JPH11193136A - Image forming device provided with connecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent harmful effect due to static electricity by electrically connecting a sheet feeding device to a device main body, and the sheet feeding device to a sheet loading device respectively. SOLUTION: A plurality of holes 52 for positioning of a device main body 1 are engaged with a plurality of conductive pins 51 for positioning of a sheet feeding device 3. By abutting a conductive plate spring 53 provided on the device main body 1 on one of the positioning pins 51 when the sheet feeding device 3 and the device main body 1 are connected together, the sheet feeding device 3 is grounded on the device main body 1. By freely slidably mounting a conductive rail of a sheet loading device on the sheet feeding device 3 via a conductive rail mounting member and a guide member, the sheet loading device is grounded on the sheet feeding device 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a sheet feeding device,
The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus including the same.
In detail, for example, a sheet feeding device that supplies a sheet such as a document or a recording paper to an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus such as a punter, a facsimile, a copying machine, and the like, and is connected to a groundable ground. The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus for stacking sheets discharged from a sheet feeding apparatus, which is groundably and movably connected to the sheet feeding apparatus, and an image forming apparatus including the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the performance of image forming apparatuses such as printers, facsimile machines, and copiers has been improved with the increase in processing speed, and the capacity of sheet stacking apparatuses and sheet discharging apparatuses has been increasing. ing.

[0003] Such an image forming apparatus capable of mass processing can be connected to a large-capacity sheet feeding apparatus or a sheet stacking apparatus (sheet processing apparatus) as an option so as to be used according to the usage pattern of the user. Has become. The connection of the sheet feeding device to the device body (image forming device body)
There is a type in which a positioning pin provided in a sheet feeding apparatus is inserted into a positioning hole provided in a main body of the apparatus and attached.

[0004] The connection of the sheet stacking apparatus to the apparatus main body is performed by detachably attaching a rail provided on a bottom plate of the sheet stacking apparatus to a rail support member attached to the sheet feeding apparatus. Is connected to the apparatus main body.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, there is a positioning pin of the sheet feeding apparatus made of a mold. Also, when the conductive sheet is inserted into the positioning hole of the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus, the frame ground (frame substrate or frame base) of the sheet feeding apparatus is securely connected to the frame ground of the apparatus body. It was not. That is,
Since the frame ground of the sheet feeding apparatus is electrically floating with respect to the frame ground of the image forming apparatus main body, there is a problem that the image forming apparatus main body and the sheet feeding apparatus are easily affected by static electricity.

Similarly, the connection between the sheet stacking device and the sheet feeding device is ensured by the drawer rail attached to the sheet stacking device being connected to the sheet feeding device at the frame ground of the sheet feeding device. It was not connected. Therefore, since the frame ground of the sheet stacking device is electrically floating with respect to the frame ground of the image forming device main body and the sheet feeding device, the device main body and the sheet feeding device are affected by static electricity from the sheet stacking device. There was a problem that it was easy to receive.

That is, the operator charged with static electricity
The operator's body or clothing touches the sheet feeding device or the sheet stacking device when replenishing the sheet to the sheet feeding device, performing a jam clearance, or removing the printed sheet from the sheet stacking device. If the static electricity charged to the operator is discharged to the sheet feeding apparatus or the image forming apparatus main body, the operation of the controller of the apparatus may be erroneously performed, which is not preferable.

According to the present invention, the sheet feeding apparatus is configured to electrically conduct (ground) the sheet feeding apparatus to the apparatus main body and the sheet processing apparatus to the sheet feeding apparatus, thereby preventing the influence of static electricity. It is an object to provide an apparatus, a sheet processing apparatus, and an image forming apparatus including the same.

[0009]

The invention according to claim 1 is
In an image forming apparatus provided with a connection device connectable to an apparatus main body, a plurality of conductive positioning pins provided on a sheet feeding apparatus, and positioning elements provided on the apparatus main body so as to be freely fitted to the positioning pins. A hole, and a conductive elastic member that abuts a positioning pin provided in the apparatus main body and fitted to the positioning hole to ground the sheet feeding apparatus to the apparatus main body. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sheet feeding apparatus which is grounded to the apparatus main body and feeds sheets to the apparatus main body, and wherein the sheets discharged from the apparatus main body can be stacked, An image forming apparatus including a connection device connectable to a sheet feeding device, wherein the sheet processing device is movably connected to the sheet feeding device,
The sheet processing apparatus has a connection member capable of grounding the sheet feeding apparatus.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the connecting member includes:
A conductive rail that can be pulled out of the sheet feeding device when the sheet processing device is moved in a direction away from the sheet feeding device, and the rail is slidably supported and provided on the sheet feeding device. And a conductive rail support member provided.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a conductive rail guide for guiding the rail is provided between the rail and the rail support member.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rail guide provided between the rail and the rail support member for guiding the rail, and a rail guide slidably contacting the rail and provided on the rail support member. And a conductive elastic member.

[Operation] Based on the above configuration, when the positioning hole of the apparatus main body is fitted to the conductive positioning pin of the sheet feeding apparatus, and the apparatus main body and the sheet feeding apparatus are connected,
When the conductive elastic member provided on the apparatus main body abuts on the positioning pin, the apparatus main body and the sheet feeding device are electrically connected to each other and are grounded.

Further, in a state where the sheet processing apparatus is pulled out from the sheet feeding apparatus or is moved from the pulled-out position to the sheet feeding apparatus side and connected, the sheet processing apparatus feeds the sheet by a conductive connecting member. By being connected to the device, the sheet processing device, no matter where it is,
In the sheet feeding device and the device main body connected thereto,
Grounded.

Thus, even if the static electricity charged to the operator is discharged to any of the sheet feeding device and the sheet processing device by the operation of the operator, the grounding is prevented, so that adverse effects due to the charging are prevented. .

[0017]

Embodiment 1 FIGS. 1 to 4
The sheet feeding device and the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIG. In the present embodiment, a laser beam printer (image forming apparatus main body) 1
The present invention will be described by taking a deck 3 (sheet feeding device) 3 connected (coupled) to an example.

In FIG. 1, a deck 3 as a sheet feeding device is connected to a lower portion of a laser beam printer 1 as a main body of the image forming apparatus via a transport unit 2. The means for connecting these will be described.

In the deck 3, positioning pins 51 made of a conductive material are fixed at three places on the upper surface of a frame 55 which is a frame ground (frame substrate or frame base). Further, positioning pins 51 of the deck 3 are attached to a bottom plate 1a which is a frame ground of the printer 1.
Are provided.

When the user installs the image forming apparatus, the user lifts up the printer 1 with several persons, and inserts (fits) the positioning holes 52 provided in the printer bottom plate 1 a into the positioning pins 51 of the deck 3 to connect them. . As shown in FIG. 4, in the vicinity of at least one of the positioning holes 52 provided in the printer bottom plate 1a, a leaf spring (elastic member) made of a conductive material fixed inside the bottom plate 1a. 53
When the positioning pin 51 of the deck 3 is inserted into the positioning hole 52, the leaf spring 53 comes into contact with the positioning pin, so that the frame ground 55 of the deck 3 and the printer Electrical connection (earth) to the bottom plate 1a, which is the frame ground of the first unit, is enabled.

Inside the deck 3, there is provided a sheet stacking unit 5 which can be housed and pulled out inside an apparatus housing serving as an outer frame of the deck 3, and the sheet stacking unit 5 has a paper stacking unit. A sheet stacking plate 7 for stacking sheets S made of a resin or a synthetic resin is suspended by a wire rope 20 and disposed.

A wire rope 20 having one end fixed to the sheet stacking plate 7 is stretched around a pulley rotatably provided on a frame serving as an outer frame of the sheet stacking unit 5, and is connected to a pulley. It is wound around a take-up winch 22 that is wound around the take-up shaft 8. A drive unit including a motor M and a one-way clutch is connected to the winding shaft 8 via a connection gear (not shown). The drive unit is driven to rotate the winding winch 22 in a predetermined direction. As a result, the wire rope 20 is wound or unwound, and the sheet stacking plate 7 moves up and down.

The rails 4 provided on the frame ground 55 of the deck 3 and the rails 6 provided on the sheet loading unit 5 allow the sheet loading unit 5 to move in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. (The front side of the apparatus body). By pulling out the sheet stacking unit 5, the connection between the winding shaft 8 and the drive unit is released, and the weight of the sheet S and the sheet stacking plate 7 rewinds the wire rope nip 20 wound around the winding winch 22 and descends. Sheets S can be replenished.

The above-mentioned winding shaft 8 is provided with a brake damper (not shown) for reducing the impact received when the sheet stacking unit 5 is lowered. Motor M as drive source
Is driven based on detection of a sheet surface detection sensor or the like (not shown) for detecting the uppermost surface so that the uppermost surface of the sheets S stacked on the sheet stacking plate 7 is at a substantially constant position. 7 to rise.

Above the sheet stacking unit 5, a pickup roller 10 serving as a sheet feeding means for feeding out the sheets S stacked on the sheet stacking plate 7 and a sheet S fed by the pickup roller 10 are separated. Roller 11 and retard roller 12
And a reverse separation means comprising: Then, the pickup roller 10 abuts on the uppermost surface of the sheet S at a substantially constant position and sends out the sheet S. The reverse rotation separating units 11 and 12 output the uppermost sheet S among the sheets S sent out by the pickup roller 10. Separate only the sheets.

The sheet S separated by the reverse separation units 11 and 12 is sent to the printer 1. Here, the configuration of a printer to which the deck 3 is connected will be schematically described with reference to FIG. Note that the deck 3 also serves as a frame on which the printer 1 is mounted, and the sheet S sent from the deck 3 is supplied to the printer 1 through the transport unit 2 provided on the side.

The main body of the image forming apparatus as the printer 1 is provided with a front loading type sheet cassette 117 mounted from the front. The sheet S stored in the sheet cassette is picked up by the pickup roller 1.
0 and feed roller 11 and retard roller 12
The sheet is separated one by one and sent out by the forward / reverse rotation means. An image is formed on the sheet fed from the sheet cassette 117 and the deck 3 by the image forming unit 101.

The image forming section (image forming means) 101 has a process cartridge 102 detachable from the printer 1. The process cartridge 102 includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum 103 serving as an image carrier and a photosensitive drum 1.
Charging means 104 for charging the surface of photosensitive drum 03, photosensitive drum 1
A developing unit for forming a toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 103 and a cleaning unit 106 for removing the toner image remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 103 are provided. The photosensitive drum 103 is exposed to image light emitted from the scanner unit 107 according to an image signal, and a latent image is formed.

The image forming section 101 is provided with a transfer roller 108 for transferring a toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 103 to a sheet. The transfer roller 108 is attached to the photosensitive drum 103 by the sheet cassette 11.
7 or presses the sheet S sent from the deck 3. By applying a voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner image to the transfer roller 108 and applying a voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 103, The toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 103 is transferred to a sheet.

A fixing unit 1 is provided downstream of the image forming unit 101.
The fixing unit 109 is provided with a fixing roller 110, and the toner image transferred to the sheet by the image forming unit 101 is fixed by applying heat and pressure by the fixing roller 110. You. Then, the sheet S on which the toner image is fixed is transferred to the discharge tray transport path 11.
1, the sheet is discharged to the loading table 113 by the discharge roller 112, or the discharge tray 92 of the sheet stacking apparatus (sheet processing apparatus) 9 by the discharge roller pair (discharge means) 115.
Is discharged on top.

Next, the frame ground 5 of the deck 3
The means for grounding 5 to the bottom plate 1a which is the frame ground of the printer 1 will be described in detail.

The conductive material of the positioning pins 51 of the deck 3 has sufficient rigidity to support the printer 1 even when an external force is applied thereto, and is used to reliably guide static electricity and the like to the ground. Metal materials having relatively low resistance are preferred. Examples include iron and stainless steel materials. In addition, in the deck 3 on which a relatively lightweight printer is mounted, an inexpensive conductive mold may be used. In the present embodiment, the positioning pin 51 is formed by applying KN plating to iron and has a spherical tip. This positioning pin 51
It is swaged by a metal holding plate 56 (FIG. 4). The holding plate 56 is fixed to the frame 55, which is the frame ground of the deck 3, by screws 56a at two places.

The connection process between the printer 1 and the deck 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. Printer 1 bottom plate 1
The positioning hole 52 formed in the “a” is provided as a burring hole on a one-step lower surface formed by squeezing a sheet metal, and serves as a guide when the user mounts the printer 1 on the deck 3. have. When the user moves the printer 1 to an approximate position, the spherical surface of the positioning pin 51 comes into contact with the surface of the positioning hole 52 or the inclination of the aperture surface, and the positioning pin 51 is guided to the hole 52 by its own weight. The positioning hole 52 has an effective shape particularly for installing the heavy printer 1. A frame 55, which is a frame ground, is provided inside the positioning hole 52 of the printer so that when the positioning pin 51 of the deck 3 is inserted, the positioning pin 51 is brought into contact with the positioning pin 51 to establish electrical conduction.
, Stainless steel leaf spring (elastic member)
53 are provided. Note that reference numeral 54 denotes the apparatus main body 1
Shows the legs.

In the present embodiment, the printer 1 is connected to the deck 3
Just connect the printer 1 and the deck 3
Since the frame grounds 1a and 55 can be connected to each other, the influence of static electricity can be prevented very easily. Further, since the leaf spring 53 is provided inside the printer 1, the configuration is excellent in appearance.

Second Embodiment FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 show a sheet stacking apparatus (sheet processing apparatus) and a sheet feeding apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 3 as a sheet feeding device connected to the main body of the device
Next, a case where a sheet stacking device 9 as a sheet processing device is attached will be described.

In the figure, a deck 3 as a sheet feeding device is connected via a transport unit 2 to a lower portion of a printer 1 as an image forming apparatus main body. On the left side of the printer 1 in FIG. 5, a sheet stacking device 9 as a sheet stacking device is mounted on a deck 3 by a rail 95 described later.
Is connected to the frame 90 (FIG. 6) as a frame ground.

Similarly to the first embodiment, the sheet S is fed from the deck 3 or the cassette of the printer 1 and sent to the image forming unit 101, and then passes through a face-up transport path to form a pair of discharge rollers (discharge unit). ) 115, the sheet S is conveyed to the sheet stacking device 9, and in the sheet stacking device 9, the sheet S is switched back by the switchback tray 91 so that the printing surface of the sheet faces downward in order to discharge the sheet S face down. The sheet is discharged to one of the discharge trays 92 of the sheet stacking device 9.

Next, means for grounding the frame ground 9a of the sheet stacking device 9 to the frame 90 as the frame ground of the deck 3 will be described. The frame 9a of the sheet stacking device 9 is provided with a conductive material for removing the sheet S by moving the sheet stacking device 9 to the left when the sheet S is jammed between the sheet stacking device 9 and the printer 1. A rail 95 is attached.

The rail 95 is connected to the frame 9 of the deck 3.
It is configured to be connected through a rail mounting member 96 provided with screws at 0. Since the rail mounting member 96 is screwed to the frame 90 of the deck 3, the frame 9 a of the sheet stacking device 9 and the rail 95
Are electrically connected to the frame 90 of the deck 3. A stopper 97 is provided on the rail bottom surface,
After passing the rail 95 through the rail mounting member 96,
By electrically connecting the rail mounting member 96 to the finisher 9, screws can be electrically connected.

The sheet stacking device 9 can be pulled out to the left in a section from a state where the sheet stacking device 9 is connected to the printer 1 to a point where the stopper 97 of the rail 95 contacts the rail mounting member 96. The rail 95 is slidably mounted on a rail mounting member 96 via a channel-shaped conductive guide member 98. The bottom and side surfaces of the rail 95 slide with the guide member 98 of the rail mounting member 96 of the deck 3 while the rail 95 is being pulled out, and serve as a guide when the sheet stacking device 9 is pulled out. Guide member 9
8 is electrically connected to the rail mounting member 96,
By forming the guide member 98 with a conductive mold, the guide member 98 slides in contact with the rail 95 of the sheet stacking device 9 in an energized state, and is reliably grounded to the frame 90 of the deck 3.

Accordingly, not only during the use of the printer 1 but also during the jam clearance of the sheet stacking device 9,
Since the sheet stacking device 9 is grounded to the deck 3 and the printer 1 as an apparatus main body, that is, the sheet stacking device 9 is grounded at any position in the drawing area of the sheet stacking device 9, the Very stable. Further, considering the connection between the deck 3 and the frame ground of the printer described in the first embodiment, the frame ground (frame 9) of the sheet stacking device 9 is considered.
a) and the frame ground of the deck 3 (frame 90)
And the frame ground (bottom plate 1a) of the printer 1 are grounded.

Third Embodiment FIG. 8 shows a rail support portion of a sheet stacking apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, with respect to the second embodiment,
The means for grounding the rail 95 and the rail mounting member 96 makes the guide member 98 a non-conductive mold, and a metal leaf spring 99 is provided on the rail mounting member 96 and fixed with screws so as to contact the rail 95. It was done.

With the above configuration, in the pull-out area of the sheet stacking device 9, the plate spring (elastic member) 99 electrically connected to the rail mounting member 96 abuts and slides on the rail 95 in an energized state. Thus, the frame 9 a as the frame ground of the sheet stacking device 9 can be grounded to the frame 90 as the frame ground of the deck 3. This method has an advantage that the leaf spring 99 has a higher conductivity than that of the second embodiment in which the guide member 98 is formed of a conductive mold, and thus the ground can be more reliably grounded. is there.

In this embodiment, the rail mounting member 98 is provided with a leaf spring.
The same effect can be obtained even if a leaf spring is provided so as to abut on the rail 95 of the sheet stacking device 9 itself.

In the above-described embodiment, the leaf spring 99 is used as a part of the connecting member. However, as the connecting member that slides in contact, a conductive contact brush member or the like may be additionally provided. Good. Further, as another connecting member, a configuration may be adopted in which a conductive roller is brought into contact with and rotated to electrically connect both the rail 95 and the frame 90 which is the frame ground of the deck 3.

[0046]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When the positioning pins of the sheet feeding apparatus are fitted into the positioning holes of the apparatus main body, and are positioned and connected, the conductive elastic member provided on the apparatus main body abuts on the conductive positioning pins, so that the apparatus main body is And the sheet feeding device are electrically connected to each other, so that the sheet feeding device can be reliably grounded.

Further, in a state where the sheet processing apparatus is pulled out from the sheet feeding apparatus, or is moved from the pulled-out position to the sheet feeding apparatus side and connected, the sheet processing apparatus feeds the sheet by a conductive connecting member. Since the sheet processing apparatus is electrically connected to the apparatus, no matter where the sheet processing apparatus is located, the sheet processing apparatus can be grounded to the sheet feeding apparatus and the apparatus main body connected thereto. it can.

Accordingly, even if the static electricity charged to the operator is discharged to any of the sheet feeding device and the sheet processing device by the operation of the operator, the grounding is prevented, so that the adverse effect due to the charging is prevented. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical side view of a sheet feeding device and an image forming apparatus main body according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a sheet feeding device and an image forming apparatus main body.

3A is a perspective view of a sheet feeding apparatus before connection to an image forming apparatus main body, and FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the sheet feeding apparatus after connection.

4A and 4B are similarly a positioning section of a sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus main body, wherein FIG. 4A is a vertical side view before positioning, and FIG. 4B is a vertical side view after positioning.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a sheet stacking device, a sheet feeding device, and an image forming apparatus main body according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a sheet feeding device and a rail portion (connection portion) of the sheet feeding device.

7 (a) is a plan view of the rail and the rail mounting member, and FIG. 7 (b) is a longitudinal sectional front view of FIG. 7 (a).

8 (a) is a plan view of a rail and a rail attaching member, and FIG. 8 (b) is a longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 8 (a). FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

S Sheet 1 Image forming apparatus main body (apparatus main body) 1a Bottom plate as frame ground of image forming apparatus main body 3 Deck (sheet feeding apparatus) 9 Sheet stacking apparatus (sheet processing apparatus) 9a Frame as frame ground of sheet feeding apparatus 51 Conductive positioning pin 52 Positioning hole 53 Leaf spring (conductive elastic member) 55 Frame as deck frame ground 95 Conductive rail 96 Rail mounting member 98 Guide member 99 Leaf spring (conductive leaf spring) 95, 96, 97 Connecting member 101 Image forming section (image forming means)

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus comprising a connection device connectable to an apparatus main body, wherein a plurality of conductive positioning pins provided on a sheet feeding device, the apparatus main body being capable of being fitted to the positioning pins. And a conductive elastic member that is provided in the apparatus main body and abuts on a positioning pin fitted in the positioning hole to ground the sheet feeding apparatus to the apparatus main body. An image forming apparatus comprising a connection device. 2. A sheet feeding device, which is grounded to the apparatus main body and feeds sheets to the apparatus main body, is capable of stacking sheets discharged from the apparatus main body, and is connectable to the sheet feeding apparatus. An image forming apparatus provided with a connection device, wherein the sheet processing device is movably connected to the sheet feeding device, and the image forming device has a connection member capable of grounding the sheet processing device. An image forming apparatus comprising a connection device. 3. A conductive rail that can be pulled out from the sheet feeding device when the sheet processing device is moved in a direction away from the sheet feeding device, and the connecting member is slidably moved. An image forming apparatus comprising: the connecting device according to claim 2, further comprising: a conductive rail support member supported and provided on the sheet feeding device. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a conductive rail guide that guides the rail between the rail and the rail support member. 5. A rail guide provided between the rail and the rail support member to guide the rail, and a conductive elastic member slidably contacting the rail and provided on the rail support member. An image forming apparatus comprising the connection device according to claim 3, comprising: 6. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, and a sheet processing apparatus according to claim 2;
Image forming means for forming an image on a sheet fed from the sheet feeding device; discharging means for discharging the sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming means to the sheet processing device;
An image forming apparatus comprising: