JPH0840572A - Paper feeding cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable paper sheet guides to be locked positively into optional positions within a movable range by providing the part, opposed to a locking part, of a sheet plate integrally with a protruding part protruding from the other face of the sheet plate while having a storage space formed inside to accommodate the locking part. CONSTITUTION:A protruding part 41 is provided at the side part of a sheet support face 12a conformed to the rear end part of the cutout part of a sheet plate 12, in correspondence with the installed position of the locking part 32 of sheet guide lock mechanism 31. A protruding part (41) of the same structure as the protruding part 41 is also formed at the side part of a sheet support face 12a, conformed to the rear end of the cutout part 15L of the sheet plate 12, in order to keep lateral balance. Since the part, opposed to the sheet guide lock mechanism 31, of the sheet plate 12 is integrally provided with the protruding part 41 protruding outward from the other face of the sheet plate 12 while having a storage space 42 formed inside to accommodate the locking part, sheet guides 16L, 16R can be locked smoothly and positively into optional positions within a movable range so as to attain compactness.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a universal type paper feed cassette in which a paper guide is locked at an arbitrary position within a movable range to regulate the widthwise position of set paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIGS. 5 and 6 show a conventional structure of a universal type, center reference type sheet feeding cassette.
In these figures, 11 is a cassette body, which is formed so that a plurality of sheets can be set. The cassette body 11 includes a paper plate 12 and a paper guide (16L, 1L).
6R), separation claws (21L, 21R), a pressure spring 25, a paper rear end guide 29, and the like.

Here, the sheet plate 12 has a sheet supporting surface 12a on which a plurality of sheets can be placed,
A base portion 13 is rotatably supported by the cassette body 11 via a support shaft 14. This paper plate 12 has a pressure spring 2
It is urged by 5 toward the separation claws (21L, 21R). The left and right sides of the paper support surface 12a of the paper plate 12 are largely cut out to widen the movable range of the paper guides (16L, 16R).
5R) is formed.

The sheet guides (16L, 16R) are provided on the cassette body 11 so as to be movable laterally, and the sheet plate 12 is provided.
The widthwise position of the sheet placed on the sheet supporting surface 12a is regulated. Here, the paper guide (1
6L, 16R), as shown in FIG. 6, the notch (15L, 15L,
15R) and each inner side surface 11i of the cassette body 11 are provided so as to be approachable / separable in the lateral direction (arrow w direction) by the same length amount. The rack and pinion mechanism 17 includes a rack member (18L, 18R) fixed to each paper guide (16L, 16R), and a pinion 19 that meshes with both rack members (18L, 18R).

Further, the separation claws (21L, 21R) engage with the uppermost paper of the plurality of papers on the paper plate 12, and can separate the plurality of papers one by one when the paper is fed by a paper feed roller (not shown). It is provided in. The separation claws (21L, 21R) are provided with corresponding paper guides (16L).
L, 16R) via a stud 22. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the paper guide lock mechanism 31 includes a bottom plate 11 b of the cassette body 11 and a paper plate 12.
Provided in the height range (H1) between the paper guide (1
6L, 16R) is composed of a locking portion 32 and a lock lever 39 capable of locking 6L, 16R) at an arbitrary position within a movable range. Specifically, the locking portion 32 includes the shaft member 33 and the pressing cam portion 34.
And a locking surface 35 and the like.

The locking surface 35 is the bottom plate 1 of the cassette body 11.
1b is extended in the lateral direction [a direction orthogonal to the middle paper surface of FIG. 7 (A)]. The shaft member 33 is provided on the paper guide 16R side so as to extend along the locking surface 35 and to be rotatable about the axis. A pressing cam portion 34 is provided on the shaft member 33 so as to be able to press the locking surface 35, and a lock lever 39 is fixed to the outer end portion of the shaft member 33.

When the lock lever 39 is rotated from the unlocked position shown in FIG. 7A to the locked position shown in FIG. 7B, the pressing cam portion 34 strongly presses the locking surface 35. And a predetermined amount E is bited into the locking surface 39.
As a result, the paper guide 16R is directly locked by the paper guide lock mechanism 31 and the paper guide 16L is indirectly locked via the rack and pinion mechanism 17. When the lock lever 39 is returned to the unlocked position, the pressing relationship between the pressing cam portion 34 and the locking surface 35 is released, and both paper guides (16L, 16R) are unlocked.

The paper trailing edge guide 29 shown in FIG.
The position of the rear end of the sheet placed on the sheet plate 12 is regulated, and the longitudinal position of the cassette body 11 can be changed depending on the sheet size.

When a sheet is set in the cassette body 11, the interval between both sheet guides (16L, 16R) is adjusted in advance according to the size (width dimension, length dimension) of the sheet, and the trailing edge guide of the sheet is set. Adjust the mounting position of 29.
Next, the paper is inserted between both paper guides (16L, 16R) and slid on the paper support surface 12a of the paper plate 12 until it abuts on the paper rear end guide 29. Next, the leading edge of the sheet is pushed from above the separation claws (21L, 21R) to be positioned below the separation claws (21L, 21R).

[0010]

By the way, in recent years, the image forming apparatus in which the above-mentioned paper feed cassette is mounted is becoming more and more compact, and in accordance with this tendency, the paper feed cassette is also limited to the limit. The miniaturization of is required.
Here, since it is difficult to reduce the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the cassette body 11 from the viewpoint of ensuring the smooth delivery of paper, it has been attempted to reduce the height dimension of the cassette body 10.

However, if the height of the cassette body 10 is simply reduced, the number of sheets that can be placed on the sheet plate 12 is reduced, and the sheets must be replenished frequently. .

Therefore, it is considered that the mounting height position (H2) of the paper plate 12 is lowered by thinning the shaft member 33 of the paper guide lock mechanism 31 and the height dimension of the cassette body 10 is reduced accordingly. . However, this may reduce the durability of the paper guide lock mechanism 31 and may cause a situation in which the paper guides (16L, 16R) cannot be smoothly and reliably locked at an arbitrary position within the movable range.

The above-mentioned inconvenience is caused by the paper guide (1
6L, 16R), one side is fixed and the other side is laterally moved to regulate the widthwise position of the sheet.

In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a paper feed cassette which can be downsized while ensuring that the paper guide can be smoothly and reliably locked at an arbitrary position within a movable range. is there.

[0015]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A sheet feeding cassette according to the present invention includes a sheet guide provided laterally movable in the cassette body and capable of regulating the widthwise position of a sheet placed on a sheet plate, and a cassette body. A paper feed cassette provided with a paper guide lock mechanism provided in a height range between a bottom plate and a paper plate and capable of locking a paper guide at an arbitrary position within a movable range, the paper plate comprising: In a portion facing the locking portion, a projection portion that projects outward from the other surface of the paper plate and has an accommodation space for accommodating the locking portion inside is integrally provided. Characterize.

[0016]

In the present invention having the above structure, the locking portion of the paper guide lock mechanism is housed in the housing space formed inside the protrusion of the paper plate. Therefore, the mounting height position of the paper plate with respect to the cassette body can be lowered accordingly. As a result, it is possible to reduce the size while ensuring that the paper guide can be smoothly and reliably locked at an arbitrary position within the movable range.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the paper feeding cassette has the same basic configuration as the conventional example (FIGS. 5 to 7).
A protrusion 41 is provided on the paper plate 12 so as to face the locking portion 32 of the paper guide lock mechanism 31, and the paper guide (16
(L, 16R) is configured to be able to achieve downsizing while ensuring that it can be smoothly and reliably locked at an arbitrary position within the movable range. The same components as those in the conventional example (FIGS. 5 to 7) are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be simplified or omitted.

The protrusion 41, which is a technical feature of the paper feeding cassette, is a paper guide lock mechanism 3 of the paper plate 12.
The paper plate 12 is provided at a portion facing the locking portion 32 of No. 1.
The housing space 42 is formed so as to project outward from the other surface and house the locking portion 32 inside.

In this embodiment, the protrusion 41 is formed by
As shown in, the cutout portion 15R of the paper plate 12 is aligned with the installation position of the locking portion 32 of the paper guide lock mechanism 31.
It is provided on the side portion of the sheet support surface 12a which is aligned with the rear end portion. The outer surface of the protrusion 41 is formed by a front outer surface 41a, a middle outer surface 41b, a rear outer surface 41c, which are inclined in a height direction in a mountain shape, and a top 41d formed in a planar shape. In particular, the front outer surface 41a, which the edge of the paper first contacts when setting the paper, is further inclined toward the lateral center position of the cassette body 11 so as to prevent the paper from being caught more effectively.

In the present embodiment, the side of the paper support surface 12a aligned with the rear end of the cutout portion 15L of the paper plate 12 is also provided with the above-mentioned protrusions 41 in order to achieve left-right balance.
A protrusion (41) having the same structure as that of is formed.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. The locking portion 32 of the paper guide lock mechanism 31 is provided in the accommodation space 4 formed inside the protrusion 41 of the paper plate 12.
It is housed in 2. Therefore, the mounting height position (H2) of the sheet plate 12 with respect to the cassette body 11 can be made lower than in the conventional example. As a result, without decreasing the number of sheets that can be placed on the sheet plate 12,
The height dimension of the cassette body 11 can be shortened.

Further, the lock lever 39 of the paper guide lock mechanism 31 is smoothly rotated to move the paper guide (16
L, 16R) can be reliably locked at an arbitrary position within the movable range.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, when the paper is set by sliding it on the paper support surface 12a of the paper plate 12 toward the paper rear end guide 29, the front end of the paper is a cutout portion (15L) of the paper plate 12. , 15R) before they reach the respective rear end surfaces 15e of the sheet, they are mounted on the protrusion 41, and stride the rear end 15e and are brought into abutment with the sheet rear end guide 29. Therefore,
Cut the paper into the cutouts (15L, 15R) of the paper plate 12.
It can be smoothly placed on the plate 12 without being caught on each rear end surface 15e.

According to this embodiment, however, the portion of the paper plate 12 that faces the paper guide lock mechanism 31 (locking portion 32) projects outward and is more inward than the other surface of the paper plate 12. Since the projection 41 having the accommodation space 42 for accommodating the locking portion 32 is integrally provided in the above, the locking operation of the paper guides (16L, 16R) by the paper guide lock mechanism 31 is hindered. The mounting height position (H2) of the paper plate 12 with respect to the cassette body 11 can be lowered without giving the paper plate. As a result, size reduction can be achieved while ensuring that the paper guides (16L, 16R) can be smoothly and reliably locked at an arbitrary position within the movable range.

Further, since the projections 41 are provided so as to be aligned with the respective rear end portions of the cutout portions (15L, 15R) of the paper plate 12, the front end of the paper is cutout portions (15L, 15R) when the paper is set.
It is possible to prevent the rear end surface 15e of R) from being caught.

Also, the outer side surfaces (41a, 4a, 4a) of the protrusion 41 are formed.
1b and 41c) are inclined, so that the sheet can be set more smoothly and reliably without being caught.

Although the present invention is applied to the center reference type paper feed cassette, it may be applied to the one side reference type paper feed cassette.

[0028]

According to the present invention, at the portion of the paper plate facing the paper guide lock mechanism (locking portion), the locking portion is projected outward and more inward than the other surface of the paper plate. Since the protrusion having the accommodation space for accommodating is integrally provided, it is possible to achieve size reduction while ensuring that the paper guide can be smoothly and reliably locked at an arbitrary position within the movable range.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is likewise a plan view of the cassette body.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the positional relationship among the paper plate, the paper guide, and the paper guide lock mechanism.

FIG. 4 is also a diagram for explaining paper setting.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view for explaining a conventional configuration of a paper feed cassette.

FIG. 6 is likewise a plan view of the cassette body.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the positional relationship among the paper plate, the paper guide, and the paper guide lock mechanism, similarly.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Cassette Body 12 Paper Plate 13 Base Ends 16L, 16R Paper Guide 31 Paper Guide Lock Mechanism 41 Projection 42 Storage Space

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A paper guide provided laterally movable on a cassette body and capable of regulating a widthwise position of a paper placed on a paper plate, and within a height range between a bottom plate of the cassette body and the paper plate. In a paper feed cassette provided with a paper guide lock mechanism having a locking portion capable of locking the paper guide at an arbitrary position within a movable range, the paper sheet is provided at a portion facing the locking portion of the paper plate. A sheet feeding cassette, characterized in that a projection portion integrally projecting outward from the other surface of the plate and having an accommodation space for accommodating the locking portion is provided inside.