JPH10305956A - Paper storage device for image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a paper storage device for an image forming device, surely capable of storing a sheet of paper irrespective of length, according to the paper version. SOLUTION: This is a paper storage device for an image forming device to store such a sheet of paper 16A as an image forming document and recording paper, and it is equipped with a discharge roller 130 to discharge the paper, a first stock means 110 to stock the paper as rounding it into a cylindrical form, a second stock means 12 to stock the paper in a state of being discharged, and a paper path guide means 140 being installed in the vicinity of the discharge roller 130, and to select a guide path of the paper discharged out of the discharge roller 130 to the side of the first stock means 110 and to the side of the second stock means 120, respectively. With this constitution, the paper is surely storable in accord with the paper version, irrespective of length.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper storage device provided in an image forming apparatus such as a wide-width copying machine or a printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An image forming apparatus of this type sometimes handles a long sheet such as a long document or a long recording sheet due to its characteristics. Is 5
Some can reach from 10 m to 10 m.

A paper storage device of this kind is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 60-2
No. 04569, JP-A-60-2565, and JP-A-1-78647. In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Sho 60-204569, a storage tray is provided detachably with respect to a paper discharge port, and the storage tray has a deep bottom. Also, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5 (1999) -197, sheets ejected from a recording device such as a copying machine are inverted and stacked, so that the sheets can be stably stacked regardless of the size of sheets in the stack, but a large installation space is required. . Further, in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 1-78647, the paper discharge tray is constituted by a plurality of trays, and the paper discharge tray can be extended and contracted by using a slide mechanism.

[0004]

However, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
The paper storage devices described in JP-A-204569 and JP-A-60-2565 require a deep storage tray, and the paper storage device described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-78647 discharges long paper. In any case, the long sheet is not stored in a clean state, but is stored in a state of being bent many times in a waveform because the sheet is received in a planar manner along the direction. Therefore, in the conventional paper storage device, after the long paper is stored, if the user tries to take out the long paper bent many times in the waveform, the paper may be wrinkled or broken. . Then, in order to make it easy for the user to carry the stored long paper, it is necessary to perform a cumbersome operation of manually winding the paper into a roll.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to reliably store long or normal length paper in accordance with the length of the paper. It is an object of the present invention to provide a paper storage device for an image forming apparatus that can perform the above-described operations.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a sheet is discharged in a sheet storage device for an image forming apparatus for storing a sheet such as a document for forming an image or a recording sheet. A discharge roller, first stock means for stocking the paper while curling it into a cylindrical shape, second stock means for stocking the paper in a discharged state, and a paper length provided near the discharge roller. According to the present invention, there is provided a paper path guide means for switching the guide path of the paper discharged from the discharge roller between the first stock means side and the second stock means side.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the paper path guide means switches the paper guide path according to the length of the paper discharged from the discharge roller, thereby providing the first paper path.
Since either the stock means or the second stock means can be selected, it is possible to reliably store the long paper in a state wound around the first stock means and in a state in which the normal length paper is discharged. Therefore, there is no need for a troublesome operation of manually winding a long sheet of paper into a roll.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the first stock means has a plurality of arc-shaped divided guide members divided in a circumferential direction, and a plurality of divided guides. The position of at least one split guide member of the members is adapted to expand radially outward. According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the position of at least one of the plurality of divided guide members extends radially outward, a long sheet is formed along the inside of the plurality of divided guide members. Can be stored smoothly by rolling it into a cylindrical shape.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the invention, at least one of the plurality of divided guide members of the first stock means is radially separated from another divided guide member. Characterized in that it can be opened to the outside. According to the third aspect of the present invention, since at least one divided guide member can be opened radially outward from the other divided guide members, the divided guide members are rolled into a cylindrical shape along the inside of the plurality of divided guide members and stored. Long paper can be easily taken out.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the first stock means has a plurality of arc-shaped divided guide members divided in a circumferential direction. Has elastic members, and each elastic member is pushed toward the inner surface side of the divided guide member as the paper is stocked while being rounded into a cylindrical shape. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since each elastic member is pushed toward the inner surface side of the divided guide member as the paper is rolled into a cylindrical shape and stocked, the paper is securely rolled by the force of the elastic member. Can be stocked.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the first stock means has a plurality of arc-shaped divided guide members divided in a circumferential direction, and forms the sheet into a cylindrical shape. And a transport means for hitting the sheet outside when stocking while rolling. According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, when the paper is stored while being rolled into a cylindrical shape, the conveying means hits the outside of the paper, so that the long paper can be stably rolled and stored.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. A paper storage device for an image forming apparatus of the present invention is provided in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, and is configured to be a long sheet such as a document for forming an image or a recording sheet, or a medium of a normal length. Store paper. As shown in FIG. 1, the paper storage and feeding device includes a discharge roller 130 and a first
The image forming apparatus 1 includes a stock unit 110, a second stock unit 120, and a paper path guide unit 140. The stock unit 110 is disposed on the side of the image forming apparatus 1 on which the normal length paper 16A and the long paper 16 are discharged. ing.

The discharge roller 130 discharges the normal length paper 16A or the long paper 16 guided on the guide plate 5 in the direction E to the paper path guide means 140 by frictional force. It has discharge rollers 3 and 4. The discharge rollers 3 and 4 are driven by a motor (not shown), so that the paper 16A of a normal length or the long paper 16 is sandwiched between the discharge rollers 3 and 4 and the paper path guide means 14 is provided.
Sent to 0.

The second stock means 120 is for stacking and stacking the normal length paper 16A in the discharged state as it is (straight state). Are located in The second stock unit 120 is a receiving table 2 for receiving the sheet 16A.
0 and a stopper 21 for the ordinary paper 16A along the discharge direction of the ordinary paper 16A, and is a portion for stocking the ordinary length paper 16A as shown in FIG. The stopper 21 is provided for the paper 16 which is slightly longer than the normal paper 16A.
When stocking A, it can be handled by sliding to the left (in the paper discharging direction) in FIG.

However, if it is assumed that the long paper 16 is fed into the second stock means 120 as shown in FIG. 2, the long paper 16 is not stored in a clean state, but is often stored in a waveform. In the embodiment of the present invention, the long paper 16 is not fed into the second stock means 120, as will be described later. Therefore, the second stocking means 120 is used for stacking ordinary paper 16A.

As shown in FIG. 1, the first stock means 110 is for stocking the long paper 16 while curling it into a cylindrical shape. The first stock means 110 is located behind the image forming apparatus 1 and has a second stock means 120. Is located at the top.

The paper path guide means 140 is provided near and immediately behind the discharge roller 130,
The guide path of the paper 16A or 16 discharged from the discharge roller 130 in accordance with the long paper 16 and the position A1 on the first stock unit 110 side shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG.
Alternatively, the position is switched to the position P2 on the side of the second stock means 120 shown by the solid line in FIG.

FIG. 1 shows the paper path guide means 140.
This will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. The paper path guide means 140 has guide plates 6 and 7,
Are parallel and are integrated with a gap 7A. The gap 7A passes through the long paper 16 or the normal length paper 16A. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, these guide plates 6 and 7 are connected to the first stock unit 1 around the shaft 8 provided with the side plate 17 of the first stock unit 110.
In order to switch between the position P1 on the 10 side and the position P2 on the second stock means 120 side indicated by the solid line in FIG. In FIG. 3, the position P1 of the guide plates 6, 7 is indicated by a solid line, but in FIG. 4, it is indicated by a two-dot chain line.

The shaft 8 is rotatably supported by being fitted into a hole of the side plate 17 and protrudes from the side plate 17. One end of an outer lever 23 is fixed to the shaft 8. A recess 23A is provided at the tip of the outer lever 23. One end of the spring 25 is hooked on the pin 24, and the other end of the spring 25 is hooked on the recess 23A. A link 26 is engaged with a pin in the middle of the outer lever 23, and a solenoid 2 is attached to the other end of the link 26.
7 is hanging.

When the solenoid 27 is actuated, the guide plates 6 and 7 are moved around the shaft 8 provided with the side plate 17 of the first stock means 110 as shown in FIGS. 2 and a position P2 on the second stock means 120 side indicated by a solid line in FIG.
You can rock to switch to.

When the guide plates 6 and 7 are located at the position P1, the leading end 6A of the guide plate 6 is substantially between the guide plate 5 and the partition plate 2 and near the discharge rollers 3 and 4. positioned. Also, guide plates 6 and 7 are moved to position P2.
When positioning the pin 2, as shown in FIG.
Apply to 2.

Next, the structure of the first stock means 110 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. The first stock means 110 removes the long paper 16 passing through the gap 7A between the guide plates 6 and 7 as shown in FIGS.
It is designed to guide while rolling into a cylindrical shape. The long paper 16 makes a round while traveling along the inside of a plurality of guide means, for example, three arc-shaped divided guide members 9, 10, and 13, and the long paper 16 pushed out by the discharge roller 130 is further moved. While traveling along the inside of the guide means 9, 10, and 13, the sheet is rotated a required number of times until the rear end of the long sheet 16 passes through the discharge roller 130. As a result, the long paper 16 is neatly wound into a cylindrical shape by the first stock means 110.

In order to wind the long sheet 16 neatly into a cylindrical shape as described above, three divided guide members 9, 10, and
Reference numerals 13 are each formed in an arc shape with the center point 17A of the side plate 17 as a center. The side plate 17 is fixed to the main body of the image forming apparatus 1 using screws 18 and a plate 19. Assuming that the thickness A of the long paper 16 is, for example, one hundred and several tens of μm and the diameter of the cylindrical paper 16 is about 60 mm, if the length of the paper 16 is 5 m, several m
m, and if the diameter of the three divided guide members 9,
If the sheets 10 and 13 are simply fixed to the side plate 17, the paper 16 stocked in a cylindrical shape expands and a resistance is generated against the inner surfaces of the divided guide members 9, 10, and 13 during rotation, and the paper 16 is properly formed. It does not roll when it turns. In this case, the paper 16 is not jammed properly, and the paper 16 buckles in the middle.

To avoid this point, the division guide members 9, 1
As shown in FIG. 3, the guide means 9 is supported so as to be swingable about the viewpoint 11, and the divided guide member 9 abuts against the stopper 40 by its own weight, so that 0 and 13 are spread outward in the radial direction. ing. Similarly, the divided guide member 10 abuts against the stopper 41 by its own weight, and the divided guide member 13 abuts against the stopper 40 by the force of the spring 15.

As described above, the split guide member 13 is connected to the spring 1
The reason why the divided guide member 13 is abutted against the stopper 40 by the force of 5 is to prevent the divided guide member 13 from freely expanding outward due to its own weight. Division guide members 9 and 10
Has a hinge structure, and can be opened, for example, by 180 ° from the state of FIG. 3 around the hinge portion 12 as shown in FIG. Thus, the user can take out the cylindrical paper 16 from the inside of the divided guide members 9, 10, 13.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.
First, when the normal length paper 16A is guided on the guide plate 5 in the direction E as shown in FIG. 1, the solenoid 27 shown in FIG. When the guide plates 6 and 7 rotate to the state shown by the solid line, they are positioned from the position P1 to the position P2. As a result, the guide plate 6 is lifted, so that the normal-length paper 16A discharged by the discharge rollers 3 and 4 of the discharge roller 130 passes through the gap 7A and is sequentially placed on the receiving table 2 of the second stock means 120. Be stocked.

Next, when the long sheet 16 is guided on the guide plate 5 in the direction E as shown in FIG.
When the outer lever 23 rotates from the solid line to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line, the guide plates 6 and 7 are positioned from the position P2 to the position P1. As a result, the guide plate 6 is lowered, so that the long paper 16 discharged by the discharge rollers 3 and 4 of the discharge roller 130 is discharged.
Travels along the inside of the three divided guide members 9, 10, 13 of the first stock means 110 through the gap 7 </ b> A, and the long sheet 16 extruded by the discharge roller 130 is further guided by the guide means 9. , 10 and 13, the rear end of the long sheet 16 is ejected by the discharge roller 1.
I go around for weeks until I get through 30. At this time, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 5, as the long paper 16 is rolled into a cylindrical shape, the three divided guide members 9, 10, and 13 are spread outward in the radial direction. The paper 16 and the inner surfaces of the divided guide members 9, 10, 13 are hardly resistant to each other, so that the long paper 16 is neatly wound into a cylindrical shape.

Since the long paper 16 is wound into a cylindrical shape by the first stock means 110 as described above, if the long paper 16 is temporarily stored in an accordion shape by the first stock means 110 as shown in FIG. Compared to
There are the following merits. That is, when the user tries to take out the long paper 16 stocked in the accordion shape, the paper 16 is wrinkled or broken. In addition, in order to make the long paper 16 easy, the user needs to perform a troublesome operation such as rolling by hand into a tubular shape. Further, even if the stopper 21 can be slid, for example, the long paper 16 cannot be stored, and the space naturally has a limit. Although not shown, the same applies to a type in which long paper 16 is dropped into a storage box.

Returning to FIG. 1, as described above, inside the three guide means 9, 10, and 13 of the first stock means 110, the long paper 16 is used after it has been neatly wound into a cylindrical shape. The user puts the wound long paper 16 into the three divided guide members 9, 10, 13 of the first stock means 110.
In order to take it out from the inside, as shown in FIG.
It is rotated counterclockwise within a range of about 180 °. Accordingly, the user can easily take out the long paper 16 wound in a cylindrical shape from the first stock means 110 as it is.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The difference between the paper storage and feeding device shown in FIG. 6 and the paper storage and feeding device shown in FIG. 1 is as follows. That is, the paper storing and feeding device shown in FIG.
At least one transport roller, for example, two transport rollers 30, 33, is provided to more reliably and stably wind the three divided guide members 9, 10, 13 into a cylindrical shape. The transport rollers 30 and 33 are provided near the end of the divided guide member 9 and the divided guide member 13 respectively.
And hits the outer surface (lower side) of the long paper 16 wound in a cylindrical shape, thereby assisting the rotation of the long paper 16 wound in a cylindrical shape. The transport roller 30 is disposed in the hole 13 </ b> A of the division guide member 13 and can move up and down around the pin 31.

By doing so, the discharge rollers 3, 4
The trailing end of the long paper 16 ejected by the above is in contact with the transport rollers 30 and 33 even after the ejection, and even if the thickness of the long paper 16 increases due to the curl of the long paper 16, the trailing edge of the long paper 16 resists being taken up. Is prevented, a part of the paper 16 is prevented from buckling between the discharge rollers 3 and 4 and the long paper 16 rolled into a cylindrical shape, and the long paper 16 is stably and reliably rolled well. be able to. Note that, in the components of the paper storage and feeding device illustrated in FIG. 6, when the components are the same as those of the paper storage and feeding device illustrated in FIG.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The difference between the paper storing and feeding device shown in FIG. 7 and the paper storing and feeding device shown in FIG. 1 is as follows. That is, the three divided guide members 9, 10, 13 of the first stock means 110 are fixed to the side plate 17, and the inside of the divided guide members 9, 10, 13 and the inner end of the guide plate 6 have elasticity. Seats 35, 36, 37, 38 are attached. These elastic sheets 35, 36, 37, 38
Even if the long paper 16 is rolled up and its thickness is increased, it can be pushed away by the inner surfaces of the divided guide members 9, 10 and 13 and the inner surface of the guide plate 6. Accordingly, even if the three divided guide members 9, 10, 13 are fixed to the side plate 17, even if the long sheet 16 is rounded and its thickness is increased, similarly to the embodiment shown in FIG. The resistance to entanglement is small, and it is possible to prevent a part of the paper 16 from buckling between the discharge rollers 3 and 4 and the long paper 16 curled in a cylindrical shape, and to stably and reliably roll the paper. Note that, in the components of the paper storage and feeding device illustrated in FIG. 7, when the components are the same as those of the paper storage and feeding device illustrated in FIG.

Incidentally, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the claims. For example, in the illustrated one, three guide means 9,
Although 10, 13 are provided, it is also possible to arrange two or four or more divided guide members in a circular shape.

[0034]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the paper path guide means switches the paper guide path according to the length of the paper discharged from the discharge roller, so that the first stock means or the second stock means can be used. Since the stock means can be selected, the long paper can be reliably stored in a state where the long paper is wound around the first stock means and in a state where the normal length paper is discharged. Therefore, there is no need for a troublesome operation of manually winding a long sheet of paper into a roll.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the position of at least one of the plurality of divided guide members is extended outward in the radial direction, so that it is elongated along the inside of the plurality of divided guide members. Can be smoothly rolled into a cylindrical shape and stored.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, at least one
Since the one divided guide member can be opened radially outward from the other divided guide members, it is possible to easily take out a long sheet of paper that is rolled into a cylindrical shape and stored along the inside of the plurality of divided guide members. .

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since each elastic member is pushed toward the inner surface of the divided guide member as the paper is rolled into a cylindrical shape and stocked, the paper is reliably rounded by the force of the elastic member. You can turn while stocking.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, when the paper is rolled into a cylindrical shape and stocked, the conveying means hits the outside of the paper, so that the long paper can be stably rolled and stocked.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a sheet storage device for an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a long sheet is stored on a second stock unit side in the embodiment of the sheet storing apparatus for an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a first stock unit and a paper path guide unit of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing how a paper path guide means changes a path.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which a part of the divided guide member of the first stock means is opened radially outward from the other divided guide members, and a long sheet of paper wound in a cylindrical shape located inside is taken out. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the sheet storage device for the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view showing still another embodiment of the sheet storage device for the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 1 image forming apparatus 16 paper 130 discharge roller 110 first stock means 120 second stock means 140 paper path guide means 9, 10, 13 division guide member 35 to 38 elastic sheet (elastic member) 30, 33 conveyance roller (conveyance means) )

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A paper storage device for an image forming apparatus for storing paper such as a document or recording paper for forming an image, wherein a discharge roller for discharging the paper, and the paper is stocked while being rolled into a cylindrical shape. A first stock means for storing the paper in a discharged state, and a second stock means for storing the paper in a state in which the paper is discharged.
A sheet storage device for an image forming apparatus, comprising: sheet path guide means for switching a guide path of a sheet discharged from a discharge roller between a first stock means side and a second stock means side. The first stock means has a plurality of arc-shaped divided guide members divided in a circumferential direction, and at least one of the plurality of divided guide members is positioned in a radial direction. 2. The sheet storage device for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet storage device is configured to spread outside the sheet. 3. The split guide member according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of split guide members of the first stock means can be opened radially outward from the other split guide members. A paper storage device for an image forming apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims. 4. The first stock means has a plurality of arc-shaped divided guide members divided in a circumferential direction, each divided guide member has an elastic member, and each elastic member converts the paper into a cylindrical shape. 2. The sheet storage device for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet is pushed toward the inner surface of the divided guide member as the stock is performed while being rounded. 5. The first stock means has a plurality of arc-shaped divided guide members divided in the circumferential direction, and is a conveying means for hitting the outside of the sheet when stocking the sheet while rolling the sheet into a cylindrical shape. The sheet storage device for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: