JPH10194479A - Sheet stacking device, image recording device, and facsimile device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To comparatively reduce the initial investment for the change of design, by removably mounting an exterior housing of a stacking device to a stacking device body part, and removing the exterior housing integrally with a residual sheet display part in dismounting without disassembling the display part. SOLUTION: A size display board formed out of a transparent resin material, is mounted on an outer face side of a cassette cover. A size display part and a residual display window are printed on a rear side of the size display board. The movement of the cassette cover to left is regulated, to be fixed to a cassette tub. On this occasion, a projection of an engagement part and a hole of the engagement part 8e are engaged with each other. The movement to right is regulated by the engagement of a snap fit part on a position where the movement of the engagement part 1c in the right direction is regulated. By performing the regulation in the lateral direction which receives comparatively low load, by the snap fit when the cassette cover is operated, the cassette cover and the cassette body 8 can be inexpensively integrated without screwing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet stacking device for detachably attaching a stacking device exterior portion to a stacking device main body, and an image recording apparatus provided with the sheet stacking device.
The present invention relates to a facsimile machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a sheet stacking apparatus used in a sheet feeding apparatus used in an image recording apparatus, a facsimile apparatus, etc., as disclosed in JP-A-7-215529 and JP-A-7-0669483. In some cases, the remaining amount of sheets loaded on a loading table is displayed on the exterior of the sheet loading device.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, the sheet stacking device main body having the sheet stacking table and the sheet stacking device outer portion attached to the sheet stacking device main body are integrated with resin and cannot be separated. In addition, the sheet stacking device exterior portion attached to the sheet stacking device main body is closely related, and when separated, the sheet remaining amount display portion greatly depends on both shapes.

There are cases where the external shape is changed according to the destination in order to match the external design of the apparatus to the destination. In such a case, the design of the outer portion of the sheet stacking device is often changed at the same time. Also, when a new model of the sheet feeding device is configured by diverting the loading mechanism of the sheet loading device, similarly, the design of the exterior portion of the sheet loading device is often changed according to the configuration of the sheet feeding device.

In such a case, if the outer portion of the sheet stacking device is inseparable, the entire sheet stacking device needs to be new even though the change of the sheet stacking device main body is unnecessary. In this case, the forming die of the sheet stacking device main body member used for the sheet stacking device becomes new,
The initial investment for the design change will increase. In addition, since the main parts of the sheet stacking device that affect sheet feeding performance are new parts, it takes time to evaluate and adjust to obtain the same performance as before the design change, and also displays the remaining sheet when separated. In the case where the configuration largely depends on both shapes, the structure of the sheet stacking device main body limits the structure of the remaining sheet amount display unit, so that the degree of freedom in design tends to be low. There was a possibility that such a problem would occur.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and has as its object a relatively small initial investment for a design change, and a large sheet stacking apparatus main body which affects sheet feeding performance. Since the parts are not new parts, the evaluation and adjustment to obtain the same performance as before the design change does not take much time, and the sheet loading device that does not reduce the flexibility of design is adopted, and this sheet loading device is used Image recording apparatus and facsimile apparatus.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a stacking apparatus main body having a sheet stacking table and a sheet remaining amount display for displaying a stacking amount of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking table. A stacking device having a stacking portion having a stacking portion, wherein the stacking device exterior portion is detachably attached to the stacking device main body portion, and when the stacking device exterior portion is removed from the stacking device main body portion, the sheet remaining amount is displayed. The part is detached integrally with the outer part of the loading device without being disassembled.

The sheet remaining amount display section includes a display window provided on the outer portion of the stacking device, a display member indicating the sheet remaining amount from the display window, and a remaining amount detecting means for detecting the sheet remaining amount and driving the display member. And the remaining amount detecting means may be engaged with the sheet stacking table when the stacking device exterior is attached to the stacking device main body.

[0009] The display member may comprise a display plate or a display needle for displaying the remaining amount of the sheet from a display window.

The loading device main body portion and the loading device exterior portion may be provided with a snap fit which engages with each other and fixes them.

When the loading device exterior portion is moved downward while the front wall of the loading device main body portion and the back surface of the loading device exterior portion are in contact with each other, they are engaged with each other to regulate the forward and backward movement of both. Engaging means, which engages with each other when moving the loading device exterior part in one direction in the left and right directions, and an engaging means that regulates the vertical movement of both, and the engaging means that regulates the vertical movement Alternatively, a snap fit for restricting the movement in the other direction on the left and right may be provided.

The sheet stacking apparatus, sheet feeding means for feeding sheets from the sheet stacking apparatus, and forming an image on the sheet fed from the sheet feeding means in accordance with image information;
And an image recording apparatus having recording means.

[0013] A facsimile machine may be provided with the image recording apparatus and image signal input means for inputting an image received from a communication circuit to the image recording apparatus.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(First Embodiment) First, an outline of a facsimile apparatus using a sheet feeding apparatus will be described as a first embodiment constructed according to the present invention with reference to FIGS. FIG.
1 is a perspective view of a facsimile apparatus using an image recording apparatus embodying the present invention, and FIG. 12 is an external perspective view of the facsimile apparatus. 11 and 22, reference numeral 101 denotes an apparatus main body; 102, an original mounting table configured to stack a plurality of originals S on an upper cover of the apparatus main body 101; 103, an image reading unit that reads image information of the original S; , 1
04 is a recording device body composed of a laser beam printer,
Reference numeral 105 denotes a document transport unit, 106 denotes a document pressing unit, 107 denotes a contact type image sensor, 108 denotes a document discharge tray, 109
Is a laser scanner, 110 is an image forming unit, 111 is a front cassette unit, 112 is a recording paper discharge tray, 113
Is an MP (multi-paper) cassette unit, 114 is a cartridge cover, 115 is an ADF (auto document feeder) cover, 116 is an upper document guide, 117 is a lower document guide, 118 is a cassette paper feeding unit, 119 is a front cassette, and 120 is Image reading unit 103 and recording apparatus main body 1
04, a control unit of the facsimile machine (consisting of a recording system control unit and an image reading system (not shown) and a communication system control unit housed at the rear of the apparatus), 122 a handset, 123 a transport guide, 124 is an operation unit,
5 is a display unit, 126 is a tally lamp indicating the operation state of the facsimile machine, 127 is a second-stage cassette unit, 128 is a light cover, 129 is an MP cassette sensor unit, and 130
Is an MP separation unit.

The image reading section 103 operates as follows.

First, the original S loaded on the original placing table 102
To the preliminary transport roller 1 by the preliminary transport solenoid 105c.
05b rotates and comes into pressure contact with the preliminary conveyance pressing piece 105a,
Pull out. Next, the reverse rotation roller 105d is separated one by one by a separation roller 105e in pressure contact (reverse rotation roller method). Next, the paper feed roller 105e is conveyed to the contact type image sensor 107 by the paper feed roller 105f pressed against the original,
The original S by the weight shaft 106a and the original pressing plate 106b.
Is pressed against the close contact image sensor 107 to read the image information of the original S. Next, the original S
The document is discharged to the document discharge tray 108 by the discharge roller 105g with which 5h is pressed. During this time, the original S is guided by the upper original guide 116 and the lower original guide 117.

The document table 102 is provided with a slider 102a slidable in a direction perpendicular to the direction of transport of the document S (the width direction of the document S), and the document stacked on the document table 102 by the slider 102a. Both sides of S can be aligned. The original S
If the document is a long document, opening the auxiliary tray 102b can prevent the trailing end of the document S from protruding from the document table 102 and hanging down.

The recording apparatus main body 104 is provided with a laser scanner 109 based on an image signal output from the control section 121.
Emits a modulated beam from a laser beam oscillator 109a, and rotates the modulated beam by a polygon mirror 109b.
, And is reflected by the return mirror 109c to irradiate the photosensitive drum 110a of the image forming unit 110 with scanning light to form image information on the surface of the photosensitive drum 110a.
Front cassette section 111 or second-stage cassette section 12
After transferring and fixing the image information to the recording sheet P fed from the MP cassette unit 113 or the MP cassette unit 113 to the image forming unit 110, the sheet is discharged to the recording sheet stacking tray 112.

The photosensitive drum 110a is a primary charger 110
b, developing sleeve 110c and cleaning blade 11
It is incorporated integrally with the recording cartridge 101e together with 0d, and is configured to be detachable from the apparatus main body 101. The surface of the photosensitive drum 110a is uniformly charged by the primary charger 110b, and when the surface is irradiated with scanning light, a latent image is formed and the latent image is formed on the developing sleeve 110c.
Is visualized by toner supplied from the printer.

Photosensitive drum 110a of image forming section 110
A transfer charger 110f is disposed in a peripheral portion, and a thermal fixing device 110g and a discharge roller 110h are disposed on a recording paper transport path downstream of the photosensitive drum 110a.

After the toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 110a is transferred to the recording paper P by the transfer charger 110f, the recording paper P is transported along the transport guide 123, and
The toner image is fixed at 0 g, and is discharged to a recording paper discharge tray 112 by a discharge roller 110h.

The MP cassette unit 113 is provided in the main body 10 of the recording apparatus.
4 below. The recording paper P loaded on the MP cassette 113a is pressed and fed to the MP separation roller 130a by the upward rotation of the MP middle plate 113c by the pressing member 113b, and is fed to the MP separation roller 1
The sheet is separated one by one by a MP separation pad 130b pressed into contact with 30a (friction piece separation method).
30c, and further transport rollers 128a
Is inverted by the cover-side U-turn guide 128b disposed on the light cover 128 and the main-unit-side U-turn guide 128c disposed on the apparatus main body 101 side.

Further, the recording paper P being fed is the top sensor 1
The tip position is detected by 28d, and the photosensitive drum 110 is detected.
After the sheet is fed and the image output timing is adjusted so that the leading end of the toner image formed on the recording paper P coincides with the leading end of the recording paper P,
It is conveyed between the transfer charger 110f and the photosensitive drum 110a. The image is recorded on the lower surface side of the recording paper P stacked on the MP cassette 113a.

The side edge and the rear edge of the recording paper P are regulated by an MP regulating plate 113d movably mounted in accordance with the size of the recording paper. The size and presence or absence of the recording paper P are detected by the MP cassette sensor 129.
The number of sheets that can be loaded on the recording paper is about 100 sheets.
It is configured to be pulled out toward the left side toward the side 1 (side loading method). The stackable recording paper sizes are A4, letter, and legal. In FIG. 11, the MP regulating plate 113d is set to letter size.

The front cassette 111 is provided on the bottom of the main body 104 of the recording apparatus.
The top plate 111d is a bottom plate of the recording apparatus main body 104. 111f
Denotes a bottom plate of the front cassette unit 111.

The recording sheet P loaded on the middle plate 119b rotatably disposed on the front cassette holder 119a is urged upward by the middle plate spring 119c.
A pair of semicircular paper feed rollers 118a and a pair of separation claws 1
The sheet is separated one by one by a feed roller 118b that rotates in the normal direction and a retard roller 118d that is driven to rotate in the reverse direction via a torque limiter 118c (not shown). The separated recording paper P is transported by the cassette transport roller pair 118e, passes between the MP separation base 130c and the paper passing guide 128e, and is transported by the transport roller 128a and the cover-side U-turn guide disposed on the light cover 128. 128b and the main body side U-turn guide 128c arranged on the apparatus main body 101 side. From here on, it is the same as the sheet feeding from the MP cassette unit 113 described above. The paper paths merge immediately before the transport roller 128a. The image is recorded on the lower surface side of the recording paper P stacked on the front cassette holder 119a.

The retard roller 118d is provided on a return roller holder 118f which is pivotally supported so as to be pivotable, and is urged by the feed roller 118b by a cassette separating lever 119g provided on the front cassette orchestra 119a. .

The side edge and the rear edge of the recording paper P are regulated by a side regulating plate 119e and a trailing edge regulating plate 119f. A side end surface of the recording paper P is a side regulating plate 11 (not shown).
Spring-biased side pressure plate 119h disposed on the opposite side of 9e
As a result, it is urged in the direction of the side regulating plate 119e. Also,
The size of the recording paper P is a front cassette holder 1 not shown.
The size detection frame 119i disposed on the front cassette 19a is detected by a front cassette size sensor 111a (not shown). The presence or absence of the recording paper P is detected by directly detecting the recording paper P by the front cassette paper presence sensor 111b. Further, a separation sheet 119j is attached to a position corresponding to the sheet feeding roller 118a of the middle plate 119b in order to prevent the last sheet of the recording sheet P from being double fed. 119k is a cassette cover which forms the external part of the front cassette 119.

In each of the cassette units 111 and 127, about 500 sheets of recording paper can be loaded.
It is configured to be pulled out toward the front with respect to 01 (front loading method). The stackable recording paper sizes are A4 and letter, and can be switched by changing the mounting position of the side regulating plate 119e and the rear end regulating plate 119f. In FIG. 11, the letter size is set.

Although the second-stage cassette paper feeding section 127 is omitted in FIG. 11, the configuration is substantially the same as that of the front cassette section 111 shown in FIG. Paper is fed to the printing apparatus main body 104 through the side space 111c of the unit 111.

The second-stage cassette sheet feeding section 127 can be separated and combined as an option, and the number of sheets of recording paper that can be stacked in the entire apparatus can be changed to about 600 sheets and about 1100 sheets.

The apparatus body 101 has a cartridge cover 1
The recording cartridge 110e is opened and closed so that the recording cartridge 110e can be pulled out of the apparatus main body 101 and replaced when the cartridge cover 114 is opened. Further, the cartridge cover 114 is provided with an interlock mechanism, and whether the cartridge cover 114 is open or the recording cartridge 110e is
When it is not set to 01, the recording apparatus main body 104 does not operate. The drum shutter 110i provided on the recording cartridge 110e is adapted to be linked with the setting of the recording cartridge 110e on the apparatus main body 1, and the shutter is opened when the cartridge cover 114 is opened and the recording cartridge 110e is set on the apparatus main body 101. 110i is opened and the recording cartridge 11 is opened.
When shutter 0e is taken out of apparatus main body 101, shutter 1
By closing 10i, unnecessary exposure and contamination of the photosensitive drum 10a are prevented.

If a jam occurs during recording, the recording paper P staying inside can be taken out by opening any of the cartridge cover 114, the light cover 128, the paper discharge cover 110j, and the jam release cover 111e. I can do it.

Further, it is necessary to open the discharge cover 110j after removing the recording paper discharge tray 112.

The partitioning section 120 is a duct for separating the image reading section 103 and the recording apparatus main body 104, and a fan disposed on the back side of the recording apparatus main body 104 (not shown) in this portion and the heat fixing unit 110g. By flowing an appropriate amount of air, the image reading unit 103 is prevented from being adversely affected by heat generated from the recording apparatus main body 104, and water vapor evaporated from the recording paper P is prevented from condensing and dropping on the recording paper P. .

The contact type image sensor 107 irradiates the image information surface of the document S with light from an LED array as a light source,
The image information is read by forming an image of the reflected light reflected from the image information surface on a sensor element by a SELFOC lens (trademark).

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a control system 300 of a facsimile apparatus using an LBP embodying the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 301 denotes a CPU for controlling the entire facsimile apparatus; an MPU 311; a ROM 312 for storing a control program of the MPU 311; a RAM 313 used as a work area for various data processing and a temporary storage for image information; , An image processing unit 314 that performs resolution conversion and the like.

The CPU 301 is provided with a calendar, a clock function, and the like having a known configuration, and an area for storing important system setting information such as one-touch key destination information and software switch information in the RAM 313 is provided by a battery backup for power failure or the like. Protected from accidental disability. This protected RAM area is EEPROM
(Including a flash memory).

The control system of the facsimile apparatus is the CPU described above.
The configuration is such that 301 and the following elements 302 to 310 are connected through an interface.

The operation unit 302 includes various key switches such as a numeric keypad 315, a function key 316, a one-touch key 317, a start key 318a, and a stop key 318b. The display unit 303 includes an LCD 319 for displaying various messages and various LEs for displaying a transmission mode and the like.
D320a, a tally lamp 320b for notifying a distant operator of a communication state and occurrence of a failure, and the like.

The reading unit 304 includes a driving unit 3 such as a reading motor.
21, a reading sensor 322 for reading an image, an image processing unit 323 for shading and binarizing the read image,
It is composed of various sensors 324 and the like for detecting a document.

The recording unit 305 is a driving unit 32 such as a recording motor.
5, a recording unit 326 for controlling a laser scanner and an electrophotographic process, an image processing unit 327 for smoothing an image to be recorded, and various sensors 328 for detecting recording paper and the like.

The communication control unit 306 which performs outgoing calls, incoming calls, encoding of image data, and the like has a connection unit 329 composed of MODEM, NCU, etc., and a communication network 307 and a handset 308 are connected to the connection unit 329. The CPU external interface 309 is an interface for directly transmitting and receiving data from the CPU 301, and includes, for example, RS232C, SCS
The apparatus is used as a scanner printer of the external computer by connecting to a computer external to the apparatus through a line such as I or LAN. The HDD 310 is used as a large-capacity nonvolatile memory for storing image information and the like.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the basic operation of the LBP.
4 will be described. In FIG. 14, reference numeral 400 denotes a semiconductor laser that blinks a laser beam for image data to be recorded;
401 is a polygon motor, 402 is a polygon motor 40
1, a polygon mirror rotating by 1; 403, an optical system for performing image formation, tilt correction, etc .; 404, a photodetector;
5 is a folding mirror, 406 is a photosensitive drum, 407 is a developing device, 408 is a recording paper, 409 is a conveyance guide, and 410 is a fixing device.

In the above configuration, first, the semiconductor laser 4
The laser light emitted from 00 is reflected by the polygon mirror 402 and deflected, and is irradiated on the photosensitive drum 406 via the optical system 403 and the return mirror 405 (main scanning). At this time, the head is caught by the photodetector 404 and the irradiation position is determined. While this main scanning is completed for one line, the photosensitive drum 406 rotates one line (sub-scan). The image formed on the photosensitive drum 406 as described above is developed by the developing device 407 and the recording paper P
(408). The sheet is further conveyed along a conveyance guide 409, is fixed by a fixing device 410, and is discharged.

The photosensitive drum 406 and the developing device 40
7. The components of the sub-scanning system such as the fixing device 410 are synchronously driven by a recording motor (not shown), a gear, a belt, and the like.

Next, the details of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a cassette cover according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a detailed structure of a cassette cover used in the present invention, and FIG. 4 and 5
FIG. 2 is a perspective view from above and for explaining a detailed structure near a cassette cover of a front cassette holder 119a according to the present invention.

1 to 5, reference numeral 1 denotes a cassette cover;
Is a size display board, 3 is a size display section of the size display board 2,
4 is a remaining amount display window of the size display plate 2, 5 is a remaining amount display stand, 6
Is a remaining amount display lever, 7 is a remaining amount display plate, 8 is a cassette ore body of the front cassette ore 119a, 9 is a middle plate 119
b.

First, the structure of the cassette cover 1 will be described. A size display plate 2 made of a transparent resin material is attached to the outer surface of the cassette cover 1. On the back side of the size display plate 2, a size display portion 3 and a remaining amount display window 4 are printed. The remaining amount display window 4 is printed in the center at the center, and the inside is visible.

Next, the remaining amount display will be described. On the back side of the cassette cover 1, a remaining amount display stand 5, a remaining amount display lever 6, and a remaining amount display plate 7 are incorporated. The remaining amount indicating lever 6 is rotatable with the shaft portions 6a and 6b pivotally supported by the bearing portions 1a and 5a. The remaining amount display plate 7 has guide ribs 1a, 1
b and the background portion 5b of the remaining amount display table 5, and can move up and down. Level indicator 6 and level indicator 7
Are engaged by the engaging portions 6c and 7a, and the remaining amount display plate 7 moves up and down by the rotation of the remaining amount display lever 6. Further, the remaining amount display plate 7 is lowered by its own weight. When incorporated in the cassette orchestration body 8, the remaining amount display portion enters the space 8b below the top surface 8a of the cassette orchment. There is a window 8c at the back of the space 8b, from which the middle plate 119b can be accessed. When the remaining amount detecting portion 6d of the remaining amount indicating lever 6 abuts on the lower surface of the remaining amount detecting portion 9 of the middle plate 119b and the angle of the middle plate 119b changes due to the change of the loaded amount of the recording paper P, the angle of the remaining amount displaying lever 6 changes. Changes accordingly, the remaining amount display plate 7 moves up and down in accordance with the stacked amount of the recording paper P.
(FIG. 5 shows a state in which the stacking amount of the recording paper P is small.) Next, attachment of the cassette cover 1 to the cassette back body 8 will be described. The cassette cover 1 has engaging portions 1c, 1d, 1f, and 1i.
There are correspondingly engaging portions 8d, 8e, 8g, 8i. The engagement portion 1f has an engagement hole 1g and a spare screw hole 1h. An engagement restricting portion 8f is provided on the cassette orchester main body 8 side.
There is an engagement boss 8g and a spare screw hole 8h.

As a procedure for assembling, first, the cassette cover 1 is inserted into the cassette orchestration body 8 from the front, then moved downward, and further moved rightward. In this manner, when the cassette cover 1 is inserted into the cassette back body 8 from the front, the engaging portion 1f enters the engaging regulating portion 8f. Next, when the cassette cover 1 moves downward, the engaging portion 1d and the engaging portion 8e, and the engaging hole 1g and the engaging boss 8g mesh with each other, so that the front and rear movement of the cassette cover 1 is regulated. When further moving to the right, the engagement restricting portion 8f
Regulates the vertical movement of the engaging portion 1f, and the vertical and longitudinal movement of the engaging portion 1c and the engaging portion 8d and the engaging portion 1i and the engaging portion 8i. The engagement of the snap-fit portions 1j and 8j in such a manner that the vertical and vertical movements are restricted prevents the cassette cover 1 from returning to the left. An example of this engagement will be described with reference to the bottom view of the cassette cover in FIG. 15 and the bottom view of the cassette orifice in FIG. 16. The snap-fit portion 1j having the claw 1k is provided on the cassette cover. Is provided with an elastic snap-fit portion 8j having a claw 8k. When the cassette cover is initially in contact with the cassette orch, the claw 1k on the cassette cover 1 is located to the left of the claw 8k on the cassette ore shown by a virtual line in FIG. Then, as described above, when the cassette cover is moved downward and then to the right (the cover also moves to the right in FIG. 15), the snap fit portion 8j is engaged by the engagement of the taper of the claw 1k and the taper of the claw 8k. Is bent, then the nail 1k becomes the nail 8k
And 8j returns to the original state, as shown in FIG. In this state, the vertical surfaces of the claws are engaged with each other, the movement of the cassette cover to the left is restricted, and the cassette cover is fixed to the cassette orchestra. At this time, the projection of the engaging portion 1d and the hole of the engaging portion 8e are engaged. In FIGS. 15 and 16, two engaging portions 1d and 8e are shown, but two similar engaging portions are provided in the left half as well as in the drawing showing the right half.

The rightward movement is restricted by the engagement of the snap-fit part at the position where the engagement part 1c is restricted from moving rightward by the engagement part 8d. With the above-described configuration, a relatively large load is applied to the cassette cover 1 by operating the cassette cover 1 so that a relatively small load is hardly applied when the cassette cover 1 is operated by snap-fitting. It can be performed at low cost without stopping. Even if the engaging boss 8g is broken due to an excessive impact due to dropping or the like, the engaging boss 8g can be fixed with the self-tapping screw using the spare screw holes 1h and 8h.

With this configuration, the cassette cover 1 can be separated from the sheet stacking function of the cassette orchestration body 8.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. The description of the parts common to the first embodiment is omitted. FIG. 11 is an explanatory view of a cassette cover according to the present invention in the second embodiment.

In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a cassette cover;
Is a size display plate, 13 is a size display portion of the size display plate 12, 14 is a remaining amount display window of the size display plate 2, 15 is a remaining amount display stand, and 16 is a remaining amount display lever.

As in the first embodiment, the cassette cover 11
Size display board 1 made of transparent resin material
2 are installed. On the back side of the size display plate 12, a size display section 13 and a remaining amount display window 14 are printed.
The remaining amount display window 14 is printed in the center at the center, and the inside is visible. The cassette orchestra main body 8 is the same as that of the first embodiment.

Next, the remaining amount display will be described. On the back side of the cassette cover 11, a remaining amount display stand 15 and a remaining amount display lever 16 are incorporated. The remaining amount indicating lever 16 is rotatably supported by shaft portions 16a and 16b supported by a bearing portion 15a provided on the back side of the cassette cover 11 (not shown). The remaining amount display needle portion 16c is arranged between the back side of the cassette cover 11 and the background portion 5b of the remaining amount display stand 5, and the remaining amount display needle portion 16c is moved by the rotation of the remaining amount display lever 16. I do. The remaining amount detecting portion 9 of the middle plate 119b is incorporated so that the remaining amount detecting portion 16d of the remaining amount display lever 16 is sandwiched between the remaining amount detecting lever 16 and the remaining amount detecting lever 16 when the angle of the middle plate 119b changes due to a change in the loaded amount of the recording paper P. Changes accordingly, the remaining amount display needle 16c moves in accordance with the amount of recording paper P loaded.

Next, the attachment of the cassette cover 11 to the cassette back body 8 will be described. Cassette cover 1
The first engaging portions 11c, 11d, 11f, 11i have exactly the same position and shape as the engaging portions 1c, 1d, 1f, 1i. For this reason, the engaging portions 8d, 8e, 8g, 8i of the cassette orchestra main body 8 are engaged without any problem.
An engaging hole 11g of the engaging portion 11f and a spare screwing hole 11h
The same applies to. The snap-fit portion 11j operates in the same manner as the snap-fit portion 1j.

In the above embodiment, the description has been given of the case where the remaining amount detecting portion of the middle plate is one. However, a plurality of detecting portions may be provided in advance as needed.

Further, even if a cassette cover having no remaining amount display section is set among various kinds of cassette covers, the gist of the present invention is not spoiled.

Although the description has been made of the front-loading type cassette in which the recording paper is transported in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the cassette is pulled out, the invention can be applied to a cassette in which the recording paper is transported in parallel with the cassette pulling-out direction. .

The remaining amount display lever has been described as having a rotation axis parallel to the rotation axis of the middle plate. However, the remaining amount display lever has a rotation axis orthogonal to the rotation axis of the middle plate. Department.

In the above embodiment, the image recording apparatus is described as a laser beam type electrophotographic system, but the present invention can be applied to other electrophotographic systems such as an LED array system and an ink jet system.

Further, the number of paper feeding units and the type and size of the recording paper P to be used are not limited to the contents described in the present embodiment, and can be changed without departing from the configuration of the present invention.

[0065]

As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a stacking apparatus main body having a sheet stacking table, and a sheet remaining amount display section for displaying the amount of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking table. In the sheet stacking device having the stacking device exterior portion, the stacking device exterior portion is detachably attached to the stacking device main body portion, and when the stacking device exterior portion is removed from the stacking device main body portion, the sheet remaining amount display portion is disassembled. The main components of the sheet stacking device, which have a relatively small initial investment for the design change and are greatly affected by the sheet feeding performance, are configured as new components because they are configured so that they can be detached integrally with the outer portion of the stacking device without any trouble. Because there is no design, it does not take much time to evaluate and adjust to obtain the same performance as before the design change, and the sheet loading device that is difficult to reduce the design flexibility and this sheet loading device Employing image recording apparatus, it has become possible to provide a facsimile apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of a loading device exterior unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of one embodiment of a loading device exterior part according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of one embodiment of a loading device exterior part according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cutaway top view of a main part of an embodiment of a loading device exterior part according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a top view of one embodiment of a loading device main body according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cutaway top view of a main part of one embodiment of the loading device main body according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway rear view of the exterior of the loading device according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a front view of a second embodiment of a loading device exterior part according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a top view of a second embodiment of the loading device exterior part according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a rear view of a second embodiment of the loading device exterior unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a facsimile apparatus using an image recording apparatus embodying the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an external perspective view of a facsimile apparatus using the image recording apparatus embodying the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a control system of a facsimile apparatus using an LBP embodying the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a conceptual diagram of a basic operation of the LBP.

FIG. 15 is a bottom view of one embodiment of the cassette cover according to the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the cassette orchestra according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Cassette cover 2 ... Size display board 3 ... Size display part size display part 4 ... Size display board remaining amount display window 5 ... Remaining amount display stand 6 ... Remaining amount display lever 7 ... Remaining amount display plate 8 ... Front cassette Cassette orchestration main body of orches 9 ... Medium plate remaining amount detection unit 11 ... Cassette cover 12 ... Size display plate 13 ... Size display plate size display unit 14 ... Size display plate remaining amount display window 15 ... Remaining amount display stand 16 ... Remaining amount display lever 101: apparatus main body 102: original mounting table 103: image reading unit 104: recording apparatus main body 105: original conveying unit 106: original pressing unit 107: contact image sensor 108: original discharge tray 109: laser scanner 110 ... Image forming section 111. Front cassette section 112. Recording paper discharge tray 113. MP (multi-paper) cassette section 114. Bar 115: ADF (Auto Document Feeder) Cover 116: Upper Document Guide 117: Lower Document Guide 118: Cassette Feeding Unit 119: Front Cassette 120: Partitioning Unit between Image Scanning Unit and Recording Unit 121: Control Unit of Facsimile Machine 122 ... Handset 123 ... Transport Guide 124 ... Operation Unit 125 ... Display Unit 126 ... Tally Lamp 127 ... Second Stage Cassette Unit 128 ... Light Cover 129 ... MP Cassette Sensor Unit 130 ... MP Separation Unit 300 ... Facsimile Machine Using LBP Control system 301 CPU for controlling the entire facsimile apparatus 302 Operating unit 303 Display unit 304 Reading unit 305 Recording unit 306 Communication control unit 307 for performing outgoing calls, incoming calls, encoding of image data, etc. Communication network 307 308: Handset 309: CPU external Interface 310 HDD 311 MPU 312 ROM 313 RAM 314 Image processing unit for performing image scaling, resolution conversion, etc. 315 Numeric keys 316 Function keys 317 One-touch keys 318a Start key 318b Stop key 319 LCD 320a: Various LEDs for displaying a transmission mode, etc. 320b: Tally lamp 321: Driving unit such as a reading motor 322: Reading sensor for reading an image 323: Image processing unit for shading and binarizing the read image 324 ... Various sensors for detecting a document, etc. 325: a drive unit for a recording motor, etc. 326: a recording unit 327: an image processing unit for smoothing an image to be recorded 328: various sensors for detecting a recording paper, etc. 329: from a MODEM, NCU, etc. Connecting part 400 ... semiconductive Laser 401 ... polygon motor 402 ... polygon mirror 403 ... optical system 404 ... photodetector 405 ... folding mirror 406 ... photosensitive drum 407 ... developing device 408 ... recording paper 409 ... conveyance guide 410 ... fuser

Claims (7)

[Claims] A loading device body having a sheet loading table;
A sheet stacking apparatus having a sheet remaining amount display section for displaying a stacking amount of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking table; and a stacking apparatus exterior section, wherein the stacking apparatus exterior section is detachably attached to the stacking apparatus body. A sheet stacking device, wherein when the stacking device exterior portion is removed from the stacking device main body portion, the remaining sheet amount display portion is detached integrally with the stacking device exterior portion without being disassembled. 2. The sheet remaining amount display unit includes a display window provided on an outer portion of the stacking device, a display member indicating the sheet remaining amount from the display window, and a remaining amount for detecting the sheet remaining amount and driving the display member. 2. The sheet stacking apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detection unit, wherein the remaining amount detection unit engages with the sheet stacking table when the stacking unit exterior unit is attached to the stacking unit body. 3. 3. The sheet stacking apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display member comprises a display plate or a display needle for displaying a remaining amount of the sheet from a display window. 4. The loading device according to claim 1, wherein the loading device main body and the loading device exterior portion are provided with a snap fit that engages with each other and fixes them. Sheet loading device. 5. When the loading device exterior portion is moved downward with the front wall of the loading device main body portion and the back surface of the loading device exterior portion in contact with each other, they are engaged with each other and move back and forth. Engaging means for regulating the vertical movement of the stacking device when moving the loading device exterior part in one of the left and right directions, and engaging means for regulating the vertical movement of the two. 5. The sheet stacking apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising means and a snap fit for restricting movement in the other direction. 6. A sheet stacking device according to claim 1, a sheet feeding unit for feeding a sheet from the sheet stacking device, and a sheet fed from the sheet feeding unit for adding image information to the sheet. Means for forming and recording an image in response thereto. 7. A facsimile apparatus comprising: the image recording apparatus according to claim 6; and an image signal input unit for inputting an image received from a communication circuit to the image recording apparatus.