JPH0940280A - Sheet distributing storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To move an offset part vertically so as to miniaturize a device by making a vertical space between one sheet bearer and the other sheet bearer positioned directly under one sheet bearer, larger than a vertical space to the other sheet bearer positioned outside of the offset part. SOLUTION: Each sheet bearer 1 is so constituted that guided pins 2a protruded from both ends of a block 2 at the base end part of the bearer 1 are vertically moved along guides 3 provided on the device side. The groove-like guide 3 is formed of a lower guide 3A, an upper guide 3B, and an offset groove 3C inclined to communicate both guides 3A, 3B. The offset groove 3C is formed of two guide members 4, and the guide members 4 and the offset groove 35 constitute an offset part 5. At the elevating time of the sheet bearer 1, the offset part 5 moves in A-B directions, and the pins 2a of the sheet bearer 1 are successively led into the offset groove 3C in the offset part 5 to enlarge a sheet bearer space. Recording paper is discharged into a place enlarged in the sheet bearer space, in a direction C from a discharge port of an image forming device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet distribution / accommodation device for receiving a recording sheet that has undergone image formation by an image forming apparatus and is discharged, and more particularly to reducing the size in the height direction to the minimum necessary. The present invention relates to a sheet distribution / storing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Copiers, printers, facsimile machines,
An image forming apparatus such as a printing apparatus has a mechanism for discharging a recording sheet (sheet) on which an image is formed by an image forming unit to a discharge tray provided outside the machine. A sheet distribution and storage device (sorter) has been used in the past to save the trouble of sorting after discharging when multiple copies are made from a document.
Is used. FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b) are explanatory views of the structure of a conventional seat pedestal lifting mechanism. In this conventional apparatus, the wire W is wound up or fed out by the motor M to form the wire W. The attached support shaft 100 repeatedly rises and falls. On the supporting shaft 100, each seat pedestal 1
01 is laminated, and each sheet pedestal 101 is a support shaft 1
The ascending / descending operation is performed in conjunction with the 00 up / down operation. Each support shaft 100 is vertically guided by guides 102 and 103, and a biasing portion 104 that constitutes an inclined guide path is located in the middle of one guide 102. In the biasing portion 104, each supporting shaft 100 moves diagonally upward along the guide. A guided pin 101a is provided at the base end of each sheet pedestal 101, and each pin 101a is arranged in a guide 102 so as to be able to move up and down. The vertical gap G between the two sheet pedestals in a state where the guided pins 101a are in contact with each other in the biasing portion 104 and the spacing G between the two sheet pedestals positioned at a location other than the biasing portion 104 are vertical. Although it is the same in the vertical direction, the seat pedestal 101 is placed in the eccentric portion 1 in the eccentric portion 104.
By moving diagonally upward along 04, the pedestal interval (interval in the direction orthogonal to the pedestal surface) for receiving the recording paper P discharged from the image forming apparatus (not shown) located on the right side of the drawing becomes GB ₁ ( (b)), the state is wider than the gap GV other than the biased portion.

In the above-mentioned sheet cradle lifting mechanism, the biasing portion 1
Since 04 is fixed and the seat cradle 101 is moved up and down to expand the distance between the seat cradle in the biasing portion 104, the seat cradle group is always stored. It is necessary to secure the space of the above and the space when all of them move up or down. That is, see
Space required x number of times x 2 times + α is required. That is,
Since it is necessary for all the seat pedestals to have two postures, one is a lower position with the biasing portion 104 as the center and the other is an upper position, the size of the apparatus in the up-down direction is correspondingly increased.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned prior art, the size of the apparatus in the vertical direction becomes large in order to secure the storage space when the seat pedestals are respectively positioned below and above the biased portion. was there. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a small sheet distribution / accommodation device having only a space corresponding to the number of sheets received + the interval required for sheet ejection by vertically moving the biasing portion. I am trying.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object,
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of sheet receiving pedestals stacked in a vertical direction in order to receive sheets discharged from an external sheet discharging device and end portions of the respective sheet receiving pedestals. A guide member that receives a guided pin protruding from the guide member and forms a groove that guides the guide pin in the vertical direction; and a vertically movable biasing portion that has an inclined biasing groove that communicates with the groove, and the biasing portion moves vertically. In doing so, the seat pedestal in which the guided pin is inserted into the deviation groove in the deviation portion is seated along the deviation groove.
The sheet is moved substantially parallel to the sheet conveying direction, and the vertical distance between the sheet receiving table and the other sheet receiving table located directly below the sheet receiving table is set between the other sheet receiving tables at positions other than the offset portion. It is characterized in that it has a configuration in which it is expanded more than the vertical interval. According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the sheet distribution and storage device according to the first aspect, the sheet is distributed in synchronization with the vertical movement of the biasing portion.
It is characterized in that the toe cradle group is moved up and down in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the biasing portion. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the sheet distribution and storage device according to the first aspect, when the biasing portion is moved up and down, a guide piece that supports the sheet pedestal is provided in synchronization with the movement of the biasing portion. It is characterized in that it is made to move back and forth between the guide position and the retracted position. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the sheet distribution / accommodation device according to the first or third aspect, the guide member is divided into a plurality of guide pieces.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. As described above, according to the conventional lifting mechanism of the sheet receiving table, the sheet receiving table is moved up and down by the supporting shaft, and the sheet is moved at the biased portion facing the sheet discharge port of the image forming apparatus (sheet discharging apparatus). -The sheet receiving tray space was enlarged to make it easier to receive the recording paper (sheet), but with such a mechanism, the space of the sheet receiving tray at the home position as shown in FIG. II and Space I when the seat cradle has finished moving
Both spaces are required, and the space in the height direction becomes the height of all the seat pedestals x 2, which is a cause of increase in size. On the other hand, the present invention is characterized in that the problem of space is solved by vertically moving the biasing portion side.

First, FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b) are perspective views showing an essential structure of an example showing the principle of the present invention. Each sheet receiving tray (bin) 1 is a base end portion of the receiving tray. Guided pins 2a protruding from both ends of the block 2 are configured to move up and down along guides (grooves) 3 provided on the apparatus side. The groove-shaped guide 3 includes a lower guide 3A, an upper guide 3B, and an inclined biasing groove 3C that connects the guides 3A and 3B. The biasing groove 3C is formed by two guide members 4 and a guide member 4 is provided. The biased groove 3C constitutes the biased portion 5. The lower guide 3A is defined by two guide members 6 and 7, and the upper guide 3B is defined by two guide members 8 and 9. The upper guide 3B has an extremely short dimension as shown. It should be noted that FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 described later are diagrams showing the principle of the present invention.
If 8 is an integral structure as shown in the figure, the biasing portion 5 cannot move up and down, but the guides 7 and 8 can be retracted in either direction from the movement path of the biasing portion 5 by a method described later. With this configuration, the biasing portion 5 can be moved.
However, since the principle is described in FIGS. 1 and 2, the advancing / retreating structure of each guide 7, 8 will not be described.

When the seat pedestal 1 is located in the home position (position lower than the offset portion), it is sandwiched by the guide members 6 and 7, and is located in the gap. The lower guide 3A has a guided pin 2a which is a part of the seat pedestal.
Is inserted. In this state, when the seat pedestal is moved up and down, the biasing portion 5 is in the AB direction (when the seat pedestal is moved up, the A direction is
When it descends, it moves in the direction B) and guides the pin 2a of the seat pedestal into the eccentric groove 3C in the eccentric portion 5 one after another to increase the distance between the pedestal pedestals. In the place where the seat cradle spacing is expanded,
The recording paper is ejected in the C direction from the paper ejection port of the image forming apparatus. The biasing portion 5 is moved by driving the timing belt 12 by the pulley 11 driven by the motor 10 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3 (a), the lifting mechanism including the motor 10, the pulley 11 and the timing belt 12 is used.
The sheet pedestal moves up and down along the guide 3 in (b), and the operation of expanding or contracting the interval of the sheet pedestal for discharging the recording paper is repeated.

The upper and lower intervals of the seat pedestal 1 are ensured by the blocks 2 provided at both ends of the sheet pedestal 1, and the distance between the sheet pedestals in the biasing portion 5 is enlarged. Occasionally, the lateral positions of the two sheet pedestals are displaced from each other, as shown in part D of FIG. 3 (b), and the inclined surface of the upper block floats up along the inclined surface of the lower block 2 so that the vertical spacing is increased. Is expanded. The portion D, which is a portion where the sheet pedestal interval is enlarged, moves one after another as the biasing portion 5 moves up and down. That is, the portion D where the sheet receiving base interval is enlarged moves one after another, and the recording paper is ejected to the enlarged portion.

Next, FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b) are a principle diagram of expansion and contraction of the spacing of the seat pedestal in the conventional example and a principle diagram of the present invention. In the conventional example shown in FIG. Seat cradle 1
Block 2 is a thick-walled flat plate, and when the sheet pedestal 1 is moved up and down along the biased groove 3C in which the pin 2a is fixed, one block is moved substantially along the other block. By moving in the horizontal direction, the distance between the upper and lower sheet pedestals is expanded. At this time, the distance h between the pins
Is constant h between the two pins in the bias groove.

On the other hand, in the present invention shown in (b), the shape of the block 2 of the sheet receiving base 1 is such that the upper and lower flat plate portions 2A and 2B are connected and integrated by the inclined plate 2C as shown in the figure. Therefore, when the block 2-1 is located at the lower end of the bias groove 3C, the block 2-2 immediately above the block 2-1 is located below the flat plate 2B on the upper side of the lower block 2-1. It is in a state where the section 2A is placed. Therefore, the vertical distance between the two sheet receiving bases 1 located in the offset groove 3C is nh.
Therefore, a large interval can be secured. As a result, it becomes easy to introduce the recording paper from the receiving port for receiving the recording paper discharged from the image forming apparatus side, and it becomes easy to prevent the occurrence of jam. In particular, when the ejected recording paper is curled, the stacking property is improved due to the large distance between the sheet receiving trays. Moreover, even if the seat cradle spacing is expanded to this extent, the overall height of the seat cradle is much smaller than before,
It does not lead to an increase in the overall size of the device.

In this example, the position of the receiving port for receiving the recording paper from the sheet discharge port of the image forming apparatus is moved up and down along with the vertical movement of the biasing portion so as to always face the biasing portion. There is a need. According to this example, the biasing portion 5 having the biasing groove 3C that loosely fits and supports the guided pin of each sheet receiving base is moved up and down without vertically moving the sheet receiving base.
The size in the height direction of the space to store the seat cradle is
The size of the apparatus can be drastically reduced because it can be suppressed to about "the height of all sheet receiving bases + height of the biased portion 5 (interval required for sheet discharge)".

In the example showing the above-mentioned principle, the height of the sheet distributing and accommodating apparatus is changed to "all sheet pedestal pedestal" by not moving the sheet pedestal up and down too much and only vertically moving the biasing portion 5. We have succeeded in making a small space of about "height + interval required for sheet discharge", but on the contrary, by moving the biasing part up and down, the biasing part 5 is always provided with a receiving port (image forming). It is necessary to move the receiving port up and down so that the openings for receiving the recording paper discharged from the apparatus side face each other. Therefore, just moving the biasing portion 5 as in the example of FIG. 1 requires the amount of movement corresponding to the height of the seat pedestal,
The size of each part will be accordingly. In order to reduce the size of each part as much as possible, in the specific embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4, the biasing portion 5 is moved up and down at the same time by performing the up and down movement of the biasing portion 5 and the seat support 1. It is possible to reduce the amount of movement of the parts by half and downsize the size of each part accordingly.

That is, in the seat cradle lifting mechanism according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the biasing portion 5 and the seat support 15 are both fixed to the timing belt 12, and the timing belt 12 is in the A direction. When the eccentric portion 5 moves to the direction A and descends in the A direction, the seat support 15 rises, and when the timing belt 12 rises in the B direction and the deviation portion 5 rises in the B direction, the seat support base 15 rises. 15 descends. In accordance with the vertical movement of the sheet support base 15 as described above, the vertical spacing of the sheet receiving base 1 that relatively passes through the biasing groove 3C of the biasing portion 5 is enlarged.
In this embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the biasing portion 5
Since the sheet support 15 and the sheet support 15 move in the opposite directions at the same time, the amount of movement of the biasing portion 5 is halved, and therefore the amount of movement of the paper discharge roller pair 20 provided at the receiving port is halved. In this case, the pair of discharged rollers 20 is also the timing belt 12
When the sheet is moved, it moves together with the biasing portion 5, the nip portion of the roller pair 20 faces the portion where the distance between the seats is widened, and the recording paper is discharged.

In the principle diagrams of FIGS. 1 and 2, the guided pin 2
Before a is guided into the offset groove 3C, the guided pin 2a
Is a groove-shaped guide 3 between the guide members 6, 7 or 8 and 9.
It is held between A and 3B. However, the offset part 2
The guide member 7, which holds the pin 2a that is about to be guided into the bias groove 3C when it moves in the vertical direction, hinders the movement of the bias portion 5. In order to prevent the occurrence of such an obstacle to the movement of the biasing portion 5, the guide member is divided for each sheet pedestal, and each guide member is configured to be able to move forward and backward individually. , Fig. 5
This is the embodiment shown in FIG.

That is, in the seat cradle lifting mechanism shown in FIG. 5, the guide member 7 and the guide member 8 facing one guide member 6 are constituted by a plurality of divided guide pieces 7a, and each guide is provided. The piece 7a is supported so as to be able to advance and retreat in the same direction as the axial direction of the guided pin 2a, and each guide piece 7 is provided by a solenoid 30 which is individually arranged on the side of each guide piece 7a.
a is individually moved forward and backward. Guide piece 7a
On the lower side of the guide member 4 by advancing and retracting between a position projecting at substantially the same level as the guide member 4 forming the biasing portion 5 and a position retracting to the side of the guide member 4. When the guide member 4 is at the same level position, the lower guide 3A is formed between the guide member 6 and the guide member 4 and is retracted to the side to allow the guide member 4 to move up and down.

That is, in this embodiment, when the guide member 4 constituting the biasing portion 5 moves in the vertical direction (B and A directions),
Normally, the guide pieces 7a holding the pins 2a on both ends of the seat cradle 1 are pulled by the solenoid 30 in the β direction to be retracted, and when the biasing portion 5 passes, the guide pieces 7a are returned in the α direction, and again. Guide the pin 2a. That is, only when the pin 2a is in the bias groove 3C of the bias portion 5, the pin 2a
The solenoid 14 is used as a means for retracting the guide piece 7a holding the.

Further, the guide member 7 is composed of a plurality of guide pieces 7a.
The guide piece 7a is located at a position corresponding to the height position of the pin 2a which enters the groove 3C of the biasing portion 5 by dividing the guide piece 7a into and from each other (between the guide position and the retracted position). Only the guide piece 7a can be retracted laterally, so that the other guide piece 7a (the guide piece that holds the pin 2a that does not try to enter the biasing portion 5)
Is in the guide position and is located between the guide member 6 and the pin 2a.
Will be maintained. As described above, according to this embodiment, the operation of the biased portion can be smoothed.

[0019]

In the sheet distributing and storing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the biasing portion 5 for increasing the interval between the discharge portions of the seat cradle is moved up and down, so that the sheet cradle 6 at both ends of the seat cradle is moved. The pins 2a of the above are successively guided into the bias groove 3C of the bias portion 5. The pin 2a guided into the bias groove 3C relatively rises or descends along the bias groove 3C as the bias portion 5 moves up and down, and a paper discharge space (a sheet receiving space that engages with the bias groove 3C is received. While increasing the space between the units, move the discharge space up and down one after another. By operating the biasing section 5 in this way, the required space of the entire seat pedestal becomes a small space of "the number of seats received + the interval required for sheet discharge". , The height dimension can be greatly reduced.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the distribution and storage device, the sheet pedestal group of the sheet pedestal 5 is synchronized with the vertical movement of the biasing portion 5 for increasing the interval between the discharge portions between the sheet receiving trays. It moves up and down as opposed to the movement. As a result, the amount of movement is halved, unlike the case where only the biasing portion 5 moves according to claim 1. That is, by moving the seat cradle group in the direction opposite to that of the biasing portion 5, the amount of movement of the biasing portion 5 can be halved. Therefore, the parts that move with the movement of the biasing portion 5, that is, the parts such as the discharge roller pair 20 to the sheet receiving base and the guide plate 13 for conveying the recording paper to the discharge roller pair 20 move. The size will be reduced by half and the size will be reduced.

In the sheet distributing / storing device according to the third and fourth aspects, the guide member 7 shown in FIG. 4 is divided into a plurality of pieces in the vertical direction, and the pin 2a of the seat pedestal has one guide piece 7a each. Holds one to one. The biasing portion 5 moves up and down, and the pin 2
a is introduced into the bias groove 3C of the bias portion, and at the same time, the pin 2a
The guide piece 7a that was holding is retracted to the side. As a result, the pins other than the pins guided into the biasing portion 5 can perform their functions without hindering the vertical movement of the biasing portion 5 and being held by the other guide piece 7a. become.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are configuration diagrams of main parts showing the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a specific driving method of the example of FIG.

3A and 3B are explanatory views of the principle of a conventional example and a diagram showing the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a structural explanatory view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a structural explanatory view of another embodiment of the present invention.

6 (a) and 6 (b) are an overall configuration diagram and a main part configuration diagram of a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 sheet pedestal (bin), 2 blocks, 2a guided pin, 3 groove, 3A lower guide, 3B upper guide, 3C
Biased groove, 4 guide member, 5 Biased portion, 6, 7 guide member, 7a guide piece, 8, 9 guide member, 10
Motor, 11 pulley, 12 timing belt, 20
Paper ejection roller pair.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of sheet pedestals stacked in a vertical direction in order to receive sheets discharged from an external sheet discharging device, and the sheet pedestals protruding from the end of each sheet pedestal. A guide member that receives a guided pin and forms a groove that guides in the up-down direction; and a vertically movable biasing portion that has an inclined biasing groove that communicates with the groove, the biasing portion being capable of moving up and down. , The sheet receiving base having the guided pin inserted into the biasing groove in the biasing portion is moved substantially parallel to the sheet conveying direction along the biasing groove and positioned directly below the sheet receiving base. A sheet distribution / accommodation device having a structure in which a vertical gap between the sheet pedestal and another sheet pedestal is larger than a vertical gap between other sheet pedestals located at positions other than the biased portion. . 2. The sheet distributing / storing device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet pedestal group is moved up and down in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the biasing portion in synchronization with the vertical movement of the biasing portion. A sheet distribution and storage device characterized by the above. 3. The sheet distributing / storing device according to claim 1, wherein when the biasing portion is moved up and down, a guide piece for supporting the seat pedestal is set at a guide position in synchronization with the movement of the biasing portion. A sheet distribution and storage device characterized in that it is moved forward and backward with respect to a retracted position. 4. The sheet distribution / accommodation device according to claim 1, wherein the guide member is divided into a plurality of guide pieces.