JPH09110187A - Sheet feed device and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make sure positioning of a width regulating member, improve operability, and further make sure positioning of a receiving part. SOLUTION: In this sheet feed device, a width regulating member 33 which is moved at every different sheet size, and regulates the position of sheets in the direction perpendicular to the carrying direction of sheets on a sheet loading means 6 is positioned against a receiving part 3 at both the upper part and the lower part in the elevatable direction of the sheet loading means 6, or either of both parts, and a hole a little larger than the sectional area of the fit part of the width regulating member 33 is provided on the fit part of the receiving part against the width regulating member or on the fit part of a member 37 assisting the fit, so as to be shifted in the direction of carrying sheets on the adjoining sheet size position.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, raises stored sheets to a feeding position, and separates and conveys the uppermost sheets one by one. The present invention relates to a particularly large-capacity sheet supply device that supplies a sheet to an image forming unit of an image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional sheet feeding device of this type, there is one shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, for example.
11 is a top view showing a conventional example, and FIG. 12 is a side view showing a conventional example.

The sheet p stacked on the sheet stacking plate 106, which constitutes a sheet stacking means that moves up and down by a wire as a vertically moving means, is controlled by width restricting members 51 and 52 that restrict the position in the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction. The position is restricted.

The width regulating members 51 and 52 that abut the side surface of the sheet p in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction and determine the position of the sheet p, ascend and descend the sheet stacking plate 106 in order to regulate the large-capacity sheet p. The width regulating member 5 extends long in the direction and securely holds the width regulating members 51 and 52.
Both ends of 1, 52 in the vertical direction form a storage case 103 that forms a storage unit.
The lower parts 54 and 56 and the upper parts 53 and 55 are positioned.

Upper portions 53, 5 of the width regulating members 51, 52
5 53a, 53b, 55a, 55b and lower parts 54, 56
54a, 54b, 56a and 56b are fitting portions for positioning with the storage case 103, and reference numerals are attached to each sheet size.

Positioning members 57 for the width regulating members 51, 52 attached to the storage 103, which are fitted with the fitting portions,
At 58 (upper part) and 59 (lower part), upper fitting parts 53a, 53b, 55a, 55b and lower fitting part 54 of the width regulating members 51, 52 are provided at positions corresponding to sheets p of different sizes.
Mounting holes 57a, 57b, 58a, 58b (upper part), 59a, 59b, 59c, 59d (lower part) for allowing a, 54b, 56a, 56b to be inserted are provided.

Further, at the bottom of the storage case 103, the width regulating member 5 is provided as a member for assisting the fitting of the width regulating members 51 and 52.
1, 52 lower fitting portions 54a, 54b, 56a, 56b
A fitting assisting plate 60 having a hole slightly larger than the cross-sectional area of is attached.

Since the width regulating member 51 corresponds to a long sheet p as a reference of the width position of the sheet p, it extends in the sheet conveying direction. Since the width regulating member 51 fits with the positioning member 59 in the lower portion of the storage case 103, it is necessary to provide the sheet stacking plate 106 with a hole for allowing the lower fitting portion of the width regulating member 51 to pass therethrough. If the contact area is increased, the holes formed in the sheet stacking plate 106 become large, and the rigidity of the sheet stacking plate 106 is reduced. In order to maintain the rigidity of the sheet stacking plate 106, the sheet contact surface 51a of the width regulating member 51 is divided, and the holes of the sheet stacking plate 106 are made small as holes 106a and 106b.

Next, in order to fix the sheet p in the storage case 103 to the first position where it can be supplied into the main body 100 of the sheet supply apparatus, the storage case 103 is provided with a shaft 62 rotatable by a lever 61. An arm 63 having a fitting portion 63a is installed on the downstream side of the shaft 62 in the sheet conveyance direction, and the sheet feeding apparatus main body 100 is provided with a shaft 64 that fits with the fitting portion 63a of the arm 63 of the storage case 103. is there.

Fitting portion 63a of arm 63 of storage case 103
Is fitted to the shaft 64 of the sheet feeding apparatus main body 100 to fix the storage case 103 to the position (first position) where the sheet can be fed, or is attached to the shaft 62 and its end by the lever 61. By rotating the arm 63 and releasing the engagement between the arm 63 and the shaft 64, the storage case 103 can be pulled out to a position (second position) where the sheet p can be replenished.

Further, the sheet stacking plate 106 of the storage case 103
Winding drum 65 for winding wire 133 that suspends
The shaft 66 of the sheet feeding device body 100 is fitted into the fitting portion 67 of the sheet feeding device body 100, and
The position of 3 is decided.

[0012]

However, the above-mentioned conventional techniques have the following problems.

1. The width regulating members 51 and 52 are stored in the storage 103.
Since the two upper and lower parts are fitted, the width regulating member 52 does not shift in the sheet conveying direction due to the difference in sheet size like the width regulating member 52 in FIG.
Even if the upper fitting portion 55 between the storage compartment 103 and the storage 103 is fitted in the mounting hole 58a of the positioning member 58 by the fitting portion 55a corresponding to the wide sheet size, the lower fitting portion 56 makes the narrow sheet The width regulation member 52 may be inserted into the mounting hole 59d of the positioning member 59 at the fitting portion 56b corresponding to the size.

When the fitting position is not displaced in the sheet conveying direction due to the difference in sheet size, the width regulating member 51 is provided.
When the seat contact surface 51a is divided into a plurality of parts as described above, the seat contact surface 51a serving as the reference surface divided at the insertion position of the lower portion 54 has different sheet size positions (the lower fitting portion 54a and the lower fitting portion 54b). ) May be plugged in.

Furthermore, since the lengths of the divided sheet contact surfaces 51a in the ascending / descending direction of the sheet stacking plate 106 are the same, it is necessary to simultaneously fit a plurality of fitting portions in the sheet conveying direction, resulting in poor operability. The fitting portions of the width regulating members 51, 52 are divided into two parts, an upper part and a lower part, and the upper fitting part 5
Since the length of 3 and the length of the lower fitting portion 54 are almost equal,
The upper and lower fitting parts 53 and 54 are also positioned at the same time,
The operability was bad.

2. Arm 63 installed in storage 103
Since the shaft 62 to which the arm 63 is attached and the attachment shaft 64 to which the arm 63 installed in the sheet feeding apparatus main body 100 engages cannot be adjusted in the pull-out direction of the storage case 103, the storage case 103 is moved to the sheet supply apparatus main body 100.
The position of the storage case 103 when mounted on the sheet is determined by the component accuracy, and the sheet p supplied from the sheet supply device is
When a sheet is printed by the printer body as the image forming apparatus body, the print area of the printer and the print area of the sheet p supplied from the sheet supply device may be misaligned.

Further, the winding drum shaft 66 for the wire 133
Is fitted to the sheet feeding apparatus main body 100 and the position of the storage case 103 is determined, but since the arm 63 and the winding drum shaft 66 are on the downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction and the storage case 103 is long in the sheet conveyance direction. However, the position on the upstream side in the sheet conveying direction is largely displaced due to a slight backlash of parts, and the position of the storage case 103 is not determined with respect to the sheet feeding apparatus.

The present invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and its purpose is to:
(EN) Provided are a sheet feeding device that ensures the positioning of a width regulating member, improves operability, and further ensures the positioning of a storage section, and an image forming apparatus using the same.

[0019]

In order to achieve the above object, in the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sheet stacking unit for stacking a large number of sheets, which can be moved up and down through a vertical moving unit, The sheet feeding device main body is a storage unit that raises the sheets on the sheet stacking unit to a predetermined height, feeds the sheets one by one by the feeding unit, and stores the sheet stacking unit, the sheets, and the moving unit of the sheet stacking unit. In the sheet feeding device that can be pulled out from the sheet feeding device, the sheet feeding device has a regulating unit extending in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction for positioning the sheet stacking unit in the sheet conveying direction, and the regulating unit is guided in a direction in which the sheet stacking unit moves up and down. It is characterized in that the guide member is formed on the side surface of the storage portion.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in the second invention, a sheet stacking means for stacking a large number of sheets, which can be moved up and down through a vertical moving means, is provided, and the sheet is raised to a predetermined height. Of the sheet stacking means, the sheet and the sheet stacking means, which moves between a first position where the sheets are fed one by one by the feeding means and a second position where the sheet stacking means descends to replenish the sheets. A width regulating member that is provided in a storage unit that stores the moving unit and that moves the sheet for different sheet sizes to define a position in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction on the sheet stacking unit is a vertical direction of the sheet stacking unit. Of the sheet feeding device positioned in the accommodating portion at the upper portion and / or the lower portion of the sheet, the fitting portion of the accommodating portion with the width regulating member, or the fitting of a member for assisting the fitting. Combined A slightly larger hole than the cross-sectional area of the fitting portion of the width regulating member, and which are located shifted in the sheet conveying direction in the sheet size adjacent positions.

In order to achieve the above object, in the third invention, in the sheet feeding device according to the second invention, the width regulating member extends in the sheet conveying direction to regulate a long sheet. The sheet contact surface of the width regulating member is divided into a plurality of pieces, and the leg having the divided sheet contact surface has at least one length in the up-and-down direction of the sheet stacking means and the length of the leg having another sheet contact surface. It is characterized by different from.

In order to achieve the above object, in the fourth invention, in the sheet feeding device according to the third invention, a width regulating member extending in the sheet conveying direction for regulating a long sheet. The seat contact surface of is divided into a plurality of parts, and after each of the legs having the divided seat contact surface is fitted into the fitting portion in the lower portion of the storage portion, the fitting portion in the upper portion of the width regulating member is placed in the storage portion. It is characterized by being positioned.

In order to achieve the above object, in the fifth invention, a sheet stacking means for stacking a large number of sheets, which can be moved up and down by a vertically moving means, and a sheet on the sheet stacking means. A storage unit having a width regulating member that regulates a position in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction has a first position in the main body of the sheet feeding apparatus where the sheet can be fed, and a sheet pulled out from the main body of the sheet feeding apparatus. In a sheet feeding device that is movable to a second position where sheets can be replenished on a stacking unit, a plurality of sheet feeding devices that fix a storage unit to the sheet feeding device body at a first position where the sheets can be fed. It is characterized in that the latch means can be independently adjusted in the withdrawal direction of the storage section.

In order to achieve the above object, in a sixth aspect of the invention, the sheet feeding device according to the first, second, third, fourth or fifth aspect of the invention is used, and the image forming means of the image forming apparatus is provided with a sheet. It is characterized in that it is used in a sheet feeding unit for feeding.

In the sheet feeding device according to the first aspect of the invention, the sheet feeding device extends in the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction,
Since there is a regulating member for positioning the sheet stacking unit in the sheet conveying direction, and a guide member for guiding the regulating unit in the direction in which the sheet stacking unit moves up and down is formed on the side surface of the storage unit, vibration of the moving unit and Even if the sheet stacking means comes into contact with the side surface of the storage section that is shaken in the sheet conveying direction due to the vibration when the storage section is pulled out and the ascending / descending behavior becomes unstable, the regulation means causes the sheet stacking means to move in the sheet conveying direction. Position regulation is performed.

Thus, when the sheet stacking means is provided with a sheet width regulating member, the width regulating member is reliably positioned.

Further, since the regulating means is guided by the guide member formed on the side surface of the accommodating portion, the sheet stacking means can be surely moved up and down.

In the sheet feeding device according to the second aspect of the invention, the width regulating member is moved by shifting the fitting portion of the accommodating portion for accommodating the width regulating member in the sheet conveying direction between adjacent sheet sizes. When the lower fitting position is the first size position, even if the upper fitting part of the width regulating member is tilted in the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction, it assists the fitting part or fitting of the adjacent storage parts. Since the hole that is the fitting portion of the member to be inserted is displaced in the sheet conveying direction, it cannot be fitted into anything other than the hole that is the fitting portion of the first sheet size.

This ensures the positioning of the width regulating member with respect to the sheet size.

Further, even if the sheet contact surface of the width regulating member is divided and one of the legs having the divided sheet contact surface is tilted at a right angle to the sheet conveying direction, a fitting portion having a different sheet size is formed. Since the hole (1) is displaced in the sheet conveying direction, it cannot be fitted into the hole (fitting portion) having a different sheet size.

As a result, the divided width regulating member can be reliably positioned with respect to the sheet size.

In the sheet feeding apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, at least one leg having the divided sheet contact surface of the width regulating member has a length in the ascending / descending direction of the sheet stacking means that is in contact with another sheet. Since the length of the leg having the surface is different from that of the leg having the sheet contact surface, it is not necessary to simultaneously fit the leg having the sheet contact surface into the storage portion, and the width regulating member can be easily inserted into the storage portion, and the operability is improved.

In the sheet feeding apparatus according to the above-mentioned fourth invention, first, the lower portion of the width regulating member is fitted into the fitting portion of the lower portion of the storage portion, and then the upper portion of the width regulating member is fitted. Since the part is fitted to the fitting part in the upper part of the storage part, the width regulating member can be fitted / moved easily, and the operability is improved.

In the sheet feeding apparatus according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the latching means can be adjusted independently, so that the direction in which the accommodating section accommodated in the main body of the sheet feeding apparatus is pulled out. The position of the storage section can be adjusted so that the sheet is surely supplied to the predetermined position of the counterpart member by changing the position of.

In the image forming apparatus according to the sixth aspect of the invention, by using the sheet feeding apparatus according to the first to fifth aspects of the invention, the width regulating member and the accommodating portion can be reliably positioned. As a result, the sheet is surely supplied to the image forming unit, and a good image with no positional deviation can be obtained.

[0036]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below based on the illustrated embodiment.

(Embodiment 1) First, a schematic configuration of a laser beam printer as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a feeding deck as a sheet feeding device which is optionally connected to the laser beam printer, and is capable of stacking a large amount of sheets P. A storage portion 3 for the sheet P is formed in the device frame 2 of the paper feed deck 1. Storage container 3 stored in the storage part 3
a is a rail 4 provided on the device frame 2
a and 4b and rollers 5a and 5b provided in the storage portion 3 are configured to be pulled out to the front side in FIG. 10, and a release position (second position) at which the sheet P can be replenished,
The stacked sheets P are movable to a position (first position) where they can be fed. Therefore, the sheet P is replenished by pulling out the storage container 3a.

A sheet stacking plate 6 forming a sheet stacking unit is provided in the storage container 3a so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The sheet stacking plate 6 stacks and supports the sheets P, and moves up and down so that the stacked sheets P have a predetermined height by a motor, a driving gear, a sensor, and the like, which form a vertical moving unit (not shown). Is configured.

A pickup roller 7 for feeding the sheets P stacked on the sheet stacking plate 6 from the uppermost surface side to the feeding deck 1, and a double feeding of the sheets P sent out from the pickup roller 7. Separation and feeding means including a feed roller 8 and a retard roller 9 for preventing the above is provided.

The pickup roller 7, the feed roller 8 and the retard roller 9 are driven by a feeding instruction from the apparatus main body side, and the sheets P separated and fed one by one by the feed roller 8 and the retard roller 9 are It is transported to the apparatus main body side by the transport unit 10.

The carrying unit 10 is rotatably attached to the feeding deck 1, and the carrying unit 1 is provided during jam processing.
Open 0 to take out the sheet P.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a printer main body as an image forming apparatus, and front loading type sheet cassettes 12 which are mounted from the front side are installed in two stages at the lower part of the apparatus. The sheets P stacked in the sheet cassette 12 are sent out by the pickup roller 13,
Next, the sheets are separated and fed one by one by the separating and feeding means including the field roller 14 and the retard roller 15.

A predetermined image is formed on the sheet P separated and fed from the feeding deck 1 or the sheet cassette 12 by an image forming section 16 as an image forming means.

The image forming section 16 is the printer body 1
The process cartridge 17 is equipped with an electrophotographic photosensitive drum 18, which is an image carrier, and a charging roller for charging the surface of the photosensitive drum 18 around the electrophotographic photosensitive drum 18, which is an image bearing member. A charging means 19, a developing means 20 such as a developing roller for supplying toner onto the photosensitive drum 18 for development, and a cleaning means 21 for removing residual toner after image transfer are integrally provided. There is.

A transfer roller 22 is attached to the photosensitive drum 18.
Is being pressed, and a voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the charged toner image is applied to transfer the toner image to the sheet P.

A latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 18 by irradiating the photosensitive drum 18 with laser light by the laser exposure device 23 based on image information from the host computer H and scanning in the generatrix direction. The latent image is developed by the developing means 20, and the sheet P sent out from the feeding deck 1 or the sheet cassette 12 is sent between the photosensitive drum 18 and the transfer roller 22 at a predetermined timing by the registration roller pair 24. The toner image is transferred onto the sheet P.

The sheet P after the image transfer is conveyed to the fixing device 25, where heat and pressure are applied to form a transferred image,
The sheet is reversely conveyed and discharged by the discharge roller pair 26 face down (the image surface is on the lower side) to be discharged and stacked on the discharge unit 27 provided on the upper surface of the printer body 11.

Next, the structure of the feeding deck 1 is shown in FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIGS. The feeding deck 1 used in this embodiment is A4 horizontal, A3 vertical, LTR (letter) horizontal, 1
1 inch x 17 inches (leisure) length, B4 length, LGR
(Legal) 20 corresponding to 6 vertical sheet sizes
It is a feeding deck that can stack 00 sheets.

In FIG. 1, the feeding deck 1 is a feeding portion as a feeding means including a storage portion 3 for storing the sheet P, the pickup roller 7 for feeding the sheet P, the feed roller 8 and the retard roller 9 described above. 71, a lift-up unit 72 as a moving means for lifting up the sheet stacking plate 6 provided in the storage container 3a of the storage unit 3 to the feeding position, the uppermost surface stacked on the sheet stacking plate 6 A sheet surface sensor (not shown) as a detection unit for detecting the sheet position, a motor unit 73 as a drive unit for driving the transport unit 10, the feeding unit 71, and the lift-up unit 72, and the motor unit 73. A controller unit (not shown) as a control unit for driving control is provided.

A sheet stacking plate 6 is installed in the storage container 3a provided in the sheet storage section 3, and the sheet P
It is configured so that it can be loaded and stored. This sheet stacking plate 6
Lifter wires 74a and 74b, which form a lift-up portion for lift-up, are connected to each. Further, the lifter wires 74a and 74b are connected via a pulley 75 to a winding drum 77 supported by a winding shaft 76. By rotating the winding drum 77 forward and backward by a drive unit 78, sheet stacking is performed. Raise and lower the plate 6.

The pickup roller 7 provided in the feeding section 71 is swingably held by a feed roller arm (not shown) which holds the feed roller 8.

The sheet stacking plate 6 and the sheet P mounted on the sheet stacking plate 6 are shaken in the sheet conveying direction by the vibration of the pickup roller 7 and the vibration when the storage section 3 is pulled out, and are stored in the storage container. Contact the side plate of 3a,
Since the ascending / descending behavior becomes unstable, a regulation member 31 as regulation means is provided on the side surface of the sheet stacking plate 6 in the direction perpendicular to the sheet transport direction, and the position regulation of the sheet stacking plate 6 in the sheet transport direction is performed. I do.

As the regulating member 31 of the sheet stacking plate 6, a mold or roller having good slidability is used, and the regulating member 31 is placed along the guide portion 32 cut and raised from the side plate of the storage container 3a of the storage portion 3. As a result, the sheet stacking plate 6 can be smoothly moved up and down.

The feeding deck 1 as a sheet feeding device will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.

On the feeding deck 1 serving as a sheet feeding device, the side surface of the sheet P stacked on the sheet stacking plate 6 is abutted against the sheet P in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction to serve as a sheet contact surface with which the sheet P contacts. A width reference plate 33 as a width regulation member having a reference surface serving as a position reference of the sheet P and a width regulation plate 35 as a width regulation member having a pressing plate 34 for pressing the sheet P against the width reference plate 33 are provided. The width reference plate 33 / width regulation plate 35 is movable according to the size.

In particular, in order to prevent the sheet P from being obliquely placed on the sheet stacking plate 6, the width reference plate 33 is long in the sheet conveying direction, and the sheet front end, the sheet middle, and the sheet rear end are three. The reference surfaces 33c, 33d, 33e are divided so as to contact the side surfaces of the seat at the legs 33f, 33g, 33h.

Legs 33f, 33g, 33h of the width reference plate 33
Is fitted into the fitting portion 36 provided in the lower portion of the storage container 3a, a hole is formed in the sheet stacking plate 6 and the width reference plate 33 is formed.
Through legs 33f, 33g, 33h. Since the holes provided in the sheet stacking plate 6 reduce the rigidity of the sheet stacking plate 6, it is necessary to make the holes small.

Therefore, the reference surface of the width reference plate 33 is divided into the three parts 33c, 33d, and 33e as described above, and the area of the holes provided in the sheet stacking plate 6 is reduced.

The width reference plate 33 / width regulation plate 35 is provided on the upper portion 33.
Since the a / 35a and the lower portion 33b / 35b are both positioned in the storage container 3a, the reference surfaces 33c, 33d, 33e will not be displaced even if the large-capacity sheet P abuts them.

On the upper part of the width reference plate 33 / width regulation plate 35,
Two protrusions 33i / 35c are provided facing the direction of inserting the width reference plate 33 / width regulation plate 35 into the storage container 3a,
The storage container 3a includes a protrusion 3 of the width reference plate 33 / width regulation plate 35.
Holes 3b / 3c into which 3i / 35c are fitted are provided.

Similarly, the legs 33f, 33g, 33h / 35d at the bottom of the width reference plate 33 / width regulation plate 35 are the storage container 3a.
It is fitted into the slit fitting portion 36 provided in the.

A width reference plate 33 is provided between the slit fitting portion 36 provided at the bottom of the storage container 3a and the sheet stacking plate 6.
A fitting assisting plate 37 is attached as a member for assisting fitting in which a hole which is slightly wider than the width of the legs 33f, 33g, 33h and which is wider than the thickness of the legs 33f, 33g, 33h is provided. .

The holes 3b (3b1, 3b2) which are the upper fitting portions provided in the storage container 3a and the holes (37a1, 37a2, 37b1, 37b2, 37c) of the fitting assisting plate 37.
1 and 37c2) are provided so as to be shifted in the sheet conveying direction in the adjacent sheet sizes, and the width reference plate 33 fitted to the fitting portion of the storage container 3a of the storage portion 3 in the adjacent sheet sizes is It will be installed while being displaced in the sheet conveying direction.

Therefore, the fitting portion 3 above the width reference plate 33 is provided.
3a and legs 33f, 33g, 33h at the bottom of the width reference plate 33
Fitting portions 33b of the fitting auxiliary plate 37 are fitted at positions of different sheet sizes, or the three divided legs 33f, 33g, 33h are provided with holes (37a1 and 37a1 and 3a3) of adjacent sheet sizes of the fitting auxiliary plate 37.
7a2, 37b1 and 37b2, 37c1 and 37c2) are prevented. As a result, the width reference plate 33 is reliably positioned.

(Second Embodiment) A sheet feeding apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same components as those in the first embodiment will be described with the same reference numerals.

In order to prevent the sheet P from being obliquely placed on the sheet stacking plate 6, the width reference plate 33 is long in the sheet conveying direction, and the sheet front end, the sheet middle, and the sheet rear end are provided.
In the legs 33f, 33g, 33h of the place, reference surfaces 33c, 33, which are seat contact surfaces, are in contact with the seat side surface
d and 33e are divided.

Legs 33f, 33g, 33h of the width reference plate 33
Is fitted into the fitting portion 36 provided in the lower portion of the storage container 3a, a hole is formed in the sheet stacking plate 6 and the width reference plate 33 is formed.
Through legs 33f, 33g, 33h. Since the holes provided in the sheet stacking plate 6 reduce the rigidity of the sheet stacking plate 6, it is necessary to make the holes small.

Therefore, the reference surface of the width reference plate 33 is divided into the three parts 33c, 33d and 33e as described above, and the area of the holes provided in the sheet stacking plate 6 is reduced.

Reference plane 3 divided into three width reference plates 33
The lengths of 3c, 33d, 33e (legs 33f, 33g, 33h) are as shown in Equation 1 below.

[0071]

## EQU1 ## 33c = 33d> 33e, and the reference surfaces 33c and 33d are formed simultaneously, and then the holes 37a1 and 37a of the fitting assisting plate 37 are arranged in the order of the reference surface 33e.
2 and 37b1, 37b2 / 37c1, 37c2,
The slit fitting portion 36 of the storage container 3a is fitted.

As described above, since the reference surfaces 33c and 33d are fitted at the same time and then in the order of the reference surface 33e, they can be fitted easily and the operability is good.

In this embodiment, 33c = 33d> 33e is set. However, according to the following formula 2,

[0074]

[Expression 2] 33c>33d> 33e, and the reference surfaces 33c, 33d, 33e are inserted in the holes of the fitting assisting plate 37 in this order to further improve the operability.

A sheet feeding deck 1 as another sheet feeding apparatus and a printer body 11 as an image forming apparatus
Since the configuration and the operation of are the same as those of the first embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted.

(Third Embodiment) A sheet feeding apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same components as those in the first embodiment will be described with the same reference numerals.

The fitting portion of the upper portion 33a of the width reference plate 33 is 3
Legs 33f, 33g, 33 of the width reference plate 33 divided into two
Immediately after the fitting portion 33b at the bottom of h is fitted to the fitting portion 36 of the storage container 3a, the fitting portion 33b is not fitted into the hole 3b which is the fitting portion at the upper portion of the storage container 3a, and the legs 33f, 33g, 33h are not fitted. After all are fitted with the slit fitting portion 36, they are fitted into the holes 3b which are fitting portions at the upper part of the storage container 3a.

As described above, the fitting to the storage container 3a is performed after the three legs 33f, 33g and 33h are fitted to each other.
Since the upper part is fitted, the width reference plate 33 can be easily fitted / moved, and the operability is further improved.

A sheet feeding deck 1 as another sheet feeding apparatus and a printer body 11 as an image forming apparatus
Since the configuration and the operation of are the same as those of the first embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted.

(Fourth Embodiment) A sheet feeding apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9. The same components as those in the first embodiment will be described with the same reference numerals.

A latch means is provided for holding the storage section 3 from the second position where sheets P can be replenished outside the feeding deck 1 to the first position where sheets can be fed inside the feeding deck 1. In addition, the feeding deck 1 main body is provided with latch arms 42 having fitting grooves 42a provided at both ends of a latch shaft 41 extending in a direction orthogonal to the withdrawal direction of the storage container 3a attached to the storage container 3a. The latch fitting shaft 43 is engaged.

Further, by rotating the operation lever 44 attached to the latch shaft 41 extending in the direction orthogonal to the drawing direction of the storage container 3a, the latch shaft 41 and the latch arm 4 are rotated.
2 also rotates together to form the fitting groove 42a of the latch arm 42.
Can be disengaged from the latch fitting shaft 43 provided on the main body of the feeding deck 1, and the engagement between the storage container 3a and the main body of the feeding deck 1 can be released.

The two latch fitting shafts 43 provided on the main body of the feeding deck 1 are respectively fastened to the sheet metal 45,
It is possible to independently adjust the position of each sheet metal 45 in the withdrawal direction of the storage container 3a, and after adjustment, adjust the elongated hole 45a of the sheet metal 45 with the screw 47 on the frame 46 of the main body of the feeding deck 1. Latch arm 4 fitted to two latch fitting shafts 43 by being screwed through
2 changes, and the position of the storage container 3a to which the latch arm 42 is attached changes in the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction.

The printer main body 11 as an image forming apparatus for printing the above-mentioned image on the sheet P supplied from the feeding deck 1 is installed on the upper portion of the feeding deck 1.

The positioning of the feeding deck 1 and the printer main body 11 is performed by fitting the two pins 48 provided on the upper surface of the storage container 3a of the feeding deck 1 and the two pins 48 provided on the lower surface of the printer main body 11. This is done by the matching holes 11a.

In order to accurately supply the sheet P supplied from the feeding deck 1 to the image forming section 16 of the printer body 11, the two pins 48 for positioning the feeding deck 1 and the printer body 11 and the sheet P are provided. Storage container 3 to store
The positioning jig 49 that defines the position of the width reference plate 33 that is the position reference of the sheet P of a is used.

The positioning jig 49 has a fitting hole into which the pin 48 is fitted and a contact portion which comes into contact with the reference surface of the width reference plate 33. The positioning jig 49 is used to form two pins 48. By determining the position of the width reference plate 33 and the width reference plate 33, the feeding deck 1 to which the two pins 48 are attached, and the storage container 3a to which the width reference plate 33 that is the position reference of the sheet P is attached.
Is determined, which in turn determines the positions of the printer body 11 and the width reference plate 33.

In this way, the two latch arms 42 attached to the storage container 3a in a state where the positions of the feeding deck 1 and the width reference plate 33 which is the reference of the sheet P are defined by using the positioning jig 49. Of the printer main body 11 by abutting the fitting groove 42a of the above and the latch fitting shaft 43 attached to the main body of the feeding deck 1 and fixing the sheet metal 45 to which the latch fitting shaft 43 is attached to the main body of the feeding deck 1. The position of the sheet P in the feeding deck 1 can be accurately positioned.

A sheet feeding deck 1 as another sheet feeding apparatus and a printer body 11 as an image forming apparatus
Since the configuration and the operation of are the same as those of the first embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted.

By using the feeding deck 1 according to each of the above-described embodiments in the printer main body 11, the positioning of the width reference plate 33 and the positioning of the accommodating portion 3 are surely performed, so that the image forming portion 16 is provided. Since the sheet is reliably supplied, it is possible to obtain a good image without misalignment.

[0091]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, there is provided the regulating means extending in the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction for positioning the sheet stacking means in the sheet conveying direction. Since the guide member for guiding the sheet stacking means in the ascending / descending direction is formed on the side surface of the storage section, the sheet stacking means swings in the sheet conveying direction due to the vibration of the moving means and the vibration when the storage section is pulled out. Even if it touches the side surface of the part and the movement of raising and lowering becomes unstable,
The position of the sheet stacking unit in the sheet conveying direction can be restricted by the restricting unit.

Accordingly, when the sheet stacking means is provided with the sheet width regulating member, the positioning of the width regulating member can be ensured.

Further, since the regulating means is guided by the guide member formed on the side surface of the storage portion, the sheet stacking means can be surely moved up and down.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the fitting portion of the accommodating portion with the width regulating member is displaced in the sheet conveying direction between the adjacent sheet sizes. In the size position of 1, even if the fitting portion on the upper portion of the width regulating member is inclined in the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction, the fitting portion of the adjacent storage portion or the fitting portion of the member for assisting the fitting is provided. Since some holes are displaced in the sheet transport direction,
It cannot fit in any holes other than the fitting portion of the first sheet size.

As a result, the positioning of the width regulating member with respect to the sheet size can be ensured.

Further, even if the sheet contact surface of the width regulating member is divided and one of the legs having the divided sheet contact surface is inclined in the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction, the fitting portion of different sheet size is formed. Since the holes (1) are displaced in the sheet conveying direction, they cannot be fitted in the holes which are fitting parts of different sheet sizes.

As a result, it is possible to reliably position the divided width regulating member with respect to the sheet size.

According to the third invention, the length of the at least one leg having the divided sheet contact surface of the width regulating member in the up-and-down direction of the sheet stacking means is different from the length of the leg having the other sheet contact surfaces. Therefore, it is not necessary to simultaneously fit the legs having the seat contact surface into the storage portion, the width regulating member can be easily inserted into the storage portion, and the operability can be improved.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, first, the lower portion of the width regulating member is fitted into the lower fitting portion of the storage portion, and then the upper fitting portion of the width regulating member is fitted into the upper portion of the storage portion. Since the width regulating member can be fitted / moved easily because it is fitted to the joint portion, the operability can be improved.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, since the latch means can be independently adjusted, the position of the accommodating portion accommodated in the main body of the sheet feeding apparatus in the pull-out direction of the accommodating portion can be changed to ensure the reliability. The position of the storage portion can be adjusted so that the sheet is supplied to a predetermined position of the counterpart member, for example, the image area of the image forming apparatus.

According to the sixth invention, the above-mentioned first to fifth
By using the sheet feeding device according to the invention, the positioning of the width regulating member and the positioning of the accommodating portion are reliably performed, so that the sheet is reliably fed to the image forming unit, and there is no positional deviation. It is possible to obtain a clear image.

According to the fourth invention, first, the lower portion of the width regulating member is fitted into the fitting portion of the lower portion of the accommodating portion, and then the fitting portion of the upper portion of the width regulating member is fitted into the upper portion of the accommodating portion. Since the width regulating member can be fitted / moved easily because it is fitted to the joint portion, the operability can be improved.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, since the latch means can be independently adjusted, the position of the accommodating portion accommodated in the main body of the sheet feeding apparatus in the pulling-out direction of the accommodating portion can be changed to surely. The position of the storage portion can be adjusted so that the sheet is supplied to a predetermined position of the counterpart member, for example, the image area of the image forming apparatus.

According to the sixth invention, the above-mentioned first to fifth
By using the sheet feeding device according to the invention, the positioning of the width regulating member and the positioning of the accommodating portion are reliably performed, so that the sheet is reliably fed to the image forming unit, and there is no positional deviation. It is possible to obtain a clear image.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a feeding deck as a sheet feeding device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a feeding deck as a sheet feeding device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a feeding deck as a sheet feeding device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a feeding deck as a sheet feeding device in which sheets are removed from FIG.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a storage portion of a feeding deck as a sheet feeding device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a feeding deck as a sheet feeding device according to a third embodiment of the present invention, showing a fitted state of a width reference plate.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a feeding deck as a sheet feeding device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and is a view showing a latch mechanism of a storage unit and a feeding deck main body and an adjusting method thereof.

FIG. 8 is a side view of a feeding deck as a sheet feeding device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and is a view showing a latch mechanism of a storage portion and a feeding deck main body and an adjusting method thereof.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the latch mechanism of FIGS. 7 and 8.

FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of a laser beam printer as an image forming apparatus in which a feeding deck as a sheet feeding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is used.

FIG. 11 is a top view of a feeding deck as a conventional sheet feeding device.

FIG. 12 is a side view of a feeding deck as a conventional sheet feeding device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Feeding Deck (Sheet Feeding Device) 2 Device Frame 3 Storage Part 3a Storage Container 3b, 3c Holes 4a, 4b Rails 5a, 5b Roller 6 Sheet Loading Plate (Sheet Loading Means) 7,13 Pickup Roller 8,14 Feed Roller 9 , 15 retard roller 10 transport section 11 printer body (image forming apparatus) 12 sheet cassette 16 image forming section (image forming means) 17 process cartridge 18 photosensitive drum 19 charging means 20 developing means 21 cleaning means 22 transfer roller 23 laser exposure device 24 Registration roller pair 25 Fixing device 26 Discharging roller pair 27 Discharging portion 31 Regulation member (regulating means) 32 Guide portion 33 Width reference plate (width regulating member) 33a Upper fitting portion 33b Lower fitting portion 33c, 33d, 33e Reference surface ( Seat contact surface) 33f, 33 g, 33h Leg 33i Convex portion 34 Pressing plate 35 Width regulating plate (width regulating member) 35a Upper fitting portion 35b Lower fitting portion 35c Convex portion 36 Slit fitting portion 37 Fitting auxiliary plate 37a1, 37a2, 37b1, 37b2 37c1,
37c2 hole 41 Latch shaft 42 Latch arm 42a Fitting groove 43 Latch fitting shaft 44 Operating lever 45 Sheet metal 46 Frame 47 Screw 48 Pin 49 Positioning jig 71 Feed part 72 Lift-up part (moving means) 73 Motor part

(72) Inventor Yasuhiro Uchida 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Takashi Kuwata 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A sheet stacking unit for stacking a large number of sheets, which can be moved up and down through a vertically moving unit, raises the sheet on the sheet stacking unit to a predetermined height, and feeds the sheet by one unit. In a sheet feeding device that feeds the sheets one by one and stores the sheet stacking means, the sheets, and the moving means of the sheet stacking means, in the sheet feeding device that can be pulled out from the sheet feeding device main body, the sheet feeding device extends in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction, A sheet supply characterized by having a regulation means for positioning the sheet stacking means in the sheet conveying direction, and a guide member for guiding the regulation means in the direction in which the sheet stacking means moves up and down is formed on the side surface of the storage section. apparatus. 2. A first stacking means for stacking a large number of sheets, which can be moved up and down through a moving means in the up-down direction, and which feeds the sheets lifted up to a predetermined height one by one by the feeding means. Different sheet sizes are provided in the storage unit for storing the sheet stacking unit, the sheet, and the moving unit of the sheet stacking unit, which moves between the position and the second position where the sheet stacking unit descends and replenishes the sheet. And a width regulating member that regulates the position of the sheet stacking means in the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction is provided in the upper and / or lower part of the sheet stacking means in the ascending / descending direction. A sheet feeding device positioned in the fitting portion of the accommodating portion with the width regulating member, or a fitting portion of a member for assisting the fitting, which is slightly smaller than a cross-sectional area of the fitting portion of the width regulating member. Big hole The sheet feeding apparatus, characterized in that provided by shifting the sheet conveying direction in the sheet size adjacent positions. 3. The sheet feeding device according to claim 2, wherein the width regulating member extends in the sheet conveying direction to regulate a long sheet, and the sheet contact surface of the width regulating member is divided into a plurality of parts. A sheet feeding apparatus, wherein at least one length of a leg having a divided sheet contact surface in a vertical direction of a sheet stacking unit is different from a length of a leg having another sheet contact surface. 4. The sheet feeding device according to claim 3, wherein the sheet contact surface of the width regulating member, which extends in the sheet conveying direction to regulate a long sheet, is divided into a plurality of sheets, and the divided sheet contact is performed. A sheet feeding apparatus, wherein each of the legs having a surface is fitted into a fitting portion in a lower portion of the storage portion, and then the fitting portion in an upper portion of the width regulating member is positioned in the storage portion. 5. A sheet stacking unit for stacking a large number of sheets, which can be moved up and down through a vertical moving unit, and a width regulation for regulating the position of the sheets on the sheet stacking unit in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction. A storage unit having a member, a first position in the main body of the sheet feeding apparatus where sheet feeding is possible;
In a sheet feeding device that is movable from a sheet feeding device main body to a second position where sheets can be replenished on a sheet stacking means, a storage unit can feed the sheet to the sheet feeding device main body. A sheet feeding apparatus, wherein a plurality of latching means for fixing at a first position can be independently adjusted in a storage unit drawing direction. 6. An image forming apparatus, wherein the sheet supplying apparatus according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 is used for a sheet supplying section for supplying a sheet to an image forming unit.