JPH09236957A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To recycle an undamaged transfer sheet whose one side has been recorded and, remaining in a carrying path at the time of jamming by ejecting the transfer sheet in the carrying path to a sheet feed tray used exclusively for transfer sheets whose one sides have been recorded. SOLUTION: When jamming occurs during a consecutive copy using transfer sheets whose one sides have been recorded, a jamming detection sensor set in a proper part of the transfer-sheet carrying path detects the jamming, and stops the copying operation of an image detector. Then, the device judges whether or not a tray containing transfer sheets with images recorded on their one sides, whose sizes are matched with the size of the transfer sheet being copied exists among the sheet feed trays 3a-3c. When it exists, the carrying path is turned to the sheet feed tray by means of a sheet ejection place switching part 45. At this time, for example, in the case the sizes of the stored transfer sheets are equal to that and the tray for the transfer sheets whose one sides have been subjected to recording, specified by the depression of a tray switch button, is 3b, the top of the transfer sheets in the sheet feed tray 3b moves down a specific distance, and the transfer sheet is ejected from an ejection roller 48b mounted on the sheet feed tray 3b.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrophotographic copying machine,
Regarding image forming apparatuses such as printers and facsimile machines,
Particularly in an image forming apparatus that uses transfer paper that has been recorded on one side for recycling transfer paper, by returning the transfer paper jammed in the device to a paper feed tray other than the paper discharge tray,
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that can be reused.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, it has been important to effectively use resources in order to protect the global environment, but paper resources are also effectively used by a method called recycling.
As a part of such paper resource recycling, it is possible to record on one side by a copying machine, etc., and to newly record an image on the other blank side of transfer paper that should have been discarded in the past, double-sided use. Recording is performed on both surfaces of a transfer sheet by a copying machine having a copy function. By the way, in double-sided copying, there is a disadvantage that the copying speed becomes slow, and thus the double-sided copying requires a long time. Therefore, the copy of only one side is still used. Many. Regarding the transfer paper that has been copied on one side in this way, as mentioned above, there is a recycling method that effectively uses the other side of the blank paper as a new recording surface without discarding the unnecessary one. In this case, the transfer paper with one side of which has been recorded is set in the paper feed tray, and then it is automatically fed to the image forming section, and the other side of the blank paper can be copied. Has been done.

[0003]

In a high-speed image forming apparatus, since a large number of copies are made per unit time, the transfer paper feed interval is set to be short, so that the transfer paper jam is prevented. When this happens, a large amount of transfer paper remains in the transport path. In this case, not only the jam handling work (including the removal of untransferred residual transfer paper) is complicated, but also Most of the transfer papers taken out are damaged during the work, so that a large amount of the transfer papers are discarded and wasted. As a solution to this problem, if the cover of the main body of the device is closed after removing the specific transfer paper that needs to be removed when a jam occurs, the normal transfer paper in the other transport path is automatically removed from the machine. Although an apparatus configured to discharge the ink has been developed (manufactured by Ricoh Co., Ltd., model: FT9100), the transfer paper is not reused and is wasted in this case as well. Also, in an image forming apparatus having a double-sided copy function, after selecting the double-sided copy mode and copying only one side, the user may notice that the original is wrong and clear the mode, or copy one side. Although − may be used, the copy sheet may be left in the double-sided copy mode. For some reason, the transfer sheet with one side recorded may remain in the double-sided copy tray. When these residual transfer papers enter the next double-sided copy mode, the double-sided copy tray indicates that the residual transfer papers are present, and a method such as discharging by the start key ON is taken. , These residual transfer papers are discarded as miscopy (manufactured by Ricoh Co., Ltd., model: FT7000).

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and the invention of claim 1 conveys the undamaged transfer paper remaining in the conveyance path to the one-side recorded transfer paper tray when a jam occurs. , Is intended to be reused. It is an object of the invention of claim 2 to convey the residual transfer paper remaining in the double-sided copy tray to the single-side recorded transfer paper tray for reuse. In addition to the object of claim 2, the invention of claim 3 aims at shortening the conveyance path and shortening the waiting time. According to the invention of claim 4, after the jam processing,
The purpose is to stack the undamaged transfer paper remaining in the transport path in a storage tray device provided outside the main body of the device and reuse it. It is an object of the invention of claim 5 to provide a jogger for aligning the transfer sheets in the storage tray device so as to save the trouble of re-arranging the stacked transfer sheets having one side recorded. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the transfer paper on one side of which has been recorded on the bottom plate is automatically set in the paper feed tray on one side of which is recorded on the main body of the apparatus. This makes it easier to reuse. Is intended. It is an object of the present invention to prevent the stack of transfer paper on which one side has been recorded according to the capacity of the paper feed tray and to prevent jamming by setting extra paper in the paper feed tray. .

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention of claim 1 is an image forming apparatus provided with a paper feed tray dedicated to transfer paper on which one side has been recorded, which is provided in a transfer paper conveying path. When the transfer paper is jammed, it is possible to automatically eject the transfer paper in the transport path. It is characterized by According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus having a paper feed tray dedicated to transfer paper on which one side has been recorded, having a double-sided copy tray, and having a function of automatically discharging the transfer paper in the double-sided copy tray. In the image forming apparatus, the discharge destination of the transfer paper in the double-sided copy tray is
It is characterized in that it is a paper feed tray dedicated to the above-mentioned one-side recorded transfer paper. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the second aspect, when the transfer paper in the double-sided copy tray is discharged to the dedicated paper feed tray for the single-sided recorded transfer paper, it is used in a normal copying process. It is characterized in that a bypass transport path is provided for directly transporting to the sheet feeding tray dedicated to the one-sided recording transfer sheet without passing through the transport path. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus provided with a paper feed tray dedicated to transfer paper on which one-sided recording has been completed. After the transfer paper is jammed in the transfer paper transport path, the transfer paper in the transport path is automatically ejected. Which has a function of communicating with an opening of a storage tray device installed outside through an opening provided on a side wall immediately adjacent to the single-side recording-only transfer paper feeding tray, and the storage tray. The apparatus is arranged directly below the paper discharge tray of the main body of the image forming apparatus, and when a jam occurs in the image forming apparatus, the single-sided recorded transfer paper remaining in the image forming apparatus is discharged into the storage tray apparatus. Then, the transfer sheet is loaded on the bottom plate in the storage tray device, and when the loading amount on the bottom plate reaches a predetermined amount, the transfer paper is transferred to the dedicated paper feed tray for the one-side recorded transfer paper. Is characterized by. The invention of claim 5 is characterized in that a side jogger for aligning the widthwise positions of the transfer sheets discharged onto the bottom plate of the storage tray device is provided in the storage tray device.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a transfer paper end detection unit is provided in a single-side-recorded transfer paper exclusive-use sheet feeding tray on the image forming apparatus side, and the storage is performed by an end detection signal from the transfer paper end detection unit. The transfer paper on which one-sided recording is loaded in the tray device is automatically transferred into the dedicated paper feeding tray for transfer paper on which one-sided recording is performed. According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the storage tray device is full in order to limit the number of transfer sheets that can be stacked on the bottom plate to be equal to or less than the number of sheets that can be stored in the single-sided recording sheet tray on the image forming apparatus side. It is characterized in that a detection means is provided.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an external view of an image forming apparatus (copier) according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an internal configuration of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus shown in FIG.
The image forming apparatus main body 1, the automatic document feeder 2 arranged on the upper part of the apparatus main body 1, and a paper feed tray 3 (3a to 3a) supported so that it can be drawn in and out from the front of the apparatus main body 1.
c), a numeric keypad 5 and a display unit (touch panel = input means) 6 on the operation unit, and paper discharge trays 4 and 7 capable of switching which one is used. In FIG.
The automatic document feeder 2 reverses the document inserted from the paper feed port 15 at the reversing unit 16 and conveys it onto the contact glass CG by the conveying force of the belt 17, and the image is read by the reading optical system 21 on the apparatus main body side. Receive. After the reading, the document is returned to the document setting section 18. The image forming apparatus main body 1 includes a paper feed unit 20 having a paper feed tray 3, a reading optical system 21 for irradiating a document on a contact glass CG with a reading light to read an image, and a document reflecting light from the reading optical system 21. The image forming unit 22 that receives the image and forms an image on the transfer paper. The reading optical system 21 has a light source 25, a reflection mirror 26, and the like. The image forming section 22 is a photosensitive belt 30 stretched endlessly and running in the direction of the arrow.
The writing unit 31, the developing device 32, the transfer device 33, and the fixing device 34 are included.

The basic operation of the image forming apparatus of the present invention having the above configuration will be described. In FIG. 2, when performing a normal copy, when the original is set in the automatic original feeder 2 and the copy start key 41 (FIG. 4) is turned on, the original is conveyed one by one onto the contact glass CG. Then, the reading optical system 21 exposes the original surface. The reflected light of the document is irradiated on the photoconductor 30 which is uniformly charged in advance by the writing unit 31, and this visible image is transferred onto the transfer paper fed from the paper feed tray 3 at the position of the transfer device 33. Transcribed.
The toner is fixed in the fixing device 34, sent to the conveyance path 35, and discharged to the paper discharge tray 4 or 7. In the case of the double-sided copy, it is sent to the double-sided copy tray 42 located immediately below it by the branch claw 36 in front of the transport path 35 and stacked, and when the back side original is sent to the contact glass CG, it is sent from the double-sided tray 42. The paper is re-fed to the image forming unit, the copy on the back side is taken in the same manner as the front side, and the paper is discharged to the discharge tray 4 or 7.
Is discharged.

As shown in the enlarged view of the main part of FIG. 3, the paper feed tray 3 is provided with a single-side recorded (used) paper tray switching button 40, respectively. In the present invention, by turning on the single-sided recording sheet tray switching button 40 provided on each of the sheet feeding trays 3a, 3b, 3c, the sheet feeding tray on which the button 40 is pressed is dedicated for single-sided recording sheet. I am trying to do it. If the switching button 40 is pressed in order to switch the second-stage paper feed tray 3b to the one-side-recorded paper tray, as shown in FIG. Is displayed. Of course, in the case of other than A4 size, for example, "one side recorded B4" is displayed.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the operating procedure of one embodiment of the present invention, and the operation after the jam processing when a jam occurs will be described based on this flow. In the present invention, it is conceivable that a double-sided blank transfer sheet is used or a single-sided recording transfer sheet is used, and whether the jam occurrence position is upstream or downstream of the transfer position 33 of the image forming apparatus. Although the handling is different depending on the case, in the following description, it is assumed that a transfer paper on which one side has been recorded is used and a jam occurs on the downstream side of the fixing device 34. Incidentally, in the paper feed tray for accommodating the transfer paper on which one-sided recording has been completed, by setting the transfer paper with the blank paper side facing downward, the image formation is performed on the blank paper surface.

When a jam (paper jam) occurs during continuous copying using one-side recorded (used) transfer paper, a jam detection sensor installed at an appropriate place on the transfer paper conveyance path detects the occurrence of jam. , The copy operation of the image forming apparatus is stopped (ST1, 2). When the copy operation is stopped, a jam display (for example, the downstream side D portion of the fixing device 34 blinks) appears on the display unit 10 of FIG. 6, and the removal of the jammed transfer paper is instructed (ST3). When the operator sees this display, the operator opens the cover 11 in FIG. 1 to expose the transport path, and then the operator indicates the location (in this case D
Part), the transfer paper (recorded on both sides) is removed, and the cover is closed (ST4). If the transfer paper still remains after the cover is closed, the display in FIG. 6 is displayed once more, and the required removal portion is displayed (ST5, NO). At this time, even if there is a transfer sheet that has already been transferred, even if it is on the downstream side of the fixing device, either remove it or drive the conveyance path for a predetermined time to fix it, and then discharge the sheet. Discharge to trays 4 and 7.

Since the transfer sheet positioned before the transfer position has not been transferred yet, it will be returned to the paper feed tray as described later. Removal in the transport path When all the required transfer paper is removed, the one-side recorded transfer paper remaining in the other transport paths (mainly upstream of the transfer position) is automatically ejected. Copy into the paper feed trays 3a, 3b, 3c
It is judged whether or not there is a single-sided recording tray having a size corresponding to the transfer paper size inside (ST6), and if there is no such tray (the paper feeding tray in which the button 40 in FIG. (If there is no match with the transfer paper size)
Is discharged to the discharge tray 4 or 7 as it is, and when there is a tray, the discharge destination switching unit (switching claw 36 or the like) 45 directs the transport path to the paper feed tray side (return path 50) (S
T6, YES, ST8). At this time, assuming that the size of the transfer paper to be accommodated is the same and the one-side recorded tray on which the button 40 is pressed is 3b, the upper surface of the transfer paper in the paper feed tray 3b is lowered by a predetermined distance, and is above the upper surface of the transfer paper. The transfer paper is ejected from the ejection roller 48b provided in the paper feed tray 3b into the space formed in the above. Thereafter, the front and rear and right and left of the transfer paper are aligned by the side and back fence joggers (not shown), and the paper feed tray 3b is raised. FIG.
In the case of 1, the transfer sheet is inverted by the reversing unit 47 before being ejected to the paper feed tray 3b on the conveyance path in the apparatus main body, and then ejected to 3b. The reversal is performed so that the recording surface faces upward so that the transfer is performed on the blank surface at the next paper feeding.

Next, when an image is formed using a double-sided blank transfer sheet and a jam occurs and a plurality of transfer sheets remain in the transport path, the transfer sheet is located on the downstream side of the fixing device 34. The transfer paper has already been recorded on one side, but if it is returned to the paper feed tray 3b through the return path 50 as it is, the surface receiving the recording in the paper feed tray faces downward.
Then, it is turned over and returned to the paper feed tray or discharged to the paper discharge trays 4 and 7. Since the double-sided blank transfer paper remaining on the downstream side of the transfer position has not been transferred, the transfer device 33 is deactivated, and these transfer papers are passed through the fixing device 34 and conveyed to the upper conveyance path 35. Although this transfer sheet is a double-sided blank sheet, since it has undergone fixing once, it is conveyed as it is toward the paper feed tray 3b.

As for the transfer paper which is stopped before the fixing device and only receives the transfer of the image, by driving the conveying path for a predetermined time as described above, the discharge trays 4 and 7 after the fixing are received. To discharge. The time for this drive is
It is set so that the transfer sheet at the transfer position has a sufficient time to be discharged to the discharge tray, and the subsequent untransferred transfer sheet can be stopped in the transport path 35. After the untransferred transfer paper reaches the inside of the transport path 35, the discharge destination switching unit (switching claw 36, etc.) 45 is switched to the paper feed tray side, and is returned to the paper feed tray 3b via the return path 50.

Next, the automatic discharge of the transfer paper in the double-sided tray will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the double-sided copy mode is selected, the transfer paper with one-sided recording may remain in the double-sided tray 42 for the above-mentioned reason. In this case, the display unit 6 displays “transfer paper remains in the double-sided tray. Please press the start button. The contents will be automatically ejected. "Is displayed. The place where this display is performed is, for example, the place 55 where "Ready to copy" is displayed in FIG. 4 (ST20, 21, 2).
2). Now, when the operator presses the start button 41,
The control unit (not shown) determines whether or not any of the paper feed trays 3a, 3b, 3c has a single-side recorded tray that accommodates the transfer paper of the same size and direction as the transfer paper in the double-sided tray 42 ( (ST23, 24), if there is no sheet feed tray, the sheet is discharged to the sheet discharge tray 4 or 7 through the normal transport path (ST31). If step 24 is YES,
That is, when there is the paper feed tray (for example, the paper feed tray 3b
In the case of), the sheet passes through a normal transport path (a route that reduces the transfer position, the fixing position, and the transport path 35), and the discharge direction switching unit 45 directs the transport direction to the return path 50 on the paper feed side, The paper is discharged from the discharge roller 48b of 3b to the paper feed tray 3b. However, in this case, the paper is discharged to the paper feed tray 3b without passing through the reversing unit 47. The reason is that, as a result of being reversed in the double-sided tray, the white paper surface is facing downward in the double-sided tray, and this is not reversed as it is, and the conveyance path 35 is passed through the normal conveyance path (without transfer). This is because, when the sheet is returned from the return path 50 to the sheet feed tray 3b, the single-sided recording transfer sheet is set with the white side thereof facing downward. Steps 26 to 29 are the same as steps 9 to 12 in FIG.

It should be noted that the transfer paper in the above-mentioned double-sided tray is discharged to the paper feed tray 3b through a normal copy conveying path, and therefore takes a very long path and takes a long time. Further, since the paper passes through the fixing device twice (it goes through once when entering the double-sided tray), the transfer paper is also severely damaged. Therefore, as another form example, when discharging from the double-sided tray 42 to the paper feed tray 3b, the bypass transport path 46 of FIG. 2 is specially provided, and the discharge roller 4 is passed from the double-sided tray 42 through the bypass transport path 46.
The transfer paper may be discharged to the transport path where 8 is located. If one-side recorded transfer paper remains in the double-sided tray, it is assumed that another transfer paper remains in the other transport path on the upstream side of the transfer paper. In the case of 1, the transferred transfer paper is once moved to the transport path 35 after being fixed, and then reversed by the reversing unit 47 so that the blank surface faces downward in the paper feed tray 3b and then fed. Send to tray 3b. Further, since the residual transfer paper before transfer is in a two-sided blank paper state, it is returned to the paper feed tray 3b via the fixing device 34, the transport path 35, and the return path 50 because it is a blank paper state. The double-sided blank transfer sheet may be discharged to the discharge trays 4 and 7, but since it is fixed once, it is safer to handle it in the same manner as the single-side recorded transfer sheet. In the above-described example, of course, in the case where the one-side recorded transfer sheet is used, the automatic discharge destination after the jam is removed is the discharge tray 4 or 7, and when the one-side recorded transfer sheet is selected. Can't make double-sided copies. Further, during automatic ejection, the image forming process is in the OFF state.

Next, FIGS. 8 and 9 are an external perspective view and a front vertical sectional view showing the internal structure of an image forming apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 are the same. In this embodiment, one of the paper feed trays, for example, 3c is dedicated to the single-sided recording transfer sheet, and the white side of the single-sided recording transfer sheet is designated by the reference numeral. The point that the sheets are stacked face down is the same as in the above-described embodiment, but instead of the conveyance path 46, the return path 50, and the discharge rollers 48, instead of outside the image forming apparatus main body 1, the discharge tray 7 is provided. A characteristic is that the storage tray device 8 for single-sided recording transfer paper is arranged at a position immediately below, that is, at a position outside the right side wall (closest side wall) of the paper feed tray 3.

The control unit determines whether or not there is an image on the back surface of the transfer paper remaining on the conveyance path in the image forming apparatus main body 1 that has stopped its operation due to the occurrence of a jam, the size of the single-side recorded transfer paper storage tray device 8. If there is an image on the back or the size is different from the storage tray device 8,
The transfer paper is directly discharged to the discharge tray 4 or 7,
When there is no image on the back side and the size is the same as that of the storage tray device 8, the discharge destination switching unit 45 directs the transport path to the storage tray device 8 side, and discharges the paper to the storage tray device 8 via the discharge path 50A. Let At this time, the side jogger 51 moves back and forth to align the transfer sheets stacked on the bottom plate 52. As will be described later, the storage tray device 8 is configured such that a bottom plate 52 that is inclined inside is configured to be movable up and down, and is lowered when a predetermined number of one-side recorded transfer sheets are stacked, and one-side recorded transfer is performed. It moves to the same level as the bottom plate of the dedicated paper feed tray 3c, and when it reaches the same level, the transfer sheet bundle on the bottom plate 52 is collectively pushed into the paper feed tray 3c.

Next, the operation of the storage tray device 8 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the storage tray device 8, and FIG. 11 is a sectional view. The storage tray device 8 includes a bottom plate 5 inside an enclosure whose upper surface is open.
2 (52a, 52b) is movably supported up and down, the front side wall of the housing serves as a front fence 53, and the side jogger 51 is arranged on the back side so as to be able to move forward and backward. The right side fence 59, which is a cabinet, is a fence that abuts the transfer paper discharged from the apparatus main body side.
The left fence 60 is a fence that receives the transfer paper that has fallen along the inclined bottom plate. Since the upper surface of the enclosure is open, miscopy (transfer paper with one-sided recording) at the time of normal copying can be put into the storage tray device 8 as it is from above the discharge trays 4 and 7 for reuse. it can. At this time, the side jogger 51 is stopped as a side fence at a position corresponding to the transfer paper size. Bottom plate 5
2 is composed of two bottom plate pieces 52a and 52b arranged with a predetermined gap 65 therebetween, as shown in FIG.
It is rotatably supported by 5. One bottom plate piece 52
A notch 52b 'provided at the center of the rear side edge of b is a space for allowing the side jogger 51 to move in the width direction. A wire 70, which will be described later, is provided at the end of each shaft 54, 55.
a, 70b, 71a, 71b are fixedly attached, and the bottom plate pieces 52a, 52b can move up and down as a unit by the vertical movement of this wire.

In FIG. 11, the sheet discharge path 50A of the apparatus main body
The transfer sheet ejected from the sheet is ejected onto the bottom plate 52 of the storage tray device 8 with the blank side facing downward. At the beginning of ejection, the transfer sheet hits the right fence 59 and then bounces leftward. Since the bottom plate 52 is inclined from the upper right to the lower left, the transfer sheet stops when the edge reaches the left fence 60. After this, the side jogger 51 advances and retreats in the front-rear direction to abut the transfer paper against the front fence 53 and align the positions in the width direction. A full load detecting means 61 such as a photo interrupter is arranged in a proper place of the storage tray device 8, for example, the left fence 61, and the transfer paper amount on the bottom plate 52 which is raised to the paper discharge receiving position as shown in FIG. It is detected that a single-sided recording sheet dedicated to the transfer sheet, for example, a transfer sheet having a storage capacity of 3c or more is not stacked. Full detection means 61
When it is detected that the paper is full, a control unit (not shown) drives a motor described later to move the bottom plate to the inner bottom portion of the enclosure, and stack the transfer paper on the inner bottom portion.

Reference numeral 80 is an opening communicating with an opening 81 provided on the right side wall of the apparatus main body, and these openings 80, 8 are provided.
1 corresponds to the position of the paper feed tray 3c and communicates with the opening provided on the right side of the paper feed tray 3c. Further, the fence surface of the front fence 53 of the casing is set so as to be in a positional relationship with the front side wall of the paper feed tray 3c.
With such a configuration, the transfer sheet bundle on the bottom plate 52 can be securely held in the sheet feeding tray 3c in the pushing operation described later.
It is possible to send it inside. Bottom plate piece 52
There are a pair of front and rear endless wires fixed to the shafts 54 and 55 provided on the a and 52b, and FIG. 13 shows an example of a vertical movement mechanism of the rear wires 70b and 71b. At least the upper part of the wire 70b on the right side is a pulley 7 having a large diameter.
6, the wire 71b on the left side is wound around the upper part by a wire 77 having a small diameter. Each pulley 7
Pulleys 74 and 75 are integrally and coaxially connected to 6 and 77, respectively. Reference numeral 72 denotes a motor capable of rotating in the forward and reverse directions. The output pulley 72a of the motor 72, the pulley 74,
A belt 73 is wound around 75, and pulleys 76, 7
7 to drive the wires 70b and 71b and the shafts 54 and 55.
Is configured to run up and down. This wire up-and-down moving mechanism is also provided in a symmetrical positional relationship with respect to the wires 70a and 71a on the front side. It is economical to share only the motor 72 between the front and rear wire vertical movement mechanisms, and the front and rear vertical movement mechanisms are driven by the same motor via a belt, a shaft, a pulley and the like (not shown).

Reference numerals 56 and 58 in FIG. 14 are guide grooves, and 56 is a right guide groove for guiding the shaft 54, 5
Reference numeral 8 is a left guide groove for guiding the shaft 55. The left guide groove 58 extends in the vertical direction, but the right guide groove 56 is configured to incline to the left as it goes upward, and when the bottom plate 52 reaches the bottom of the housing, the bottom plate becomes horizontal. , Large diameter pulley 76 and small diameter pulley 77
Rotate in the same direction and the wires 70a, 70b, 71a, 7
When the 1b is wound up, the shaft 54 side is positioned higher than the shaft 55. The right pulley 76 has a larger diameter than the left pulley 77 is because the right wires 70a and 70b are the left wires 71a and 71b.
This is because it moves faster than.

Therefore, when the bottom plate is in the horizontal position when it is located at the inner bottom of the housing, when the motor 72 is driven in the ascending direction, the bottom plate 52 ascends to the upper right and finally, It stops in the inclined state as shown in FIGS. In this state, when it is detected by the full load detecting means 61 that the amount of the transfer paper stacked on the bottom plate 52 from the paper discharge path 50A reaches the full load (capacity of the paper feed tray 3c), it is not shown. Control unit (CPU, ROM, RA
(M, etc.) reverses the motor 72 and lowers it until the bottom plate is seated horizontally on the bottom surface of the casing. FIG. 14 shows the state. At this time, after confirming that there is no transfer paper in the paper feed tray 3c by an end detection signal from a transfer paper end detection means (not shown), the control unit drives a motor or the like for operating the pushing member 66. Then, the pushing member 66 is moved to the apparatus main body side, and the transfer sheet bundle P is collectively transferred into the sheet feeding tray 3c. The push-out member is configured to move back and forth in the gap 65 between the bottom plate pieces in the left-right direction. The drive mechanism is composed of, for example, a wire and a pulley.

In the above example, the paper feed tray dedicated to single-sided recording transfer paper is the lowermost paper feed tray 3c, but this is an example, and the upper paper feed trays 3b and 3a are dedicated paper feed trays. It may be used as a tray. In this case, the configuration of the storage tray device 8 is set so that the transfer sheet bundle can be pushed in from a position corresponding to the position of each sheet feeding tray. For example, when the transfer sheet bundle is fed to the central paper feed tray 3b, the bottom plate 52 is stopped at a height corresponding to the paper feed tray 3b, and the pushing member 66 (higher than that in FIG. 14 is pushed from this position. So that the transfer paper bundle on the bottom plate is pushed out. In this embodiment, the one-sided recorded transfer paper discharged from the image forming apparatus main body side to the storage tray device 8 includes one-sided recorded residual transfer paper jammed in normal copying, It also includes residual transfer paper that has been recorded on one side and that occurs when copying on both sides.

FIG. 15 is a flow chart showing the operation procedure of the embodiment using the storage tray device, and the operation after the jam processing at the time of jam occurrence will be described based on this flow.
In the present invention, it is conceivable that a double-sided blank transfer sheet is used or a single-sided recording transfer sheet is used, and whether the jam occurrence position is upstream or downstream of the transfer position 33 of the image forming apparatus. Although the handling is different depending on the case, in the following description, it is assumed that a transfer paper on which one side has been recorded is used and a jam occurs on the downstream side of the fixing device 34. When a jam (paper jam) occurs during continuous copying using one-sided recorded transfer paper, the jam detection sensor installed in the proper place on the transfer paper transport path detects the occurrence of jam,
Stop the copy operation of the image forming apparatus (ST4
1, 42). When the copy operation is stopped, a jam is displayed on the display unit 10 of FIG. 6 (for example, the downstream side D of the fixing device 34).
(The part blinks), and the removal of the jammed transfer paper is instructed (ST43). Upon seeing this display, the operator opens the cover 11 in FIG. 8 to expose the transport path, and then the transfer paper (both sides recorded) at the position designated by the display (D in this case). Remove the cover and close the cover (ST4
4). If the transfer sheet still remains after the cover is closed, the display in FIG. 6 is displayed once more, and the location requiring removal is displayed (ST45, NO). At this time, even if there is a transfer sheet that has already been transferred, even if it is on the downstream side of the fixing device, either remove it or drive the conveyance path for a predetermined time to fix it, and then discharge the sheet. Discharge to trays 4 and 7. Since the transfer sheet located before the transfer position has not been transferred, it is returned to the paper feed tray as described later. Removal in the transport path When all the required transfer paper is removed, the one-side recorded transfer paper remaining in the other transport paths (mainly upstream of the transfer position) is automatically ejected. It is judged whether or not the transfer paper receiving system of the storage tray device 8 is compatible with the size corresponding to the transfer paper size in the copy (ST46). When the sheet is ejected and conforms, the sheet ejection destination switching section (switching claw 36 or the like) 45 directs the conveyance path to the ejection path 50A (ST46, YES, ST48). Then, the one-side recorded transfer paper is sequentially discharged from the paper discharge path 50A onto the bottom plate 52 of the storage tray device. After that, the front and rear of the transfer paper are aligned by the side jogger 51 (ST5
0).

Next, when a jam occurs and a plurality of transfer papers remain in the conveyance path during the image formation using the double-sided blank transfer paper, the transfer paper is located on the downstream side of the fixing device 34. The transfer sheet has already been recorded on one side, but even if it is returned to the storage tray device 8 through the sheet discharge path 50A as it is, the bottom plate 5
In the case of No. 2, there is no problem because the side receiving the recording faces upward. Since the double-sided blank transfer paper remaining on the downstream side of the transfer position has not been transferred, the transfer device 33 is deactivated, and these transfer papers are passed through the fixing device 34 and conveyed to the upper conveyance path 35. Although this transfer sheet is a double-sided blank sheet, since it has been fixed once, it is discharged to the storage tray device via the sheet discharge path 50A.

As for the transfer paper which is stopped before the fixing device and is only receiving the image transfer, by driving the conveying path for a predetermined time as described above, the paper is supplied to the discharge trays 4 and 7 after being fixed. To discharge. The time for this drive is
It is set so that the transfer sheet at the transfer position has a sufficient time to be discharged to the discharge tray, and the subsequent untransferred transfer sheet can be stopped in the transport path 35. After the untransferred transfer paper reaches the inside of the transport path 35, the discharge destination switching unit (switching claw 36, etc.) 45 is switched to the storage tray device 8 side, and is discharged to the storage tray device 8 via the discharge path 50A. To do.

Next, the novelty and inventive step of the present invention will be verified by comparing each embodiment of the present invention with the prior art. First, in the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-182763, when a double-sided copy is taken, the transfer paper after one-sided copying is stacked in a paper feed tray instead of the double-sided tray, and then re-feeded from the paper feed tray. The paper is to be copied on both sides, and according to this conventional example, there is a problem that only one copy can be made on each side. Then, the single-sided recording transfer sheet placed in the paper feed tray is always used for double-sided copying. On the other hand, the present invention is the same in that the transfer paper is returned to the paper feed tray, but in the present invention, the paper feed tray to which the paper is returned is a dedicated paper tray for single-sided recording, and the returned transfer paper is It is used for general one-sided copying. An object of the present invention is to reuse a transfer sheet that has been recorded on one side due to a jam or other reasons and is still inside the apparatus main body, and the technique described in the above publication only uses a paper feed tray for both sides. However, unlike the present invention, it is not possible to recycle the transfer paper having one side recorded.

Next, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-7655, in a double-sided copying machine, when double-feeding occurs when a single-sided copy occurs, the double-feeding transfer paper is detected and fed. It was designed to be returned to the club. In double-sided copying, when a single-sided copy is performed, the double-fed sheet is detected and returned to the paper feed tray. On the other hand, according to the present invention, when the transfer sheet on which one side has been recorded remains in the main body of the image forming apparatus, the transfer sheet is returned to the dedicated sheet feeding tray and reused without being discarded. The invention described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-7655 makes it possible to reuse paper whose both sides are not used, and transfer paper which has been recorded on one side cannot be reused. Further, the transfer paper in the main body at the time of jam processing cannot be reused, which can be used only for double-sided copying.

Next, the prior art disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-98059 is to reuse the transfer paper on which one side has been recorded in the jam processing at the time of copying on both sides when copying on the back side. This is an attempt to effectively reuse all of the one-side recorded transfer paper in the jam processing that occurs during one-side copying. On the other hand, the present invention reuses the one-side recorded transfer sheet remaining in the main body of the image forming apparatus for another copy regardless of the preceding double-sided copy. If a document jam occurs during copying on both sides of a machine that uses an RDH (Automatic Document Feeder that circulates the document) (Because the document will be reloaded, the transfer paper that has already been copied on one side will be removed. However, if the transfer is interrupted during double-sided copying and transfer paper with one-sided recording remains in the double-sided tray, the transfer paper remaining in the main unit is transferred to the one-sided recording paper. Is to be reused in another job. Therefore, it is clear that the two have different purposes, configurations, and effects.

[0030]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, by discharging the undamaged transfer paper in the conveying path to the one-side recorded tray at the time of jamming, it is possible to reuse the paper and the copy paper in the paper discharge tray becomes a normal copy. No need to throw it away. The apparatus according to claim 2 enables reuse by transferring the transfer paper remaining in the double-sided tray to a paper feed tray dedicated to the single-sided recording transfer paper for some reason, and
There is no need to make a normal copy in the paper ejection tray, and you can save the trouble of discarding it. In the apparatus according to the third aspect, the single-sided recording transfer sheet is discharged through a short path, so that time loss can be reduced. Further, since the paper is discharged without passing through the fixing device, the transfer paper is less damaged. The other effects are the same as those in claim 2.

The apparatus according to claim 4 discharges the undamaged transfer paper in the conveyance path at the time of occurrence of the jam to the one-side recorded transfer paper storage tray device as an external device connected to the main body of the image forming apparatus. , It's easy to reuse, and it doesn't have to be a normal copy in the paper ejection tray, and you can save the trouble of discarding it. Further, by positioning the storage tray device immediately below the paper discharge tray protruding on the outer side surface of the apparatus main body, the failure copy can be immediately put in the storage tray device, and it becomes easy to reuse a lot of paper. Claim 5
This device improves the alignment accuracy of the transfer paper in the single-sided recording transfer paper storage tray device by providing a side jogger on the bottom plate in the storage tray device, and it does not need to be realigned when reused, making it easier. Transfer paper can be reused.
The apparatus according to claim 6 further facilitates reuse of the transfer paper by automatically transferring and setting the one-side recorded transfer paper accumulated in the storage tray device to the one-side recorded paper feed tray inside the apparatus main body. You can The apparatus according to claim 7 limits the stack of transfer paper sheets in the storage tray apparatus according to the capacity of the paper feed tray, so that the storage tray apparatus is not required to adjust the number of transfer paper sheets to the capacity of the paper feed tray. Since it can be collectively transferred from the paper tray to the paper feed tray side, it can be reused more easily.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an internal configuration of the image forming apparatus in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a paper feed tray.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a part of the operation display unit.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the above embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a partial configuration of an operation display unit.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of another embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an external view of an image forming apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

9 is an explanatory diagram of an internal configuration of the image forming apparatus in FIG.

FIG. 10 is an external view of a storage tray device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

11 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIG.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a bottom plate.

FIG. 13 is a configuration diagram of an example of a vertical movement mechanism of a bottom plate.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a main configuration of a storage tray device.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 image forming apparatus main body, 2 automatic document feeder, 3 (3
a to 3c) paper feed tray, 5 keypad section, 6 display section (touch panel = input means), 4 and 7 paper discharge tray, 8
Storage tray device, 15 paper feed port, 16 reversing section, 17
Belt, 18 original setting section, 20 paper feeding section, 21 reading optical system, 22 image forming section, 25 light source, 26 reflection mirror, 30 photoconductor belt, 31 writing section, 32
Developing device, 33 transfer device, 34 fixing device, 35 transport path, 36 branching claw, 40 single-side recorded paper tray switching button, 41 copy star key, 42 double-sided copy tray (double-sided tray), 46 bypass path, 48
Ejection roller, 50 return path, 50A paper ejection path, 51
Side jogger, 52 Bottom plate, 52a, 52b Bottom plate piece, 53 Front fence, 54, 55 Shaft, 56, 58
Guide groove, 59 right side fence, 60 left side fence, 61 fullness detecting means, 65 gap, 66 pushing member, 70a, 70b, 71a, 71b wire, 7
6, 77 pulley, 80 storage tray device side opening, 81
Device side opening,

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus having a paper feed tray dedicated to transfer paper on which one-side recording has been completed, the function of automatically ejecting the transfer paper in the transfer path after the transfer paper is jammed in the transfer path. In the image forming apparatus, the transfer paper discharge destination in the transport path is a dedicated paper feed tray for the one-side recorded transfer paper. 2. An image forming apparatus having a paper feed tray dedicated to transfer paper on which one side has been recorded, the image forming apparatus having a double-sided copy tray and having a function of automatically discharging the transfer paper in the double-sided copy tray. In the apparatus, an image forming apparatus is characterized in that a destination of the transfer paper in the double-sided copy tray is a paper feed tray dedicated to the transfer paper on which the one-sided recording is completed. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the transfer paper in the double-sided copy tray is ejected to the dedicated paper feed tray for the single-sided recorded transfer paper, a conveyance path used in a normal copying process. The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the bypass sheet is directly passed to a sheet feeding tray dedicated to the one-side recorded transfer sheet without passing through it. 4. An image forming apparatus having a paper feed tray dedicated to transfer paper on which one-side recording has been completed, the function of automatically discharging the transfer paper in the transfer path after the transfer paper is jammed in the transfer path. In which the opening of a storage tray device installed outside is communicated with an opening of a storage tray device installed outside through an opening provided in a side wall immediately adjacent to the exclusive feeding paper tray for transfer paper on which one side recording has been completed. , The storage tray device is arranged directly below the paper discharge tray of the main body of the image forming apparatus, and when a jam occurs in the image forming apparatus, the single-sided recorded transfer paper remaining in the image forming apparatus is stored in the storage tray. The sheet is discharged into the device and loaded on the bottom plate in the storage tray device, and when the loading amount on the bottom plate reaches a predetermined amount, the transfer paper is transferred to the dedicated paper feed tray for the one-side recorded transfer paper. Image shape characterized by Apparatus. 5. The image according to claim 4, wherein a side jogger for aligning the widthwise positions of the transfer sheets discharged onto the bottom plate of the storage tray device is provided in the storage tray device. Forming equipment. 6. A transfer paper end detection unit is provided in a paper feed tray dedicated to transfer paper on which one side has been recorded on the side of the image forming apparatus, and the storage tray device is provided with an end detection signal from the transfer paper end detection unit. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the transfer paper on which one-sided recording has been carried therein is automatically transferred to a dedicated paper feeding tray for transfer paper on which one-sided recording has been completed. 7. A fullness detecting means for limiting the number of transfer sheets that can be stacked on the bottom plate in the storage tray device to be equal to or less than the number of single-side recorded sheet feed trays on the image forming apparatus side. Is provided,
The image forming apparatus described in 4, 5, or 6.