JPS60230164A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable dealing with an image recorder having a desired number of steps of conveying parts by constituting a transfer paper-contg. part and paper conveying part as one paper feed unit and coupling attachably and detachably the unit to the main unit of a device having an image forming part. CONSTITUTION:A paper feed cassette C1 contg. prescribed transfer sheet in lamination is mounted to the main unit 10 of the device. The transfer paper are conveyed by each sheet by a conveying belt 11 and are fed along a guide plate 12 to an intermediate image carrying body 16 by which copying is executed. Paper feed cassettes C2, C3 contg. transfer paper having sized, etc. different from the sizes, etc. of the paper in the cassette C1 and paper feed units 20, 30, etc. having conveying parts provided with functions to eject the transfer paper housed therein by themselves are prepd. to the unit 10. and are stached by as much as a desired number of steps by connecting members 25, 35, etc. The stack units are connected and fixed to the base of the unit 10. The transfer paper contained in the units 20, 30, etc. are optionally selected and are fed from the guide part 13 on the base of the unit 10.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image recording device fleK in which a paper feeding unit is modularized and an image is recorded on recording paper using an electrophotographic process. .

[Prior art]

An image recording device using a conventional electrophotographic process is 1Ia
11! Designed based on fixed specifications for each
It is offered as a product. In the process of designing and producing a large number of models, there has been progress in standardization of technology and standardization of parts, but each model is fundamentally different. For manufacturers, this means that an increase in the number of new products means an increase in the number of parts to be managed for actor services, etc., and in order to suppress this, they have to stop supporting models that have been commercialized in the past. There is a need. For example, a method that should be kept in stock as repair parts for seven years may be discontinued after five or three years, or users may be asked to replace the model with a new model. However, this method is often unpopular with users. Another problem for users when using conventional methods is that since only image recording devices with predetermined specifications can be obtained, users are unable to purchase an image recording device with specifications that completely meet their needs. That is mentioned. What users can do is
All you have to do is get a product that is “as close as possible” to your needs. In the end, users have no choice but to settle for a product with unsatisfactory specifications or spend extra money to purchase a product with specifications that exceed their needs.

Conventionally, there are two types of image recording devices that use transfer paper of various paper sizes or colors: a built-in type as shown in Figure 1 (al), and an external type as shown in Figure 1 (bl). Different types of transfer paper were built into each case, and copies were made by selectively using the number of transfer papers installed in the case.

In the case of the main body built-in type, the size of the image recording apparatus main body B1 depends on the transfer paper supply section, and if the number of stages is increased, it is necessary to increase the size to the point where it becomes unnecessary. Furthermore, the two-stage type lacks flexibility in that it cannot be changed to three-stage.

Furthermore, the type that is external to the main body is not used in a desktop device because a stand B3 is used together with the image recording device main body B2. Additionally, the three-tier type lacks flexibility in that it cannot be changed to four-tier.

As described above, both types lack flexibility and do not fully satisfy the user's required specifications.

[Purpose of the invention]

It is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording device that is highly flexible and can meet all of the user's requirements for the image recording device, particularly various required specifications (desired number of stages) for the paper supply device.

[Structure of the invention]

The present invention aims to achieve the above object.

The present invention includes an apparatus main unit (unit) having an image forming section that generates an image signal and forms an image on an intermediate image carrier in response to the image signal; The present invention provides an image recording apparatus characterized in that a plurality of paper feeding units each having a paper conveying section for feeding the paper to a position are removably coupled to each other.

That is, the present invention configures the transfer paper conveying section as one paper feeding unit, and by adding the required number of stages to the main unit of the apparatus, an image recording apparatus having a desired number of stages of transport sections can be obtained. This is what I did.

[Implementation row]

An embodiment of an image recording device according to the present invention is shown in FIG.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a main body unit of the image recording device 1 of the present invention, which can also be called the mother body, and the main body unit I
In the case of OK, the paper feed cassette C1 containing predetermined transfer papers stacked and stored is installed, and the transfer papers are transported one by one at high speed by the conveyance guide (IIK) along the guide plate 12. The paper is turned upside down and transported to the guide section 14.

Next, the transfer paper is fed to intermediate image support #-16, which already carries the toner image of the original, with the timing adjusted by the registration roller 15, and the toner image of the original is transferred onto the paper surface, and after fixing, it is transferred to the main unit of the apparatus. The paper is ejected onto a paper ejection tray 19 provided outside the printer 0, and the copy cycle is completed.

Further, the apparatus main body unit 10 is provided with a guide section 13 which is an opening at the bottom and serves as a paper feeding path for the transfer paper, and the transfer paper fed from the lower part of the guide section 13 is also placed on the back surface of the guide plate I2. The transfer paper is guided to the guide portion 14 through the paper feed cassette (CI), and is fed to the intermediate image carrier 16 by a registration row 215 in the same way as the transfer paper carried out from the paper feed cassette (CI).

Difficult device main unit [the above paper feed case for 0]
A paper feed cassette (C2, C3, 04, etc.) which is a transfer paper storage unit that can store transfer paper of a different size or paper quality from C1,
A paper feeding unit equipped with a transfer paper conveying section that has the function of carrying out the transfer paper stored therein) 20, Addition, 4
0 etc. are available.

The paper feeding unit) 20, 40, etc. includes, in addition to the paper feeding force section 20, 40, as described above, delivery belts 21, 31, 41, . A guide plate η, 32° 42, a conveyor belt, a 4% sheet, and a guide portion 23, 33, 43, which is a paper feed passage opened at the bottom, and a connecting member provided at the top of each. δ, ah,
45, they are connected and fixed to the apparatus main unit IO or between paper feeding units.

Further, the paper feeding units) 20, 40, etc. each have a drive motor as a power source, a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of transfer paper and a jam, and a control unit for controlling their operation and warning. and the device main unit 1
0, and a power conversion device consisting of a transformer and a rectifier for supplying DC power to them.

As shown in FIG. 2, the paper feed units 20, 40, etc. are connected and fixed to the bottom view of the apparatus main unit 9 in a stacked state using the respective connecting members 5, 45, When the power supply is connected using the connector 8, A, and the edict, respectively, by operating the operation panel provided on the apparatus main unit 0, the apparatus main unit 10 is connected to the paper feed unit 20, 9, 40, etc. It is possible to arbitrarily select the transfer paper stored in the machine and carry it out and convey it.

That is, for example, in the operation panel, the paper feed cassette) C3
When the copy paper stored in is selected, when the copy button is pressed, exposure scanning of the document surface and the toner image formation process on the intermediate image carrier 16 are started in the main body unit tO of the apparatus, and on the other hand, the process of forming a toner image on the intermediate image carrier 16 is started. At (9), the rotation of the conveyance belt 31 and the conveyance roller, as well as the rotation of the conveyance roller U of the paper feed unit (9) located in the middle, is started.

Therefore, in the paper feed unit (9), when the topmost transfer paper in the paper feed cassette C30 is carried out by the carry-out belt 31, it faces upward along the guide plate 32 and is fed by the conveyance roller A. The transfer paper is conveyed to the outside above between the paper units, but since the guide part n in the paper feed unit I is open at that position, the transfer paper passes through the guide part η and is further conveyed by the conveyance roller U to the above-mentioned device. It is transported to the guide section 13 of the main unit 10.

Thus, the transfer paper in the paper feed cassette C3 is transferred to the registration row 21 in the same way as the transfer paper in the paper cassette C1.
When the toner image is transferred by the intermediate image carrier 16 after the timing is adjusted by 5.

In addition, the paper feed cassette) C is replaced with the paper feed cassette) C3.
2 or C4, the paper feed unit (20 or 40) is selected by communication from the operation panel.
The transfer paper conveying section operates, and as in the previous example, the transfer paper is fed to the intermediate image carrier 16 to perform copying.

Note that the communication means between each unit is the connection member 25.
It is possible to connect the units at the same time by fixing them to each other via the By transmitting signals through means, it is possible to carry out and feed any desired transfer paper and transfer an image by simply handling the operation panel in the apparatus main body unit IO.

FIG. 3 shows paper feed units 200, 300 . 400 etc. and paper feed unit 500°6
00.700, etc. are connected and fixed in parallel, and the transfer paper from a larger number of paper feed units is also fed from the direction of the arrow to the apparatus main body unit 100 to receive image transfer. , the image recording apparatus has a feature of being short in height even though it is equipped with many types of paper feeding units.

[Effects of the Invention]- The present invention allows a user to mount various types of predetermined transfer paper according to the purpose of copying, and to transfer an image by carrying out any desired transfer paper with a simple operation. The object of the present invention is to provide an extremely useful image recording device.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of how a paper cassette is installed in a general copying machine. 2 and 3 are a cross-sectional configuration diagram and a conceptual diagram of the image recording device of the present invention. 1... Image recording device 10...
・・・・・・・・・・・・ Mounted main unit 11.2
1.31.41...... Carrying out belt 12, η
, 32.42... Guide plate 13.14
, ru, ah, 43... Guide part 15...
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Registration roller 16・
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Intermediate image carrier 17・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Second guide plate 18, Name, ah...... Connector 19...... Paper ejection tray addition, addition, 40... ...Paper feed unit U%, 44 ......Conveyance reeler 5, ah...
45......Connection members CI, C2, C3,
C4... Paper cassette feed agent - patent attorney No 1
) Stepparent N1 diagram (α) tJ)

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) (&! A device having an image forming section which generates a multiplied signal and receives the image signal and forms an intermediate carrier K (I), the main unit is moved to a transfer paper storage section and the transfer paper is transferred to the image forming section. What is claimed is: 1. An image recording apparatus comprising a plurality of paper feeding units each having a paper conveying section for changing a transfer position and removably coupled thereto. (2) The plurality of paper feed units 9 are coupled in a vertically overlapping state, and the apparatus main body unit is coupled on top of the uppermost paper feed unit. 1
Image recording device as described in Section 2. (3) A patent claim characterized in that paper is fed from the paper feed unit located at a lower level and transfer paper is fed from the attached main body unit K through a paper feed path provided in the paper feed unit located at a higher level. The image recording device according to item 2.