JPH08262825A - Positioning mechanism for image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a positioning mechanism for preventing an image forming device and a placing table from being damaged and also capable of easily aligning the fitting part of them even in the case the positional deviation is generated between the image forming device main body and the placing table at the time of placing and positioning the image forming device main body on the placing table. CONSTITUTION: The mechanism is the positioning mechanism for the image forming device for placing and positioning the main frame 1F of a stencil printer 1 on the main body table 1T, the mechanism is provided with a positioning pin 126 arranged on either of the main body frame 1F and the main body table 1T and supported so as to be moved back and forth in a direction where the main frame 1F is confronted with the main body table 1T and a reference hole 1Tg and a reference oblong hole 1Th arranged on the other side and in which the positioning pin 126 is inserted, and the positioning pin 126 is energized by a compressed coil spring 128 so as to project into the reference hole 1Tg and the reference oblong hole 1Th and so as to be fitted into the holes.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a positioning mechanism for an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printing machine, a facsimile, and a printer. More specifically, it relates to an image forming apparatus for positioning an image forming apparatus main body on a mounting table. Regarding the positioning mechanism.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An image forming apparatus such as a printing machine such as an electrophotographic copying machine or a stencil printing machine, which is a floor type apparatus in which the apparatus body is directly installed on the floor,
In many cases, the device body is placed on a dedicated table (table) for use. Recently, the number of cases in which a large-capacity sheet feeding device equipped with a large-capacity sheet feeding table (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as “LCT”) or an auxiliary device such as a sorter is installed in these image forming apparatuses is increasing. Therefore, these accessory devices are often mounted on the side surface of the mounting table or inside the mounting table. When the image forming apparatus is placed on these accessory devices, it is necessary to perform positioning in order to establish the positional relationship between the accessory device and the image forming apparatus.

As an example of the positioning method in such a case, as shown in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 64-49845, the legs provided on the lower surface of the image forming apparatus are mounted on a mounting table. It is known to fit into a hole or a recess provided and to perform positioning. In the positioning method described above, the leg is not limited to the leg, and
The protrusion may be provided on the lower surface of the image forming apparatus.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned respective techniques have the following problems. In the former case, when positioning, the image forming apparatus is lifted up, and the positioning place and the place of the placing table are supposed to be dropped onto the placing table. It is difficult to see the part and it is often dropped while misaligned.When the image forming device is a copying machine or a printing machine, the fitting itself is deformed and the fitting becomes impossible because the device itself is quite heavy. Alternatively, there is a problem that the device itself is deformed by its own weight and a performance problem occurs.

As one means for solving the above problems,
For example, a positioning mechanism disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 62-181535 is proposed. In the case of this example, in addition to the projection for positioning and fitting and the fitting hole, a connection guide member that can be rotated or pulled out is provided on the lower portion of the main body of the apparatus and the upper surface of the mounting table, respectively, and when lowering the apparatus to the mounting table, By rotating the connection guide member to bring each connection guide member out of the device and the mounting table, and lowering the device so that the positions of the connection guide members are aligned, the fitting projection and the fitting hole Are designed to fit together. As a result, the position where the connection guide member is aligned can be confirmed by the person who lifts the device, which brings about the effect of facilitating the alignment work.

However, even with this positioning mechanism, since the connection guide members are aligned with each other while the apparatus is being lifted, when the image forming apparatus is a copying machine or a printing machine, the apparatus itself is considerably heavy, so that a heavy load is required. The work difficulty of making subtle position adjustments in the lifted state has not been eliminated.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a positioning mechanism for an image forming apparatus as described below in order to solve the above problems.

(1) According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the main body of the image forming apparatus is placed and positioned on the mounting table, even if the image forming apparatus main body and the mounting table are misaligned, (EN) A positioning mechanism that does not cause damage to a mounting table and that facilitates the work of aligning fitting parts with each other.

(2) In the inventions according to claims 2 and 5, when a sheet feeding device or a large-capacity sheet feeding device is mounted on the mounting table, the mounting position accuracy has a great influence on the image position accuracy. To realize a positioning mechanism that easily secures the positional accuracy of a paper device or a large-capacity paper feeding device and an image forming device.

(3) In the invention according to claim 3, in addition to the respective objects of the above (1) or (2), a positioning mechanism in which a hole for positioning and fitting and a projection are easily fitted is realized.

(4) In the invention according to claim 4, in addition to the above-mentioned respective objects of (1), (2) or (3), a positioning mechanism is provided which makes it easy to confirm whether or not the fitting operation is reliably performed. To be realized.

[0012]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an invention according to claim 1 is a positioning mechanism of an image forming apparatus for mounting and positioning an image forming apparatus main body on a mounting table. A positioning pin disposed on either one of the main body of the image forming apparatus and the mounting table, the positioning pin being supported so as to be movable back and forth in a direction in which the image forming apparatus main body and the mounting table face each other, and the positioning pin disposed on the other side. And a reference hole into which the positioning pin is inserted, and the positioning pin is biased by an elastic means in a direction in which the positioning pin projects into and is inserted into the reference hole.

As a concrete example of the elastic means, a compression coil spring or an elastic member such as rubber is used.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the positioning mechanism of the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the sheet feeding device body is provided on the mounting table, and the sheet feeding port portion of the sheet feeding device is provided on the image forming apparatus body. Each of the positioning pins and the reference holes is mountable on the mounting side of the paper feeding device in the image forming apparatus main body and the mounting table.
It is characterized in that it is provided in places.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the positioning mechanism of the image forming apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the protruding end portion of the positioning pin has a tapered taper surface.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the positioning mechanism of the image forming apparatus according to the first, second or third aspect, the positioning pin is fitted to a position where the image forming apparatus should be positioned on the mounting table. It is characterized in that it has a display portion for visually confirming what has been done.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the positioning mechanism of the image forming apparatus according to the second, third, or fourth aspect, the sheet feeding device has a large-capacity sheet feeding table capable of stacking a large amount of sheets. It is a paper feed unit.

[0018]

According to the invention described in claim 1, the positioning pin, which is to be fitted into the reference hole, is supported so as to be movable back and forth in the direction in which the main body of the image forming apparatus and the mounting table face each other. When the main body of the image forming apparatus is placed on the mounting table, even if the positioning pin and the reference hole are displaced, the positioning pin is fitted into the reference hole without directly receiving the weight of the main body of the image forming apparatus. Further, since the positioning pin is biased by the elastic means in such a direction as to project and fit into the reference hole, the positioning pin and the reference hole are moved horizontally while the main body of the image forming apparatus is placed on the mounting table. The positioning pins are automatically fitted into the reference holes by the urging force of the elastic means when the positions of the two match.

According to the second aspect of the invention, in addition to the function of the first aspect of the invention, at least two positioning pins and reference holes are provided on the main body of the image forming apparatus and the mounting table on the side where the sheet feeding device is mounted. Since the positioning is performed at these positions, the positioning accuracy between the image forming apparatus main body on the mounting side of the sheet feeding device and the mounting table on the mounting side of the sheet feeding device is determined by the positioning pin and the reference hole. There is little precision deterioration due to backlash of the fitting part with. The positional accuracy between the image forming apparatus main body and the sheet feeding apparatus is ensured without positioning and fixing the sheet feeding apparatus only on the mounting table and directly positioning and fixing the sheet feeding apparatus on the image forming apparatus main body.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the actions of the first or second aspect of the invention, even if the positions of the positioning pin and the reference hole are slightly displaced, the tapered surface of the positioning pin becomes the reference hole. Of the guide pin, and the positioning pin is easily fitted into the reference hole.

According to the invention of claim 4, claim 1,
In addition to each function of the invention described in 2 or 3,
Since the display unit is provided for visually recognizing that the image forming apparatus is fitted to the mounting table up to the position where it should be positioned, it is easy to determine at a glance whether or not it is in the positioning state.

According to the invention of claim 5, claim 2,
In addition to the actions of the invention described in 3 or 4, each paper feeding device is equipped with a large-capacity paper feeding table capable of stacking a large amount of paper.

[0023]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 16, the structure of a paper feeding device in a stencil printing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. 1 to 10, reference numeral 1
Indicates a stencil printing apparatus as an image forming apparatus. Code 1F
Shows a main body frame as the main body of the stencil printing apparatus 1. Reference numeral 100 denotes a sheet feeding device detachably arranged on one side of the main body frame 1F. Reference numeral 1T indicates a main body table as a mounting table on which the stencil printing apparatus 1 is mounted via a main body frame 1F as an image forming apparatus main body. The body frame 1F is positioned and fixed to the body table 1T via a mounting table positioning mechanism (described later) including the body frame fixing portion 1a. The mounting table positioning mechanism positions the three-dimensional direction of the stencil printing apparatus 1 main body and the main body table 1T, that is, the relative position in the paper conveyance direction X, the paper width direction Y, and the up-and-down direction Z, by a positioning mechanism described later. It has functions and means.

On the other hand, in the lower part of the right side of the main body table 1T in the drawing, a fixed frame 26 provided in the lower part of the sheet feeding device 100 is positioned via a fixed frame positioning mechanism (described later) including a fixed frame mounting portion 27. Installed. The fixed frame positioning mechanism has a function and means for positioning the fixed frame 26 in the three-dimensional direction with respect to the main body table 1T.

First, the detailed structure and operation of the sheet feeding device 100 will be described. The sheet feeding device 100 separates the stacked uppermost sheets 6 one by one at the sheet feeding position and separates them in the sheet conveying direction X.
Paper feeding roller 2 as a single paper feeding means for feeding to a sheet, a fixed frame 26 positioned in a three-dimensional direction with respect to the stencil printing apparatus 1, and a fixed frame 26 orthogonal to the paper conveyance direction X. The movable frame 18 movably supported in the sheet width direction Y, and the sheet 6 in the sheet width direction Y that is provided inside the movable frame 18 and is orthogonal to the sheet transport direction X.
A pair of side fences 20a and 20b (hereinafter referred to as "side fence pair 20a, 20b") that can be moved up and down in the movable frame 18 and are movable in the paper width direction Y for positioning both side edges of the The side fence pair 20a, 20b is supported between the upper fixed position Pa of the movable frame 18 and the lower fixed position Pb of the movable frame 18 so as to be able to move up and down, and is moved in the paper width direction Y. A frame 28 that supports the frame 28, and a pair of springs 114, 114 (tensile coil springs) as a biasing unit that biases the frame 28 in an upward direction of the movable frame 18.
Upper limit position P where sheets 6 are stacked and lifted to face the sheet feeding position
1 and the lowermost position P3 that is most lowered, and the paper feed tray 7 that lowers the frame 28 by selectively interlocking with its own lowering operation, the upper limit position P1, and the lower limit position P3. A tray elevating and lowering drive device 10 as a tray elevating and lowering drive means for moving the paper feed tray 7 between the movable frame 18 and the fixed frame 26, a moving mechanism 29 for moving the movable frame 18 in the paper width direction Y, and a paper feed tray. 7 is the lower limit position P3
And a cassette mounting space 39S for mounting a sheet feeding cassette 39 capable of accommodating a plurality of sheets 6 ′ between the upper portion of the frame 28 and the sheet feeding roller 2 (only in FIGS. 6 and 9). (Shown) is formed, this cassette mounting space 39S
A paper feed cassette 39 which is removably disposed therein, a paper feed cassette attaching / detaching mechanism 47 which detachably supports the paper feed cassette 39, and a paper 6 ′ stored in the paper feed cassette 39 are placed at a paper feed position. It is mainly composed of a cassette tray elevating and lowering drive device 40 as a means for driving a sheet stacking member.

The paper feeding device 100 is in the paper feeding position when the paper feeding cassette 39 is not mounted, and in the paper feeding position where the paper 6 on the paper feeding tray 7 is fed. Two types of sheet feeding modes, that is, a cassette sheet feeding mode for feeding the sheet 6 ′ from the sheet feeding cassette 39, are selectively switched and executed by an electric control configuration described later. As described below, the paper feed tray 7 has a structure capable of stacking approximately 3000 to 4000 sheets of paper 6 on the paper feed tray 7 at a time, and the paper feed cassette 39
The LCT (Large-Capacity Feeding Table) is capable of loading a larger amount of paper than the maximum loading capacity (usually about 500 sheets) of the paper 6'that can be stored in. That is, the paper feeding device 100
Is a so-called LCT unit (large-capacity sheet feeding unit) having a structure in which an LCT is mounted and can be moved up and down.

The stencil printing machine 1 has a well-known structure similar to the structure described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-229243 already proposed by the applicant of the present application. That is, reference numeral 5
Reference numeral 5 denotes an original reading unit, and reference numeral 54 denotes a plate making / plate making unit which is provided above the paper feeding device 100 and makes a stencil master (not shown) wound in a roll shape and feeds it to the printing drum 57. Reference numeral 53 is a print drum portion for printing on the paper 6 by winding a plate-making master (not shown) on the outer peripheral surface, and reference numeral 58 is the paper 6 or the paper feed cassette stacked on the paper feed tray 7 of the paper feed device 100. Reference numeral 59 denotes a paper feeding unit for selectively feeding the paper 6 ′ stored in 39 to the print drum unit 53, and reference numeral 59 denotes a paper ejection unit for ejecting the printed paper 6a printed by the print drum unit 53 to the paper ejection tray 59a. Reference numeral 56 is the print drum 5
A plate discharge unit provided to face the plate making / plate feeding unit 54 with 7 in between, and discharges the used stencil master stripped from the outer peripheral surface of the printing drum 57 to a plate discharging box (neither is shown). Shown respectively. The print drum unit 53 corresponds to the image forming unit of the image forming apparatus.

1 to 15, the paper feed roller 2, the fixed frame 26, the movable frame 18, the moving mechanism 29, the pair of side fences 20a and 20b, the frame 28, the spring 114, and the paper feed tray 7 will be described below. The tray elevating drive device 10, the paper feed cassette 39, the paper feed cassette attaching / detaching mechanism 47, and the cassette tray elevating drive device 40 will be sequentially described. 3 and 4, the side fence pairs 20a and 20b are not shown in order to simplify the drawings.

The paper feed roller 2 is provided with a paper feed port 58A of the paper feed section 58.
Of the separating roller 51a, which is rotatably supported by the sheet feeding side plate on the side of the main body frame 1F, is swingably and rotatably provided at a free end portion of the arm via an arm (both not shown) on the rotation driving shaft. Has been. The paper feed roller 2 is, for example,
It has the same structure as the paper feed roller 5 described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-18342. Reference numerals 51a and 51b denote a pair of separation rollers,
Reference numerals 52a and 52b denote registration roller pairs, respectively.

1 and 2, the fixed frame 26
On the upper side, a pair of left and right fixed side plates 26a, 26b (hereinafter referred to as "fixed side plate pair 26a, 2
6b ").

The movable frame 18 is supported above the fixed frame 26 so as to be movable in the paper width direction Y via a shaft member described later. The movable frame 18 has a substantially box-like shape, and has a pair of side plates 18a and 18b (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "side plate pair 18a and 18b") provided on the left and right in the paper transport direction X and the front and rear in the paper transport direction X. Side plates 18c, 18d provided on the (hereinafter referred to as "side plate pair 18c, 18d")
1) on the side plate 18 slidably provided in the paper transport direction X between the side plates 18a and 18b.
8g, side plate pair 18a, 18b and side plate pair 18c, 18
and a side plate bottom 18e fixed to the lower part of d. In addition,
18 g on the side plate is shown in FIGS.
And 3 and the like at the right position, the sheet feeding device 10
By closing the upper portion of 0, noise leakage is prevented and the safety of the user of the device is ensured. On the other hand, when replenishing the paper 6 in the paper feeding tray 7 of the paper feeding device 100 or performing jam processing, the side plate 18g is set to the position shown in FIG.
2 and 3 etc. are slid to the left and on this side plate 1
By the sliding movement of 8 g and the opening of the cover 19 described later, the upper portion of the sheet feeding device 100 is opened wider.

As will be described later, the moving mechanism 29 is mainly composed of a left and right moving motor 32, reduction gears 30c and 33, a movable frame drive shaft 30, a movable frame guide shaft 31, and a guide holder 115.

Fixed side plate pair 26a, 26b and side plate pair 18
a and 18b, as shown in detail in FIGS.
A movable frame drive shaft 30 and a movable frame guide shaft 31, which are arranged parallel to each other in the paper width direction Y, are provided so as to penetrate therethrough. Movable frame drive shaft 30
Are rotatably supported on both lower portions of the pair of side plates 18a and 18b via bearings 30a. Movable frame drive shaft 30
Retaining rings 30b are attached to both ends of the bearing portion 30a of the bearing 30a so that the movable frame drive shaft 30 does not move from the pair of side plates 18a and 18b in the sheet width direction Y by the retaining rings 30b. A male screw 30d as shown in FIG. 11 is formed at a substantially central portion of the movable frame drive shaft 30, while a guide holder 1 having a female screw meshing with the male screw 30d is formed at a substantially central portion of the fixed frame 26.
Fifteen is fixed. In the vicinity of one end of the movable frame drive shaft 30 in the movable frame 18, the horizontal movement motor 3
2 is fixed. The left-right movement motor 32 is connected to one end of the movable frame drive shaft 30 via a reduction mechanism including reduction gears 33, 30c, and drives the movable frame drive shaft 30 to rotate.

The rotation direction of the left-right movement motor 32 is
The moving direction of the movable frame 18 can be set to either left or right by changing the winding direction of the thread of the screw 30d.

Reference numeral 36 indicates a positioning shaft for positioning the paper feeding device 100 on the main body table 1T. Both ends of the positioning shaft 36 are fixed to the fixed side plate 2 of the fixed frame 26.
It is fixed to 6a and 26b. Both ends of the positioning shaft 36 penetrate through the side plate pair 18a, 18b of the movable frame 18 through fitting holes (not shown) for loosely fitting the side plate pair 18a, 18b.
It extends to the outside of a and 18b. With such a configuration, when the movable frame 18 moves in the sheet width direction Y, both ends of the positioning shaft 36 are fixed to the fixed frame 26, so that the movable frame 18 is relatively positioned with respect to the positioning shaft 36. It can be moved in the paper width direction Y.

As shown in detail in FIG. 5, the paper feed tray 7 is substantially H-shaped in plan view and is arranged inside the movable frame 18. Tray notches 7a and 7b are formed in the paper feed tray 7 at a substantially central portion in the paper width direction Y. The lower left and right walls of the rear portion of the sheet feeding tray 7 and the lower left and right walls of the tray cutouts 7a and 7b of the sheet feeding tray 7 are parallel to each other in the sheet width direction Y and in the sheet width direction Y.
A pair of front and rear tray drive shafts 8a and 8b, which are long, are fixedly installed.

The pair of side fences 20a, 20b are movable in the paper width direction Y in each of the tray cutouts 7a, 7b, and in the directions orthogonal to the paper conveyance direction X and the paper width direction Y, respectively. It is provided so as to be movable in a certain vertical direction Z.

The front portions of the pair of side fences 20a, 20b are formed with side fence guide grooves 25, 25 formed in parallel with each other in the ascending / descending direction Z and long in the ascending / descending direction Z. Guide groove 25, 2
The tray drive shaft 8b penetrates through 5 through a guide sleeve 8g described later. The guide sleeve 8g has a flange-shaped portion formed to have an outer diameter larger than the width of the side fence guide groove 25 and guiding the tray drive shaft 8b in the up-and-down direction Z, the side fence guide grooves 25, 25, and the tray drive shaft 8 respectively.
and a sleeve portion which is loosely fitted between b and slidable in the paper width direction Y of the tray drive shaft 8b. On the other hand, through holes 20h that loosely fit the upper side fence moving axis 21 and the lower side fence moving axis 22 are formed in the rear portions of the side fence pairs 20a and 20b, respectively. The guide is slidable to Y.
The tray notch portions 7a and 7b formed on the paper feed tray 7 as described above prevent the movement of the side fence pairs 20a and 20b from being obstructed. By sliding 8b, the side fence moving axis 21 and the side fence moving axis lower 22 on the side fence moving axis 21, the side edges of the paper 6 in the paper width direction Y can be positioned in accordance with the size of the paper used.

Guide sleeves 20i and 20j, which are loosely fitted on the side fence moving shaft 21, are fixedly provided inside the through holes 20h of the pair of side fences 20a and 20b. The guide sleeves 20i and 20j are movable on the side fence moving shaft 21 through through holes (not shown) formed in the guide sleeves 20i and 20j. A female screw is formed in each of the guide sleeves 20i and 20j in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the side fence moving shaft 21, and a set screw 20k is screwed to the female screw. Therefore, as described above, after the pair of side fences 20a and 20b are moved in the paper width direction Y to position the paper 6 in the paper width direction Y,
By screwing the setscrew 20k, the guide sleeves 20i and 20j are fixed to the positioned position on the side fence moving shaft 21.

Side plate pair 18a, 18b of movable frame 18
As shown in detail in FIGS. 4 and 10, the drive shaft guide groove formed in the up-and-down direction Z is longer than the side fence guide groove 25 for guiding the tray drive shafts 8a and 8b in the up-and-down direction Z. 9a and 9b are formed parallel to each other. Drive shaft guide groove 9 in the pair of side plates 18a, 18b
Between the a and the drive shaft guide groove 9b, the side fence moving shaft upper side 21 and the side fence moving shaft lower side 22 are moved in the vertical direction Z.
A moving shaft guide groove upper portion 23 and a moving shaft guide groove lower portion 24, which are formed to be shorter than the side fence guide groove 25 in the up-and-down direction Z, are formed for guiding.

The frame 28 is composed of the side fence moving shaft upper part 21, the side fence moving shaft lower part 22, and a pair of connecting members 111a and 111b described later.

In FIGS. 4, 10, 11 and 12, the ends of the side fence moving shafts 21 penetrating both moving shaft guide grooves 23 are moved up and down along the outer wall of each side plate pair 18a, 18b. A pair of left and right connecting members 111a and 111b provided so as to be movable in Z (hereinafter referred to as "connecting member pair 1").
11a, 111b "). Similarly, each end of the side fence moving shaft lower 22 penetrating the both moving shaft guide grooves 24 is fixed to each lower end of the connecting member pair 111a, 111b. As described above, the frame body 28 constitutes one small frame by the above-mentioned four constituent members, that is, the side fence moving shaft upper side 21, the side fence moving shaft lower side 22, and the connecting member pairs 111a and 111b.

The pair of springs 114, 114 includes a pin 113 planted in each of the side plates 18a, 18b above the moving shaft guide groove 23, and a convex portion formed substantially in the center of the connecting member pair 111a, 111b. Pin 11 planted in 111c
It has been passed over between 2 and each. In this way, the frame body 28 can be raised and lowered within the range of the openings of the upper moving shaft guide groove 23 and the lower moving shaft guide groove 24, and is moved upward of the movable frame 18 by the pair of springs 114, 114. It is biased in the direction. Therefore, the pair of side fences 20a and 20b are
The frame body 28 is always urged upward. Therefore,
As the paper feed tray 7 rises, the upper part of the side fence moving shaft lower part 22 forming a part of the frame body 28 is in contact with the lower surface of the paper feed tray 7, and the frame body 28 goes up, and the side fence moving shaft upper part 21, The side fence moving shaft lower 22 is raised so that the moving shaft upper side 21 and the moving shaft lower 22 are on the moving shaft guide groove 23.
And the side fence pairs 20a and 20b are stopped as shown in FIG.
And, it will rise to the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 2 and stop. Then, when the remaining amount of the paper 6 on the paper feed tray 7 becomes small and the paper feed tray 7 is further raised, the tray drive shaft 8b slides in the side fence guide groove 25, so that the paper feed tray 7 7 will rise relative to the side fence pair 20a, 20b,
Even the last one of the sheets 6 stacked on the sheet feeding tray 7 can be brought into contact with the sheet feeding roller 2 and reliably fed.

As described above, the fence elevating mechanism for elevating the side fence pair 20a, 20b between the upper fixed position Pa and the lower fixed position Pb of the pair of side plates 18a, 18b includes the pair of springs 114, 114 and the frame. It forms a part of the body 28 and is selectively interlocked with the lowering operation of the paper feed tray 7 and engages with the lower surface of the paper feed tray 7 to form a pair of side fences 20a, 20a.
It is composed of a side fence moving shaft lower portion 22 as a fence moving member for lowering b.

In this way, the pair of side fences 20a, 2
0b, as the frame 28, as the paper feed tray 7 is raised,
Since it rises within a certain range between the upper fixed position Pa and the lower fixed position Pb, a special drive mechanism for exclusively raising the pair of side fences 20a and 20b is unnecessary. Then, the frame 28 including the pair of side fences 20a and 20b
Since the portion is simple in construction and small in size and light in weight, it is not necessary to increase the biasing force of the spring 114, and when the frame body 28 descends in conjunction with the lowering operation of the paper feed tray 7, it will be described later. Since the load on the tray raising / lowering motor 11 is small, the tray raising / lowering motor 11 can be downsized. Further, when the paper feed tray 7 is lowered to the lower limit position P3 shown in FIG. 6 when the paper feed cassette 39 is used, the frame body 28 itself is also pushed down in association with the paper feed tray 7 and the upper portion of the frame body 28 and the paper feed tray are fed. Paper feed cassette 39 between roller 2
A cassette mounting space 39S (shown only in FIGS. 6 and 9) for mounting the frame 28 is formed.
No special drive mechanism is required for the purpose of downward driving of the.

As shown in FIG. 9, each side plate 18a, 18b
Lower cover parts 143 and 144 are attached to the lower outer part of the rear part to cover the lower outer parts of the rear parts of the side plates 18a and 18b, respectively. Above the lower covers 143 and 144, upper cover 141 and 142 in the form of stepped enclosures are attached to cover the outer upper parts of the rear portions of the side plates 18a and 18b, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 9, above the side plate 18d and above the stepped portion of the upper cover 141 and the upper cover 142, the opening portion which opens into the cassette mounting space 39S can be opened and closed. A cover 19 is provided for covering. The cover 19 attaches and detaches the paper feed cassette 39, and the paper feed tray 7 and the paper feed cassette 39 have paper 6 and
6'is to be opened / closed when replenishing 6'or performing jam processing at the time of feeding, and is interposed in a support bearing formed on the cover 19 and a supporting plate attached to the side plate 18b. It is provided so as to be rotatable about 100 ° in the right direction of the thick arrow shown in FIG. 9 via a supported shaft (both not shown).

As shown in detail in FIG. 4, the tray elevating and lowering drive device 10 includes a side plate 18 near the lower portion of the drive shaft guide groove 9a.
The tray lifting motor 11 fixed to the motor mounting member 18f integrally formed with a, the worm 12 fixed to the output shaft end of the tray lifting motor 11, the side plate pair 18a,
Drive pulley shafts 15s fixed to both ends of a drive pulley shaft 15s pierced through 18b and rotatably supported by side plate pairs 18a and 18b, a drive pulley gear 14 fixed to the drive pulley 15, and a worm on the side plate 18a. 12 and a drive pulley gear 14 and an idler gear 13b meshing with the drive pulley gear 14, and a worm wheel 13a meshed with the worm 12 and fixed integrally coaxially with the idler gear 13b to rotate integrally with the idler gear 13b. When,
The intermediate pulleys 16a to 16e rotatably arranged at predetermined positions of the pair of side plates 18a and 18b, and the drive pulley 1
5 and the intermediate drive pulleys 16a to 16e, the drive belt 17 and belt stays 17a and 17b that are fixed to the drive belt 17 and fixed to the tray drive shafts 8a and 8b. Composed. Tray lifting motor 11, worm 12, drive pulley gear 1
4, the components of the tray elevating and lowering drive device 10 except for the idler gear 13b and the worm wheel 13a are omitted in FIG.
It is also provided on the side.

The tray raising / lowering motor 11 is a DC motor which can be driven to rotate clockwise and counterclockwise. The drive belt 17 is a toothed timing belt, and the drive pulley 15 and the intermediate pulleys 16a to 16e also have a well-known toothed structure. The tray lifting motor 11 is
It is electrically connected to a control means 60 described later via a tray elevating motor drive circuit 71 shown in FIG. 16, and the control means 60 controls the operation as follows.

With the above configuration, when the tray lifting motor 11 is driven in the clockwise direction in the normal direction, the worm 1 moves.
2, the worm 12 and the worm wheel 1 so that the drive pulley 15 rotates clockwise through the worm wheel 13a, the idler gear 13b, and the drive pulley gear 14.
If the twisting direction of the tooth profile of 3a is set, both ends of the tray drive shafts 8a and 8b fixed to the drive belt 17 by the rotation of the tray lifting motor 11 in the clockwise direction, that is, the paper feed tray 7 is moved at a constant speed. To be done. On the contrary, when the tray elevating motor 11 is reversely driven in the counterclockwise direction, the paper feed tray 7 is lowered at a constant speed. In this way, the paper feed tray 7 is moved up and down in the up and down direction Z while maintaining a substantially horizontal state in parallel with the paper transport direction X. The mesh between the worm 12 and the worm wheel 13a depends on the weight of the paper feed tray 7 and the drive pulley gear 14 and the idler gear 1
Since the rotation of the tray elevating motor 11 is stopped, the sheet feeding tray 7 can be stopped at that position and the sheet feeding tray 7 can be held at that position because the rotation of the tray elevating motor 11 is prevented.

With reference to FIGS. 6 to 9 and FIGS. 12 to 15, the structure relating to the sheet feeding cassette 39 and the operation when the sheet feeding cassette 39 is mounted on the sheet feeding device 100 will be described. The paper feed cassette 39 includes a substantially box-shaped sheet storage case 39b without an upper lid, and a sheet stacking plate 41 as a swingable sheet stacking member provided in a substantially front half portion of a bottom wall of the sheet storage case 39b. And a paper storage case 39b below the paper stacking plate 41
Of the arm shaft 43 rotatably supported on the bottom wall of the paper, and a drive force transmission member, which will be described later, integrally attached to one end of the arm shaft 43 to selectively engage and elevate the sheet stacking plate 41. An arm shaft gear 44 as a driven force transmitting member,
It is mainly composed of a loading plate elevating arm 42 fixed to the arm shaft 43.

Reference numeral 39a is an arm accommodating recess formed in the bottom wall of the paper accommodating case 39b for accommodating the stacking plate elevating arm 42 when not feeding. The paper storage case 39b is made of a synthetic resin such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS), and the paper loading plate 41 and the loading plate elevating arm 42 are made of steel plates. On both outer side walls of the paper feed cassette 39, cassette guides 48a, 48a
A guide groove 49 is formed which engages with b and slides and guides the paper feed cassette 39 in the paper transport direction X and the opposite direction. As shown in FIG. 13, the guide groove 49 may be formed by a rib 49a formed on the side wall of the paper storage case 39b. Such a rib 49a
Has a guide groove 49 into which the cassette guides 48a and 48b are inserted, and a guide insertion port portion 49b in which the insertion port is wide, having an upward and downward circular arc-shaped inclination. , 48b are easy to insert.

Inside the paper feed cassette 39, a pair of left and right side fences 121Ka and 121Kb are provided.
It is movable in the paper width direction Y along a guide groove 123K formed in the bottom wall of the paper storage case 39b so as to be long in the paper width direction Y. These side fences 121K
The a and 121 Kb can be fixed at arbitrary positions within the range of the guide groove 123K by a position fixing mechanism (not shown), and the paper 6 ′ in the paper width direction Y can be fixed.
Both side edges of the are positioned. Reference numeral 122K is a paper end plate, which is used by being inserted into an insertion hole 124K formed at a predetermined interval in the paper transport direction X on the bottom wall of the paper storage case 39b depending on the paper 6'used. , Plays a role of a stopper on the rear end side of the paper transport direction X. Reference numeral 125K denotes a cassette size detection sensor actuator, which shields a cassette size detection sensor (a light emitting / receiving type transmissive optical sensor) (not shown) arranged on the side plate 18b side (not shown) in FIG. The size of the paper placed on the paper can be detected. The cassette size detection sensor actuator can be fixed to the paper storage case 39b by the user according to the size of the paper to be used, by fastening with a screw or using elasticity.

As shown in FIG. 8, the sheet stacking plate 41 has its base end attached to a swing shaft 41s rotatably supported by the bottom wall of the sheet storage case 39b, and has a free end. Swings in the up-and-down direction Z around the swing shaft 41s.
That is, the sheet stacking plate 41 stacks the sheets 6 ′ stored in the sheet feeding cassette 39 and faces the sheet feeding position at the upper limit position P.
1 and the lower limit position P of the cassette that has descended most from the upper limit position P1
It is possible to move up and down with c. Paper storage case 39
The height of the b in the ascending / descending direction Z is set to about 50 to 80 mm. The cross section of the stacking plate elevating arm 42 has a substantially V shape, and the bent portion of the stacking plate elevating arm 42 has a curved shape.
Engage with the free end of 1. The paper feed cassette 39 is a so-called interrupt type cassette and is used when the paper size is to be changed midway and / or when it is desired to change to colored paper, and usually about 500 sheets of paper 6 ′.
Can be loaded and stored.

The arm storage recess 39a is not limited to this, and may have a shape in which the recess is cut out.

The paper feed cassette attaching / detaching mechanism 47 is composed of a pair of left and right cassette guides 48a and 48b fixed to the upper inner walls of the side plates 18a and 18b of the movable frame 18, and a guide groove 49 of the paper feed cassette 39. The paper feed cassette attaching / detaching mechanism 47 guides the paper feed cassette 39 when the paper feed cassette 39 is attached, and
Position it so that it does not come into contact with other objects. The cassette guides 48a and 48b have a function of cassette supporting means for detachably supporting the paper feeding cassette 39. Paper cassette 3
9, the cassette guides 48 a, 4 via the guide groove 49.
At the position completely inserted in 8b, as shown in FIG. 14, the drive shaft guides 48c and 48d provided inside the pair of side plates 18a and 18b are connected to the arm shaft 43 of the sheet feeding cassette 39 (indicated by a virtual line in the drawing). Both end portions (shown) are adapted to engage with each other. In the figure, only the drive shaft guide 48c fixed to the side plate 18b is shown, but a drive shaft guide 48d on the opposite side is symmetrically fixed to the side plate 18a. Both end portions of the arm shaft 43 are guided by the inclined portions 48e formed on the drive shaft guides 48c and 48d when the paper feed cassette 39 is inserted and attached, and the drive shaft guides 48c and 48c
It is inserted in the R-shaped part of 48d. As a result, the arm shaft 43 is reliably positioned when the paper cassette 39 is inserted and mounted, and the lifting arm drive gear 45, which will be described later, and the arm shaft gear 44 fixed to the shaft end of the arm shaft 43 mesh with each other. The positional relationship can be ensured with high accuracy, and a reaction force due to the weight of the sheet 6'when the arm shaft 43 is rotated can be received, and the meshing positional relationship can be maintained during driving.

The cassette tray elevating / lowering device 40 is a cassette tray elevating / lowering motor 46 as a driving means fixedly mounted on the inner wall of the upper portion of the side plate 18a, and a sheet feeding cassette 39 fixedly mounted on the output shaft end of the cassette tray elevating / lowering motor 46. A lifting arm drive gear 45 as a driving force transmission member that selectively meshes with the arm shaft gear 44 at the time of attachment / detachment, an arm shaft gear 44 disposed on the side of the paper feed cassette 39, and an arm shaft gear 44.
One-way clutch 44a built in the arm shaft 4
3, a stacking plate elevating arm 42, and a sheet stacking plate 41. The cassette tray elevating / lowering drive device 40 has a function of a paper stacking member driving means for selectively elevating and lowering the paper stacking plate 41 between the upper limit position P1 and the cassette lower limit position Pc. That is, the sheet stacking member drive means is a drive means disposed at a position on the inner surface of the housing and the stacking member on the paper feed tray to avoid interference with the driving means arranged in the housing. It can be said that it is composed of a driving force transmission member for transmitting the driving force of the above to the sheet stacking member.

The cassette tray raising / lowering motor 46 is a DC motor which can be driven to rotate clockwise and counterclockwise. The cassette tray raising / lowering motor 46 is electrically connected to the control means 60 via a cassette tray raising / lowering motor drive circuit 72 shown only in FIG. 16 and is controlled by the control means 60 as described later.

The elevating arm drive gear 45 is used for the paper feeding device 10.
When 0 is viewed from above, it is arranged at the position shown in FIG. In the figure, paper 6 indicated by a virtual line is a paper stacked on the paper feed tray 7. Side fence pair 20a,
The sheet 20b spreads to the position shown in FIG.
The maximum width of the paper is the position shown by the phantom line in FIG. The elevating arm drive gear 45 is arranged on the outer side of the maximum paper width in the width direction, and when the paper is fed using the paper feed tray 7.
In the process in which the uppermost sheet 6 of the stacked sheets 6 abuts the sheet feeding roller (not shown in FIG. 12), the elevating arm drive gear 45 does not interfere with one side edge of the sheet 6. It is possible to feed paper by the paper feed tray 7. In this way, the mechanism for raising and lowering the sheet stacking plate 41 of the sheet feeding cassette 39 (the arm shaft 43, the stacking plate raising and lowering arm 42) and the arm shaft gear 44 as a driven force transmitting member are provided.
On the main body side (side plate 18a) of the sheet feeding device 100, an elevating arm drive gear 45 as a driving force transmitting member is provided at the above-mentioned position, and the gears 44 and 45 mesh with each other to stack sheets in the sheet feeding cassette 39. Since the plate 41 is driven up and down, it is not necessary to dispose a sheet stacking plate drive member (for example, a drive arm or the like) between the side plates 18a and 18b, and the sheet feeding by the sheet feeding tray 7 can be performed without interference. The so-called interrupt cassette makes it possible to feed paper with the same paper feed roller. Further, according to such a mechanism, the paper feed cassette 3
A large mechanism for raising and lowering the entire sheet cassette mounting portion is not required for raising and lowering the sheet 6'in 9 and a simple mechanism can be used. Therefore, the apparatus can be downsized, lightened, and assembled. It is possible to facilitate the sex.

The one-way clutch 44a has a driving force transmitting rotational direction (tightening direction) when the arm shaft gear 44 is rotated clockwise in FIGS. 6, 8 and 15.
When the arm shaft gear 44 is rotated counterclockwise, the driving force is transmitted so as to rotate the arm shaft 43 in the clockwise direction. It is arranged so as not to transmit a driving force to 43 and to idle.

This operation will be described in detail with reference to FIG. In the figure, the paper feed cassette 3 indicated by a virtual line
When 9 is inserted from the right side to the left side in the direction of the thick arrow in the figure, before the arm shaft gear 44 and the lifting arm drive gear 45 reach the regular meshing position, the arm shaft gear 44 and the lifting arm drive gear 45 Teeth contact each other. In this state, when the paper feed cassette 39 is pushed to the normal meshing position, if the one-way clutch 44a is not provided, the arm shaft gear 44 and the arm shaft 43 try to rotate counterclockwise. The loading plate elevating arm 42 is in the position shown in the figure and cannot rotate due to its own weight. Alternatively, even if a slight vibration is applied to the paper feed cassette 39 and the arm shaft 43 is set to be slightly rotated clockwise, when the paper 6 ′ is placed on the paper stacking plate 41, the The stacking plate elevating arm 42 cannot move due to the weight of the sheet 6 ′. If the paper feed cassette 39 is forcibly pushed inward in such a state, there arises a problem that the gears 44, 45 and portions where these gears are attached are damaged. On the other hand, the one-way clutch 44a as described above is attached to the arm shaft gear 44
, The arm shaft gear 44 is loosened counterclockwise with respect to the arm shaft 43 and idles in the rotational direction. Therefore, when the teeth of the gears 44 and 45 come into contact with each other, the paper feed cassette 39 is inserted to the regular meshing position. The arm shaft gear 44 idles and the lifting arm drive gear 45
It engages while engaging in a motion that relatively rolls around. Therefore, even when the paper feed cassette 39 is inserted, there is no resistance due to the contact between the teeth of the gears 44 and 45, the paper feed cassette 39 can be smoothly inserted to the regular meshing position, and the teeth of the gears 44 and 45 are damaged. And so on. In order to raise the sheet stacking plate 41, the arm shaft gear 44 is rotated in the clockwise direction. In this direction, the driving force is transmitted to the arm shaft 43 in the closing direction of the one-way clutch 44a. The loading plate 41 can be raised.

The one-way clutch 44a is not limited to be built in the arm shaft gear 44 as a driven force transmission member, but instead of being built in the arm shaft gear 44, a lifting arm drive gear as a driving force transmission member. You may make it built in 45.

Next, referring to FIGS. 17 to 20 and 23, the configuration and operation according to the first and third aspects of the present invention will be described. First, the positioning of the stencil printer 1 and the main body table 1T will be described. Mounting table positioning mechanism 123
As will be described later, the first reference hole 1Tg on the main body table 1T side, the reference long hole 1Th as the second reference hole, the top wall surface 1Ta, and the pair of positioning pins 126 on the main body frame side 1F of the stencil printer 1 are provided. , 126 and the main body frame fixing portion 1a.

Main body table 1 on which the stencil printer 1 is placed
The first reference hole 1 having a round hole shape is formed on the ceiling wall surface 1Ta of T.
Tg, a second reference long hole 1Th elongated in the paper width direction Y, and two fixing holes 1Tj for fixing the main body frame fixing portion 1a of the stencil printing apparatus 1 to the main body table 1T via a fixing screw 1P. Has been formed. The fixing hole 1Tj is a so-called foolish hole having a margin for the screw outer diameter of the fixing screw 1P. Two angle-shaped stays 1s are attached to the front and rear of the sheet conveying direction X between the lower portions of both side walls of the main body frame 1F of the stencil printing apparatus 1. Paper feeder 1
A bracket 125 for positioning is fixed to the stay 1s on the 00 mounting side. A lower bent portion 125 a that is bent in a substantially horizontal state is formed on the lower portion of the bracket 125. The lower bent portions 125a at both ends of the bracket 125 are provided with two holes 125c into which large-diameter portions 126a of positioning pins 126, which will be described later, are fitted, and two reference holes 1 are provided.
It is formed corresponding to the pitch between Tg and the reference long hole 1Th. Two upper cut and bent portions 125b, which are cut and bent in a substantially horizontal state, are formed at the upper portions of both ends of the bracket 125, corresponding to the pitch. Holes 125d into which the small diameter portions 126b of the positioning pins 126 are fitted are formed in the upper cut and bent portions 125b at these two locations.

As shown in detail in FIG. 20, the positioning pin 126 has a stepped solid rod shape, and the small diameter portion 1 is formed on the upper portion thereof.
26b, the large diameter portion 126a is formed in the lower part. Positioning pins 126 are provided in the upper and lower holes 125c and 125d.
The small-diameter portion 126b and the large-diameter portion 126a are fitted and supported so as to be able to move forward and backward in a direction facing the ceiling wall surface 1Ta of the main body table 1T with the set clearance. At the shaft upper end of the small diameter portion 126b of the positioning pin 126 protruding from the upper surface of the upper cutting and bending portion 125b, a retaining ring 127 is provided.
Is press-fitted to prevent the positioning pin 126 from falling off. The compression coil spring 12 as elastic means is provided on the small diameter portion 126b of the positioning pin 126.
8 is wound, and the positioning pin 126 is always urged by the spring 128 downward, that is, in a direction in which the positioning pin 126 projects and fits into the reference hole 1Tg and the reference elongated hole 1Th of the top wall surface 1Ta. Large diameter portion 126 of positioning pin 126
The straight part of a has a reference hole 1Tg and a reference elongated hole 1Th.
The length, the outer diameter, and the mounting position are determined so that each of them can be completely fitted with a predetermined clearance. A reference hole 1 is provided at the protruding tip of the positioning pin 126.
A tapered taper surface 126c is formed to smoothly guide the insertion of Tg and the reference elongated hole 1Th. The diameter of the tip of the tapered surface 126c is 1Tg for the reference hole and 1T for the reference elongated hole.
It is made sufficiently smaller than the diameter of the hole of h.

The accuracy of the mounting pitch of the positioning pins 126 in the main body frame 1F depends on the main body frame 1F.
If the two positioning pins 126 are positioned with respect to the stencil printing machine 1 via F, the two positioning pins 126 are used as the reference hole 1Tg and the reference elongated hole 1.
It is sufficient that it can be inserted into Th with a margin.

Next, the actual operation and procedure for mounting the stencil printing apparatus 1 on the main body table 1T via the main body frame 1F will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 19, the main body frame 1F of the stencil printing apparatus 1 is attached to the main body table 1T.
It is placed on the main body table 1T while being roughly aligned. At this time, the position of the positioning pin 126 and the reference hole 1Tg and the position of the positioning pin 126 and the reference long hole 1Th are rough as described above, and do not match each other as shown in FIG. When the tip of each positioning pin 126 comes into contact with the top wall surface 1Ta of the main body table 1T, each positioning pin 126 is pushed up by the top wall surface 1Ta and resists the biasing force of the compression coil spring 128, resulting in the state shown in the figure. . In this state, each positioning pin 1
The stencil printing machine 1 is gradually shifted in the right direction indicated by the arrow in the figure so that the positions of the reference hole 26 and the reference hole 1Tg and the reference long hole 1Th are aligned with each other. When the tip of each positioning pin 126 and the reference hole 1Tg and the reference elongated hole 1Th start to be aligned with each other, each positioning pin 126 is moved by the tapered surface 1 of each positioning pin 126 under the urging force of the compression coil spring 128.
While being guided by 26c, the reference hole 1Tg and the reference elongated hole 1
It is inserted into Th. And each positioning pin 1
The large diameter portion 126a of 26 is the reference hole 1Tg and the reference elongated hole 1T.
When the position of the stencil printing machine 1 is finely adjusted with respect to the main body table 1T so that the stencil printing machine 1 is completely fitted into the h.
7 and the state shown in FIG. Thus, the first
By inserting the large diameter portion 126a of the pair of positioning pins 126, 126 into the reference hole 1Tg and the second reference elongated hole 1Th, the sheet conveying direction X and the sheet width direction Y of the stencil printing apparatus 1 with respect to the main body table 1T. It is positioned and placed.

Next, the ceiling wall 1Ta of the main body table 1T
The fixing screw 1P is screwed into the screw hole (not shown) provided in the main body frame fixing portion 1a from the back surface side of the main plate through the fixing hole 1Tj, thereby positioning the stencil printing machine 1 in the vertical direction Z with respect to the main body table 1T. The stencil printing machine 1 is fixed at a predetermined position of 1T.

As described above, the positioning when the stencil printing apparatus 1 is first placed on the main body table 1T may be rough, and the stencil printing apparatus 1 may be placed on the main body table 1T on the ceiling wall 1Ta. The positioning pins 126 can be positioned by simply fitting the positioning pins 126 into the reference holes 1Tg and the reference elongated holes 1Th which are opened at predetermined positions to be positioned. Since there is no need to align with lifting,
There is an advantage that the workability can be improved and improved.
Further, under the action of the biasing force of the compression coil spring 128, which biases the positioning pin 126 in the direction in which the positioning pin 126 is projected and fitted into the reference hole 1Tg and the reference elongated hole 1Th, the tip end portion of each positioning pin 126 is tapered. Since it is the surface 126c, when both are near the fitting position, the positioning pins 126 gradually fit into the reference hole 1Tg and the reference elongated hole 1Th, as described above, and therefore the reference hole 1Tg to be aligned is formed. And reference slot 1Th and each positioning pin 126
The workability is easy and easy because there is no need to carefully search for the insertion position of and.

FIG. 21 shows a first modification of the above-described embodiment (a modification of the invention according to claim 3).

This modification 1 has a stopper 129 fixed to the shaft upper end of the positioning pin 126 instead of the retaining ring 127 press-fitted into the positioning pin 126 of the above embodiment. Only differ. On the outer peripheral surface of the stopper 129, a coloring portion 129a is formed as a display portion for visually recognizing that the positioning pin 126 has been fitted into the main body table 1T to a position where the stencil printing apparatus 1 should be positioned. . Coloring part 129a
A predetermined color of coating, colored plating, or the like is applied to the.

Only the operation of the modification 1 different from the above embodiment will be described. When the lower surface of the stopper 129 of the positioning pin 126 is in contact with the upper surface of the upper cut and bent portion 125b of the bracket 125, the large diameter portion 126a of the positioning pin 126 is completely in the reference hole 1Tg and the reference elongated hole 1Th of the main body table 1T. Locating pin 12 so that it is fitted into
6 and dimensions of the related parts such as the bracket 125 and the positional relationship are set. The installation worker uses the upper cutting and bending section 12
While watching the gap c1 between the upper surface of 5b and the lower surface of the colored portion 129a, the main body table 1T
The position of the stencil printer 1 is adjusted with respect to.

FIG. 22 shows another modification 2 of the above embodiment.
Is shown (a modification of the invention according to claim 3). When adjusting the position of the stencil printing apparatus 1 with respect to the main body table 1T, the retaining ring 127 of the embodiment and the stopper 129 of the modified example 1 shown in FIG. 21 are positioned inside the stencil printing apparatus 1. As a result, the gap c1 may not be visible. Therefore, in order to solve the problem, the modification 2 is different from the embodiment in that the coloring portion 126d is added to the predetermined range of the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 126a of the positioning pin 126 of the embodiment. Be different. Coloring part 12
In the predetermined range of 6d, when the large diameter portion 126a of the positioning pin 126 is fitted in the reference hole 1Tg and the reference elongated hole 1Th, the lower limit position of the colored portion 126d is the main body table 1T.
It is set so as to be located below the upper surface of the ceiling wall surface 1Ta, that is, the wrap dimension A1 in which the upper surface of the ceiling wall surface 1Ta and the lower limit position of the colored portion 126d overlap is ensured. In the second modification, as described above, the positioning pin 126 has the coloring portion 126d as a display portion for visually confirming that the positioning pin 126 has been fitted to the position where the stencil printing apparatus 1 should be positioned on the main body table 1T. ,
The installation operator adjusts the position of the stencil printing machine 1 with respect to the main body table 1T while visually confirming that the lower limit position of the colored portion 126d of the positioning pin 126 is hidden in the ceiling wall surface 1Ta of the main body table 1T.

An openable door (not shown) is provided on the front side wall of the main body table 1T. The door is opened to screw the fixing screw into the fixing screw hole 27b or to the fixing hole 1Tj. It is possible to easily perform work such as screwing in the fixing screw 1P.

Next, the sheet feeding device 100 is attached to the main body table 1T.
Positioning when mounting is described (example according to the invention of claim 2). As shown in FIGS. 23 to 25,
A fixed frame 26 as a paper feeding device main body can be mounted on the main body table 1T, and a paper feeding port 58A of the paper feeding device 100 can be mounted on the main body frame 1F of the stencil printing apparatus 1, respectively. Example of invention described in 2).

The fixed frame positioning mechanism 120, as will be described later, has a positioning pin 27a arranged on the fixed frame 26 side of the sheet feeding device 100 and a movable frame guide shaft 3.
1, positioning shaft 36, reference elongated hole 1Te arranged on the body table 1T side, positioning bracket right 121,
The positioning bracket left 122 is mainly composed of a mounting wall surface 1Tb.

As shown in FIG. 23, the main body table 1T on the side on which the paper feeding device 100 is mounted has a mounting wall surface 1T.
b, side wall surfaces 1Tc facing each other across the mounting wall surface 1Tb,
1Td is formed, and these mounting wall surfaces 1Tb,
A rectangular notch shape is formed by the sidewall surfaces 1Tc and 1Td. These mounting wall surface 1Tb and side wall surface 1
The paper feeding device 100 is attached to Tc and 1Td as follows. A positioning bracket right 121 and a positioning bracket left 122 are substantially integrally fixed to the side wall surface 1Tc and the side wall surface 1Td, respectively. The bracket right 121 and the bracket left 122 have a substantially U-shaped cross section when viewed from the side of the paper feeding device 100, and support the movable frame guide shaft 31 and the positioning shaft 36 of the paper feeding device 100, respectively. The fixed frame 26, that is, the sheet feeding device 100 is mounted on the main body table 1T. Bracket right 12
1, the left side bracket 122 has a movable frame guide shaft 3
Groove 121 that engages both ends of 1 and supports these ends
a, 122a, inclined surfaces 121c and 122c for guiding the movable frame guide shaft 31 when the paper feeding device 100 is moved and mounted in the paper transport direction X, and the positioning shaft 36.
Supporting surfaces 121b, 122b for supporting the lower surfaces of both ends of the
And the inclined surfaces 121d, 12 for guiding the positioning shaft 36 when the sheet feeding device 100 is moved in the sheet conveying direction X and mounted.
2d and 2d are formed respectively.

On the other hand, the fixed frame mounting portion 27 on the side of the sheet feeding device 100 is fixedly provided with a positioning pin 27a having an inclined surface at its tip. A pair of fixing screw holes 27b and 27b are formed in the fixed frame attachment portions 27 on both sides of the positioning pin 27a. Body table 1T
A reference elongated hole 1Te that is long in the up-and-down direction Z into which the straight portion of the positioning pin 27a is fitted is formed on the mounting wall surface 1Tb. The pair of fixing screw holes 27b, 27 are provided on the mounting wall surfaces 1Tb on both sides of the elongated hole 1Te.
A hole 1Tf screwed to the fixing screw holes 27b, 27b via a fixing screw (not shown) is formed at a position facing b.

In FIG. 24, the sheet feeding device 1 is attached to the main body table 1T.
00 is mounted on the fixed frame 26.
Is a groove 121a at both ends of the movable frame guide shaft 31.
The lower surface of both ends of the positioning shaft 36 is supported by the support surfaces 121b and 122b by engaging with the sheet 122a, thereby positioning and holding the sheet feeding device 100 in the up-and-down direction Z with respect to the main body table 1T. The straight portion of the positioning pin 27a is fitted into the reference elongated hole 1Te, so that the paper feeding device 100 is positioned in the paper width direction Y with respect to the main body table 1T. The positioning in the paper transport direction X is performed by the fixed frame mounting portion 27 abutting against the mounting wall surface 1Tb of the main body table 1T. In this state, fix the fixing screw to the mounting wall surface 1 of the main body table 1T.
Fixing screw hole 27b through hole 1Tf from the back side of Tb
By screwing into the main body table 1T, the paper feeding device 100 is positioned in the three-dimensional direction, and the paper feeding device 100 is positioned and fixed to the main body table 1T.

As described above, the positioning pin 126 for positioning the stencil printing apparatus 1 is provided with the sheet feeding port 58 of the sheet feeding apparatus 100.
It is arranged on the stay 1s of the main body frame 1F, which is provided near A. Then, corresponding to the position of the positioning pin 126, the mounting side of the sheet feeding device 100 (fixed frame 26
A reference hole 1Tg and a reference long hole 1Th are provided on the ceiling wall surface 1Ta of the main body table 1T (on the mounting side), and a reference for positioning the sheet feeding device 100 on the main body table 1T is provided on the attachment wall surface 1Tb of the main body table 1T. A long hole 1Te is provided. Therefore, the paper feeding section 58 of the stencil printing machine 1 is
Positioning can be performed on the mounting side of the paper feeding device 100,
Positioning can be indirectly performed with respect to the sheet feeding device 100 positioned on the main body table 1T via the fixed frame 26. When such positioning is performed, for example, on the side of the sheet discharge portion 59 (the left stay 1s in FIG. 24 in FIG. 24) shown in FIG. 1, each positioning pin 126 and the reference hole 1Tg and the reference elongated hole 1Th are connected. Even if the fitting backlash is small, the stencil printing machine 1 may be displaced in the paper width direction Y on the side of the paper feed unit 58 with respect to the main body table 1T. By arranging the parts to be placed, there is an advantage that the amount of positional deviation due to the fitting backlash can be suppressed to be small and the deviation between the stencil printing apparatus 1 and the sheet feeding apparatus 100 in the sheet width direction Y can be reduced.

As described above, when the sheet feeding device 100 is mounted on the main body table 1T, the height adjusting screw 117 of the caster 119, which will be described in detail later, is turned to move the caster 1
The sheet feeding device 100 is positioned on the main body table 1T in such a positional relationship that a gap of height H is generated from the floor surface FL when 19 is raised upward from the floor surface FL. Further, in FIGS. 11 and 18, the casters 119 of the paper feeding device 100 are used.
Although only two of the casters 1 are arranged, even if the sheet feeding device 100 is removed from the main body table 1T, the two casters 1
19 and the lower surface of the fixed side plate pair 26a, 26b of the fixed frame 26 are in contact with and supported by the floor surface FL, and although they are in a slightly tilted state, the paper feeding apparatus 100 can stand by itself, and therefore, the main body table 1T is supplied. During the work of mounting the paper device 100, the paper supply device 100 does not stand on its own and the mounting workability does not deteriorate.

As described above, by moving the entire movable frame 18 in the sheet width direction Y with respect to the fixed frame 26, the sheet feeding device 100 that cannot be directly positioned and fixed to the stencil printing apparatus 1 or the main body table 1T. Even
Positioning and fixing the fixed frame 26 to the main body table 1T and positioning and fixing the stencil printing apparatus 1 to the main body table 1T, thereby positioning the movable frame 18 relatively to the stencil printing apparatus 1. Is possible. Therefore, it becomes possible to position the paper 6 on the paper feed tray 7 arranged in the movable frame 18 and the paper 6 ′ stored in the paper feed cassette 39 with respect to the stencil printing machine 1, Both 6 and 6'can be adjusted for movement in the paper width direction Y.

A pair of left and right casters 119 and 119 are attached to the lower bottom wall surface of the fixed frame 26 on the side opposite to the side where the fixed frame 26 is attached to the main body table 1T. The caster 119 is a caster wheel 119 that can contact the floor surface FL when the fixed frame 26 is positioned and mounted in the three-dimensional direction with respect to the main body table 1T.
r, a housing 118 that rotatably supports the caster wheel 119r via a support shaft 119s, and a housing 11
8, a support shaft 117 that is rotatably supported by the housing 118, and a female screw that is screwed with a threaded portion 117d that is formed on the upper part of the support shaft 117. A holding member that holds the support shaft 117. 116 and caster wheel 1
The height at which the position of the caster wheel 119r can be manually adjusted by moving the caster wheel 119r to a contact position where the floor surface FL contacts with the caster wheel 119r and a separated position where the caster wheel 119r is separated from the contact position. It is mainly composed of an adjusting mechanism. The height adjustment mechanism has a rotary operation unit 1 to be described later.
17a, the support shaft 117, and a screw portion 117d of the support shaft 117.
And the internal thread of the holding member 116.

A housing 118 is provided at the lower end of the support shaft 117.
The rotating shaft 117 that is loosely fitted through a hole formed in the
b and a stopper portion 117c for preventing the support shaft 117 from coming off from the housing 118 are provided. The support shaft 117 is rotatable with respect to the housing 118 and does not come off in the axial direction. Support shaft 11
A rotating operation portion 117a for manually rotating and adjusting the height of the support shaft 117 is formed between the screw portion 117d of the No. 7 and the rotating shaft portion 117b. Rotation operation unit 11
7a has a whole ring shape, and its diameter is a caster wheel 119.
It is formed large so as to cover r. Holding member 116
Are fixed to the lower bottom wall surface of the fixed frame 26.
Therefore, when the rotation operation unit 117a is manually rotated, the support shaft 117 moves in the axial direction, that is, the ascending / descending direction Z, and the caster wheel 119r also moves in the ascending / descending direction Z. The adjustment range of the height of the caster wheel 119r is as shown in FIG.
Floor FL and caster wheel 119r with 0 attached
From the ground surface of the caster 1Tr provided at the bottom of the main body table 1T to the caster wheel 11
The height H to the ground contact surface of 9r is at least +2 mm-
If the adjustment is possible within a range of 2 mm or more, the caster wheel 119r does not come into contact with the floor surface FL when the main body table 1T and the sheet feeding device 100 are moved, and the caster wheel 119r is not used at the place of use. It is easy to adjust the height of the caster wheel 119r so as to contact the floor surface FL.

However, the flatness of the floor surface varies greatly depending on the place of use or the place of storage, and is preferably +5 m.
It is preferable that the height H can be adjusted within the range of m to −5 mm or more. The adjustment range of the height H is such that when the sheet feeding device 100 is mounted on the main body table 1T, the caster wheel 119r is slightly displaced downward by the own weight of the sheet feeding device 100. Then, it is preferable to determine the size and the like of each component of the caster 119 so as to fall within the height H adjustment range. By providing such casters 119, the caster wheels 119r do not come into contact with the floor surface FL when the stencil printing apparatus 1 is moved with the paper feeding device 100 mounted, and the casters are not used at the place of use or the place of storage. Wheel 119r on the floor FL
Can be brought into contact with the sheet feeding device 100 to receive the weight of the sheet feeding device 100.

Further, the rotary operation portion 117a for adjusting the height of the support shaft 117 can be easily and easily operated by the user without using tools such as a wrench, so that the rotation operation portion 117a can be easily operated by the user. It is manufactured to have a large diameter as shown in FIG. 18, and the outer peripheral portion of which is not shown, but rough knurling is applied, so that the user's hand is caught without slipping and the rotation operation is easy. It is like this. Then, as shown in FIG. 18, the outer peripheral portion of the rotation operation portion 117a is at least −5 mm (that is, 5 mm from the outer shape portion above the outer shape portion (in this case, the side plate 18d) of the sheet feeding device 100). It is difficult to rotate by hand unless you secure the above condition. If the retracted amount is about 5 mm, the rotating operation can be performed by hand, but in order for the user to see the position of the rotating operation portion 117a and to improve the operability, the dimension amount L1 is 0 or more, It is more preferable that it is on the same plane as the outer shape portion or slightly protrudes. Therefore, this caster 11
By using 9, the user can easily and easily operate the height of the support shaft 117, that is, the height of the caster wheel 119r from the floor surface FL, without using tools such as a spanner. There are advantages.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 16, an electrical control configuration for controlling the operation of the above-described sheet feeding device 100 will be described. In order to simplify the drawing, the upper limit detection sensor 3 is omitted in FIG. 8, and the upper limit detection sensor 3, the intermediate detection sensor 4, and the lower limit detection sensor 5 are illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 and 6. , A simplified model.

As shown in FIG. 9, the tray lowering key 67 is arranged on the operation console near the cover 19 of the paper feeding device 100. The tray lowering key 67 is configured to open the cover 19 and perform a pressing operation, and sets the lowering amount of the paper feeding tray 7 by pressing the tray for a predetermined time.

The left / right movement key (left) 82 and the left / right movement key (right) 81 are arranged on the paper feed device operation panel 141P provided on the cover 141, as shown in FIG. The left and right movement keys (left) and (right) 82 and 81 have a function of selectively switching the left and right movements of the movable frame 18 in the paper width direction Y and activating it, and pressing any one of the pressing portions for a predetermined time. As a result, it has a role of a movable frame movement setting means having both functions of setting the amount of lateral movement. Left and right movement keys (left), (right) 82, 81
Pressing portions for selectively switching the left and right movements of the movable frame 18 in the paper width direction Y are arranged opposite to each other. The amount of movement is set so that it can move at least 10 mm to the left and right. The left / right movement keys (left), (right) 82, 81 are provided on the sheet feeding device operation panel 141P near the left / right movement keys (left), (right) 82, 81.
A left / right movement amount indicator 83 is arranged to display the amount of movement leftward or rightward in the paper width direction Y by depressing any one of them. The movement amount of the movable frame 18 is displayed on the left / right movement amount display 83 provided on the sheet feeding device operation panel 141P as shown in FIG. The horizontal movement amount display unit 83 is provided with a scale display portion for displaying the movement amount of the movable frame 18. On the other hand, at a predetermined position of the main body frame 1F, a pointer portion for displaying a scale on the scale display portion is fixed, and as the movable frame 18 moves, how much the movement amount has become. It is supposed to inform you.

The left and right movement keys (left), (right) 82,
81 is not limited to this, and for example, only one switch having a well-known seesaw-type structure in which push-down portions corresponding to the both keys are integrally formed so as to face each other may be provided.

As shown in FIG. 11, the left / right position left limit detection sensor 84 and the left / right position right limit detection sensor 85 are located in the vicinity of both ends of the movable frame drive shaft 30, and the pair of side plates 18a, 18 are provided.
It is fixed to the inner wall of the lower part of b, and moves integrally with the movable frame 18 as the movable frame 18 moves in the sheet width direction Y. The actuator portions 84a, 85a of the left / right position left limit detection sensor 84 and the left / right position right limit detection sensor 85 are part of the fixed frame 26 (in the case of the figure, the fixed side plate pair 26a,
It is arranged so as to come into contact with the outer wall of the upper end portion of 26b) to be turned on, and when the movable frame 18 moves by a certain amount or more, it is detected that the movable frame 18 has reached the left or right movement limit position.

Upper limit detection sensor 3 as upper limit detection means
When the paper feed tray 7 is raised or the paper stacking plate 41 of the paper feed cassette 39 is raised (swing), any one of the uppermost papers 6 and 6 ′ placed on the paper feed tray 2 is appropriate for the paper feed roller 2. When the paper feed roller 2 is lifted to a proper paper feed position for feeding by contacting with a certain pressure, that is, one of the uppermost papers 6 and 6'does not feed the paper feed roller 2 An ON signal is output when the upper limit position P1 is set to a proper sheet feeding position for sheet feeding, and an OFF signal is output otherwise. The uppermost sheet 6 (or sheet 6 ') can be fed by the sheet feed roller 2 only when the upper limit detection sensor 3 outputs an ON signal. The upper limit detection sensor 3 is a known light-shielding type optical sensor having a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion, and swingably contacts the uppermost sheet 6 (or sheet 6 ′) stacked on the sheet feeding tray 7. A contact piece is provided on the arm, and a light-shielding plate provided in conjunction with the contact piece performs a light-shielding operation between the light emitting section and the light receiving section, so that the uppermost sheet 6 (or sheet) The upper limit position P1 of 6 ') is detected. The upper limit detection sensor 3 is provided on the main body frame 1F near the paper feed roller 2. The upper limit detection sensor 3 has, for example, the same configuration as the optical sensor PS2 shown in FIG. 3 and the like described in JP-A-2-265825.

The lower limit detection sensor 5 detects the lower limit position P3 of the paper feed tray 7, and is arranged at a predetermined position inside the side plate 18a as shown in FIGS. The lower limit detection sensor 5 is a well-known reflective optical sensor having a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion. The lower limit detection sensor 5 detects that the paper feed tray 7 occupies the lower limit position P3 by projecting light from the light emitting unit on one side surface of the paper feed tray 7 and detecting the reflected light by the light receiving unit. To do. Lower limit detection sensor 5
Outputs an ON signal only when the paper feed tray 7 occupies the lower limit position P3, and outputs an OFF signal otherwise.

The intermediate detection sensor 4 uses the intermediate position P of the paper feed tray 7 to stop the paper feed tray 7 at a predetermined intermediate position P2 between the upper limit position P1 and the lower limit position P3.
2 is detected, and as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, it is arranged at a predetermined position inside the side plate 18a. The intermediate detection sensor 4 is a known reflective optical sensor having a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion. The intermediate detection sensor 4 detects that the paper feed tray 7 occupies the intermediate position P2 by projecting light from the light emitting unit on one side surface of the paper feed tray 7 and detecting the reflected light by the light receiving unit. To do. Intermediate detection sensor 4
Outputs an ON signal only when the paper feed tray 7 occupies the intermediate position P2, and outputs an OFF signal otherwise. The intermediate detection sensor 4 is located at 100
It is arranged inside the side plate 18a which is above the mm.

In FIG. 16, reference numeral 60 indicates a control means. The control means 60 includes I / O (input / output) ports 64, C.
PU (central processing unit) 63, ROM (read-only storage device) 61, RAM (readable and writable storage device) 6
2 and a timer 65 and the like, which are composed of a microcomputer having a configuration in which they are connected by a signal bus. The control means 60 is provided on a control board (not shown) arranged at a predetermined position of the main body frame 1F of the stencil printing machine 1, and is electrically connected to the printing apparatus control means (not shown) for the sake of simplifying the drawing. It is connected. The printing device control means is provided on the control board,
It controls the entire operation of the stencil printing apparatus 1 including the printing operation, and is composed of a microcomputer similar to the control means 60. The printing device control means and control means 60
Is based on ON / OFF signals of a plate making start key and a print start key (both not shown) provided on an operation panel (not shown) provided above the stencil printing apparatus 1 To control.

Upper limit detection sensor 3, middle detection sensor 4, lower limit detection sensor 5, left and right position left limit detection sensor 84, left and right position right limit detection sensor 85, left and right movement key (left) 82, left and right movement key (right) 81, and The tray lowering key 67 is electrically connected to the control means 60.

Upper limit detection sensor 3, middle detection sensor 4, lower limit detection sensor 5, left and right position left limit detection sensor 84, left and right position right limit detection sensor 85, left and right movement key (left) 82, left and right movement key (right) 81 and On / off signals and data signals from the tray lowering key 67 are transmitted to the input port of the control means 60. Each command signal of the control means 60 is output via an output port to the tray elevating motor drive circuit 71 of the tray elevating drive device 10, the cassette tray elevating motor drive circuit 72 of the cassette tray elevating drive device 40, and the left and right movement drive device 70. It is transmitted to the moving motor drive circuit 73 as needed.

The control means 60 includes an upper limit detection sensor 3, an intermediate detection sensor 4, a lower limit detection sensor 5, a left / right position left limit detection sensor 84, a left / right position right limit detection sensor 85, a left / right movement key (left) 82, a left / right movement key. (Right) 81, tray lowering key 67, tray raising / lowering motor driving circuit 71 of tray raising / lowering driving device 10, cassette tray raising / lowering motor driving circuit 72 of cassette tray raising / lowering driving device 40, and lateral movement motor driving circuit of lateral movement driving device 70 A command signal and / or an ON / OFF signal and a data signal are transmitted to and received from the control unit 73, and control the system of the entire operation such as starting, stopping and timing of the sheet feeding apparatus 100.

The normal rotation (clockwise rotation) drive start timing of the tray lift motor 11 in the tray lift drive device 10, that is, the rising start timing of the paper feed tray 7 is controlled by the control means 60 by the plate making start key or the print start. It is set when the key is pressed.
Further, the reverse rotation (counterclockwise rotation) driving start timing of the tray lifting motor 11, that is, the lowering start timing of the paper feed tray 7 is set by the control means 60 when the tray lowering key 67 is pressed.

The forward (counterclockwise) drive start timing of the cassette tray lift motor 46 in the cassette tray lift drive device 40, that is, the sheet stacking plate 41.
The rising start timing is set by the control means 60 when the plate making start key or the print start key is pressed, or when the paper feed cassette 39 is mounted and the cover 19 is closed.

The right / left movement key (left) is controlled by the control means 60 by the forward / reverse drive start timing of the left / right movement motor 32 in the left / right movement drive device 70, that is, the left / right movement start timing of the movable frame 18.
This is set when 82 or the horizontal movement key (right) 81 is pressed, and the horizontal movement motor drive circuit 73 issues a command to the horizontal movement motor 32.

The CPU 63 sets the function of stopping the paper feed tray 7 to the intermediate position P2 based on the ON signal from the intermediate detection sensor 4 and the tray lowering key 67 for a predetermined time (3 seconds in this embodiment). ) By operating above,
A function of stopping the paper feed tray 7 at the lower limit position P3 by using the tray lift motor 11 of the tray lift drive device 10 based on the ON signal from the lower limit detection sensor 5 without taking in the ON signal from the intermediate detection sensor 4. Have.

The timer 65 measures the pressing time of the tray lowering key 67 fetched through the input port of the control means 60 and outputs it to the CPU 63 at any time. Also timer 65
Also has a function of measuring the time from the start of rotation of the paper feed roller 2 in order to detect the presence or absence of a jam in the vicinity of the paper feed roller 2.

In the ROM 61, the start of the paper feeding device 100,
Programs and necessary data relating to operations such as stop and timing are stored in advance. RAM 62 is a CPU
The calculation result at 63 is temporarily stored, and ON / OFF signals and data signals input from the sensors and keys are stored at any time.

Next, the operation will be described.

At the same time as the known operations of the stencil printing apparatus 1, that is, the plate discharge operation, the document image reading operation, and the plate making / plate making operation, the test printing is carried out. Then, the steps of feeding, printing, and ejecting are repeated for the set number of printed sheets, and the stencil printing step is completed.

The paper feeding step is started by pressing the plate making start key or the print start key, and a paper feeding command signal is transmitted from the control means 60 to the paper feeding device 100 of the paper feeding section 58. When the paper feed command signal is transmitted from the control means 60, the tray elevating motor 11 is driven in the normal direction to raise the paper feed tray 7. When the paper feed tray 7 rises and the upper limit detection sensor 3 detects the uppermost surface of the paper 6 stacked on the paper feed tray 7 facing the proper paper feed position, the controller 60 causes the tray lifting motor 11 to move. To the tray lifting motor 11 by transmitting a drive stop signal to
The normal rotation driving of the paper is stopped, the uppermost surface of the paper 6 in the paper feed tray 7 is held at the upper limit position P1, and the paper feed roller 2 continues.
A known paper feeding operation is started.

Next, on the paper feed tray 7 or the paper feed cassette 3
The operation for moving the sheets 6 and 6 ′ stored in 9 in the sheet width direction Y from side to side will be described. When the left / right movement key (left) or (right) 82, 81 corresponding to the direction to be moved is pressed, the control means 60 causes the left / right movement motor 32 to the left / right movement motor drive circuit 73. A command signal for normal rotation or reverse rotation is transmitted, and the horizontal movement motor 32 is rotationally driven, whereby the movable frame drive shaft 30 is rotated via the speed reduction mechanism, and the movable frame 18 is fixed to the fixed frame by the screw mechanism. 26
With respect to the sheet width direction Y, the sheet is moved leftward or rightward relative to the sheet width direction Y, and the moved amount is displayed on the scale display portion of the left-right movement amount display 83. When the amount of movement reaches a desired amount, when the pressing operation of the left / right movement key is stopped, the rotational drive of the left / right movement motor 32 is stopped and the movement of the movable frame 18 is stopped. In this way, the sheets 6 and 6'are moved in the sheet width direction Y with respect to the stencil printing apparatus 1 as an image forming apparatus. Therefore, the sheets 6 and 6'are moved in the sheet width direction Y together with the movable frame 18 with respect to the main body frame 1F of the stencil printing apparatus 1, and the image position in the sheet width direction Y during printing can be adjusted.

Next, the control contents of the lowering operation of the paper feed tray 7 will be briefly described.

In the present embodiment, since the control means 60 having the above-described structure is provided to switch the lower limit lowering position of the paper feed tray 7 according to the length of time the tray lowering key 67 is pressed, the tray lowering key 67 is pressed. If the time is less than 3 seconds, the paper feed tray 7 can be lowered to the intermediate position P2, and if the pressing time of the tray lowering key 67 is 3 seconds or more, the paper feed tray 7 can be lowered to the lower limit position P3. .

For example, in a state where the position of the paper feed tray 7 is raised from the position shown in FIGS. When it is desired to lower the paper feed tray 7 in order to perform jam processing in the vicinity of the paper feed roller 2 or to replenish the paper 6 during the paper feed of, the following operation is performed. First, when the tray lowering key 67 is pressed for less than 3 seconds, the tray raising / lowering motor 11 is reversely driven by the control means 60 based on the ON signal of the tray lowering key 67, and the sheet feeding tray 7 is lowered. When the paper feed tray 7 is lowered and the intermediate detection sensor 4 detects the paper feed tray 7 at the position where the paper feed tray 7 reaches the intermediate position P2, a drive stop signal is transmitted from the control means 60 to the tray lift motor 11 to cause the tray to move. The reverse rotation drive of the lift motor 11 is stopped, and the paper feed tray 7 is moved to the intermediate position P.
Held at 2. Therefore, it is possible to confirm a paper jam, remove a jammed paper, or replenish the paper 6 for jam processing without performing an unnecessary lowering operation of the paper feed tray 7. In addition, the paper feed tray 7 in this state is stopped at the intermediate position P2, and the user can restart the paper feed operation in a relatively short waiting time.

Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the paper feed tray 7 has reached the intermediate position P2, and the uppermost paper 6 stacked on the paper feed tray 7 is in contact with the paper feed roller 2. When a jam occurs in the vicinity of the paper feed roller 2 when the paper is fully loaded, the paper feed tray 7 is already in the intermediate position P2.
Therefore, even if the tray lowering key 67 is pressed, if the pressing time is less than 3 seconds, the paper feeding tray 7 does not descend. In such a case, the tray lowering key 67
Is pressed for 3 seconds or more, and the control means 60 drives the tray elevating motor 11 in the reverse direction based on the ON signal of the tray lowering key 67 to lower the paper feeding tray 7. When the paper feed tray 7 is lowered and the lower limit detection sensor 5 detects the paper feed tray 7 at a position where it reaches the lower limit position P3, a drive stop signal is transmitted from the control means 60 to the tray lifting motor 11 to cause the tray to move. The reverse rotation of the lift motor 11 is stopped, and the paper feed tray 7 is held at the lower limit position P3.
Distance (distance) between the intermediate detection sensor 4 and the lower limit detection sensor 5
Is 100 mm, the space between the paper feed roller 2 and the uppermost surface of the paper 6 stacked on the paper feed tray 7 is secured within a range of a distance (distance) of 100 mm when the lowering operation of the paper feed tray 7 is completed. The space required for removing the jammed paper can be secured, and the workability of the jam handling is improved.

Therefore, when the sheets 6 stacked on the paper feed tray 7 are in the full state or near the full state and a jam occurs in the vicinity of the paper feed roller 2, the paper feed tray 7 is once provided as in the conventional case. Paper 6 loaded in the stack
It becomes unnecessary to remove the jam and secure a space necessary for removing jammed paper.

Next, the paper feeding cassette 39 is loaded into the paper feeding device 100.
The operation in the case of mounting on the paper and feeding the paper will be described. For example, with reference to FIG. 3, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the paper feed tray 7 reaches the intermediate position P2, and the paper feed tray 7 is
Between the paper feed roller 2 and the uppermost sheet 6 when the uppermost sheet 6 stacked on the sheet feeding roller 2 is in a fully loaded state or in a state close to such a fully loaded state. It is not possible to secure the space required for mounting the paper feed cassette 39. Further, since the paper feed tray 7 has already reached the intermediate position P2, even if the tray lowering key 67 is pressed, if the pressing time is less than 3 seconds, the paper feeding tray 7 does not descend. Therefore, the tray lowering key 67 is pressed for 3 seconds or more, and until the lower limit detection sensor 5 detects the sheet feeding tray 7 at the position where it reaches the lower limit position P3 through the control operation of the control means 60 as described above. The paper feed tray 7 is lowered. At this time, the side fence pair 20a, 20b
The frame 28 and the frame 28 are pushed down by the lower side fence moving shaft 22 against the lower surface of the paper feed tray 7 against the tension spring 114, so that the solid line position shown in FIG. 6 (or the virtual line shown in FIGS. 1 and 2). Line position).

As a result, the side fence pair 20a, 2
0b and the bottom surface of the bottom wall of the paper storage case 39b when the paper feed cassette 39 is mounted, a necessary space that does not interfere with each other is formed, and the cassette mounting space 39S is secured. . Since the distance between the intermediate detection sensor 4 and the lower limit detection sensor 5 is 100 mm,
When the lowering operation of the paper feed tray 7 is completed, a space between the paper feed roller 2 and the uppermost surface of the paper 6 is secured within a height range (interval distance) of 100 mm or more (see FIG. 6). As described above, the thickness of the sheet feeding cassette 39 is about 50 to 80 mm, and the sheet feeding cassette 39 is provided at the predetermined portion of the sheet feeding device 100.
When the sheet feeding cassette 39 is mounted, a space between the sheet feeding roller 2 and the uppermost surface of the sheet 6'is secured at least 20 to 50 mm at the height (interval distance) in the ascending / descending direction Z. Sufficient space, that is, the cassette mounting space 39S can be sufficiently secured. In this state, when the cover 19 is opened and the paper feed cassette 39 is completely attached to the left in the drawing via the paper feed cassette attaching / detaching mechanism 47, the elevating arm drive gear 45 and the arm shaft gear 44 mesh with each other. Next, the cover 19 is closed.

Further, when the paper feed cassette 39 is mounted and the plate making start key or the print start key is pressed, a paper feed command signal is transmitted from the control means 60 to the cassette tray elevating and lowering drive device 40, and the cassette tray The elevating motor 46 is driven to rotate in the counterclockwise direction, and the stacking plate elevating arm 42 is swung in the clockwise direction via the elevating arm drive gear 45 and the arm shaft gear 44. A paper feeding position in which the free end of the paper stacking plate 41 is lifted in the clockwise direction, and the uppermost paper 6 ′ on the paper stacking plate 41 contacts the paper feed roller 2.
That is, the upper limit position P1 is occupied and the sheet can be fed. Next, the normal rotation drive of the cassette tray elevating motor 46 is stopped, the uppermost sheet 6 ′ stacked on the sheet stacking plate 41 is held at the upper limit position P1, and the well-known sheet feeding operation by the sheet feeding roller 2 is subsequently started. To be done.

Next, the operation when the paper feed cassette 39 is not attached will be described. When using the paper feed tray 7, the cover 19 is opened and the paper feed cassette 39 is pulled out to the right in the figure. Subsequent operations are the same as those in the above-mentioned example, and therefore their explanations are omitted.

The sheet stacking plate 41 and the like are shown in FIG. 7, and the upper limit detection sensor 3 and the separation roller pair 5 are shown in FIG.
Illustrations such as 1a and 51b are omitted in order to simplify the drawing.

As described above, according to the paper feeding device 100, the paper feeding cassette 39 and the pair of side fences 20a, 20a, There is no member other than the side plate 18g positioned above 20b, and a cassette for feeding the paper 6'stored in the interrupt type paper feed cassette 39 without providing a special space above the paper feed roller 2. It is possible to selectively switch between the paper feed mode and the tray paper feed mode in which the paper 6 on the paper feed tray 7 is fed.

Further, according to the above-described embodiment, when the paper feed tray is lowered by the tray elevating / driving means, the frame body is selectively interlocked with the paper feed tray and is lowered by the configuration and operation described above. A cassette mounting space for mounting a sheet feeding cassette capable of storing a plurality of sheets is formed between the upper part of the sheet and the sheet feeding means. In addition, the side fence is made of a frame,
It is supported so as to be able to move up and down between an upper fixed position of the movable frame and a lower fixed position of the movable frame, and is further urged by an urging means to the upper fixed position of the movable frame via the frame. Then, by the tray lifting drive means,
Paper can be stacked and lifted up to the upper limit position where the paper feed tray faces the paper feed position, and the paper can be reliably positioned in the paper width direction by the side fence while the single paper feed means is used. Since the sheets are separated one by one and fed to the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus can be downsized, the mechanism and structure can be simplified, and the LCT sheet feeding can be performed on the sheet feeding unit. No space for time is required, and the height of the image forming apparatus is not increased. Furthermore, since the entire movable frame that can form the cassette mounting space for mounting the paper feeding cassette as well as the paper feeding tray is movable in the paper width direction with respect to the fixed frame by the moving mechanism, The entire movable frame can be moved in the paper width direction with respect to the image forming apparatus, and the image position can be adjusted by moving the paper on the paper feed tray in the paper width direction with respect to the image forming apparatus. .
This simplifies the structure of the moving mechanism that moves the movable frame in the sheet width direction with respect to the fixed frame, reduces the number of assembly steps of the sheet feeding device, and reduces the cost.

According to the above-described embodiment, in addition to the above-mentioned advantages, the entire movable frame for mounting the paper feed tray and the paper feed cassette can be moved in the paper width direction with respect to the fixed frame, in addition to the above-mentioned advantages. By being,
It is possible to move the entire movable frame in the paper width direction with respect to the image forming apparatus. Therefore, the position of the image in the paper width direction can be adjusted not only for the paper on the paper feed tray but also for the paper stored in the paper feed cassette. This simplifies the structure of the moving mechanism that moves the movable frame in the sheet width direction with respect to the fixed frame, reduces the number of assembly steps of the sheet feeding device, and reduces the cost. Further, by using the same paper feeding means, it is possible to selectively switch the paper feeding operation from the paper feeding cassette or the paper feeding tray. Therefore, the paper feeding path from the paper feeding means to the image forming unit of the image forming apparatus. Since it is not necessary to change the sheet feeding timing and the sheet feeding timing is constant, there is no need for a device and adjustment / control which are required to keep the sheet feeding timing constant by using a plurality of sheet feeding means. Particularly in a stencil printing machine, a slight difference in the paper feed timing has a great influence on the top-bottom deviation, so that the print quality can be improved. Further, by using the same sheet feeding means, since the sheet conveying path from the sheet feeding means to the image forming unit of the image forming apparatus is the same, without complicating the configuration of the sheet conveying path or making maintenance difficult, It can be installed in a conventional image forming apparatus and can cope with high-speed paper feeding. Therefore, it is possible to provide a sheet feeding device for an image forming apparatus that is extremely convenient.

Further, according to the above-described embodiment, in addition to the above-described advantages, the mounting table positioning mechanism relatively positions the image forming apparatus and the mounting table on which the image forming apparatus is mounted in the three-dimensional direction, and thus the fixed frame. The positioning mechanism positions the fixed frame in the three-dimensional direction with respect to the mounting table. Therefore, even if the sheet feeding device has a moving mechanism for moving the entire movable frame with respect to the image forming apparatus and cannot directly position the movable frame with respect to the image forming apparatus, the sheet feeding apparatus is relatively movable with respect to the image forming apparatus. The physical positional relationship can be secured, and the image positional accuracy can be secured.

Further, according to the above-described embodiment, in addition to the above-mentioned advantages, when the image forming apparatus equipped with the sheet feeding device is moved, the caster wheel is moved from the floor of the storage location (storage position). By allowing them to be separated from each other, the positioning section and the fixing section of the image forming apparatus and the sheet feeding apparatus are moved without receiving an external force from the floor surface. On the other hand, when the image forming apparatus equipped with the paper feeding device is stored at the storage location (storage position) or used at the usage location (use position), the caster wheel can be adjusted by adjusting the height adjustment mechanism. The position is adjusted to the contact position where it comes into contact with the floor of the storage place or the use place.
As a result, not only the positioning portion and the fixing portion but also the caster wheels share the weight of the sheet feeding device and the weight of the stacked sheets stored in the sheet feeding device, thus reducing the load on the positioning portion and the fixing portion. However, it is possible to prevent the positioning portion and the fixing portion from being deformed during long-term use or when an external force is applied, and it is possible to ensure image position accuracy.

The left / right movement amount display is not limited to the means for mechanically displaying the movement amount by the left / right movement amount display 83 as described above.
By providing a movement amount detection sensor in place of the left / right position right limit detection sensor 85, and by providing an electrically operated left / right movement amount display in place of the left / right movement amount display 83, movement from the movement amount detection sensor Upon receiving the amount signal, the control unit 60 may display the amount of movement on the electrically operated left and right movement amount indicator. In this case, a sensor such as an encoder provided at the shaft end of the movable frame drive shaft 30 or a sensor using a variable resistor is used as the movement amount detection sensor, and an electrically operated left and right movement amount display is provided with, for example, LED
(Light emitting diode) or LCD (liquid crystal display device) is used.

In the above-described embodiment, the control means 60 is provided for switching the lower limit lowering position of the paper feed tray 7 according to the length of time the tray lowering key 67 is pressed, and the pressing time of the tray lowering key 67 is 3 seconds. If it is less than the intermediate position P2
The paper feed tray 7 is moved down to the lower limit position P3 if the pressing time of the tray lowering key 67 is 3 seconds or more. The pressing time is based on the above 3 seconds. Needless to say, other than 3 seconds desired by the user or the like may be used as the reference of the pressing time.

The worm 12 and the worm wheel 13a which constitute the tray elevating and lowering drive device 10 may be composed of only spur gears instead of them.

The biasing means is the spring 11 of the above embodiment.
The elastic member is not limited to 4, but may be an elastic member made of rubber or the like as long as it has the same spring characteristics and durability as the spring 114.

In the above-mentioned embodiments, the paper feed roller 2 is
Main body frame 1F in the paper feed section 58 of the stencil printing machine 1
Although it is disposed on the side, the invention is not limited to this and may be disposed on the side of the sheet feeding device 100.

The sheet feeding device 100 according to the above-described embodiment is
Although it is removably arranged on the main body frame 1F of the stencil printing machine 1, the present invention is not limited to this, and it goes without saying that it may be fixedly arranged on the main body frame 1F of the stencil printing machine 1. Needless to say, the sheet feeding device 100 according to the above-described embodiments is not limited to the stencil printing device 1 and may be arranged as described above in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printing machine, a facsimile, and a printer. .

[0132]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, with the above configuration, the positioning pin to be fitted into the reference hole faces the image forming apparatus main body and the mounting table. Since the image forming apparatus main body is supported so that it can move back and forth in the direction, even when the positioning pin and the reference hole are misaligned when the image forming apparatus main body is placed on the mounting table, the positioning pin does not directly receive the weight of the image forming apparatus main body. Since it is fitted in the reference hole in this state, the positioning part around the fitting part is damaged,
Do not deform the image forming apparatus. Further, since the positioning pin is biased by the elastic means in the direction to be projected and fitted into the reference hole, the positioning pin and the reference hole are moved horizontally while the main body of the image forming apparatus is placed on the mounting table. Since the positioning pin is automatically fitted into the reference hole by the urging force of the elastic means when the positions of and the positions of the two coincide with each other, it is not necessary to lift and position the image forming apparatus, and the work is easy and easy. .

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect of the invention, at least two positioning pins and reference holes are provided on the main body of the image forming apparatus and the mounting table on the mounting side of the sheet feeding device. Since the positioning is performed at these positions, the positioning accuracy between the main body of the image forming apparatus on the mounting side of the sheet feeding device and the mounting table on the mounting side of the sheet feeding device depends on the positioning pin and the reference hole. It is possible to reduce the deterioration in accuracy due to backlash of the fitting portion with. Even if the sheet feeding device is positioned and fixed only on the mounting table and the sheet feeding device is not directly positioned and fixed to the image forming apparatus main body, it is easy to secure the positional accuracy between the image forming apparatus main body and the sheet feeding device. The degree of freedom of wearing method is expanded.

According to the third aspect of the invention, in addition to the effects of the first or second aspect of the invention, even if the position of the positioning pin and the reference hole are slightly displaced, the tapered surface of the positioning pin moves to the reference hole. Since it serves as a guide and the positioning pin is easily fitted into the reference hole, it is easy to perform fine adjustment for accurate positioning.

According to the invention of claim 4, claim 1
In addition to each effect of the invention described in 2 or 3, in the positioning pin,
It is easy to check whether the image forming device and the mounting table are completely positioned by providing the display part for visually confirming that the image forming device is fitted to the mounting table to the position where it should be positioned. In addition, it is possible to prevent the image forming apparatus and the mounting table from being fixed while the positioning is incomplete.

According to the invention of claim 5, claim 2
In addition to each of the effects of the invention described in 3 or 4, a large-capacity paper feed table capable of stacking a large amount of paper is mounted, so that a large amount of paper can be continuously fed and the number of times of paper replenishment is reduced. You can

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a sheet feeding device in a stencil printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an enlarged sheet feeding device.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an operation of feeding paper in a paper-feeding device with the paper being fully loaded.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a structure around a tray elevating drive device and a frame body of the paper feeding device.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a structure around a paper feed tray and a side fence of the paper feed device.

FIG. 6 is a front vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration around the paper feed cassette and the operation in the mounted state of the paper feed cassette.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of an essential part showing a paper feed cassette attaching / detaching mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged vertical cross-sectional view showing the periphery of the cassette tray lifting drive device.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an overall appearance of a paper feeding device.

FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view of a main part showing a configuration around a frame, a side fence, and a paper feed tray.

FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view showing a configuration around a frame, a side fence, a paper feed tray, and casters.

FIG. 12 is a partial cross-sectional plan view showing the configuration of the frame body, side fences, around the paper feed tray, and when the paper feed cassette is mounted.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a configuration around a paper feed cassette.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an essential part showing a positioning mechanism of a paper feed cassette.

FIG. 15 is a front view of the main part showing the engaging operation of the driving force transmitting member and the driven force transmitting member of the paper feeding cassette.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing an electrical control configuration.

FIG. 17 is a partial cross-sectional front view of the main part of the positioning mechanism of the stencil printing machine showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a main part of the embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a partial cross-sectional front view of the main part showing the operation during positioning of the embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a front cross-sectional view of an essential part showing a state in which the positioning pin of the embodiment is fitted in the reference hole.

FIG. 21 is a front cross-sectional view of an essential part showing a state in which a positioning pin showing a modified example of the embodiment is fitted in a reference hole.

FIG. 22 is a front cross-sectional view of an essential part showing a state in which a positioning pin showing another modification of the embodiment is fitted in the reference hole.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of essential parts showing a mounting table positioning mechanism and a fixed frame positioning mechanism of the embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a partial sectional front view showing the mounting table positioning mechanism and the fixed frame positioning mechanism of the embodiment.

FIG. 25 is a partial sectional side view showing the mounting table positioning mechanism and the fixed frame positioning mechanism of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Stencil printing apparatus as an image forming apparatus 1F Main body frame as an image forming apparatus body 1T Main body table as a mounting table 1Tg First reference hole as a reference hole 1Th Second reference long hole as a reference hole 2 Paper feeding means Paper feeding roller 6, 6'paper 7 Paper feeding tray as large capacity paper feeding table (LCT) 10 Tray elevating drive device as tray elevating drive means 18 Movable frame 26 Fixed frame 29 Moving mechanism 39 Paper feeding cassette 39S cassette Installation space 58A Paper feed port 100 Paper feed device as a large-capacity paper feed unit 120 Fixed frame positioning mechanism 123 Mounting table positioning mechanism 126 Positioning pin 126c Tapered surface 126d, 129a formed on the positioning pin 126 Colored portion as a display unit 128 Compression coil spring as elastic means

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A positioning mechanism of an image forming apparatus for positioning an image forming apparatus main body on a mounting table, wherein the image forming is provided on either one of the image forming apparatus main body and the mounting table. The apparatus main body and the mounting base have a positioning pin supported so as to be able to move forward and backward in a direction opposite to each other, and a reference hole that is disposed on the other side and into which the positioning pin is fitted, the positioning pin being relative to the reference hole. A positioning mechanism for an image forming apparatus, characterized in that it is biased by an elastic means in a direction in which it is projected and fitted. 2. A positioning mechanism for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a sheet feeding device main body can be mounted on the mounting table, and a sheet feeding port portion of the sheet feeding device can be mounted on the image forming device main body. A positioning mechanism for an image forming apparatus, wherein the positioning pin and the reference hole are provided in at least two places on the main body of the image forming apparatus and on the mounting side of the paper feeding device in the mounting table. 3. The positioning mechanism for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protruding tip of the positioning pin has a tapered taper surface. 4. The positioning mechanism for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the positioning pin is for visually confirming that the positioning pin has been fitted to a position where the image forming apparatus should be positioned on the mounting table. A positioning mechanism for an image forming apparatus, comprising: 5. The positioning mechanism for an image forming apparatus according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the paper feeding device is a large capacity paper feeding unit having a large capacity paper feeding table capable of stacking a large amount of paper. A positioning mechanism for an image forming apparatus.