JPS60236941A - Sheet storing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate selection of storing receptacles by providing the receptacles which are detachably fixed at a standby position and connecting the receptacles to each other with paired parallel links in a system where one of sheet storing receptacles vertically arranged in multistage is selected to feed a sheet. CONSTITUTION:In the illustrated condition where, the i-th paper tray 2i from the top is selected to feed a sheet, in case of slecting a tray 2n-1, for example, a linear motor 23 is first operated to lift up an elevating member 22 along a guide rod 21 to the upper limit standby position. Subsequently, a male screw member 10 is rotated by a motor 12 to move a slider 8 along slide rails 7 through a female member 9 obliquely to the upper left side, until the trays 2i, 2n-1 are brought into contact with electromagnets 14i, 14n-1. After that, the respective trays 21, 22, 2i are adsorbed and retained by excitation of the electromagnets 141, 142, 14i, and then the male screw member 10 is reversed to lower only the tray 2n obliquely downward. Subsequently, the elevating member 22 is lowered to a position corresponding to the tray 2n-1.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to a multi-stage sheet storage device applied to image recording devices such as electrophotographic copying machines and facsimiles, and particularly relates to a multi-stage sheet storage device that is applied to image recording devices such as electrophotographic copying machines and facsimile machines. A sheet paper storage container in which a large number of sheet storage containers each storing sheets of paper are stacked vertically in multiple tiers, and one of the top surfaces of the tips of the storage containers can be selectively exposed as necessary. This invention relates to a storage device.

Prior Art In a conventional image recording device, such as an electrophotographic copying machine, approximately two or three paper storage containers are installed vertically in multiple tiers inside the machine, and paper of appropriate size is extracted from any of these paper storage containers. However, since each paper storage container is provided with its own paper conveyance means in the installation position of the paper storage container, a large space is required, and therefore the above-mentioned Only a relatively small number of paper storage containers could be installed.

However, the size of the manuscript is A4+A5, B4-E.

There are a lot of them, so in order not to waste paper,
Since it is necessary to prepare many types of paper corresponding to the original size, if the paper size in the paper storage container installed in the machine does not match the original size, the paper storage container must be replaced. The replacement work was complicated.

Particularly recently, as electrophotographic copying machines capable of multi-step variable magnification copying have become widespread, a wide variety of paper sizes are required. - From the standpoint of efficiency in copying operations, there has been a growing need to be able to compactly store a large number of paper storage containers and transport paper from the required containers as needed.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention The present invention relates to improving a sheet storage device that can meet such demands. The point is that it can be stored compactly and with high density in a narrow space.

Means and Effects for Solving the Problems ゛In the present invention, in a sheet storage device for an image recording device in which sheet storage containers are arranged in multiple stages, each sheet storage container is arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction. It is configured so that it can be stacked on top of the paper sheet and moved relative to each other in the downward direction in the sheet transport direction or in the opposite direction.
After the sheet storage container at the bottom or the second stage from the bottom is driven upward in the direction opposite to the sheet delivery direction by the operation of the container driving means, the storage containers located above the target storage container are moved to the binding means. and then drive the lowest sheet storage container or the second sheet storage container from the bottom downward in the sheet conveyance direction by operating the container driving means again, thereby exposing the upper surface of the target storage container on the discharge side. Embodiments of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 will be described below.

An example will be described.

1 is a sheet of paper (hereinafter a sheet of paper is referred to as paper), and the paper 1 is cut into various sizes such as A8-A4-A5-B4-]j5, and divided by size or arranged in the vertical and horizontal directions. The sheets are stored in a stacked manner in n number of A4 paper trays 2 (five in the drawing), and the paper 1 in the paper tray 2 is transferred to a dry type electrophotographic copying machine by a paper feeder 20, which will be described later. It is designed so that one sheet is supplied every 50 days.

Further, while the paper trays 2 are stacked vertically in the vertical direction, the connecting lever 4 is moved in the direction in which the paper trays 2 are carried out (the right side in FIG. 1, hereinafter referred to as the front).
The opposite direction is referred to as the rear), and both ends of the trays 2 are pivoted to the front and rear of the side walls 3 of the vertically adjacent trays 2, forming a parallel link. The upper paper tray 24-+ (counting from the top, meaning the i-1st tray) is parallel to the paper tray L/I 2t immediately below it, and is aligned vertically, including the paper ejection direction. It is designed to be able to swing back and forth along the surface.

Further, the lowest paper tray 2n is placed on a moving plate 6 via a cushioning rubber 5, and a parallel slide rail 7 oriented diagonally rearward and upward is integrally attached to the vertical machine frame 52 of the copying machine 50. , sliders 8 provided on both front and rear sides of the movable plate 6 are slidably mounted on the slide rail 7.

Furthermore, a female thread member 9 is attached to the lower part of the moving plate 6, and a male thread member 10 oriented in a direction parallel to the direction of the slider 8 is screwed onto the female thread member 9. The base end of the thread member 10 is connected to a tray moving motor 12 via a transmission device 11, and when the tray moving motor 12 is rotated forward and backward, the moving plate 6 moves diagonally up and down along the slide rail 7. It has become.

Moreover, a column 1311 is fixed vertically behind the paper tray 2, and the paper trays 25.2□, . . . 2. 21.21'% of the paper tray for each interval that is the same as the center interval of the overlapping state of L-I (excluding 2n)...2. -1 can be detachably attracted to the floating electromagnet 14. ．． 14□,...1.4. , is attached.

Further, in front of the paper tray 2, a paper feeding device side is arranged, and the paper feeding device side is provided with a pair of left and right guide rods 21 fixed vertically. The elevating member 22 is vertically driven by a linear motor 23. Note that the linear motor % is determined by the nutator provided integrally along the guide rod 21 and by 2 by the lifting member 2.
2 and a head (not shown) attached to the head.

Further, the elevating member 22 is provided with a delivery roll 26 facing the paper tray 2 via a swing lever 25, and a pair of upper and lower transport rolls 26 is provided on the base end side of the swing lever 25.
7 is provided, and the paper (1) sent out by the delivery roll 26 is sent out between the pair of upper and lower transport rolls 27 by the paper guide 28.

Furthermore, the elevating member 22 and the paper receiving section 5 of the copying machine 50 form an upper and lower pair with a connecting means 29 which is pivotably connected via three pairs of connecting links. The connecting means 2 is connected to the guide chute 30 so as to protrude inwardly from the guide chute 30 and come into contact with each other.
Four pairs of upper and lower transport rolls 31 are pivotally attached to the joints and ends of the lifting member 22. - Whatever the vertical position along the guide rod 21, the paper 1 delivered to the transport roll 27 by the delivery roll 26 and the paper guide path as described above will be delivered to the flexible guide chute 30; Copying sacrifice 5 by the along conveyance roll 31
The paper is conveyed to the paper receiving section 51 of No. 0, and the required copying is performed by the copying machine 50.

Further, the copying machine 50 has a built-in microcomputer, and the operation of the microcomputer causes required operations to be performed according to the flow shown in FIG.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is configured as described above, so when the fifth tray 2J counting from the top is selected (step ■), the program step advances to ■□, and this The previously selected tray number B and the newly set tray number 5 are compared, and if they are equal, proceed to step 0.

Also; it is larger than the car, and the paper tray 2j is the paper tray 2.
If it is lower than L, the process proceeds to step (2), where the paper feeder 20 is raised to the standby position of the paper tray 2t, and then step (2) is performed.
Then, the tray moving motor 12 is rotated in the normal direction, and the paper tray 2L is
, 21+i...2n is raised diagonally backward and upward, and in step ■, the three electromagnets that had been turned off until now +4i
, 14. +1, ...+4A-, 5-4 electromagnets +4 i + 141++, ...14. - are turned on, and the paper trays 2i-21 -1, -2. -1 is attracted to electromagnets +4 i, +4Lf, . . . 14 j-. Then, in step ■, the tray movement motor 12 is reversed.
...2°-1 is the electromagnet 14 J-14,1'++,
...144-1, but is lowered diagonally forward and downward together with the paper tray 2n directly below it, and the front upper surface of the paper tray 2:I is exposed. At Kirani step ■, the paper feed device side descends to the front upper surface of the paper tray 2j, and the feed roll 2
6 comes into contact with the paper in the open paper tray 2j.

However, j is smaller than paper tray 2. ; is higher than paper tray 2t, proceed to step (2), and the paper feed device side is paper tray 2. After being raised to the standby position of paper trays 2i, 2. ? ,...2n is raised obliquely upward,
t, -1 electromagnet 14. which has been turned on so far in step ■. ．． 14. ,...+44-,.

i −j electromagnets 145.1%+,...14. ,
is turned off, and the paper trays 2j, 2.・Ya...2i
-7 is electromagnet 1.4 j, 14 j+,...144
-1. At step 0, tray movement motor 1
2 is reversed, n, -j paper trays 21.2
The paper trays 1, . . . 2-1 are lowered obliquely forward and downward together with the paper tray 2n immediately below them, and the front upper surface of the paper tray 21 is exposed. Next, in step O, the paper feeder side is lowered to the front upper surface of the paper tray 2j, and the delivery roll 26 comes into contact with the paper 1 in the paper tray 25.

While the delivery roll 26-h'' is in contact with the paper 1 in the paper tray 2, the paper feeder 20 operates in step O to supply the paper 1 to the copying machine 50, and copying is performed in step 0. , at step 0; is switched to B, and the program step ends.

In this way, in steps 1 to 1, it is possible to expose the front upper surface of another paper tray 21 and feed paper from the same paper tray 2j from the paper tray 2t whose front upper surface is already exposed and the paper can be fed. .

In addition, one paper tray 2.2hL-1) can be assembled using only a pair of connecting bars 4, one tray movement motor 12, and n-1 electromagnets. ,2. , . . 2 n, so that paper can be fed by selectively exposing the front upper surfaces of the paper. Therefore, the structure is extremely simple and the cost is low.

Furthermore, only the gap between the tray 2j to be fed and the tray 2j-1 above it is widened, and the other trays are close to each other, so that a large number of paper trays L/L/L are placed in a narrow space at a high density. It is possible to store 21, 22, . . . 2n.

Furthermore, since the paper tray 2 is made to be moved by the screw structure, even the paper tray 2 having a large total weight can be precisely moved diagonally up and down.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the paper tray 2 is moved by a screw structure, but as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the cam 5 is moved by a tray moving motor. 12
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6, the tray moving motor 12 can be used to drive the hydraulic pump 16 HN to move the paper tray L/I 2 diagonally up and down.
Pressure oil generated by the pump 6 may be supplied to and discharged from a hydraulic cylinder 8 through a valve 17 to move the paper tray 2 diagonally up and down by the expansion and contraction of the hydraulic cylinder 8.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the link 1 is attached to the female thread member 9.
The movable plate 6 may be connected to the movable plate 6 via the thread member 9, and the link 19 may be driven by the movement of the female thread member 9, so that the movable plate 6 may be moved diagonally up and down.

Further, in the paper feeding device 32 of the embodiment shown in FIG.
Two pairs of upper and lower arms 34 and 35 are pivotally supported on the pivot support 33 so as to be able to swing up and down, and a bracket 36 is pivotally supported at the tips of the arms 34 and 35.
Send to the parallel link 37 formed by! (4 sirole 38
A conveyor belt 39 is provided, and the parallel link 37 is swung up and down by a motor (not shown) to convey the feed roll 38.
is brought into contact with the paper 1 in the tray 2, and the feed roll 38
, the conveyor belt 39 and the conveyor roll 41 in the curved guide chute 40 are driven.
Alternatively, the paper may be supplied to the paper receiving section 51 of No. 0.

In such a paper feeding device 32, the delivery roll 38
In order to maintain a constant distance between the paper tray 2 and the front edge of the paper 1 in the paper tray 2, the paper tray 2 may be arranged along an arc surface centered on the pivot point of the parallel link 37. 32 is vertically swung and hung by the parallel link 37, so the structure -h' is simple, the number of parts is small, and the cost is low.

In the embodiments described above, the lowest paper tray 2 is moved up and down, and the paper tray 2-1 located one level above is moved by the slide rail 7 and the slider 8.
You can also move it up and down with .

Effects of the Invention In the present invention, only the distance between the exposed sheet storage container from which sheets are to be carried out and the sheet storage container above it is widened, and the other storage containers are brought into close contact with each other. Since the sheet storage containers can be stacked together, a large number of the sheet storage containers can be stored in a narrow space at a high density.

Further, in the present invention, one container driving means prime mover;
With the number of binding means one less than the number of sheet storage containers, one of the upper surfaces of the plurality of sheet storage containers in the sheet conveyance direction is selected and exposed, and sheet feeding is handled. Because it can be used, the structure is simple and the number of parts is small.
Cost is low.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical side view illustrating an embodiment of the sheet storage device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating the state in the middle of switching to another paper tray. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the same embodiment, FIG. 4 is a vertical side view of another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a side view showing an intermediate state, and FIGS. FIG. 6 is a side view of yet another embodiment of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Paper, 1.2...Paper tray-3...Tray side wall, 4...Connection lever, 5...Buffer rubber, 6.
- Moving plate, 7...Slide rail 58...Slider, 9...Female thread member, 10...Male thread member, 11
...Transmission device, 12...Tray movement motor, 13.
...Strut, 14...Electromagnet, 15...Cam, 16.
...Hydraulic pump, J7...Valve,]8...Hydraulic cylinder, 19...Link, addition...Paper feeding device, 21.
... Guide rod, 22 ... Lifting member, η ... Linear motor 524 ... Stator, 5 ... Swing lever, 26
...Feeding roll, 27...Transportation roll, ah...
Paper guide, 29... Connecting means, 30... Flexible guide chute, 31... Conveyance roll, 32... Paper feeding device, 33... Pivotal portion, 34. 35... Arm, 3
6...Bracket, 37...Parallel link, 38...
Delivery roll, 39... Conveyance belt, 40... Curved guide chute, 4]... Conveyance roll, 50... Dry type electrophotographic copying machine, 51... Paper receiving section, 52... Machine frame . Agent Patent attorney Nozomi Ehara 2 people 91” 11 12 Japanese 3rd figure

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an image recording apparatus that is provided with a sheet delivery stage and stage for selectively transporting sheets from one of a plurality of sheet storage containers provided in the vertical direction, each sheet storage container is A plurality of pairs of parallel links that sequentially connect the storage containers to each other so as to be able to swing freely along a vertical plane, and
a container driving means for driving the sheet storage container of each stage downward in the sheet transport direction or upward in the opposite direction to the sheet transport direction; and a container driving means for driving the sheet storage container in the sheet transport direction upwardly in the opposite direction to the sheet transport direction. 7. A sheet storage container storage device characterized by comprising: a binding means for removably fixing the paper sheet with the holder.