JPH0967057A - Sheet conveying device, image reader and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sheet conveying device that can stack sheets, discharged without providing a discharge rotor for discharging sheets, positively on a discharge sheet stacking means while reducing the installation of the device, and provide an image reader provided with the sheet conveying device, and an image forming device provided with the image reader. SOLUTION: A document conveying face for conveying documents S, stacked on a document stacking tray 41, to a photoelectric conversion sensor 48 is inclined downward at about 30 deg. to a horizontal plane H toward the lower reaches in a document conveying direction. A document stacking face of a document discharge tray 51 for stacking the documents S discharged by a CS roller 49 is inclined upward at about 30 deg. to the horizontal plane H toward the lower reaches in the document conveying direction from a document discharge opening 14, and the document conveying direction length of the document stacking face of the document discharge tray 51 is set to about 200mm.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet conveying device, and more particularly to a sheet conveying device suitable for an image reading device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image reading apparatus used in a facsimile or the like, as shown in FIG. 3, an original conveying surface for conveying an original S to an image reading means 100 is arranged substantially horizontally, and the image reading means is A discharge roller pair 112 is provided on the downstream side of the image reading means 100 in order to discharge and stack the document S whose image information is read on the discharge tray 101. The discharge tray 101 has a length equal to or longer than the length of the document S. It is generally configured with.

Further, in an inexpensive apparatus which does not have the discharge roller pair 112 as described above, a discharge tray is used.
There is also a configuration in which 101 is not provided and the document S is directly dropped below the apparatus by its own weight. Further, the document S is configured to be discharged and loaded so as to slide down on a discharge tray having a length corresponding to the length of the document S inclined obliquely downward even if the document S is not dropped directly as described above. There is also.

[0004]

However, in the conventional example shown in FIG. 3, the discharge roller pair 112 is provided on the downstream side of the image reading means 100, and therefore the discharge roller pair 112 and the drive for driving them are provided. Since the mechanical part of the system is required, there is a problem that the cost of the device increases and the device becomes large.

Further, in the conventional example in which the discharge roller pair is not provided, the document S is dropped to the lower side of the apparatus by its own weight. Therefore, a member for receiving the document S must be separately arranged or the user must wait and receive the document S. Therefore, there is a problem that operability is poor.

Further, in the facsimile apparatus, when the discharge port of the recording sheet P is close to the discharge port of the document S,
There is a problem in that the discharged recording sheet P and the document S are interfering with each other and mixed, and it is necessary to sort the recording sheet P and the document S later, and the operability is deteriorated. Further, when the image recording method on the recording sheet P is an inkjet method or the like, the recording sheet P on which ink is not fixed is used.
There is a risk that the ink and the original S may interfere with each other to cause ink stains on both sides.

Further, when the discharge tray is provided obliquely downward from the document discharge port, since a discharge tray corresponding to the length of the document S is required, it is necessary to secure a relatively large space when installing the apparatus. .

[0008] The present invention is to solve the above problems,
The purpose of this is to reliably discharge the sheets and stack the discharged sheets in a sheet conveying device that does not have a sheet discharging rotating body on the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction from the functional means that exerts a predetermined action on the sheets. A sheet conveying device that can be stacked on a device and can reduce the installation space of the device, an image reading device including the same, and an image forming device including the same.

[0009]

A typical structure according to the present invention for achieving the above object is a sheet conveying means for conveying a sheet and a predetermined action for the sheet conveyed by the sheet conveying means. And a discharge sheet stacking unit that stacks sheets to be discharged after a predetermined action is performed by the function unit, and discharges the sheet downstream of the function unit in the sheet conveying direction. In a sheet conveying apparatus having no sheet discharge rotating body, the sheet stacking surface of the discharged sheet stacking unit is 20 ° above the horizontal plane from the upstream side to the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction.
A sheet conveying device having an angle of -40 ° and having a length of the sheet stacking surface in the sheet conveying direction of 180 mm to 230 mm.

Since the sheet conveying apparatus according to the present invention is configured as described above, the discharged sheets can be surely stacked on the discharged sheet stacking means and the installation space of the apparatus can be reduced.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A sheet conveying apparatus according to the present invention, an image reading apparatus including the sheet conveying apparatus, and an ink jet recording apparatus equipped with a facsimile apparatus as an example of an image forming apparatus including the sheet conveying apparatus will be described in detail below. Explained. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of an ink jet recording apparatus equipped with a facsimile apparatus equipped with a sheet conveying apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part around a recording unit.

First, a schematic structure of a facsimile apparatus equipped with a sheet conveying apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, A is a reading unit for optically reading a sheet-like document S made of paper, synthetic resin or the like, and B is a reading unit.
Is a recording unit equipped with the inkjet recording head 5, and C is a recording sheet feeding unit that separates and feeds a recording sheet P made of paper, synthetic resin or the like contained in the sheet cassette 1 and supplies it to the recording unit B. Is.

Now, the flow of the recording sheet P in the image forming apparatus will be described. The conveying path of the recording sheet P is as shown by the arrow a in FIG. That is, the recording sheets P stacked on the sheet cassette 1 of the feeding unit C are picked up by the feeding roller 2 and the retard roller 3 which are recording sheet conveying means, and the feeding roller 2
It is reversed along with and is fed to the recording unit B.

In the recording unit B, the recording sheet P is
An image corresponding to the image information is recorded by a recording head 5 serving as a recording unit, and after being conveyed within the apparatus for a predetermined distance, the recording sheet is sandwiched and conveyed by a discharge roller 6 and a spur 8 serving as a recording sheet discharge unit, and a discharge stacker 7 is provided. It is discharged and loaded on top.

Next, a specific structure of the feeding unit C will be described. In FIG. 1, one end of the sheet cassette 1 is rotatably supported with respect to the sheet cassette 1, and an intermediate plate 4 for loading recording sheets P is provided on the back surface of the intermediate plate 4. An intermediate leaf spring 10 is provided at a position facing the feeding roller 2. The middle plate 4 is biased toward the feeding roller 2 by the middle plate spring 10.

When the recording sheet P is waiting to be fed, the intermediate plate 4 is pressed downward by a cam or the like (not shown) and separated from the feeding roller 2, whereby the recording sheet P is fed. The recording sheet P can be easily replenished when the amount of the recording sheet P runs low or runs out.

Further, when the recording start signal is transmitted and the feeding operation of the recording sheet P is started, the downward pressing of the intermediate plate 4 by the cam or the like is released, and the intermediate plate 4 is compressed by the intermediate plate spring 10. The recording sheet P on the intermediate plate 4 is urged toward the feeding roller 2 side by the contact with the feeding roller 2, and the feeding roller 2 rotates in the feeding direction. To be picked up by.

The retard roller 3 is arranged at a position facing the feeding roller 2, and is brought into contact with and separated from the feeding roller 2 in association with the elevation of the intermediate plate 4. And
When performing the feeding operation of the recording sheet P, the retard roller 3 which is held in the stopped state or which rotates in the direction opposite to the feeding direction is biased toward the feeding roller 2 side, and the feeding roller 2
The recording sheet P picked up by the feeding roller 2
By entering into the nip portion 11 between the retard roller 3 and the retard roller 3, the uppermost one of the recording sheets P is separated and fed by the cooperative action of the feeding roller 2 and the retard roller 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, the recording sheet P separated and fed is wrapped around the feeding roller 2 by the feeding roller 2 and a sheet guide 12 arranged so as to face the feeding roller 2. While being sandwiched in this manner, the recording head 5 of the recording unit B is conveyed to the recording position where the recording head 5 of the recording unit B opposes.

Next, a specific structure of the recording unit B will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, the recording means of the present embodiment uses a recording head 5 configured by an inkjet recording system that performs recording by ejecting ink according to an image signal. The recording head 5 is an ink jet recording head of a cartridge type having a built-in ink tank, and each recording head can be replaced with a new one when the ink is exhausted.

Further, the recording head 5 is configured so that it can be replaced with a cartridge for a monochrome dedicated head or a cartridge for a color dedicated head, for example, the monochrome dedicated head cartridge has a resolution of 360 DPI and 128 nozzles. Having nozzle rows arranged in one row,
The ink is ejected from the ejection port at the tip of the nozzle by the film boiling pressure generated in the ink by the heat generation of the electrothermal conversion element provided in the nozzle.

The cartridge for the color-only head is divided into a black part nozzle and a color part nozzle, the black part head has 64 nozzles, and the color part head has three colors of cyan, magenta, and yellow, respectively. It has individual nozzles, and each nozzle is arranged in a line.

The ink ejection method will be described in detail later,
This is the same as the cartridge for the monochrome dedicated head described above. Further, this color dedicated head cartridge has two ink tanks for black and one for color, and has a structure in which the ink tanks can be independently replaced.

The recording head 5 generates a fine liquid discharge port (orifice), a liquid passage and an energy acting portion provided in a part of this liquid passage, and a droplet forming energy which acts on the liquid in the acting portion. It is equipped with a means for generating energy.

As the energy generating means for generating such energy, a recording method using an electromechanical transducer such as a piezo element, electromagnetic waves such as a laser are radiated to generate heat, and droplets are ejected by the action of the heat generation. There are a recording method using an energy generating means, a recording method using an energy generating means for heating a liquid and discharging the liquid by an electrothermal converter such as a heating element having a heating resistor.

Among them, a recording head used in an ink jet recording method for ejecting a liquid by thermal energy has a high density of liquid ejection ports (orifices) for ejecting recording liquid droplets to form ejection liquid droplets. Since they can be arranged, high resolution recording is possible.

Among them, the recording head using the electrothermal converter as an energy generating means can be easily made compact, and the IC technology and the microfabrication technology, which have been remarkably improved in technology and reliability in the recent semiconductor field, have been developed. This is advantageous because the advantages can be fully utilized, high-density mounting is easy, and the manufacturing cost is low.

The recording head 5 energizes the electrothermal converter according to a recording signal, and the thermal energy applied by the electrothermal converter utilizes film boiling generated in the ink to generate bubbles in the ink. It is more preferable to perform the recording by ejecting the ink from the ejection port by the growth and the contraction.

With regard to its typical structure and principle, it is preferable to use the basic principle disclosed in, for example, US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 4740796.

This system can be applied to both the so-called on-demand type and the continuous type, but in the case of the on-demand type in particular, it corresponds to the sheet or the liquid path holding the liquid (ink). To the electrothermal converter that is arranged as
By applying at least one drive signal corresponding to the recording information and giving a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling, heat energy is generated in the electrothermal converter, and film boiling occurs on the heat acting surface of the recording head. This is effective because bubbles can be formed in the liquid corresponding to the drive signal in a one-to-one relationship as a result.

By the growth and contraction of the bubbles, the liquid is ejected through the ejection opening to form at least one droplet. When the drive signal is formed into a pulse shape, the growth and shrinkage of the bubble are immediately and appropriately performed, so that particularly excellent liquid ejection can be achieved, which is more preferable.

As the pulse-shaped drive signal, those described in US Pat. Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262 are suitable. If the conditions described in US Pat. No. 4,313,124 of the invention relating to the rate of temperature rise on the heat acting surface are adopted, more excellent recording can be performed.

As the constitution of the recording head, in addition to the combination constitution of the ejection port, the liquid passage, and the electrothermal converter (the linear liquid passage or the right-angled liquid passage) as disclosed in the above-mentioned respective specifications. The present invention also includes configurations using US Pat. Nos. 4,558,333 and 4,459,600, which disclose configurations in which the heat acting portion is arranged in a bending region.

Further, JP-A-59-123670, which discloses a structure in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of a plurality of electrothermal converters, and an opening for absorbing a pressure wave of thermal energy are disclosed. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No.
The effect of the present invention is effective even in a configuration based on JP-A-59-138461. That is, according to the present invention, recording can be surely and efficiently performed regardless of the form of the recording head.

Further, the present invention can be effectively applied to a full line type recording head having a length corresponding to the maximum width of a recording medium which can be recorded by the recording apparatus. Such a recording head may have a structure that satisfies the length by combining a plurality of recording heads or a structure as one recording head integrally formed.

In addition, even in the case of the serial type described above, when the recording head is fixed to the carriage or mounted on the carriage, it is possible to electrically connect to the apparatus main body and supply ink from the apparatus main body. A replaceable chip type recording head or a cartridge type recording head in which an ink tank is integrally provided in the recording head itself may be used.

Further, it is preferable to add a recovery means for the recording head, a preliminary auxiliary means, etc., which are provided as a constituent of the recording apparatus of the present invention, because the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. Specifically, these are capping means, cleaning means, pressurizing or suctioning means for the recording head, preheating means by electrothermal conversion type or other heating element or a combination thereof, and recording. It is also effective to perform a stable recording by performing a preliminary discharge mode in which another discharge is performed.

Regarding the type and number of recording heads mounted on the carriage, for example, only one recording head is provided corresponding to a single color ink, or a plurality of inks having different recording colors and densities are supported. And a plurality of them may be provided. That is, for example, the recording mode of the recording apparatus is not limited to a recording mode of only the mainstream color such as black, but may be a combination of a plurality of recording heads integrally formed, but a mixed color of different colors or a mixed color It is also applicable to a device with at least one of the full colors according to

In addition, although the ink is described as a liquid in the above-described embodiments, it is an ink that solidifies at room temperature or lower and softens or liquefies at room temperature, or the ink jet recording method is used. The ink itself
Generally, the temperature is controlled within the range of 30 ° C. or more and 70 ° C. or less to control the temperature so that the viscosity of the ink is in the stable ejection range. Good.

In addition, the temperature rise due to thermal energy is positively prevented by using it as energy for changing the state of the ink from the solid state to the liquid state, or the ink is solidified in a standing state for the purpose of preventing evaporation of the ink. In some cases, whether ink is used, the ink is liquefied by applying thermal energy according to the recording signal and liquid ink is ejected, or it starts to solidify when it reaches the recording sheet. However, it is also applicable when using an ink that has the property of being liquefied for the first time by thermal energy.

The ink in such a case is described in JP-A-54-5.
As described in Japanese Patent No. 6847 or Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-71260, a mode in which it is opposed to the electrothermal converter in a state of being held as a liquid or a solid in the concave portion or through hole of the porous sheet. Also good. The most effective one for each of the above-mentioned inks is to execute the above-mentioned film boiling method.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 15 designates a direction (main direction) indicated by an arrow b in FIG. 2 which is orthogonal to the conveyance direction (sub-scanning direction) of the recording sheet P indicated by an arrow a in FIG. 2 while accurately holding the recording head 5. The carriage is for reciprocating in the scanning direction) and is slidably held by the guide rod 16 and the abutting portion 15a.

The reciprocating movement of the carriage 15 is carried out by a pulley 17 and a timing belt 18 driven by a carriage motor (not shown). At this time, a recording signal and electric power to be applied to the recording head 5 are supplied to the apparatus main body by a flexible cable 19. It is supplied from an electric circuit (not shown).

Reference numeral 20 denotes a cap which functions as an ink receiving means, which is arranged corresponding to a position (home position) where the carriage 15 stands by, moves up and down as necessary, and closely contacts the recording head 5 when rising. The nozzle portion is covered to prevent ink evaporation and dust adhesion.

With the above structure, the feeding roller 2 conveys the recording sheet P in the direction of arrow a in FIG. 2 (sub scanning direction), and the carriage 15 moves the recording head 5 in the direction of arrow b in FIG. 2 (main scanning direction). ), And a predetermined image is formed on the recording sheet P by ejecting ink from the recording head 5 according to the image information.

Next, the construction of the discharge portion for discharging the recording sheet P on which an image has been recorded by the recording head 5 will be specifically described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, the recording sheet P conveyed by the feeding roller 2 is sandwiched and conveyed by the discharge roller 6 and the spur 8, and is discharged and stacked on the discharge stacker 7.

The discharge stacker 7 is provided with a discharge auxiliary tray 9 with the hinge portion 13 as the center of rotation, and when the recording sheet P to be used is long, the discharge auxiliary tray 9 is provided.
The discharge stacker 7 can be extended by rotating and opening. A plurality of ribs are provided on the surfaces of the discharge stacker 7 and the discharge auxiliary tray 9 on which the recording sheets P are stacked, and the recording sheets P discharged by the discharge roller 6 and the spur 8 slide on the ribs and are sequentially arranged. Loaded. Further, the discharge stacker 7 has a structure which also serves as the upper cover of the sheet cassette 1.

Next, the flow of the sheet-like document S in the image reading apparatus equipped with the sheet conveying apparatus according to the present invention will be described. The conveyance path of the document S is as shown by the arrow c in FIG. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 41 is a document S to be fed.
Is a document stacking tray on which the document S is stacked with the image information surface facing down. The document S stacked on the document stacking tray 41 has a direction (original S
Positioning in the carrying direction is performed by the slider 42 that is movable in the width direction.

Reference numeral 43 denotes a preliminary conveyance pressing piece, which is pressed downward from above the conveyance path of the document S by a preliminary conveyance spring 44, and cooperates with a separating roller 46 described later to separate the document S for preliminary conveyance. Reference numeral 45 denotes a separating piece, which is pressed against the separating roller 46 by an ADF spring 47 from above the conveying path of the original S, and the lowermost of the original S preliminarily conveyed by the cooperation of the separating piece 45 and the separating roller 46. Separately and feed each one.

The separation roller 46 also serves to convey the document S to a reading position where a photoelectric conversion sensor 48 as an image reading means serving as a functional means faces the photoelectric conversion sensor 48.
Reads the image information of the document S conveyed by the separation roller 46, converts it into an electric signal, and transmits the image signal to the recording head 5 of the recording unit B via a control circuit (not shown), or another facsimile. It is designed to be transmitted to the device via a telephone line modem or the like.

Reference numeral 49 denotes a CS roller, which is urged from above the conveying path of the original S by a CS pressing spring 50 along the reading line of the photoelectric conversion sensor 48, and the image information surface of the separated original S is conveyed. Is closely attached to the reading line.

Further, the CS roller 49 not only determines the reading speed of the original S in the original conveying direction (sub-scanning direction), but also discharges the original S after the image information has been read. The separation roller 46, the CS roller 49, and the like constitute a document conveying unit as a sheet conveying unit.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the reading unit A, the document transport surface up to the photoelectric conversion sensor 48 following the document stack surface of the document stack tray 41 is a horizontal plane from the upstream side of the document S transport direction to the downstream direction. The inclination angle γ with respect to H is formed so as to have a downward inclination of about 30 °.

With the above-described structure, in the sheet conveying apparatus according to the present embodiment, the document discharge roller serving as a sheet discharging rotating body for discharging the document S is provided on the downstream side of the photoelectric conversion sensor 48 in the document conveying direction. Without CS roller
The document S can be reliably discharged to the document discharge tray 51 described later by the 49.

Therefore, by omitting the original document discharge roller and the drive system for driving the original document discharge roller, the cost of parts can be reduced and the apparatus can be downsized.

Reference numeral 51 denotes a document discharge tray serving as a discharge sheet stacking unit for stacking the document S discharged by the CS roller 49, and the document discharge tray 51 is detachable from the main body of the apparatus. The document discharge tray 51 is arranged above the discharge stacker 7, and the discharge direction of the recording sheet P discharged onto the discharge stacker 7 and the document discharge tray
The direction in which the document S discharged onto the 51 is discharged is the same.

The original stacking surface of the original discharge tray 51 has the original S
The inclination angle α with respect to the horizontal plane H is inclined upward by about 30 ° from the document discharge port 14 through which document is discharged toward the downstream side in the document transport direction. Accordingly, the included angle β on the upper side formed by the document stacking surface of the document stacking tray 41 and the document transporting surface following the document stacking surface, and the document stacking surface of the document discharge tray 51 is about 1
It is set at 20 °.

The length L of the document stacking surface of the document discharge tray 51 in the document transport direction is about 200 mm. Thus, the length of the document stacking surface of the document discharge tray 51 in the document transport direction is as described above. Since L is relatively short and is arranged so as to be inclined upward as described above, the amount of protrusion of the document discharge tray 51 from the apparatus main body can be configured to be relatively small, thus reducing the installation space of the apparatus. You can

Next, the discharge operation of the document S, which is a feature of the sheet conveying apparatus according to the present invention, will be described in detail. FIG.
In FIG. 5, the document S discharged by the CS roller 49 while the image information is read by the photoelectric conversion sensor 48 is stacked on the document discharge tray 51 while moving on the document discharge tray 51 through the document discharge port 14.

Here, a predetermined length (>
When the rear end of the original S having L) passes the CS roller 49, the rear end of the original S remains on the reading surface of the photoelectric conversion sensor 48, and the front end of the original S is on the original discharge tray 51. edge
It is protruded from 51a and held by being hung down in the direction of arrow D in FIG. 1 by its own weight.

At this time, the front end of the document S is protruding from the end 51a of the document discharge tray 51, and its own weight exerts a force D for pushing the document S to the downstream side in the document transport direction. The rear end is easily separated from the reading surface of the photoelectric conversion sensor 48.

Further, the angle β formed by the document transport surface extending from the document transport surface of the document stacking tray 41 and the document transport surface of the document discharge tray 51 is formed at about 120 °.
The rear end of the document S is subjected to a downward force F due to its own weight, so that the rear end of the document S is easily separated from the reading surface of the photoelectric conversion sensor 48.

The rear end of the document S separated from the reading surface of the photoelectric conversion sensor 48 by the action of the forces D and F or the action of some external force falls downward as indicated by arrow F in FIG. Loaded on 51. After that, the succeeding document S
Are stacked on the preceding document S in the same manner as described above, and further subsequent documents S are sequentially stacked.

Next, the inclination angle α of the document stacking surface of the document discharge tray 51 will be described. In the embodiment, the inclination angle α of the document stacking surface of the document discharge tray 51 is about 3 with respect to the horizontal plane H from the document discharge port 14 toward the downstream side in the document transport direction.
Although it is set to 0 ° upward, as the angle α is set to a direction closer to the horizontal plane H, the force F (the force F that the trailing edge of the document S receives downward due to its own weight) becomes smaller. The trailing edge of the document S is less likely to fall.

When the trailing edge of the preceding document S has not dropped, the leading edge of the following document S slips under the preceding document S, and the stacking order of the documents S discharged onto the document discharge tray 51 is changed. Or the following document S pushes the preceding document S to the downstream side in the document conveying direction by the frictional force acting on both documents S, and the trailing edge of the preceding document S is placed at the document discharge tray 51.
However, there is a problem in that the document may be dropped from the document discharge tray 51 over the end portion 51a of the document.

Further, as the inclination angle α of the document stacking surface of the document discharge tray 51 is set to a direction nearly perpendicular to the horizontal plane H, the document stacking surface of the document stacking tray 41 and the document transport surface following the document stacking surface. The angle β of the document stacking surface of the document discharge tray 51 with respect to is too small, which causes a problem such as jamming of the document S conveyed near the document discharge port 14 or bending of the document S. There is.

The limit range of the inclination angle α of the document stacking surface of the document discharge tray 51 for avoiding the above problems is 20 ° above the horizontal plane H from the document discharge port 14 toward the downstream side in the document transport direction. It is desirable to be configured to be tilted within an angle range of -40 °.

Next, the length L of the document stacking surface of the document discharge tray 51 in the document transport direction (hereinafter, simply referred to as "length of document stacking surface L") will be described. In the above embodiment, the length L of the document stacking surface of the document discharge tray 51 (the length from the document discharge port 14 to the end 51a) is set to about 200 mm.

As the document S size, letter size (width 216 mm × length 270 mm), A4 size (width 210 mm × length 297 mm), legal size (width 2
16mm x length 355mm), B4 size (width 256m)
m × length 365 mm), the length L of the document stacking surface of the document discharge tray 51 is set.

As the length L of the document stacking surface of the document discharge tray 51 is set shorter, the force D (the force D that the leading end of the document S receives downward due to its own weight) becomes larger, and the document S
Since the trailing edge of the document S is easily separated from the reading surface of the photoelectric conversion sensor 48, the leading edge of the succeeding document S does not go under the trailing edge of the preceding document S, but the document S is at the edge of the document discharge tray 51. It is easy to drop downward beyond the portion 51a, and for example, a document S that is long in the document transport direction, such as B4 size,
Has a problem that it falls without being stacked on the document discharge tray 51.

Further, as the length L of the document stacking surface of the document discharge tray 51 is set longer, the discharged document S is less likely to drop from the document discharge tray 51, but the document S shorter in the document transport direction is When the document S is stacked on the document discharge tray 51, the amount by which the front end of the document S jumps out from the end 51a of the document discharge tray 51 decreases. ) Becomes smaller, the trailing edge of the original S is less likely to come off the reading surface of the photoelectric conversion sensor 48, and remains on the reading surface, and the leading edge of the succeeding original S slips under the trailing edge of the preceding original S. It becomes easier to move the stacking order of the documents S discharged onto the document discharge tray 51, and the frictional force acting on both documents S pushes the document S preceded by the following document S to the downstream side in the document conveying direction. The preceding document S is There is a problem that fall from above the document output tray 51 beyond the end 51a of the b 51.

The limit range of the length L of the document stacking surface of the document discharge tray 51 for preventing the above problems from occurring is such that the inclination angle α of the document stacking surface is from the document discharge port 14 toward the downstream side in the document transport direction. In the case where the document stacking tray 51 is tilted upward by about 30 ° with respect to the horizontal plane H, the length L of the document stacking surface of the document discharge tray 51 in the document transport direction (that is, from the document discharge port 14 to the end 51).
It is desirable that the length up to a) be in the range of 180 mm to 230 mm.

With the above structure, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) Since the document discharge roller serving as a sheet discharge rotator for discharging the document S is not provided on the downstream side of the photoelectric conversion sensor 48 in the document transport direction, the manufacturing cost of the device is reduced and the size of the device is reduced. Can be achieved.

(2) Even without the document discharge roller, the document stacking surface of the document stacking tray 41 and the document transporting surface following the document stacking surface are inclined downward with respect to the horizontal plane H, so that the document S is surely secured. The sheet can be discharged onto the document discharge tray 51 and can be reliably stacked on the document discharge tray 51.

(3) Since the document discharge tray 51 and the document stacking tray 41 are arranged so as to be inclined with respect to the horizontal plane H, and the length of the document discharge tray 51 in the document transport direction is relatively short, The installation space can be reduced.

(4) Recording sheet P discharged in the same direction
Since the original document S and the original document S do not coexist, it is not necessary to classify them as in the conventional example, and the operability is improved. Also,
Even if the ink of the recording sheet P on which the ink image is formed by the inkjet recording head 5 is not fixed, the original S and the recording sheet P do not interfere with each other and the ink is not contaminated as in the conventional example. Improves reliability.

In the above embodiment, the document discharge tray 51 having a predetermined length in the document transport direction is provided so as to be detachable by inclining upward at a predetermined angle with respect to the apparatus main body. The length of the document stacking surface of the document stacking direction of 51 may be variable, and / or the inclination angle of the document stacking surface of the document discharge tray 51 with respect to the apparatus main body may be variable.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, an example in which the ink jet recording system is used as the recording means has been described, but the recording system need not be limited to the ink jet recording system.
In addition, the present invention can be applied to an image forming apparatus equipped with a thermal transfer recording system, a thermal recording system, an impact recording system such as a wire dot recording system, or another recording system. Further, it is not necessary to limit to the serial recording method, and a so-called line recording method may be used.

Further, as the above-mentioned form of the ink jet recording apparatus, other than the one used as an image output terminal device of information processing equipment such as a computer, a form of a copying machine combined with a reader or the like, and a form of a facsimile machine having a transmitting / receiving function. It may be one that takes

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the sheet conveying apparatus according to the present invention is applied to the image reading apparatus has been described. However, the sheet conveying apparatus according to the present invention is provided with the recording means as the functional means. It is also possible to apply the sheet conveying apparatus according to the present invention to an image reading apparatus that records an image on a recording sheet by the recording unit according to image information.

[0082]

The sheet conveying apparatus, the image reading apparatus including the sheet conveying apparatus, and the image forming apparatus including the sheet conveying apparatus according to the present invention have the above-described configurations and operations, and thus do not need to include the sheet discharging rotating body. The sheets can be surely discharged to the outside of the machine and can be stacked on the discharged sheet stacking means.
Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the device can be reduced and the device can be downsized.

Further, since the discharged sheet stacking means is arranged so as to be inclined and the length in the sheet conveying direction is relatively short, the installation space of the apparatus can be reduced.

Further, since the sheet-shaped original can be surely stacked on the discharge sheet stacking means, the recording sheet and the original are mixed and discharged even if the recording sheet and the original are discharged in the same direction. Since there is no such problem, operability and reliability can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional explanatory diagram of an inkjet recording apparatus equipped with a facsimile apparatus including a sheet conveying apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part around a recording unit.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Sheet cassette, 2 ... Feed roller, 3 ... Retard roller, 4 ... Middle plate, 5 ... Recording head, 6 ... Ejection roller, 7
... Ejection stacker, 8 ... Spur, 9 ... Ejection auxiliary tray, 10 ...
Middle leaf spring, 11 ... Nip portion, 12 ... Sheet guide, 13 ... Hinge portion, 14 ... Original document discharge port, 15 ... Carriage, 15a ... Abutting portion, 16 ... Guide rod, 17 ... Pulley, 18 ... Timing belt, 19 ... Flexible cable, 20 ... Cap, 41 ... Document loading tray, 42 ... Slider, 43 ... Preliminary transport pressing piece, 44
… Preliminary transport spring, 45… Separation piece, 46… Separation roller, 47… A
DF spring, 48 ... Photoelectric conversion sensor, 49 ... CS roller, 50 ...
CS pressing spring, 51 ... Original discharge tray, 51a ... End portion, A ...
Reading unit, B ... recording unit, C ... feeding unit,
H ... Horizontal plane, P ... Recording sheet, S ... Original

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Katsumi Obana 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Takayuki Nishinohara 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Incorporated (72) Inventor Atsushi Saito 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Fumihiko Nakamura 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A sheet transporting means for transporting a sheet, a functional means for exerting a predetermined action on the sheet transported by the sheet transporting means, and a predetermined action by the functional means for discharging. A discharge sheet stacking unit that stacks sheets, and a sheet discharge device that does not have a sheet discharge rotating body that discharges sheets downstream of the functional unit in the sheet transport direction. A sheet transporting device, wherein a surface of the sheet transporting device is configured to have a predetermined angle upward with respect to a horizontal plane from the upstream side to the downstream side in the sheet transporting direction. 2. The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined angle is within an angle range of 20 ° to 40 °. 3. In the discharged sheet stacking means, the length of the sheet stacking surface in the sheet conveying direction is 180 mm to
The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet conveying device has a length range of 230 mm. 4. The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet is a sheet-shaped document, and the functional means reads image information recorded on the sheet-shaped document. An image reading apparatus comprising an image reading means. 5. An image reading apparatus according to claim 4, comprising: a recording sheet conveying unit configured to convey a recording sheet; and an image recorded on the recording sheet conveyed by the recording sheet conveying unit according to image information. And a recording unit configured to discharge the recording sheet recorded by the recording unit and a discharge direction of a sheet-shaped document whose image information has been read by the image reading unit. An image forming apparatus characterized by the above. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the recording unit is an inkjet recording system that performs recording by ejecting ink according to a signal. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the recording unit includes an electrothermal converter for generating thermal energy for ejecting ink. 8. The recording device according to claim 7, wherein the recording means discharges the ink from a discharge port by utilizing film boiling generated in the ink by the thermal energy applied by the electrothermal converter. Image forming apparatus.