18, and none of the detection units 16 correspond to the three micro switches 17a, 17b, and 17c. The switches 17a, 17b, 17c are off (see FIG. 9).

Next, the paper 30 is placed in the cassette 1, the paper width regulating plates 3 and 4 are brought into contact with the paper width surface, and the paper trailing edge regulating plate 5 is brought into contact with the paper trailing edge to set the paper. The cassette 1 is inserted into the cassette chamber 12 by sliding it in the direction of arrow 22 in FIG. When the sheet is inserted halfway in this way, as shown in FIG. 8, the sheet trailing edge regulating plate 5 contacts the vertical surface portion 14b of the sheet detecting member 14.
Further, when the cassette 1 is inserted to a predetermined position, the paper detection member 14 also slides in the rail groove 13a against the urging force of the spring 18 and is moved in a copying manner to move backward. Further, when the cassette 1 is arranged at a predetermined position, the movement amount of the paper detecting member 14 is changed according to the position where the paper trailing edge regulating plate 5 is arranged with respect to the cassette body 2, that is, the size of the paper 30. Also changes. 1 to 5
Shows the state where the cassette 1 is set in the predetermined position in this way.

If the detection unit 16 and the microswitches 17a to 17c are in contact with each other at that position, only the microswitch with which the detection unit 16 is in contact changes from OFF to ON. Switch. Therefore, the paper size can be detected by knowing the on / off state of each switch.

FIG. 9 shows a state in which the outputs of the micro switches 17a to 17c in each row change as the sheet detecting member 14 is moved backward by one detecting section 16 according to the sheet size. It is a thing. That is, the paper size can be known by sending the output states of the micro switches 17a to 17c to a control unit (not shown).

Therefore, according to the structure of this embodiment, the sensors (microswitches 17a to 17c) and the detector 16 are provided.
The size of the sheet 30 can be detected in combination with. If the detection unit 16 on the side of the sheet detection member 14 is formed finely, even sheets of the sheet 30 that are not so different in size can be detected. Further, the number of sensors (microswitches 17a to 17a) smaller than the types of paper size is used.
In c), more types of paper 30 can be detected, and since the number of sensors is reduced, wiring is reduced and cost can be reduced. It becomes possible.

In the above embodiment, the case where the detecting portion 16 is a protrusion has been described, but a concave portion may be used instead of the protrusion, and the actuator of the microswitch may be dropped into the concave portion. . further,
It is possible to use a photoelectric switch instead of a micro switch as a sensor, to make the detection unit 16 a through hole, and to detect the paper size by a signal output by detecting the through hole (detection unit 16) with a photoelectric switch. Is.

[0028]

As described above, according to the sheet detecting mechanism of the universal cassette according to the present invention, the sheet size can be detected by the combination of the sensor and the detecting section, and further, the detecting section on the sheet detecting member side. By forming a small size, it is possible to detect even the papers that do not differ much in paper size, so it is possible to detect papers that cover more types with a smaller number of sensors than the types of paper sizes. Since the number of sensors is reduced, the number of wirings is reduced, and the effects such as cost reduction and downsizing of the apparatus body can be expected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a cassette chamber shown as an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cassette chamber shown as an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a cassette chamber shown as an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a cassette chamber shown as an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of a cassette chamber shown as an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a single universal cassette used in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an operation explanatory view of the paper detection mechanism in the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an operation explanatory view of the paper detection mechanism in the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a relationship diagram between a movement amount of a sheet detection member and a microswitch output.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a conventional universal cassette alone.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional universal cassette paper size changing method.

FIG. 12 is a structural explanatory view of a conventional paper detection mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Universal cassette 2 Cassette body 5 Paper rear end regulation plate 11 Device body 14 Paper detection member 16 Detection unit 17a to 17c Micro switch 18 Coil spring (biasing member) 30 Paper

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A sheet detection mechanism of a universal cassette, which has a regulation plate that moves the sheet to a position according to the size of the set sheet to regulate the sheet, and is slidably arranged in the main body of the apparatus. A sheet detection member that is provided corresponding to the inside of the movement path of the regulation plate that is moved integrally with the cassette and that has a sheet size detection portion on the outer surface and that is slid integrally with the regulation plate. A sensor that is provided corresponding to the detection unit in a moving path in which the paper detection member slides, and outputs a detection signal when the detection unit corresponds to the detection unit; A sheet detecting mechanism for a universal cassette, comprising: a biasing means for biasing the sliding direction. 2. The paper detection mechanism for a universal cassette according to claim 1, wherein the detection section is formed as a protrusion, and the sensor is constituted by a switch that is turned on / off by the protrusion. 3. The universal according to claim 1, wherein the paper detection member is provided with a plurality of the detection units, and a plurality of types of paper sizes can be detected by a combination of the plurality of detection units and the sensor. Paper detection mechanism for cassettes.