JPH11157666A - Paper feeding cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To miniaturize an image forming device by reducing length of a cassette case in the paper feeding direction on a paper feeding cassette of a universal type. SOLUTION: A standard surface 33 to specify a position of a rear end edge of a sheet of the maximum length is formed on an inner surface of one side of a sheet storing part 29 on a paper feeding cassette 20 furnished with a cassette case 21 on which the sheet storing part 29 is formed, a side fence 23 installed on a specified position in the inside of the cassette case 21 in accordance with width of a sheet and an end fence 24 installed on a specified position in the inside of the cassette case in accordance with length of the sheet. Consequently, when the sheet of the maximum length is sued, it is positioned by the standard surface 33. Consequently, a space to set the end fence 24 in accordance with the sheet of the maximum length is eliminated, length of the cassette case 21 in the paper feeding direction is reduced, and a picture image formation device can be miniaturized.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper feed cassette for feeding paper to an image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when sheets of different sizes are selectively fed, a side fence for positioning the sheets in the width direction is used in order to commonly use a cassette case which can be called a main body of a sheet feeding cassette. There is a so-called universal type paper feed cassette in which an end fence for positioning the rear edge of the paper in the longitudinal direction is freely mounted inside the cassette case.

[0003]

In the conventional universal type paper feed cassette, the end fence is set inside the cassette case regardless of the difference in length. If the rear end edge of the paper feed cassette is positioned by the end fence, the length of the paper feed cassette in the paper feed direction becomes longer, and there is a problem that the image forming apparatus becomes larger.

[0004]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A cassette case in which a paper storage portion for stacking and storing a large number of sheets is formed; a side fence mounted at a predetermined position in the cassette case according to the width of the sheets to determine a position of a side edge of the sheet; A sheet having a maximum length on an inner surface of one side of the sheet storage unit, the end cassette having an end fence mounted at a predetermined position in the cassette case according to the length of the sheet and determining the position of the trailing edge of the sheet. A reference plane for determining the position of the rear edge is formed.

Therefore, the rear edge of the paper other than the maximum length paper is positioned by the end fence set at a predetermined position of the cassette case. The sheet having the maximum length is positioned by a reference surface formed on the inner surface of one side of the sheet storage unit. Therefore, a space for setting the end fence in accordance with the maximum length of paper is not required.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a concave portion into which a concave hand can be inserted with respect to the reference surface is formed on an inner surface of the paper storage portion having the reference surface. Is formed.

Therefore, when taking out the maximum length of paper abutting on the reference surface from the cassette case, it is possible to easily take out the paper by inserting a hand between the trailing edge of the paper and the inner surface of the cassette case. Become.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, a storage portion for detachably storing the end fence is formed in a part of the cassette case.

Therefore, when the maximum length of paper is stored in the cassette case, the end fence removed from the paper storage can be stored in the storage.

[0010] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, the accommodating portion is provided with support means for elastically supporting the end fence.

Therefore, the movement of the end fence in the storage section can be prevented.

[0012]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the configuration of the image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. An image forming section 3 is disposed inside the apparatus main body 2 of the image forming apparatus 1 so as to be close to one side.
Since the image forming unit 3 is of a known electrophotographic type, only a brief description will be given. However, a latent image is formed on the surface of the photoconductor 4 and developed, and the image is transferred to the sheet S by the transfer unit 5. The fixing unit 6 fixes the transferred image. Further, the apparatus main body 2 is provided with a paper transport path 8 extending from the bottom surface thereof to the paper discharge port 7 through the image forming section 3, and registration rollers 9 and transport rollers 10 are arranged in the paper transport path 8. . A rotatable switching claw 11 that is driven by a solenoid (not shown) to switch the paper discharging direction is provided above the paper transport path 8, and the paper guided by the switching claw 11 is discharged from the paper discharge port 7. Discharge roller 1 for paper
2 are arranged. A paper discharge tray 1 is located beside the paper discharge port 7.
3 are formed. Further, a scanner 14 is provided at an upper portion of the apparatus main body 2.

An optional double-sided printing unit 15 is selectively mounted on the apparatus main body 2. When the duplex printing mode is set, the duplex printing unit 15 guides the sheet S that has passed through the fixing unit 6 by the switching claw 11 and conveys the sheet S to the switchback path 16, and then the sheet S fed from the switchback path 16. S is bent in a U-shape and conveyed to the re-feeding path 17, and the sheet S is fed again from the re-feeding path 17 below the sheet conveying path 8 of the apparatus main body 2.

Next, the configuration of the sheet feeding device 18 will be described. A plurality of sheet cassettes 20 are attached to the outer casing 19 that supports the apparatus main body 2 of the image forming apparatus 1 in a mounted state so as to be able to be pulled out toward the front (in a direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 2).
These sheet cassettes 20 include a cassette case 21 having an upper surface opening, a sheet pressing plate 22 supported on the cassette case 21 so as to be able to undulate and support the sheets S in a stacked state, and side fences for defining positions on both sides of the sheets S. 23 (see FIG. 1) and an end fence 24 that determines the position of the edge on the side opposite to the sheet feeding direction. As shown in FIG. 1, a handle 25 is provided on the front of the cassette case 21.

The outer casing 19 of the paper feeding device 18 is provided with a separation paper feeding section 26 for separating and feeding the paper S stacked in each paper feeding cassette 20 one by one. Further, a paper feed path 27 for guiding the paper S fed from each paper feed cassette 20 toward the lower end of the paper transport path 8 is formed in the outer casing 19. Transport rollers 28 are arranged.

In such a sheet feeding device 18, the sheets S in the sheet feeding cassette 20 pass through the sheet feeding path 27 and the sheet conveying path 8 by the separation sheet feeding section 26 in order from the uppermost sheet S. The sheet S fed to the image forming unit 3 and passed through the fixing unit 6 in the case of single-sided printing is discharged to the sheet receiving tray 13. In the case of double-sided printing, the sheet S is fed again to the image forming unit 3 through the duplex unit 15. Then, the sheet S that has passed through the fixing unit 6 is discharged to the discharge tray 13.

Here, the configuration of the paper feed cassette 20 in the present embodiment will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of locking holes 30 for positioning the side fence 23 in accordance with the width of the sheet S are formed in the cassette case 21, that is, on the bottom surface of the sheet storage unit 29. At the lower edge of the side fence 23, locking pieces (not shown) that are locked in the locking holes 30 are formed. Further, a groove 31 for moving the end fence 24 in accordance with the length of the sheet S is formed on the bottom surface of the sheet storage unit 29. The end fence 24 has locking claws 32 elastically bent on both sides, and a plurality of locking portions (FIG. 4) elastically engaging with the locking claws 32 of the end fence 24 according to the length of the sheet S. Not shown)
Are formed on both sides of the groove 31.

When the sheet S having the maximum length is used, the reference surface 3 for positioning the trailing edge of the sheet S in an abutting state.
3 is formed on the inner surface of one side of the sheet storage unit 29. Further, a concave portion 34 is formed on the inner surface of the paper storage portion 29 in which the reference surface 33 is formed. Furthermore, cassette case 2
A storage portion 35 having an upper surface opening for storing the end fence 24 is formed on the upper surface outside the one paper storage portion 29. Expanding concave portions 36 are formed on both sides of the central portion of the storage portion 35. In addition, on the inner surfaces of both ends of the storage portion 35,
A support means (not shown) for elastically supporting the end fence 24 by elastically engaging with the locking claw 32 of the end fence 24 is formed.

As described above, in the paper feed cassette 20 of the present embodiment, the reference surface 33 for determining the position of the rear edge of the sheet S having the maximum length is formed on the inner surface of one side of the sheet storage section 29. When the paper S other than the paper S is used, the end fence 24 set at a predetermined position of the cassette case 21 is used.
When the maximum length of paper S is used, the end fence 24 must be removed from the bottom of the paper storage unit 29 and positioned by the reference surface 33 formed on the inner surface of the paper storage unit 29. Can be. Therefore, a space for setting the end fence 24 in accordance with the sheet S having the maximum length is not required. This can contribute to downsizing of the image forming apparatus 1.

Further, since the end fence 24 removed from the paper storage section 29 can be stored in the storage section 35, it is not lost. In addition, since the end fence 24 is elastically supported in the storage portion 35, it is possible to prevent the movement in the storage portion 35 due to vibration or the like and the generation of vibration noise due to the movement. Since the expansion recesses 36 are formed on both sides of the central portion of the storage portion 35, the fingers are inserted into the expansion recesses 36 and the end fences 24 are picked up, so that the elastically supported side fences 23 are formed. It can be easily taken out. Further, since a concave portion 34 is formed on the inner surface of the paper storage portion 29 in which the reference surface 33 is formed so that a dent can be inserted into the reference surface 33, the maximum length in the paper storage portion 29 is set. When taking out the sheet S, the user can easily insert the hand between the trailing edge of the sheet S and the inner surface of the sheet storage portion 29 to take out the sheet S having the maximum length.

[0021]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cassette case having a sheet storage portion for stacking and storing a large number of sheets, and being mounted at a predetermined position in the cassette case according to the width of the sheets. A sheet fence cassette comprising: a side fence for determining a position of a side edge of a sheet; and an end fence attached to a predetermined position in a cassette case in accordance with a length of the sheet to determine a position of a rear edge of the sheet. A reference surface that determines the position of the trailing edge of the maximum length paper is formed on the inner surface of one side of the paper storage unit.When using paper other than the maximum length paper, place it in the specified position of the cassette case. The trailing edge of the sheet is positioned by the set end fence. When a sheet of the maximum length is used, the sheet can be positioned by the reference surface formed on the inner surface of the sheet storage unit. Therefore, a space for setting the end fence according to the maximum length of paper is not required, and the length of the cassette case in the paper feeding direction can be reduced, thereby contributing to downsizing of the image forming apparatus. be able to.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a concave portion into which a concave hand can be inserted with respect to the reference surface is formed on an inner surface of the paper storage portion having the reference surface. Since the sheet is formed, when the sheet of the maximum length abutted on the reference surface is taken out of the cassette case, it can be easily taken out by inserting a hand between the rear end edge of the sheet and the inner surface of the cassette case. .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the storage portion for removably storing the end fence is formed in a part of the cassette case. When stored in the cassette case, the end fence removed from the paper storage section can be stored in the storage section, thereby preventing the end fence from being lost.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, since the storage section includes the support means for elastically supporting the end fence, the movement of the end fence in the storage section due to vibration or the like, It is possible to prevent the generation of a vibration sound due to the movement.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a paper feed cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing an internal structure of an image forming apparatus and a sheet feeding cassette from the front.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 20 paper feed cassette 21 cassette case 23 side fence 24 end fence 29 paper storage section 33 reference plane 34 recess 35 storage section S paper

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yuji Suzuki Ricoh Company, Ltd. 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A cassette case provided with a paper storage portion for stacking and storing a large number of sheets, and is mounted at a predetermined position in the cassette case according to the width of the sheets to determine the position of a side edge of the sheets. In a paper feed cassette provided with a side fence and an end fence attached to a predetermined position in the cassette case according to the length of the paper to determine the position of the trailing edge of the paper, an inner surface of one side of the paper storage portion is provided. A sheet feeding cassette, wherein a reference surface for determining a position of a trailing edge of a sheet having a maximum length is formed. 2. The paper feed cassette according to claim 1, wherein a concave portion into which a concave hand can be inserted with respect to the reference surface is formed on an inner surface of the paper storage portion on which the reference surface is formed. 3. A storage section for detachably storing an end fence is formed in a part of a cassette case.
Or the paper feed cassette according to 2. 4. The paper feed cassette according to claim 3, wherein the storage section includes a support means for elastically supporting the end fence.