JPH0735212B2 - Copy paper feeding device in electrostatic copying machine - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a copying paper feeding device in an electrostatic copying machine, and more particularly to a cassette type copying paper feeding device comprising a combination of a copying paper cassette and a copying paper cassette receiving portion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known to those skilled in the art, a copying paper cassette in an electrostatic copying machine is a copying machine in which a copying paper cassette and at least the front end portion of the copying paper cassette are inserted so that the copying paper cassette is loaded. A cassette-type copying paper feeding device constructed in combination with a paper cassette receiving portion is conveniently used. The copy paper cassette includes a box-shaped cassette container having an open front end at least, a bottom plate disposed in the cassette container, and spring means for elastically biasing the front end of the bottom plate upward. The sheet-like copy papers are placed in the form of a bottom plate in a stacked state, so that the front end of the sheet-like copy paper layer is elastically biased upward by the action of the spring means. A rotating shaft is provided in the copy paper cassette receiving portion, and a feeding roller is attached to the rotating shaft. The rotary shaft is drivingly connected via a clutch means to a drive source, which may be an electric motor.

When the copy sheet cassette is mounted on the copy sheet cassette receiving portion as required, the front end portion of the uppermost copy sheet of the copy sheet layer biased upward by the spring means is pressed against the feeding roller. . Then, when the feeding roller is selectively rotated, the uppermost copy sheet of the copy sheet layer accommodated in the copy sheet cassette is fed from the copy sheet cassette.

[0004]

Therefore, in the conventional cassette type copying paper feeding device, as described in more detail later, when the copying paper cassette is mounted and / or detached, copying in the copying paper cassette is performed. The uppermost copy sheet of the paper layer is moved relative to the feed roller while being in contact with the feed roller, which causes the uppermost copy sheet to be moved from the required position. There is a problem that it ends up.

The present invention has been made in view of the above facts, and its main technical problem is to prevent the increase in manufacturing cost and the like, and to prevent the increase of the manufacturing cost in the copy paper cassette when the copy paper cassette is loaded and / or unloaded. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cassette type copying paper feeding device which avoids or reduces the adverse effects of the uppermost copying paper by the feeding roller.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned technical object, in the present invention, the feed roller is connected to the drive source at a required portion between the feed roller and the drive source, and in the operating state. with arranging a click latch to permit free rotation of the feed direction and reverse feed roller in Suruga inoperative state, the copying paper cassette receiving section, the copying paper cassette
When inserting the copy paper cassette into the
The guide arcuate part where the upper copy paper comes into contact and is rotated
A guide member provided is provided.

That is, according to the present invention, as a cassette type copying paper supplying device for achieving the above technical problems, the copying paper cassette and at least the front end portion of the copying paper cassette are inserted to load the copying paper cassette. And a copy paper cassette receiving section, the copy paper cassette comprising:
A box-shaped cassette container having at least a front end portion of an upper surface opened, a bottom plate disposed in the cassette container and having a sheet-shaped copy paper layer placed thereon, and a front end portion of the bottom plate elastically moved upward. The copying paper cassette receiving portion is provided with a rotating shaft that is rotatably mounted and can be drivingly connected to a driving source, and a feeding roller that is mounted on the rotating shaft. When the copy paper cassette is loaded in the copy paper cassette receiver as required, the front end of the uppermost copy paper of the copy paper layer is pressed against the feed roller by the elastic biasing action of the spring means. In the copying paper feeding device of the electrostatic copying machine, the feeding roller is fixed to the rotating shaft, and the driving source is provided between the rotating shaft and the driving source.
A rotary input element drivingly connected,
The rotary shaft rotates in the feeding direction as the rotary input element rotates.
Connect the rotary input element to the rotary shaft so that it can be rolled
However, in the non-operating state,
Allow the rotary shaft to rotate freely in the feeding direction and in the opposite direction.
A clutch means for contents has been brought interposed, said copying
The paper cassette receiving section should be close to the rotary shaft or close to the rotary shaft.
Are rotatably mounted on shafts extending substantially in parallel and
A guide arc portion protruding beyond the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller and the feeding arc portion.
Deformation with non-acting part retracted from the outer peripheral surface of the roller
The copy paper is composed of an arcuate body, and the copy paper is received in the copy paper cassette receiving portion.
When the cassette is not loaded, the deformed arc is
When the guide arcuate portion is at an angular position located below,
When inserting the copy paper cassette into the cassette receiving section,
The uppermost copy paper of the copy paper layer may come into contact with the guide arc.
The deformed arc is rotated by and the guide arc
Section and the non-acting section contact the uppermost copy paper
There is provided a copy paper feeding device, which is characterized in that a guide member that is in an angular position is provided.

[0008]

[Action] In copying paper feed device of the present invention, copying paper Se
When inserting the copy paper cassette into the
Of a deformed circular arc body in which the uppermost copy paper of a sheet constitutes a guide member
The deformed circular arc body is rotated by coming into contact with the inner arcuate portion.
Guided when the copy paper cassette reaches the mounting position
The feeding roller is rotated up to the boundary between the arcuate portion and the non-acting portion.
Are brought into contact with the uppermost copy paper of the copy paper layer. Well
Also, remove the copy paper cassette from the copy paper cassette receiver.
If it is the top copy paper in the copy paper layer in the copy paper cassette
When the copy paper is fed with the
Inactive state even if it is moved relative to the camera
Due to the presence of clutch means set in
The rollers can rotate freely.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, which illustrates a copy sheet feeder constructed in accordance with the present invention, the illustrated electrostatic copier includes a generally rectangular parallelepiped housing generally designated by the numeral 2. A transparent plate 4 on which an original to be copied is placed is arranged on the upper surface of the housing 2. Further, on the upper surface of the housing 2, there is mounted a transparent plate 4 and a document retainer 6 which can be opened and closed so as to cover the document placed thereon (in FIG. 1, the document retainer 6 is a transparent plate). 4 is shown in the closed position over cover 4).

The housing 2 is divided into an upper space and a lower space by the horizontal plates 8 and 10. And
A rotary drum 12 having a photoconductor on its peripheral surface is rotatably mounted at a substantially central portion of the lower space. Around the rotary drum 12 which is rotated in the direction shown by the arrow 14,
The charge area 16, the exposure area 18,
A developing area 20, a transfer area 22, a peeling area 24 and a cleaning area 26 are arranged. The charging area 16 is provided with a charging corona discharger 28, the developing area 20 is provided with an appropriate developing device 30, and the transfer area 22 is provided with a transfer corona discharger 3.
2 is disposed, and the peeling area 24 has a corona discharger 34 for peeling.
And a cleaning device 36 is arranged in the cleaning area 26.

The lower part of the housing 2 is generally numbered 38.
A sheet member conveying device indicated by is provided. At one end of the sheet member conveying device 38, that is, at the right end in FIG. 1, a cassette type copying paper feeding device 40 improved according to the present invention and a sheet member manual feeding device 42 located above the copying paper feeding device 40.
And are provided. The copy paper feeding device 40 includes a copy paper cassette receiving portion 46 provided with a feeding roller 44 and a copy paper cassette loaded in the copy paper cassette receiving portion 46 through an opening 48 formed in the right wall of the housing 2. Fifty
And the feeding roller 44 acts to feed the copying paper sheet by sheet from the sheet-shaped copying paper layer 52 accommodated in the copying paper cassette 50 (for the copying paper feeding device 40, More on this later). The manual feeding device 42 has an opening 5 formed in the right wall of the housing 2.
4, a horizontal guide plate 56 projecting outward, a guide plate 58 located above the guide plate 56, and a feed located downstream of these guide plates 56 and 58 (left side in FIG. 1). It comprises a pair of rollers 60 and 62. When an appropriate sheet member such as a sheet copy paper is positioned on the horizontal guide plate 56 and is advanced to the nip position of the feeding roller pair 60 and 62, the feeding roller pair 60 and 62 nips the sheet member, Send this. The copy paper fed from the copy paper feeding device 40 through the guide plates 64 and 66, or the sheet member fed from the manual paper feeding device 42 between the guide plates 64 and 68 is a pair of transport rollers 70.
And 72, the sheet is conveyed to between the transfer area 22 and the peeling area 24 through the space between the guide plates 74 and 76.

Next, the sheet is conveyed by the action of an appropriate conveyor belt mechanism 78 and sent to the fixing device 80. Then, it is discharged to the tray 84 through the opening 82 formed in the left wall of the housing 2.

In the upper space above the horizontal plates 8 and 10 in the housing 2, the original document placed on the transparent plate 4 is scanned and exposed to expose the original on the rotary drum 12 in the exposure area 18. An optical device, generally designated 86, is provided for projecting the original image. The optical device 86 includes the transparent plate 4
Original irradiation lamp 8 for irradiating the original placed on
8, a first reflecting mirror 90, a second reflecting mirror 92, a third reflecting mirror 94, a lens assembly 96 and a fourth reflecting mirror 98 for projecting the reflected light from the original onto the photoconductor. Have. At the time of scanning exposure, the document irradiation lamp 88 and the first reflecting mirror 90 have a required speed from a scanning exposure start position shown by a solid line to a required position substantially horizontally (for example, a maximum scanning exposure end position shown by a two-dot chain line). The second reflecting mirror 92 and the third reflecting mirror 94 are moved by V, and the second and third reflecting mirrors 92 and 94 are half of the required speed from the scanning exposure start position shown by the solid line to the required position (for example, the maximum scanning exposure end position shown by the two-dot chain line) It can be moved at the speed of V / 2. At this time, the reflected light from the document illuminated by the document illumination lamp 88 is reflected by the first reflecting mirror 90,
The second reflecting mirror 92 and the third reflecting mirror 94 are sequentially reflected to reach the lens assembly 96, and then the fourth reflecting mirror 98.
Is reflected on the photoconductor in the exposure area 18 through the opening 100 formed in the horizontal plate 8. When the scanning exposure is completed, the document irradiation lamp 88, the first reflecting mirror 90, the second
The reflecting mirror 92 and the third reflecting mirror 94 are returned to the scanning exposure start position indicated by the solid line.

In the copy paper as described above, while the rotary drum 12 is rotated in the direction shown by the arrow 14, in the charging area 16, the charging corona discharger 28 makes the photoconductor substantially uniform to a specific polarity. Then, the optical device 86 projects an original image in the exposed area 18, and thus an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the original is formed on the photosensitive member. After that,
In the developing area 20, the developing device 30 applies toner to the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor to develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image. Next, in the transfer area 22, a sheet member such as a copy sheet fed from the copy sheet feeding device 40 or the sheet member manual feeding device 42 is brought into contact with the photoconductor, and by the action of the transfer corona discharger 32. The toner image on the photoreceptor is transferred onto the sheet member. Thereafter, in the peeling area 24, the sheet member is peeled from the photoconductor by the action of the peeling corona discharger 34. The sheet member on which the toner image is transferred is then conveyed to the fixing device 80, where the toner image is fixed by the fixing device 80, and then the sheet member is discharged to the receiving tray 84. on the other hand,
The photoconductor continues to rotate further, and in the cleaning area 26, the toner and the electrostatic charge remaining on the photoconductor after the transfer are removed and eliminated by the action of the cleaning device 36.

Next, the construction of the copy sheet feeding device 40 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2 together with FIG. The copy paper feeding device 40 shown in the drawing is, as already mentioned, the copy paper cassette receiving portion 4
6 and a copy paper cassette 50 loaded into the copy paper supply device 40 through an opening 48 formed in the right wall of the housing 2 in combination.

The copy paper cassette 50 is provided with a box-shaped cassette container 404 at least at the front end of the upper surface. Inside the both side walls of the cassette container 404, the cassette container 4
Guide plates 406 are provided to regulate both side edges of the sheet-shaped copy paper layer 52 accommodated in the sheet 04 (only one guide plate 406 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2). The bottom plate 4 is provided between the guide plates 406 in the cassette container 404.
08 is provided. The rear end of the bottom plate 408 is inserted into the hole formed in the bottom wall of the cassette container 404, for example, by inserting the hanging piece formed therein into the cassette container 40.
4 is connected to the bottom wall so as to be rotatable. Bottom plate 40
Between the front end of 8 and the bottom wall of the cassette container 404, spring means 410 composed of a compression coil spring is interposed. The spring means 410 elastically biases the front end portion of the bottom plate 408 upward. Sheet copy paper layer 5
2 is housed in the cassette container 404 with at least the front part placed on the bottom plate 408. Therefore, the front end portion of the sheet-shaped copy paper layer 52 is also elastically biased upward by the spring means 410. Inside the cassette container 404, a pair of separation claw members 412 (only one separation claw member 412 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) are further arranged. The separating claw member 412 is used for the cassette container 4
04, a support portion 414 located between the side wall of the support plate 404 and the guide plate 406, and a separation claw portion that extends inward from the upper edge of the front end of the support portion 414 and is locked to the upper front end corner of the sheet-shaped copy paper layer 52. 416 and. The rear upper end of the support portion 414 is pivotally connected to the guide plate 406 (or the side wall of the cassette container 404) by a pin 418, and the separation claw member 412 is pivotable about the pin 418. When the separating claw member 412 is swung clockwise in FIG. 2, the lower edge of the rear end of the supporting portion 414 is set to the cassette container 40.
Limited by abutting the bottom wall of No. 4.

The copy paper cassette receiving portion 46 is the housing 2
And a pedestal 420 for guiding and supporting the copy paper cassette 50 inserted through the opening 48 formed in the right wall of the. The pedestal 420 guides the bottom surface of the copy paper cassette 50 and extends substantially horizontally, and guides both side surfaces of the copy paper cassette 50 in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of the copy paper cassette 50 in FIG. Has two side surfaces 424 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 2) that defines the position of the. At the downstream edge of the pedestal 420, the above-mentioned guide plate 4
06 is formed with a hanging piece 426 hanging from its upstream edge, and the forward movement of the copy paper cassette 50 along the pedestal 420 is restricted by the front surface of the copy paper cassette 50 contacting the hanging piece 426. (Fig. 4). Above the pedestal 420, there is a rotatably mounted rotary shaft 428, and at least one rotary shaft 428, and in the illustrated case, two rotary shafts spaced apart in the longitudinal direction. A supply roller 44 is attached. In addition, the rotary shaft 428,
Adjacent to the feed roller 44, at least one, and in the illustrated case, two deformed arc bodies 430 are mounted.
As will be described later, the deformed arc body 430 is provided when the copy paper cassette 50 is loaded into the copy paper cassette receiving portion 46.
It constitutes a guide member for avoiding or reducing the degree of contact of the uppermost copy sheet of the sheet-like copy sheet layer 52 in the copy sheet cassette 50 with the feeding roller 44. Referring to FIG. 5 together with FIG. 2, the rotary shaft 428 is
It is rotatably mounted on the vertical front substrate 108 and the vertical rear substrate 110 of the lower support frame 102 via a shaft support member 432. One end portion (right end portion in FIG. 5) of the rotating shaft 428 protrudes rearward (rightward in FIG. 5) beyond the vertical rear substrate 110. A rotation input element 436 is rotatably attached to the protruding end of the rotation shaft 428 via a shaft support member 434. The rotation input element 436 is integrally formed with the sprocket wheel 346 and the gear 352. Sprocket wheel 346
Is drivingly coupled to a drive source 308 (FIG. 1), and gear 352 is a pair of feed rollers 60 and 6 of manual feeder 42.
One of the two 62 (FIG. 1) is engaged with a gear 354 rotatably connected thereto. Between the rotary shaft 428 and the rotary input element 436, a spring clutch means having a unique structure, which is generally designated by reference numeral 438, is disposed (this spring clutch means will be described in further detail later). Main part of rotating shaft 428, that is, lower support frame 1
02, a portion existing between the vertical front substrate 108 and the vertical rear substrate 110 has two support sleeves 4 at a predetermined interval.
40 is fixed and also such a support sleeve 440
Auxiliary sleeve 442 with a slight distance to the outside
Is fixed. The outer circumference of each of the two support sleeves 440 is preferably made of a material having a relatively high friction coefficient such as synthetic rubber.
4 is fixed. On the other hand, support sleeve 440 and auxiliary
Between the sleeve 442 and the sleeve 442, the deformed circular arc body 430 is rotatably mounted on the rotary shaft 428. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the deformed arc body 430 includes a guide arc portion 444 protruding beyond the outer peripheral surface of the feed roller 44, and a non-acting portion 446 retracted from the outer peripheral surface of the feed roller 44. Have. A boundary area 448 between the guide arcuate portion 444 and the non-acting portion 446, particularly the boundary area 44 located on the right side in FIG.
8 is preferably defined by a smooth curve. The deformed circular arc body 430 includes at least the guide arc portion 444 and the boundary region 4 located on the right side in FIG.
The surface of 48 is preferably formed from a material having a relatively low friction coefficient (eg, a suitable synthetic resin material).

In the copy paper feeding device 40 as described above, in the state before the copy paper cassette 50 is loaded in the copy paper cassette receiving portion 46, the deformed arc body 430 is caused by its own center of gravity position. It is located at the angular position shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, when the front end portion of the copy paper cassette 50 is inserted through the deformed opening 48 in the right wall of the housing 2 and positioned on the pedestal 420, and then the copy paper cassette 50 is advanced, the cassette container is moved. The leading edge of the uppermost copy paper of the sheet-like copy paper layer 52 accommodated in 404 abuts on the guide arc portion 444 of the deformed arc body 430. Then, when the copy paper cassette 50 is further advanced, as will be easily understood by referring to FIG. 3, the action of the guide arc portion 444 of the deformed arc body 430 causes the bottom plate 408 and the sheet shape placed on the bottom plate 408. The front end of the copy paper layer 52 is lowered against the elastic biasing action of the spring means 410. Further, the deformed arc body 430 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 3 in accordance with the forward movement of the copy paper cassette 50. When the copy paper cassette 50 is further advanced to the required position where the front surface of the copy paper cassette 50 contacts the hanging piece 426 as shown in FIG. 4, the deformed arc body 430 is rotated to the angular position shown in FIG. The boundary area 448 comes into contact with the uppermost upper surface of the sheet-shaped copy paper layer 52. Thus, as will be readily understood by comparing FIG. 3 and FIG. 4,
Due to the elastic biasing action of the spring means 410, the deformed arc body 43
0 is further rotated in the clockwise direction in FIG. 4, and the bottom plate 408 and the front end portion of the sheet-like copy paper layer 52 placed on the bottom plate 408 are raised, whereby the uppermost position of the sheet-like copy paper layer 52. The upper side of the copy paper is the feeding roller 4
4 is pressed. Guide arcuate portion 4 of the deformed arc body 430
When the copy paper cassette 50 is inserted to the position shown in FIG. 4, the extension angle range of 44 is the guide arc portion 444 of the deformed arc body 430 which is rotated clockwise in FIG. 4 by the insertion of the copy paper cassette 50. Rather, the boundary area 448 needs to be set so as to come into contact with the upper surface of the uppermost copy sheet of the sheet-like copy sheet layer 52.
As described above, when the copy paper cassette 50 is loaded into the copy paper cassette receiving portion 46, the deformed arc body 430 is
By the action of the bottom plate 408 and the front end of the sheet-like copy paper layer 52 placed thereon is lowered against the elastic biasing action of the spring means 410, and thus the uppermost copy of the sheet-like copy paper layer 52. It is substantially avoided that the paper contacts the peripheral surface of the feed roller 44 and is adversely affected. The deformed circular arc body 430 that performs such an operation is rotatably mounted on the rotary shaft 428 to which the feeding roller 44 is fixed in the illustrated example. If desired, a separate shaft extending substantially parallel to the axis of rotation 428 may be provided and rotatably mounted on such shaft. As shown in FIG. 4, when the copy paper cassette 50 is loaded in the copy paper cassette receiving portion 46 as required, the rotation shaft 428 is rotated by the action of the spring clutch means 438 (FIG. 5). 5) and thus the rotating shaft 42
8 and the feeding roller 44 fixed thereto are rotated clockwise in FIG. 4, the sheet copying is performed by the feeding action of the feeding roller 44 and the separating action of the separating claw portion 416 of the separating claw member 412. The uppermost copy sheet of the paper layer 52 is separated from the other copy sheets and sent to the left in FIG.

Thus, in the conventional copying paper feeding device 40, the clutch means for selecting the rotation input element 436 and the rotation shaft 428 is not in operation (that is, the rotation input element 43).
6 rotation is not transmitted to the rotary shaft 428), the rotary shaft 4
A spring clutch means was used that did not allow free rotation of 28 and prevent rotation of rotating shaft 428. However, when the free rotation of the rotary shaft 428 is not allowed, there are the following problems. That is, when the copy paper cassette 50 is loaded in the copy paper cassette receiving portion 46, the uppermost copy paper of the sheet-like copy paper layer 52 is moved around the feed roller 44 by the action of the deformed arc body 430 as described above. Contact with the surface and adverse effects are substantially avoided. However,
When the copy paper cassette 50 is detached from the copy paper cassette receiving portion 46, as can be easily understood by referring to FIG. The copy paper cassette 50 is pulled out to the right in FIG. 4 while the copy paper continues to contact the feed roller 44 which is not allowed to freely rotate. That way,
The uppermost copy sheet of the sheet-like copy sheet layer 52, which is kept in contact with the feeding roller 44 which is not allowed to freely rotate, is not moved by the movement of the copy sheet cassette 50 and is copied. It is displaced relative to the paper cassette 50 and partially protrudes from the cassette container 404. In order to solve such a problem, in the conventional copy paper feeding device, a one-way clutch is interposed between the rotating shaft 428 and the feeding roller 44 to prevent the free rotation of the rotating shaft 428. The feeding roller 44 is allowed to freely rotate in the counterclockwise direction (that is, the direction opposite to the feeding direction) in FIG. However, if such a solution is adopted, it is necessary to additionally use the one-way clutch, which increases the cost. To solve the above problem without using the one-way clutch, between the rotary input element 436 and the rotary shaft 428, another electromagnetic clutch, such as an electromagnetic clutch, which allows free rotation of the rotary shaft 428 when inactive. Although it is conceivable to use a form of clutch means, the conventional clutch means such as an electromagnetic clutch that allows free rotation of the rotating shaft 428 when not in operation has problems such as being relatively expensive.

Therefore, the copy paper feeding device 40 in the illustrated copying machine improved in accordance with the present invention is unique in that it allows free rotation of the rotary shaft 428 when not in operation although it is relatively simple and inexpensive. A constructed spring clutch means 438 is utilized.

Referring to FIG. 5, the illustrated spring clutch means 438 includes a hub portion 450 formed on the rotation input element 436 and a tubular body 4 fixed to a rotation shaft 428.
Tubular rotating element 454 loosely fitted over the small diameter portion of 52
And the coil spring 4 disposed inside the rotating element 454.
56 and 56 are included. One end of the coil spring 456 is fixed to the hub portion 450 of the rotation input element 436, and the other end is fixed to the rotation element 454. The winding direction of the coil spring 456 wound around the hub portion 450 of the rotation input element 436 and the small diameter portion of the tubular body 452 is left-handed when viewed from the right in FIG. Referring to FIG. 6 together with FIG. 5, the spring clutch means 438 is further pivotable on a support pin 458 that is planted in the vertical rear substrate 110 of the lower support frame 102 and projects rightward in FIG. Wearing friction member 4
60, and a control means for positioning selectively to the working position shown the friction member 460 to the inactive position and Figure 6 indicated by solid lines by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 6. In the illustrated example, the control means is composed of a solenondo 462 whose main part is fixed to the vertical rear substrate 110. This solenoid 462 has an iron core 466 having an enlarged head 464.
And a compression coil spring 46 fitted on the shaft of the iron core 466.
8 and. One end of the friction member 460 is bifurcated and receives the shaft portion of the iron core 466 of the solenoid 462. When the solenoid 462 is deenergized and the iron core 466 is in the protruding position shown by the solid line in FIG. 6 due to the elastic biasing action of the spring 468, the friction member 460.
Are positioned in the non-acting position shown by the solid line in FIG. On the other hand, when the solenoid 462 is biased and the iron core 466 is moved to the retracted position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 6 against the elastic biasing action of the spring 468, the friction member 460 acts as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. Positioned in position. Then, when the friction member 460 is positioned at the operating position shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 6, the other end, that is, the free end of the friction member 460 is pressed against the peripheral surface of the rotating element 454. Advantageously, a high-friction material having a high coefficient of friction, such as a non-woven fabric, is applied to the surface of the free end of the friction member 460, which is pressed against the peripheral surface of the rotating element 454. Instead of sticking the high-friction material to the surface of the free end of the friction member 460, the high-friction material can be stuck to the peripheral surface of the rotating element 454.

The operation of the spring clutch means 438 as described above will be summarized and described as follows. Solenoid 462 is de-energized, so friction member 460 is shown in FIG.
When positioned in the non-acting position shown by the solid line at
The rotating element 454 is free to rotate without any constraint. In such a state, the driving source 308
A rotation input element 43 which is drivingly connected to (FIG. 1) and is rotated counterclockwise when viewed from the right in FIG.
The rotation of 6 is transmitted to the freely rotatable rotary element 454 via the coil spring 456, and the coil spring 456 and the rotary element 454 are rotated in association with the rotation of the rotary input element 436. In this case, one end is the rotation input element 436.
The coil spring 456, which is fixed to the other end and is fixed to the rotating element 454 at the other end, is contracted because the rotating element 454 is not constrained at all and is therefore free to rotate with the rotation of the rotating input element 436. Never. Therefore, the tubular body 452 and the rotary shaft 428 to which the tubular body 452 is fixed are
It is allowed to rotate freely in both directions without any restrictions. On the other hand, when the solenoid 426 is biased to bring the friction member 460 to the operating position shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 6, the free end of the friction member 460 is rotated.
Is pressed against the circumferential surface of the rotating element 454, which adds frictional resistance to the rotation of the rotating element 454. Thus, the coil spring 456 wound from one end fixed to the rotation input element 436 to the other end fixed to the rotation element 454 in a left-hand winding when viewed from the right in FIG. Four
5 is forced to rotate in the counterclockwise direction as viewed from the right in FIG.
Since it receives a resistance force due to the frictional resistance applied to No. 4, it is contracted and tightly wound around the hub portion 450 of the rotation input element 436 and the small diameter portion of the tubular body 452 fixed to the rotation shaft 428. Thus, the rotary input element 436 and the tubular body 452 and the rotary shaft 428 to which the tubular body 452 is fixed are connected by the coil spring 456, and thus the rotary input element 436.
5, the rotary shaft 428 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction, that is, the feeding direction when viewed from the right in FIG. The contracted coil spring 456 and the rotary element 454 to which the other end of the coil spring 456 is fixed continue to receive frictional resistance by the friction member 460 pressed against the peripheral surface of the rotary element 454 (thus, the coil spring 456 is While being kept in the contracted state), it is rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the right side in FIG. 5 in association with the rotation of the rotation input element 436 against this frictional resistance.

In the illustrated copy sheet feeding device 40 using the spring clutch means 438 as described above, when the spring clutch means 438 is inactive, that is, when the solenoid 462 is deenergized, the rotary shaft 428 and the rotary shaft 428 are fixed. Free rotation of the feeding roller 44 is allowed. Therefore, when the copy paper cassette 50 is removed from the copy paper cassette receiver 46,
Even if the uppermost copy paper of the sheet-shaped copy paper layer 52 accommodated in the cassette container 404 is kept in contact with the feeding roller 44, the feeding roller 44 moves in the feeding direction according to the movement of the uppermost copy paper. Since it is appropriately rotated in the opposite direction, the above-mentioned problems do not occur.

Thus, the spring clutch means 4 as described above.
38, when the spring clutch 438 is deactivated, that is, when the solenoid 462 is deenergized, the rotary shaft 428 and the feed roller 44 fixed to the rotary shaft 428 are allowed to freely rotate, and therefore, the copy paper cassette is used. Copy paper cassette 5 is received in receiving portion 46.
Even when 0 is loaded, the uppermost copy paper of the sheet-shaped copy paper layer 52 accommodated in the cassette container 404 comes into contact with the feeding roller 44, so that the uppermost copy paper is significantly adversely affected. Never. Therefore, if desired, the modified arcuate body 430 described above may be omitted. However, if the deformed arc body 430 is omitted,
The following undesirable trends occur. That is, as will be easily understood by referring to FIG. 2, when the deformed arc body 430 is omitted, the copy paper cassette receiving portion 46 is provided.
When the copy paper cassette 50 is loaded on the sheet, the leading edge of the uppermost copy paper of the sheet copy paper layer 52 accommodated in the cassette container 404 is directly tangential to the peripheral surface of the feeding roller 44. The contact is made in a substantially normal line rather than in a shape.
Therefore, the feeding roller 44 is generally formed of a material having a relatively large coefficient of friction in order to surely perform its original function, that is, the copy paper feeding function. Even when the leading edge of the uppermost copy sheet of the sheet-shaped copy paper layer 52 comes into contact with the peripheral surface of the feed roller 44 on a substantially normal line, the feed roller 44 can freely rotate. The feeding roller 44 tends to hinder the advance of the uppermost copy sheet of the sheet copy paper layer 52.

[0026]

[0027]

[0028]

In copying paper feeder to the present invention, the double
When inserting the copy paper cassette into the paper cassette receiver,
Deformation circle in which the uppermost copy paper of the copy paper layer constitutes the guide member
The deformed arc body by contacting the guide arc portion of the arc body
Is rotated and the copy paper cassette reaches the loading position.
Then, it is rotated to the boundary between the guide arcuate part and the non-acting part, and is sent.
The feed roller is brought into contact with the uppermost copy paper of the copy paper layer.
It Therefore, the topmost copy of the copy paper layer in the copy paper cassette is
Copy paper is fed to the feed roller while the copy paper is in contact with the feed roller.
By moving it relative to
The adverse effects are avoided. Also, copy paper
When removing the set from the copy paper cassette receiving section,
When the tongue means is deactivated, the feed roller
It is allowed to rotate in the feeding direction and in the reverse direction. Obey
Therefore, even if the uppermost copy sheet of the copy sheet layer in the copy sheet cassette is in contact with the feed roller, the feed roller rotates freely even if the copy sheet is moved relative to the feed roller. This prevents the copy paper from being adversely affected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a simplified cross-sectional view showing the overall configuration of an electrostatic copying machine equipped with a copy sheet feeding device configured according to the present invention.

2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which a copy paper cassette is loaded in a copy paper cassette receiving portion of the copy paper supply device in the copying machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a final state in which the copy paper cassette is loaded in the copy paper cassette receiving portion of the copy paper supply device in the copying machine shown in FIG.

4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an initial state of the copying paper feeding device in the copying machine of FIG. 1 in which the copying paper cassette is detached from the copying paper cassette receiving portion.

5 is a partial simplified view showing a part of a copy paper supply device in the copying machine of FIG.

6 is a partial simplified view showing a part of a spring clutch means provided in association with the copy sheet feeding device in the copying machine of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2: Electrostatic copying machine housing 4: Transparent plate 6: Document holder 12: Rotating drum 28: Corona discharger for charging 30: Developing device 32: Corona discharger for transfer 34: Corona discharger for peeling 36: Cleaning device 38 : Sheet member conveying device 40: Copy paper feeding device 44: Feeding roller 46: Copy paper cassette receiving part 50: Copy paper cassette 52: Sheet copy paper layer 80: Fixing device 86: Optical device 308: Driving source 404: Cassette Container 408: Bottom plate 410: Spring means 428: Rotating shaft 430: Deformed arc body (guide member) 436: Rotation input element 438: Spring clutch means 444: Guide arc portion of deformed arc body 446: Non-acting portion of deformed arc body 454 : Rotating element 456: Coil spring 460: Friction member 462: Solenoid (control means)

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Masanori Itayo 1-22-28 Tamazo, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture Mita Kogyo Co., Ltd. (72) Hiroshi Kusumoto 1-2, Tamatsukuri, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture No. 28 in Mita Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Zenzo Kawamori 1-2 chome Takuzo, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture No. 28-28 Mita Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masuo Kawamoto 1 Tamazuzo, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture No. 2-28 Mita Industry Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-55-140437 (JP, A) JP-A-55-74929 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A combination of a copy paper cassette and a copy paper cassette receiver into which the copy paper cassette is loaded by inserting at least the front end of the copy paper cassette, the copy paper cassette being at least the top surface. A box-shaped cassette container having an open front end, and a bottom plate disposed in the cassette container and on which a sheet-shaped copy paper layer is placed
A rotating shaft, which includes spring means for elastically biasing the front end portion of the bottom plate upward, is rotatably mounted on the copying paper cassette receiving portion and can be drivingly connected to a drive source, and is mounted on the rotating shaft. Is provided, and when the copy paper cassette is loaded in the copy paper cassette receiving portion as required,
A front end of the uppermost copy sheet of the copy sheet layer is pressed against the feed roller by the elastic biasing action of the spring means,
In a copying paper feeding device of an electrostatic copying machine, the feeding roller is fixed to the rotating shaft, and a rotation input element drivingly connected to the driving source is provided between the rotating shaft and the driving source.
And, in the operating state, is associated with the rotation of the rotary input element.
Rotation so that the rotating shaft is rotated in the feeding direction.
The input element is connected to the rotary shaft and is
The axis of rotation is in the feed direction and in the opposite direction with respect to the rotary input element.
Intervenes with a clutch means that allows it to rotate freely
The copy paper cassette receiving part is
Rotation about an axis or an axis extending substantially parallel to the axis of rotation.
It is rotatably mounted and protrudes beyond the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller.
The guide arcuate part that comes out and is drawn in from the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller
A copy of the deformed arc having
The copy paper cassette is not loaded in the paper cassette receiver.
Sometimes, the deformed arc has the guide arcuate portion located below.
When the copy paper cassette is in the angular position,
When inserting the tray, the top copy paper of the copy paper layer is
By contacting the guide arcuate portion, the deformed arc body rotates.
The guide arc-shaped portion and the non-acting portion are rolled and rolled.
A guide member is installed at an angular position that contacts the topmost copy paper.
A copy paper feeding device characterized by being worn .