JPH09175659A - Paper supply tray - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the drop of paper from a paper supply tray and the occurrence of skew and jam effectively. SOLUTION: A side fence 5 which guides both side fringes of paper 3 is provided on a tray main body 1 in which a paper loading face 4 is formed on one face, and a projection 7 is provided on at least one side in the vicinity of a rear end of the paper loading face 4 which becomes the upstream side of the direction of paper supply. A side fringe in the direction of width of the paper 3 put on the paper loading face 4 is supported by the projection 7 to curve it, and stiffness of the paper 3 is given due to the curve so that drooping down and drop from the paper loading face 4 are prevented. Moreover, since the paper 3 is curved by the projection 7 so that a side fringe faces upward, it becomes possible to prevent the drop of the paper 3 from the tray main body 1 even if the height of the projection 7 is reduced. Consequently, a degree of curvature of the paper 3 is reduced. Accordingly, it becomes possible to guide a side fringe of the paper 3 by the side fence 5 over a long scope and to prevent skew and the occurrence of jam based on skew effectively.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper feed tray used in OA equipment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to feed a sheet or an original document to an OA equipment such as an image forming apparatus or an image reading apparatus, as shown in FIG. 4, one side of the equipment body (not shown) of the OA equipment is installed. A paper feed tray 101 on which the paper sheets 100 are placed is provided, and the paper sheets 100 on the paper feed tray 101 are fed one by one to a paper feed roller 102.
Paper feeding is performed by.

In the state shown in FIG. 4A, when the length L'of the paper feed tray 101 is sufficient with respect to the length L of the paper sheet 100 in the paper feed direction, the state shown in FIG. , Paper feed tray 10
1 has a short length, but the auxiliary tray 103 is provided so as to be able to be pulled out, and FIG. 4C shows a case where the length L ′ of the paper feed tray 101 with respect to the paper sheet 100 is short.

The state shown in FIG. 4A is the paper feed tray 101.
Since the protruding length (L-L ') of the paper sheet 100 from the rear end is short, the paper sheet 100 does not hang downward, but the length L'of the paper feed tray 101 becomes long, so the apparatus itself Is disadvantageous in terms of size and installation space. In the state shown in FIG. 4B, the total length L ′ can be increased by pulling out the auxiliary tray 103, so that the paper sheet 100 does not hang downward. However, since the auxiliary tray 103 must be assembled to the paper feed tray 101 so that it can be pulled out freely, the structure becomes complicated, which is disadvantageous in terms of space. In the state shown in FIG. 4C, the length L ′ of the paper feed tray 101 is short, which is advantageous in terms of space, but the protruding length of the paper sheet 100 from the rear end of the paper feed tray 101 (L−
Since L ′) becomes long, the paper sheet 100 may hang down and fall.

[0005] From such a thing, the actual Kaihei 3-5394
There is a paper feed tray described in Japanese Patent No. 5 publication. This is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, a protrusion 106 is formed at the center of the upper surface of a paper feed tray 105 having side fences 104 on both sides, the protrusion 106 being gradually lower toward both sides in the width direction of the paper sheet 100.
By curving the paper sheet 100 by the protrusion 106 and strengthening the waist, even the paper sheet 100 having a length (see LL ′ in FIG. 4) protruding from the rear end of the paper feed tray 105,
It is designed so that it can be placed without hanging.

[0006]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the actual Kaihei 3-5
In the paper feed tray 105 described in Japanese Patent No. 3945, if the protrusion height of the protrusion 106 is low, the required stiffness of the paper sheet 100 cannot be given, and the paper sheet 100 hangs and falls. . Further, when the protrusion height of the protrusion 106 is increased, as shown in FIG. 6, the central portion of the paper sheet 100 is greatly raised, so that the width b of the paper sheet 100 apparently becomes narrower than the width B of the side fence 104. . As a result, the paper sheet 1
The vicinity of the end of 00 touches the side fence 104,
A gap is formed between both side edges and the side fence 104 from the central portion to the rear end portion of the paper sheet 100. This allows
Skew will occur and cause jams.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paper feed tray, wherein a tray main body having a paper sheet placing surface for supporting the paper sheets in a placed state is formed on one side, and the tray main body is disposed on both sides of the tray main body. A side fence that guides both side edges of the paper sheet, and is provided near at least one side in the width direction of the paper sheet in the vicinity of the rear end of the paper sheet mounting surface that is the upstream side in the paper feeding direction. And a projecting portion projecting from the paper sheet mounting surface. Therefore, when a paper sheet is placed on the paper sheet mounting surface, the paper sheet is curved in a so-called concave shape in which at least one side in the width direction orthogonal to the paper feeding direction is supported by the protrusion and the end portion is curved upward. Due to this curve, the paper sheet becomes stiff and is prevented from hanging down from the paper sheet mounting surface. Further, since the paper sheet is curved by the protrusion so that the side edge of the paper sheet faces upward, the paper sheet is prevented from falling from the tray body even if the protrusion height of the projection is lower than that of the configuration of the conventional art. The degree of curvature is small. As a result, the paper sheet is guided by the side fence over a range in which the side edges are longer than in the conventional configuration.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the paper feed tray according to the first aspect, in which the protrusion is closer to the side edge of the paper sheet placement surface in the width direction of the paper sheet. It has a shape in which the height of protrusion from is gradually increased. Therefore, the paper sheet is naturally curved by the protrusion from the center to both sides, and the curved surface is reliably supported.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the paper feeding tray according to the first or second aspect, the protrusion is provided on the side fence. Therefore, when the side fence is moved according to the width of the paper sheet, the protrusion also moves together with the side fence. This makes it possible to impart a certain level of stiffness to all selected paper sheets, even if the paper sheets have different sizes.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paper feed tray according to claim 1.
In the paper feeding tray described in 2 or 3, the protrusion is provided so as to be retractable from the paper feeding surface. Therefore, it is possible to select between a state in which the protrusion is projected from the sheet feeding surface and a state in which the protrusion is retracted from the sheet feeding surface.

[0011]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
It will be described based on. Reference numeral 1 is a flat tray main body such as a manual feed tray. The tray body 1 is a device body (not shown) of an OA device such as a copying machine, a printing machine, a printer, or the like by means of a support shaft 2 which is erected on both sides of the leading end on the downstream side (direction of arrow F) in the paper feeding direction. Is rotatably supported by. On one surface of the tray body 1, a paper sheet mounting surface 4 that supports the paper sheet 3 in a mounted state.
A pair of side fences 5 that guide the side edges of the paper sheet 3 in the width direction are formed on both sides of the paper sheet placement surface 4 in guide grooves 6 according to the size of the paper sheet 3 to be placed. It is provided so as to be slidable along and freely fixed at any position. Further, a pair of projections 7 projecting from the sheet placement surface 4 are integrally formed on both sides of the rear portion of the sheet placement surface 4 on the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction. These protrusions 7 have a triangular cross section,
The protrusion height is gradually increased toward both sides, and is gradually decreased toward the upstream side and the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction with the triangular ridgeline 8 as a boundary.

In such a configuration, the side leaf 5 is slid outside the width of the leaf 3, and the leaf 3 is placed on the leaf placement surface 4 with the side fence 5 inside. It is moved and brought into contact with the side edge of the paper sheet 3. In this state, since both sides of the rear end of the paper sheet 3 are supported by the protrusions 7, the paper sheet 3 is curved so that the central portion is low and both side edges are high. As a result, the stiffness of the paper sheet 3 becomes stronger. Therefore, the paper sheet 3
Even if the rear end of the paper sheet protrudes rearward from the paper sheet stacking surface 4, it does not hang down and does not drop from the paper sheet stacking surface 4. Further, since the paper sheet 3 is curved by the projecting portion 7 so that the side edge thereof faces upward, even if the projecting height of the projecting portion 7 is lower than that of the configuration of the conventional technique, the paper sheet 3 is prevented from falling from the tray body 1. As a result, the degree of curvature of the paper sheet 3 can be reduced. As a result, the side edge of the paper sheet 3 is guided by the side fence 5 over a longer range than the conventional configuration.
Therefore, when the paper sheet 3 is fed in the paper feed direction by the paper feed roller (not shown), it is possible to prevent the occurrence of skew and jam due to the skew. The above is the effect corresponding to the invention of claim 1. Further, since the protrusions 7 are formed on both sides of the paper sheet placement surface 4, the paper sheet 3 can be curved evenly in the left and right directions. In this case, skew can be prevented more effectively.

Further, the protrusion 7 is formed in such a shape that the protruding height from the sheet placement surface 4 gradually increases as it approaches the side edge of the sheet placement surface 4 which is the width direction of the sheet 3. Therefore, the paper sheet 3 can be naturally curved from the center to both sides by the protrusion 5, and the curved surface can be reliably supported.
As a result, the length by which the side edge of the paper sheet 3 abuts against the side fence 5 can always be kept constant, and the occurrence of skew can be prevented more effectively. The above is claim 2
This is an effect corresponding to the described invention.

Further, since the protrusion 7 is formed in such a shape that the projecting height is gradually lowered toward the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction with the ridge line 8 as a boundary, the sheet 3 is placed as the sheet 3 is moved toward the rear end. It can also be curved in a direction away from the surface 4. This promotes the sagging prevention action of the trailing edge of the paper sheet 3. Moreover, since the protrusion 7 has a shape in which the protrusion height is gradually lowered toward the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction with the ridge line 8 as a boundary, when the sheet 3 is set from the rear end side of the tray body 1. The protrusion 7 is less likely to become an obstacle, and the operability of setting the paper sheet 3 can be improved.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same parts as those in the previous embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. In this embodiment, the protrusion 7
Is integrally formed at the end of the side fence 5 on the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction.

Therefore, when the side fence 5 is moved according to the width of the paper sheet 3, the protrusion 7 also moves together with the side fence 5. As a result, even if the side fence 5 is moved according to the size of the paper sheet 3, it is possible to give all the selected paper sheets 3 the necessary waist strength. This is an effect corresponding to the third aspect of the present invention.

Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention.
It will be described based on. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. In the figure, 9 is a device body of an OA device such as a copying machine or a printer. A storage recess 10 is formed on a side surface of the device main body 9, and a tray main body 1 is rotatably held by a support shaft 2 on both lower sides of the storage recess 10. The lower part of the storage recess 10 is connected to a paper feed passage (not shown). Then, on both sides of the rear end of the tray main body 1 on the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction, projections 7 for supporting both sides of the sheet 3 are provided so as to be retractable with respect to the sheet feeding surface (sheet placing surface 4). There is.

More specifically, the protrusion 7 is biased in the protruding direction by the spring 11, but the protruding amount is limited by being brought into contact with the lower surface of the paper sheet stacking surface 4. Further, a knob (not shown) protruding outward from the side surface of the tray body 1 is formed on the side surface of the protrusion 7, and a locking portion (not shown) that elastically engages the knob and the tray body 1 with each other. It is possible to maintain the state in which the locking portions are engaged with each other and the protrusion 7 is retracted inwardly of the paper sheet stacking surface 4 by having a means such as forming (1).

In such a structure, when the horizontally long paper sheet 3 which does not protrude from the rear end of the paper sheet placement surface 4 is used, the engaging portions of the protrusion 7 and the tray body 1 are engaged with each other. By doing so, the protrusion 7 is maintained in a state of being retracted inward of the paper sheet placement surface 4. As a result, the paper sheet 3 can be placed flat on the paper sheet placement surface 4 in a stable state.

Further, as described above, in the case of supporting the paper sheet 3 having a length protruding from the rear end of the paper sheet placing surface 4 by the projection 7,
When the engagement between the engaging portions of the projecting portion 7 and the tray body 1 is released, the projecting portion 7 projects from the paper sheet stacking surface 4 by the biasing force of the spring 11.

When not in use, the tray body 1 is vertically rotated about the support shaft 2 to be housed in the housing recess 10 of the device body 9, and the projection 7 is provided on the vertical surface 1 of the housing recess 10.
0a is contacted and retracted inside the tray body 1. Therefore, the space for accommodating the tray body 1 can be reduced. The above is the effect corresponding to the invention of claim 4. It is also possible to provide the protrusion on the side fence so that it can be retracted.

[0022]

According to the invention described in claim 1, a tray main body having a paper sheet mounting surface for supporting the paper sheet in a mounted state is formed on one surface,
Side fences arranged on both sides of the tray main body to guide both side edges of the paper sheet, and near the rear end of the paper sheet mounting surface on the upstream side in the paper feeding direction and in the width direction of the paper sheet. Since it is provided with a protrusion provided on at least one side of the paper sheet and protruding from the paper sheet mounting surface, the side edge in the width direction of the paper sheet when the paper sheet is placed on the paper sheet mounting surface. It is possible to support and bend the sheet by means of the projecting portion, and to give the paper sheet a degree of elasticity by this bending to prevent the sheet from hanging down and dropping from the sheet stacking surface. Further, since the paper sheet can be curved by the projection so that the side edge of the paper sheet faces upward, even if the projection height of the projection is lower than that of the conventional configuration, it is possible to prevent the paper sheet from falling from the paper feed tray. . As a result, the degree of curvature of the paper sheet can be reduced as compared with the conventional configuration. Thereby, the side edge of the paper sheet can be guided by the side fence over a range longer than the conventional configuration. Therefore, when the paper sheet is fed by the paper feed roller in the paper feed direction, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of skew and jam based on the skew.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the protrusion is formed in a shape in which the protruding height from the sheet placing surface gradually increases toward the side edge of the sheet placing surface in the width direction of the sheet. Therefore, the paper sheet can be naturally bent from the center to both sides by the protrusion. This makes it possible to always keep the length of the side edge of the paper sheet in contact with the side fence constant and prevent the occurrence of skew more effectively.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the protrusion is provided on the side fence, when the side fence is moved according to the width of the paper sheet, the protrusion also moves together with the side fence. Thereby, even if the side fence is moved according to the size of the paper sheet, the waist strength necessary for all the selected paper sheets is given, and the effect of the invention according to claims 1 and 2 is further promoted. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention and is a vertical cross-sectional side view showing a support structure of the tray main body with respect to the device main body.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a conventional example of a paper feed tray.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another conventional example of a paper feed tray.

6 is a side view of the paper feed tray in FIG. 5 as viewed from the rear end side.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Tray body 3 Paper leaf 4 Paper leaf placement surface 5 Side fence 7 Projection

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A tray main body having a paper sheet placing surface for supporting the paper sheet in a placed state, and side fences arranged on both sides of the tray body for guiding both side edges of the paper sheet. A protrusion that is provided in the vicinity of the rear end of the paper sheet stacking surface on the upstream side in the paper feeding direction and is provided on at least one side in the width direction of the paper sheet and that projects from the paper sheet stacking surface. A paper feed tray characterized by being provided. 2. The projection is formed in a shape in which the protruding height from the paper sheet placement surface gradually increases toward the side edge of the paper sheet placement surface in the width direction of the paper sheet. The paper feed tray according to claim 1. 3. The paper feed tray according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is provided on the side fence. 4. The paper feeding tray according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is provided so as to be retractable from the paper feeding surface.