JPS60209443A - Paper feed unit of image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To switch the positions of pairs of side fences exactly and simply in response to the width of the recording paper used by rotating a cam follower after a cam groove via the rotating operation of a cam member. CONSTITUTION:To switch the positions of side fences 16, 17 to longitudinally feed the decalcomania paper with an A4 size, a size setting disk (cam member) 38 is rotated counter-clockwise, a cam follower 33 is rotated clockwise after a cam groove 37, an operation lever 32 is rotated clockwise around a pin 31, and a shift plate 19 is moved in the arrow direction via a roller 34 and a pin 35. As a result of this shift, a pinion 26 is rotated in the arrow direction, a shift plate 20 is moved in the arrow direction via a rack 20a, pairs of side fences 16, 17 provided on both plates 19, 20 respectively are separated from each other, and the side fences 16, 17 are faced to each other at a distance in response to the width of the longitudinally fed decalcomania paper with an A4 size.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Technical Field) The present invention relates to a paper feeding device in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, and a printer. (Prior Art) Image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, facsimile machines, and printers are equipped with a paper feeding device that feeds transfer paper, recording paper, etc. one sheet at a time. In this type of paper feeding device, a bundle of recording paper is stacked on the bottom plate of the paper feeding device, and the sides of the stacked paper bundle are held down by side fences that stand up in a direction perpendicular to the bottom plate, and the paper is fed. The side edges of the recording paper are guided by the side fences. The side fence can be moved in the direction of the recording paper depending on the inside of the recording paper.As a means for switching the position of the side fence, for example, the side fence may be fixed. Conventionally, a method has generally been adopted in which the side fence is slid in the direction of the paper on this guide support plate by loosening the fastening screws and the like. However, this method has the disadvantage that the position of the side fence must be frequently changed when a wide variety of different types of recording paper are used. Also,
This type of work has the disadvantage that it is extremely cumbersome, as it requires the work of inserting one's hand into the paper feeder to move the side fence. Furthermore, when displaying the recording paper size at the switching position of the side fence,
If the approximations are displayed next to each other, the display becomes confusing, and there is a risk that the position of the side fence may be switched incorrectly.

(Objective) The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides a paper feeding device for an image forming apparatus in which the position of a side fence can be switched without error and extremely easily. The purpose is to

(Structure) The structure of the present invention will be described below based on Examples.

FIG. 1 shows an external view of an electrophotographic copying machine as an example of an image forming apparatus.The copying machine main body l includes a paper feed cassette 2 and a unitized paper feed device in the lower stage. 3 is installed, and this paper feeding device 31 can accommodate, for example, about 1000 to 1500 sheets of zero transfer paper.

The paper feed device 3 is loaded in the same direction as the loading direction of the paper feed cassette 2, and after this loading, the paper feed device 3 must be fixed to the copying machine body with screws or the like to prevent it from being accidentally removed. It looks like this. After this fixation, the copying machine body,
A harness for exchanging control signals with the paper feeder is connected.

The paper feeding device 3 is provided with a transparent upper cover 4 that can be rotated to open and close about its rear end on the copying machine side, and a side cover 5 that is also transparent and can be rotated to be opened and closed about a lower wheel. . Note that when at least one of the two force bars 4.degree. The copier user can detect when the copying machine has been released.

Here, open the side cover 5 shown in FIG.
The bottom plate 9 of the paper feeder 3 shows about 0 sheets of transfer paper as shown in FIG.
Place it on top. Next, when the side cover 5 is closed, the bottom plate 9 is raised by a bottom plate lifting mechanism, which will be described later, and the transfer paper 1 is lifted.
1 comes into contact with the paper feed roller 12 as shown, and a switch (not shown) operates to slightly lift the paper feed roller 12, and the switching signal at this time deactivates the bottom plate lifting mechanism. As a result, the bottom plate 9 stops rising.

In the above configuration, the paper feeding roller 12 rotates in the direction of the arrow, and this rotation causes the transfer paper to be sent toward the pair of separating and conveying rollers 13 arranged in the paper feeding direction.

When a plurality of sheets of transfer paper are sent from the paper feeding roller 2, this pair of separating and conveying rollers 13 separates and conveys only one sheet of transfer paper. The transfer paper is fed one by one, and when the number of sheets fed reaches a plurality of sheets, the bottom plate is intermittently raised by 9 spaces each time, thereby maintaining the paper feeding level at a constant level.

When the transfer paper on the bottom plate 9 runs out, the paper out detection lever 14
falls into the notch 9a provided in the bottom plate 9, actuating a switch (not shown), and in response to this switching signal, the operation panel section 15 (see Fig. 1) of the main body of the copying machine (see Fig. 1) displays an indication that there is no overpressure paper. There is.

Next, when sensing this display and pressing the bottom plate lowering instruction button 7 provided on the operation panel section 6 of the paper feeder as shown in FIG.
The bottom plate 9 moves to the lowest position and is stopped at this position by a limit sensor (not shown). Furthermore, when the amount of transfer paper on the bottom plate 9 is running low and it is to be replenished, or when changing the size of the transfer paper, the bottom plate lowering instruction button 7' must be pressed by +g-1 at that time.

Here, the configuration for switching the position of the side fence, which is a feature of the paper feeding device of the present invention, will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 4, this paper feeding device is such that the transfer paper feeding method by the paper feeding roller 2 is carried out based on the center. It is now possible to feed paper.

In addition, in Fig. 4, B5R, A2B, 81/2"X
11 ”R,81/2”X1411R,B5,B4i
-L, 1111X81/2. ”.

Transfer paper can be fed in eight ways, such as A4 paper. In addition, R means vertical feed,
For example, B5 size means that B5 size transfer paper is fed vertically, and B5ji means that B5 size transfer paper is fed horizontally.

Here, vertical feeding means that the transfer paper is placed on the bottom plate so that the length of the transfer paper parallel to the paper feeding direction is longer than the length of the paper in the middle direction perpendicular to the paper feeding direction. This indicates the transfer paper feeding method when the transfer paper is fed. Also, horizontal feeding is when the length of the transfer paper parallel to the paper feeding direction is shorter than the length in the middle direction of the paper perpendicular to the paper feeding direction. This figure shows the transfer paper feeding method when the transfer paper is placed on the bottom plate. Note that the size of 81/2"XI l" is usually called letter size, and it is also
/2 "X14" size is usually called legal size.

As shown in FIG. 4, for example, if a B5 size paper is fed horizontally and a B4 size paper is fed vertically, the inside of the paper will be the same for both. Also, when feeding both letter size and legal size items vertically,
The contents of both papers will be the same.

For example, if A4 size paper is fed horizontally, compared to the case where it is fed vertically, the exposure scanning length can be shortened by t, and the copying time per 10 copies can be shortened by one hour. be able to. Also, using a B4 size manuscript,
When performing reduced belly copy on B5 size transfer paper, etc.
It is convenient to feed the size transfer paper vertically. For this reason, the transfer paper is fed either vertically or horizontally.

Here, in FIG. 4, solid lines, broken lines, one-dot chain lines, two-dot chain lines, etc. indicate the outline of the paper stack.
Guide fences 16 and 17 are in contact with both sides of the size (vertical feeding) paper bundle parallel to the paper feeding direction A, respectively.

The feature of this paper feeding device is that the side fences 16 and 17 can be moved in the direction of the paper depending on the size of the paper, making it extremely easy to change the position without error. . That is, the distance between the side fences 16 and 17 is widened or narrowed depending on the width of the paper. In this embodiment, the position of the side fence can be switched in six ways.

A configuration that achieves and excels in the above functions will be described below. In FIG. 5, three side fences 16 are arranged at intervals in a direction parallel to the paper feeding direction A.
They are arranged in a row, and their proximal ends are fixed on the movable plate 19 and on the overhanging plate 21 fastened thereto, respectively, and are in an upright state. Also, side fences 17 are fixed on the other movable plate 20 and on the overhanging plate 22 so as to face each side fence 16. Girder members 23, 24 are assembled to the upper ends of each side fence 16, 17, integrating each side fence into a rigid structure.

Both moving plates 19 and 20 have racks 19a facing each other.
, 20a are provided respectively, and both racks "9"
a+202 meshes with a pinion 26 rotatably supported by the base plate 25.

Both moving plates 19 and 20 have two guide shafts 27 parallel to each other.
．． The moving plates 19 and 20 are slidably supported by the guide shaft 28, and the moving plates 19 and 20 move in the direction of the paper on this guide shaft. Incidentally, the shaft ends of both guide shafts 27 and 28 are fixed to a unit 1jltl plate 29 of the paper feeder 3, as shown in FIG. In addition, in Fig. 6, the guide shaft 2
8 is omitted from illustration.

A bottom plate 9 is provided above the moving plates 19 and 20, and as shown in FIG.
C is pierced in each. And this rectangular hole 9b1
Side fences 16 and 17 pass through 9c.

In FIG. 5, the base plate 25 is provided with 4
A tuz bar 32 is pivotally mounted, and a roller 34 is fitted into a long hole 32a drilled in the arm, and the roller 34 is rotatable on a pin 35 implanted downward in the movable plate 19. The bags are layered. A cam follower 33 is implanted in the narrow arm of the operating lever 32, and the cam follower 33 extends downward through an arcuate hole 36 formed in the base plate 25.

A cam member 3 having a cam groove 37 is provided on the back side of the base plate 25.
8 is provided, and this cam member 38 has a rotating disk shape as shown in the figure. The cam member 38 achieves the function of switching the positions of the side fences 16 and 17 depending on the transfer paper, as will be described later.
8 will be hereinafter referred to as a size adjustment disk.

The size adjustment disk 38 is rotatably supported on a shaft 39 fixed to the base plate 25. As shown in FIG. 7, the cam groove 37 of the size adjustment disk 38 has a groove shape that gradually moves away from the center of rotation in the circumferential direction, and the cam follower 33 engages with this cam groove 37. ing.

A V-shaped notch 412.41b is provided on the upper surface of the peripheral wall portion 41, which is arranged concentrically with respect to the rotation center together with the cam groove 37.
+41 (,4,1d,4te,41f +4
1 g +4111 are engraved at intervals. In FIG. 5, the base end of an elastic f1420 is fixed to the base plate 25, and pins 431'j1. , are engaged through rectangular holes 44 to one of the eight notches or notches, for example, the notch indicated by reference numeral 41a. An actuator 46a of a switch 46 fixed to the support device 45 is engaged with the upper surface of the elastic plate 42.

On the top surface of the size adjustment disk 38, transfer paper sizes are displayed at intervals in the circumferential direction, such as B5R, A2B, etc., and one of these sizes is shown in FIG. As shown, a portion of the size adjustment disk 38 is attached to the paper feeder 30.
By being exposed from the main body, it is visible from the outside.

Here, in the state shown in FIG. 7, the externally exposed portion of the size adjustment disk 38 is displayed as r B5RJ, and in this display state, as shown in FIG. 6, the side fences 16 and 17 are , placed in the most constricted position. And in this position, side fence 16.17
is placed on the bottom plate 9, a stack of B5 size transfer paper 1
Holds both sides of 1. In this state, the B5 size transfer paper is fed vertically.

Next, in order to change the position of the side fences 16, 17 in order to vertically feed the A4 size transfer paper, the size adjustment disk 38 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIG. 8. The stiff rotation is performed while pressing the exposed portion of the size adjustment disk 38 with a finger, as shown in FIG. The size adjustment disc 38 is knurled on its surface to make it easier to turn.

When the size adjustment disk 38 is rotated counterclockwise from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIG. 41a onto the upper surface of the surrounding wall section 4, and in the state shown in Fig. 8, the pin 43 now falls into the next notch 411) and click-stops the size adjustment disc 38 to the position shown in Fig. 8.

On the other hand, when the size adjustment disk 38 rotates from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIG. The cam follower 3 follows the cam groove that moves away along the direction.
3 is moved in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 7, and is stopped at the position shown in FIG. 8 by the above-mentioned click/click function.

When the cam follower 33 is displaced from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIG. The moving plate 19 is moved in the direction of the arrow.

When the movable plate 19 moves, the pinion 26 is rotated in the direction of the arrow by the rack 19a', and this rotation causes the movable plate 20 to engage the rack 20a with the pinion 26.
is moved in the direction of the arrow.

That is, both side fences 16.17 are expanded, and these side fences 16.17+-1 face each other at a distance corresponding to the length of the A4 size transfer paper that is fed vertically. In this way, both guide fences 16.
17 is switched to the position of A4 size paper for vertical feeding, and set to the switching position without moving by the click stop function of the pin 43 mentioned above. In this state, of course, the exposed portion of the size adjustment disk 38 (see FIG. 6) displays [A4Rj].

When the size adjustment disc 38 is further rotated from the position shown in Fig. 8, the pin 43 falls into the next notch 41c.
The size adjustment disk 38 is click-stopped, and the side fences 16, 17 are switched to the letter size (81/2"xtl"H,) position for vertical feeding. After that, when the size adjustment disk 38 is further rotated until the pin 43 falls into the notch 41d, the side fences 16 and 17 are vertically fed legal size (81/
2" x 14" R) position. In this case, since the inside of the letter size transfer paper and the inside of the legal size transfer paper are the same, the side fence 16.17
The position of remains unchanged.

Now, as shown in Figure 7, "l b l C9d I el
f.

When the cam follower 33 is located relatively to point a among points g and h, the side fence is set to the position B5kL, and when the cam follower 33 is located to point b, the side fence is set to the position A41. Similarly, when the point is 0, set the id fence at the position of 81/2'' x 11''R, and when the point is d, set the fence at the position of 81/2'' and 4''R.

In this case, in terms of points 0 and d, these c, d
The portion of the cam groove between the points is an arcuate cam groove having the same radius and centered on the axis of the shaft 39. That is, when the cam follower 33 is placed at the 0 point and the d point, the distance between the side fences 16 and 17 does not change.

Similarly, when the cam follower 33 is placed at points e and f, the distance between the side fences 16 and 17 does not change. Incidentally, when the cam follower 33 is placed at point e, the side fence is set at position B5, and when placed at point f, the side fence is set at position 84R.

In this case as well, as shown in FIG.
The size of the paper is equal to the size of the B4 size paper that is fed vertically.

FIG. 9 shows a state in which the cam follower 33 is placed at the h-point position of the cam groove 37, and the actuating lever 32 is in the position of being rotated clockwise to the maximum extent. In this position, the side fences 16 and 17 are placed in the most expanded position, and in this state, between the side fences 16 and 17,
A stack of A4 size transfer paper is set to be fed horizontally. Note that when the size adjustment disk 38 is reversed counterclockwise from the position shown in FIG. 9, both side fences 16, 171
! Move in the direction of narrowing - In any case, simply by rotating the size adjustment disk 38, the position of the side fence can be changed extremely easily and in a wide variety of ways. Furthermore, the size adjustment disk 38 is designed so that the size of each transfer paper can be displayed separately at a distance from each other.
Compared to the conventional method in which transfer paper sizes of approximate widths have to be displayed next to each other, there is no risk of misreading the display, and the position of the side fence can be changed without error.

Also, the amount of rotation of the size adjustment disk 38 is different depending on whether the position of the side fence is changed for a transfer paper size with an approximate width or when the position of the side fence is changed for a transfer paper size with a difference in paper size. Therefore, in the former case, there is no risk of misunderstanding when switching the position of the side fence. In other words, the necessary amount of movement of the side fence can be set by adjusting the amount of rotation that is easy for the operator to operate.

By the way, as a transfer paper of approximate width, as shown in Figure 4,
Examples include A4 size transfer paper and letter size transfer paper. In this case, the difference in paper width is 1 up to 3m/3m on one side.
It is about m.

In FIG. 5, when the size adjustment disk 38 is not properly click-stopped, that is, when the pin 43 rides on the upper surface of the peripheral wall 41 of the size adjustment disk 38, the actuator 46a engages with the elastic plate 42. The switch 46 is in the OFF or ON state, and the switching signal at this time prevents the copying machine and the paper feeding device from operating.

Next, the mechanism for lifting the bottom plate 9 will be explained using FIG.

In the figure, each of the lifting rods 47 and 48, which are arranged parallel to each other, has one end formed into a hole 49 bored in the unit side plate 29.
50 , and one end of this extended end is locked to the striped wire 52 . The wire 52 connects to the drive pulley 5
3. Tension pulley 54° Idler pulley 56,5
Kake is passed on 7.58.59 etc. Note that the above-mentioned pulley group is similarly provided on the unit side plate (not shown) on the opposite side facing the unit side plate 29, and a wire is passed through this pulley group. The other ends of the rods 47, 48 are locked.

The other end of the shaft 61 to which the drive pulley 53 is fixed is attached to the base plate 25.
(See FIG. 5) It is rotatably supported by a support member 62 fixed above. A worm wheel 6 is attached to the shaft 61.
5 is fixed, and a worm wheel 65 is engaged with a worm 64 fixed to a motor shaft of a reversible motor 63.

Here, when the reversible motor 63 rotates in the direction of the arrow, the worm wheel 65 rotates in the direction of the arrow via the worm 64, and accordingly, the shaft 61 and the drive pulley 5
3 rotate in the same direction. When the drive pulley i3 rotates in the direction of the arrow, it is connected to the lifting rod 47 via other pulley groups and the wire 52.
．． 48 rises.

As mentioned at the beginning, this rise occurs when the stack of paper is placed on the bottom plate 9 at the lowest position shown by the imaginary line and the upper surface of the stack of paper is brought into contact with the paper feed roller 12, or when the paper is fed This is done when keeping the level constant. In the latter case, when the bottom plate 9 rises a small amount and lifts the paper feed roller 12, a switching signal (not shown) is activated.The switching signal at this time causes the motor 63 to stop and the bottom plate 9 to lift up. Stop. In addition, even when the side cover 5 shown in FIG. 1 is opened halfway, the motor 63 is stopped and the bottom plate 9 is also stopped from rising.

Further, as the transfer paper on the bottom plate 9 runs out, when the bottom plate lowering instruction button 7 shown in FIG. lower to.

As described above, the paper feeding device of the present invention allows switching of the position of the side fence to be performed extremely easily and without error, and the paper feeding device that achieves this function is an electronic In addition to photocopying machines, it can also be applied to facsimile machines, printers, offset printing machines, and the like.

(Effects) As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to switch the position of the side fence without error and extremely easily.
It is possible to provide a paper feeding device for an image forming apparatus.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an electrophotographic copying machine which is an example of application of the device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of an operation panel provided in a paper feeder, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the paper feeding device of the embodiment; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the size of the transfer paper fed by the above paper feeding device on each side; FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the bottom plate lifting mechanism in the same paper feeder as above; FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the positional relationship of the operating lever with respect to the cam groove of the size adjustment disk; FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the positional relationship of the operating lever with respect to the cam groove when the side fence is widened to its maximum extent. 9... Bottom plate, 16.17... Side fence,
27.28... Guide shaft, 33... Cam follower, 37... Cam groove, 38... Force"!I'# o
Talent Yu.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A bottom plate on which recording paper is stacked in a bundle, and a side fence that stands up in a direction perpendicular to the bottom plate and presses down the sides of the bundle of recording paper on the bottom plate that are parallel to the paper feeding direction. , having a guide member that supports the side fence so as to be movable in the paper direction perpendicular to the paper feeding direction, and a cam that is engaged by the cam follower;
The cam has a cam mechanism that follows a cam follower in a direction to move the side fence in the direction of the paper in accordance with recording paper widths of different sizes, and the cam is displaced in the direction in which the side fence is disposed to record the position of the side fence. 1. A paper feeding device for an image forming apparatus, comprising a cam member that switches according to the paper width. 2. Claim 1, wherein the cam of the cam member is a cam groove.
A paper feeding device for the image forming apparatus described in 2. 3. The paper feeding device of the image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the cam member is configured in the shape of a rotating disk in which the cam groove is formed in the shape of a groove that extends in the circumferential direction and gradually moves away from the center of rotation. . 3. A paper feeder for an image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a part of the rotating disk-shaped cam member is exposed from the paper feeder main body, and the size of the recording paper is displayed on the exposed portion.