JPH08157077A - Paper feed cassette and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To miniaturize a sheet size display means or a seat size detecting means and improve the display accuracy of the seat size display means or the detection accuracy of the seat size detecting means by providing a changing means changing the shift quantity between sheet sizes of a sheet rear end regulating means to nearly the same quantity. CONSTITUTION: The shift quantity of a cam face following member 109 is made the same when a rear end regulating means 101 is changed from a small-sheet size regulation position to an upper-sheet size regulation position or when it is changed from a large-sheet size regulation position to a lower-sheet size regulation position. Multiple display sections or detection sections can be formed at uniform intervals on the outer periphery of a sheet size display means 111a or the outer periphery of a sheet size detecting means 111b. The sheet size display means 111a or the sheet size detecting means 111b can be miniaturized to the utmost possible.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet feeding cassette used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer and a facsimile, and more specifically, a sheet feeding cassette capable of stacking and storing a plurality of types of sheets having different sizes. Regarding a paper cassette (universal cassette).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A universal cassette used in an image forming apparatus has a trailing edge regulating member for regulating the trailing edge position of a plurality of sheets stacked in the cassette body in the feeding direction, and is loaded and loaded. Left and right side regulating members for regulating both side end positions in a direction orthogonal to the feeding direction of a plurality of sheets (hereinafter, this direction is referred to as a sheet width direction),
It has.

The rear end regulating member is adapted to move along a guide groove formed in the bottom plate portion of the cassette body in the sheet feeding direction, and to be positioned at each sheet size position. ing.

Further, when the center conveyance reference is adopted, the left and right side regulating members are adapted to move along guide grooves formed in the bottom plate portion of the cassette body in the sheet width direction. The sheet size is set at each sheet size position. In this case, the movement of the left and right side regulating members is interlocked by the interlocking mechanism including the rack and the pinion, and when one side regulating member is set to a predetermined sheet size position,
The other side regulating member is also set at a predetermined sheet size position.

In such a universal cassette, the size of the sheets stacked and stored in the cassette body is detected by utilizing the movement of the trailing edge regulating member or the side regulating member, and the inside of the cassette body is detected. Some include a sheet size display unit that displays the size of the stacked and stored sheets.

FIG. 6 shows the structure of a drive mechanism 400 for the sheet size detecting means or the sheet size displaying means, which is provided in the conventional universal cassette.

Reference numeral 500 is a movement amount transmitting member which moves in the sheet feeding direction Y1, Y2 or in the sheet width direction X1, X2 integrally with a rear end regulating member or a side regulating member (not shown). A rack 500a is formed on one side surface of the movement amount transmission member 500 in the longitudinal direction.
A gear 600a fixed at a predetermined position meshes with a. The rotation of the gear 600a is transmitted to the drive gear 600c of the cylindrical sheet size display means 700a via the gear 600b. The rotation of the gear 600a is transmitted to the drive gear 600e of the cylindrical sheet size detecting means 700b via the gear 600d.

Various sheet sizes are displayed by markings on the outer peripheral surface of the sheet size display means 700a.
Further, a detection pattern formed of a cam surface is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the sheet size detection means 700b.

When the rear end regulating member or the side regulating member is moved to a predetermined size position, the movement amount transmitting member 500 integrally moves, and the movement of the movement amount transmitting member 500 is transmitted via the gears 600a, 600b, 600c. Is transmitted to the sheet size display means 700a, and the gears 600a, 600d, 6
It is transmitted to the sheet size detecting means 700b via 00c. As a result, the sheet size display means 700a displays a predetermined sheet size, and the sheet size detection means 700
b detects a predetermined sheet size.

[0010]

However, the sheet size display means 700a is driven by the drive mechanism 400 of the above-mentioned conventional example.
Alternatively, when the sheet size detecting means 700b is driven, there are the following problems.

That is, since the drive mechanism 400 directly transmits the movement of the rear end regulation member or the side regulation member to the sheet size display means 700a or the sheet size detection means 700b, it can be stacked and stored in the cassette body, for example. As shown in Fig. 7, the sheet size is B5 vertical size, executive vertical size, letter vertical size, A4 vertical size,
In the case of the legal vertical size, the minimum displacement of the trailing edge regulating member in the sheet feeding direction is PL1 (10 mm) between the B5 vertical size and the executive vertical size, and the maximum displacement is the A4 vertical size and the legal vertical size. PL4 (50.
6) mm. Therefore, when the displacement amount of the trailing edge regulating member is directly transmitted to the sheet size display unit 700a or the sheet size detection unit 700b, the display unit or the detection unit is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the sheet size display unit 700a or the sheet size detection unit 700b. Some areas do not function as parts.
For this reason, in the case of transmitting the movement of the trailing edge regulating member to the sheet size display means 700a or the sheet size detection means 700b, it is difficult to make the sheet size display means 700a or the sheet size detection means 700b smaller (smaller in diameter).

The minimum displacement amount of the side regulating member in the sheet width direction is PB1 (1 mm) between the B5 vertical size and the executive vertical size, which is a very small displacement amount. Therefore, the movement of the side regulating member is controlled by the sheet size display means 7
00a or the sheet size detecting means 700b, it is difficult to improve the sheet size display accuracy and the sheet size detection accuracy.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to miniaturize the sheet size display means or the sheet size detection means, and the display accuracy of the sheet size display means or the sheet size detection is possible. An object of the present invention is to provide a paper feed cassette capable of improving the detection accuracy of the means.

[0014]

According to a first aspect of the invention, the cassette body (100) is mounted on the bottom plate (100a) of the cassette body so as to be movable in the sheet feeding direction, and is loaded in the cassette body (100). A sheet trailing edge regulating means (101) for regulating the trailing edge position of the stored sheets in the feeding direction is provided, and the sheets are loaded in the cassette body (100) by the movement of the sheet trailing edge regulating means (101). Sheet size display means for displaying the stored sheet size (111
a) or a sheet feeding cassette adapted to drive the sheet size detecting means (111b) for detecting the sheet size.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 is the sheet trailing edge regulating means (101).
A conversion means (108) for converting the movement amount between the respective sheet sizes into substantially the same amount is provided, and the movement of the trailing edge regulating means (101) in the sheet feeding direction is changed by the conversion means (108). It is characterized in that the information is transmitted to the size display means (111a) or the sheet size detection means (111b).

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the cassette main body (200) is mounted on the bottom plate (200a) of the cassette main body (200) so as to be movable in a direction orthogonal to the sheet feeding direction, and is loaded in the cassette main body (200). Left and right side restricting means (201, 2) for restricting the lateral end positions of the stored sheets in the width direction.
02), and the cassette body (200) by the movement of the side regulating means (201 or 202).
The present invention relates to a sheet feeding cassette configured to drive a sheet size display unit that displays the sheet size stacked and stored inside or a sheet size detection unit that detects the sheet size.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 2 is the side regulating means (201 or 2).
02) conversion means (211) for converting the movement amount between the respective sheet sizes into substantially the same amount, and the conversion means (21)
1) via the side regulating means (201 or 202)
Is transmitted to the sheet size display means or the sheet size detection means.

[0018]

According to the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the movement amount between the respective sheet sizes of the trailing edge regulating means (101) is converted into substantially the same amount by the converting means (108), and the sheet size is displayed. It is transmitted to the means (111a) or the sheet size detection means (111b).

According to the second aspect of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the movement amount between the sheet sizes of the side regulating means (201 or 202) is converted into substantially the same amount by the converting means (211), and the sheet size is changed. It is transmitted to the display means or the sheet size detection means.

The reference numerals in parentheses refer to the drawings and do not limit the structure of the present invention.

[0021]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. <Embodiment 1> FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a paper feed cassette (universal cassette) according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

This paper feed cassette has its cassette body 10
The rear end regulating member 101 that regulates the rear end position of the sheet in the sheet feeding direction, and the left and right side regulating members 102 and 103 that regulate the both end positions of the sheet in the width direction are provided inside the sheet 0.

The rear end regulating member 101 is the cassette body 10
It is fitted in a guide groove 104 formed in the central portion of the bottom plate 100 of 0 in the sheet feeding direction, and is movable along the guide groove 104.

The guide groove 104 has a plurality of sheet sizes (B5 vertical size, executive vertical size, shown in FIG. 7).
Positioning grooves 104a to 104e for positioning the trailing edge regulating member 101 are provided at the letter vertical size, A4 vertical size, and legal vertical size positions.

When the rear end regulating member 101 is set in the groove 104a, the rear end of the B5 vertical size is regulated, when it is set in the groove 104c, the rear end of the executive vertical size is regulated, and when it is set in the groove 104c, it becomes the letter vertical size. The rear end is regulated, and when set in the groove 104d, the rear end of the A4 vertical size is regulated, and when set in the groove 104e, the rear end of the legal vertical size is regulated.

The left and right side regulating members 102 and 103 are
Protrusions (not shown) on the lower surfaces of the sliders 102a and 103a are fitted into guide grooves 105 and 106 formed in the bottom plate 100a of the cassette body 100 in the sheet width direction. It is possible to move along. In this case, the sliders 102a and 103
A rack formed on one side in the longitudinal direction of a (not shown)
Meshes with a pinion gear 107 rotatably installed on the bottom plate 100a. As a result, the left and right side regulating members 102 and 103 are interlocked with each other. When one side regulating member 102 is set to the predetermined sheet size position, the other side regulating member 103 is also set to the predetermined sheet size position. .

On the lower surface side of the bottom plate 100a of the cassette body 100, a plate-shaped conversion member 108 which moves integrally with the rear end regulating member 101 in the sheet feeding direction is installed. The conversion member 108 is fixed to the lower surface of the rear end regulation member 101.

As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of cam surfaces 108a to 108e are continuously formed on one side in the longitudinal direction of the conversion member 108. The distance PL1 in the sheet feeding direction between the cam surfaces 108a and 108b is the difference PL1 between the B5 vertical size and the executive vertical size shown in FIG.
The same distance PL2 between 08b and 108c is the difference PL2 between the executive vertical size and the letter-vertical size, and the cam surface 1
The same distance PL3 between 08c and 108d is the difference PL3 between the letter vertical size and the A4 vertical size, and the cam surfaces 108d and 1d.
The same distance PL4 between 08e is the difference PL4 between the A4 vertical size and the legal vertical size.

The distance between the cam surfaces 108a and 108b in the seat width direction, the same distance between the cam surfaces 108b and 108c, the same distance between the cam surfaces 108c and 108d, the cam surface 10
The same distance between 8d and 108e is the same distance H.

This conversion member 108 is the rear end regulating member 101.
When integrally moving in the sheet feeding direction, the cam surface following member 109, which is movably installed in the sheet width directions X1 and X2, follows the cam surfaces 108a to 108e.

The cam surface following member 109 is guided by the plurality of guide pins 109a and 109b and is moved in the sheet width direction X1,
Moves in the X2 direction, and bias spring (coil spring) 10
The cam surface 108 is constantly urged in the direction of arrow X1 by 9c.
It is in contact with a to 108e at a predetermined pressure.

The cam surface following member 109 is used for the cam surface 10 when the rear end regulating member 101 regulates the B5 vertical size.
8a, the cam surface 108b is contacted when the executive vertical size is regulated, and the cam surface 108d is contacted when the letter vertical size is regulated to regulate the legal vertical size. At the time, it contacts the cam surface 108e.

Therefore, when the rear end regulating member 101 is changed from the B5 vertical size regulating position to the executive vertical size regulating position, when the rear end regulating member 101 is changed from the executive vertical size regulating position to the letter-vertical size regulating position, the letter-longitudinal size is formed. When changing from the regulation position of A to the regulation position of A4 vertical size, A
4 The amount of movement of the cam surface following member 109 when changing from the vertical size restriction position to the legal vertical size restriction position is equal to the distance H between the cam surfaces.

A rack 109d is formed on one side of the cam surface following member 109 in the longitudinal direction.
The gear 110a fixed at a predetermined position meshes with d. The rotation of the gear 110a is transmitted to the drive gear 110c of the cylindrical sheet size display means 110a via the gear 110b. The rotation of the gear 110a is transmitted to the drive gear 110e of the cylindrical sheet size detecting means 111b via the gear 110d.

Various sheet sizes are displayed by markings on the outer peripheral surface of the sheet size display means 111a.
Further, a detection pattern composed of a cam surface is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the sheet size detection means 111b.

As described above, when the trailing edge regulating member 101 changes from the small sheet size regulating position to the upper sheet size regulating position, or from the large sheet size regulating position to the lower sheet size regulating position. Since the movement amount of the cam surface following member 109 is the same when changing to, the plurality of display portions or detection portions are equally divided on the outer peripheral surface of the sheet size display means 111a or the outer peripheral surface of the sheet size detection means 111b. be able to.

Therefore, the sheet size display means 111a or the sheet size detection means 111b can be made as small as possible (smaller in diameter). <Embodiment 2> FIG. 3 shows the construction of a paper feed cassette (universal cassette) according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

The main body 20 of this paper feed cassette is
In FIG. 0, left and right side regulating members 201 and 202 for regulating both side end positions in the width direction of the sheet, and a rear end regulating member (not shown) for regulating the rear end position of the sheet in the sheet feeding direction are provided. There is.

The left and right side regulating members 201 and 202 are
The bottom plate 200a of the cassette body 200 has a sheet width direction X
1, guide grooves 203 to 20 formed to face X2
It is possible to move along 6. In this case, the guide pins 207 and 208 provided on the lower surface of the slider 201a of the side regulating member 201 are inserted into the guide grooves 203 and 204.
And the guide pins 209, 2 provided on the lower surface of the slider 202a of the side regulating member 202.
10 (one is not shown) is fitted in the guide grooves 205 and 206.

On the lower surface side of the bottom plate 200a of the cassette body 200, a plate-shaped conversion member 211 shown in FIG. 4 is installed. The conversion member 211 includes the left and right side regulating members 2
The number of cam grooves 212 corresponding to 01 and 202 is formed. Cam surfaces 212 a to 212 e are formed in each cam groove 212. The distance in the sheet feeding direction between the cam surfaces 212a and 212b is H1, the same distance between the cam surfaces 212b and 212c is H2, the same distance between the cam surfaces 212c and 212d is H3, and the same distance between the cam surfaces 212d and 212e. Distance H4
And

The distance between the cam surfaces 212a and 212b in the sheet width direction is the difference PB1 between the B5 vertical size and the executive vertical size shown in FIG. 7, and the cam surfaces 212b and 21b.
The same distance between 2d is the difference PB2 between the executive vertical size and the A4 vertical size, and the same distance between the cam surfaces 212d and 212c (and 212e) is the A4 vertical size and the letter vertical size (and the legal vertical size). ) Difference PB3.

The conversion member 211 is adapted to move on the bottom plate 200a along the guide groove 213 in the sheet feeding directions Y1 and Y2. In this case, the guide pin 214 provided at the center of the conversion member 211 is attached to the guide groove 213.
Is fitted into. In addition, the left and right side regulating members 20
Each of the guide pins 207 to 210 of 1,202 corresponds to each cam groove 2
It is fitted in 12.

The conversion member 211 has the sheet feeding directions Y1, Y.
When moved to 2, the left and right side regulating members 201, 202
Each of the guide pins 207 to 210 moves along each guide groove 212, whereby the left and right side regulating members 20 are
1, 202 moves in the sheet width directions X1 and X2. The guide pins 207 to 210 are located on the cam surface 212a when restricting the B5 vertical size, located on the cam surface 212b when restricting the executive vertical size, and located on the cam surface 212d when restricting the A4 vertical size. However, when the legal vertical size is regulated, it is located on the cam surface 212e.

On one side in the longitudinal direction of the conversion member 211, a plurality of cam surfaces 213a, 2 having different shapes for each sheet size are provided.
13b, 213c ... Are shaped. Each cam surface 213
The heights a, 213b, 213c ... Are set to H.

When the conversion member 211 is in the sheet feeding direction Y1, Y
When moving to 2, the ends 216 of the plurality of driving members 215a, 215b, ... Which are rotatably installed around the support shaft 214, have their respective cam surfaces 213a, 213b, 213c ,.
It is designed to follow. Each drive member 215a, 2
15b ... Are urged clockwise by an urging spring (not shown).

One end 2 of each drive member 215a, 215b ...
When 16 follows each cam surface 213a, 213b, 213c ..., The other end 217 will change to the position a and the position b. Due to the change in the position of the other end 217, each driving member 215a,
215b ... Switches the display unit of the sheet size display unit or the detection unit of the sheet size detection unit (not shown).

FIG. 5 shows an example of the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus (copier) provided with the paper feed cassette of the present invention.

In the image forming apparatus main body 900, a document placing table 906, a light source 907, a lens system 908, a paper feeding section 909,
The image forming unit 902 and the like are provided.

The paper feeding unit 909 accommodates the sheet S and is detachably attached to the image forming apparatus main body 900 (paper feeding cassette of the present invention) 910 and 911 and a peddy style 912.
It has a deck 913 arranged at.

The image forming section 902 includes a cylindrical photosensitive member 9
14, a developing device 915 containing toner, a transfer charger 9
16, a separate charger 917, a cleaner 918, a primary charger 919, etc. are provided.

A conveying device 920, a fixing device 904, a pair of discharge rollers 905, etc. are arranged on the downstream side of the image forming section 902.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus will be described.

When a paper feed signal is output from a control device (CPU) (not shown) provided on the image forming apparatus main body 900, the sheet S is fed from the cassettes 910, 911 or the deck 913.

On the other hand, the light that is applied from the light source 907 to the document D placed on the document placing table 906 and reflected therefrom is applied to the photoconductor 914 via the lens system 908. The photoconductor 914 is charged in advance by the primary charging device 919, an electrostatic latent image is formed by irradiating light, and then a toner image is formed by the developing device 915.

The sheet S fed from the paper feeding unit 909 is corrected for skew by the registration roller pair 901, and further fed to the image forming unit 909 at a timed timing. In the image forming unit 909, the toner image on the photoconductor 914 is transferred onto the sheet S sent by the transfer charger 916, and the transferred sheet S is charged by the separation charger 917 to the opposite polarity to the transfer charger 916. Then, it is separated from the photoconductor 914.

Then, the separated sheet S is conveyed to the fixing device 904 by the conveying device 920, and the fixing device 9
By 04, the unfixed transfer image is permanently fixed on the sheet S. The sheet S having the image fixed thereon is ejected from the image forming apparatus main body 900 by the ejection roller pair 905.

[0057]

As described above, in the paper feeding cassette of the present invention, since the rear end regulation member or the side regulation member is provided with the conversion means for changing the movement amount when changing the size position, The display unit of the sheet size display unit or the detection unit of the sheet size detection unit can be substantially uniformly distributed to all sheet sizes. Therefore, the size of the sheet size display means or the sheet size detection means can be reduced.

Further, by setting the movement amount set in the conversion means to an appropriate amount, it is possible to increase the movement amount when changing the size position even if it is minute. Therefore, the display accuracy of the sheet size display means or the detection accuracy of the sheet size detection means can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a paper feed cassette (universal cassette) according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a configuration of a conversion member and the like included in the paper feeding cassette.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a paper feed cassette (universal cassette) according to a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a configuration of a conversion member and the like included in the paper feeding cassette.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional side view showing an example of the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus (copier) provided with a paper feed cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a configuration of a drive mechanism of a sheet size display unit and a sheet size detection unit provided in a conventional paper feed cassette (universal cassette).

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing various sheet sizes that can be stacked and stored in the sheet feeding cassette of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100, 200 cassette body 100a, 200a bottom plate 101 rear end regulation member 108, 211 conversion member 111a sheet size display means 111b sheet size detection means 201, 202 side regulation member

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A sheet trailing edge regulating means, which is installed on a bottom plate of a cassette body so as to be movable in the sheet feeding direction, and regulates a trailing edge position of sheets stacked and stored in the cassette body in the sheet feeding direction. In order to drive the sheet size display means for displaying the sheet size stacked in the cassette body or the sheet size detection means for detecting the sheet size by the movement of the sheet trailing edge regulating means in the sheet feeding direction. In the sheet feeding cassette, the conversion means for converting the movement amount between the respective sheet sizes of the sheet trailing edge regulating means into substantially the same amount is provided, and the sheet feeding direction of the trailing edge regulating means in the sheet feeding direction is changed through the converting means. A sheet feeding cassette characterized by transmitting a movement to the sheet size display means or the sheet size detection means. 2. A left and right side, which is installed on the bottom plate of the cassette body so as to be movable in a direction orthogonal to the sheet feeding direction, and which regulates both side end positions in the width direction of the sheets stacked and stored in the cassette body. A side regulation unit is provided, and the movement of the side regulation unit drives the sheet size display unit that displays the sheet size stacked and stored in the cassette body or the sheet size detection unit that detects the sheet size. In the paper feed cassette, a conversion means for converting the movement amount between the sheet sizes of the side regulation means into substantially the same amount is provided, and the movement of the side regulation means in the sheet width direction is displayed through the conversion means on the sheet size. And a sheet size detecting means for transmitting the sheet to the sheet feeding means. 3. The paper feed cassette according to claim 1,
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet fed from the sheet feeding cassette.