JPS6210272Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a paper feed switching device for a copying machine or the like.

In copying machines and the like, copy sheets of different sizes are selectively fed from a plurality of paper feed cassettes to, for example, a transfer section. Such a paper feed cassette is normally detachable from the main body of the copying machine, and each time it is attached or detached, the paper feed rollers and the inside of the cassette are changed, for example, by operating a cassette switching lever that protrudes outside the machine. The bottom plate push-up member, etc., is evacuated. Since such a mechanism uses a relatively strong elastic spring or a click stop mechanism, the operation force of the cassette switching lever is large, and the switching operation is likely to be accompanied by an impact force, and the mechanism configuration is complicated. There are drawbacks such as:

The object of the present invention is to provide a paper feed switching device that can easily selectively switch between a plurality of paper feed cassettes and achieve a selective sheet feeding function with a simple mechanical configuration. .

The present invention will be explained below with reference to illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a two-stage paper feeding cassette type copying machine to which the present invention is applied, and in the figure, a copying machine main body 1 is loaded with paper feeding cassettes 2 and 3 above and below. The cassettes 2 and 3 are provided with bottom plates 4 and 5, respectively, for storing and mounting copying sheets S ₁ and S ₂ of different sizes, respectively. By being supported by the notch recesses 2a and 3a, respectively, the bottom plates 4 and 5 are able to swing freely using these portions as fulcrums.

Free ends of the bottom plates 4, 5 are received by arm ends 6a, 7a of bottom plate raising members 6, 7, respectively. The base end portions of the bottom plate raising members 6, 7 are attached to mounting shafts 8, which are rotatably supported by a device board (not shown).
9, respectively, and the bottom plate rising member 6,
7 is given the habit of rotating clockwise, for example, by the elasticity of tension springs 11 and 12, respectively. Due to this rotational behavior, for example, the top surface of the leading end side of the sheet S ₁ on one of the bottom plates 4 comes into pressure contact with the paper feed roller 13 fixedly placed at the position shown in the figure.
In other words, the top surface of the sheet is in contact with the paper feed roller 13 with a constant pressure sufficient to feed one sheet.

A shaft 15 to which the switching member 16 is fixed is rotatably supported by a device board (not shown), and a base portion of a page pressing member 17 is fixed to the shaft 15. The operating knob 16a of the switching member 16 protrudes outside the machine so that it can be operated from the outside. A rotatable roller 19 is shaft-mounted on the switching member 16, and the base end 21a of this roller 19 is in contact with a leaf spring 21 fixed to a stationary member (not shown).

One end of the link rod 22 and one end of the switching member 16 are connected by a pin 16b, and
The other end of the link rod 22 and the arm end of the arm rod 23 are connected by a pin 23a. A shaft 24 to which the base of the arm rod 23 is fixed is rotatably supported by a device board (not shown), and the base of the page pressing member 18 is fixed to this shaft 24.

Here, when the print button of the copier is pressed, both paper feed rollers 13 and 1 placed in the regular position are pressed.
4 is connected to a drive unit (not shown), and both rotate by a predetermined angle in the direction of the arrow in response to each paper feed signal. In this case, the upper surface of the sheet _S2 in the lower cassette is spaced apart from the paper feed roller 14, so that sheets are not fed from the lower cassette. On the other hand, the upper surface of the sheets in the upper cassette is in contact with the paper feed roller 13, so that the sheets from this cassette are fed one by one toward feed rollers 25 and 26, and the sheets are fed by this feed roller. , for example, to the transfer section of a copying machine.

Here, in order to switch the cassettes, when the operating knob 16a of the switching member 16 shown in FIG. At this time, the member 17 contacts the upper surface of the seat S ₁ and presses down this part, thereby moving the seat and the bottom plate 4 against the elasticity of the spring 11 of the bottom plate lifting member 6 as shown in FIG. Rotate it to the position shown. On the other hand, when the switching member 16 rotates, the roller 19 is rotated by the leaf spring 2.
When the roller 19 climbs over the peak of the leaf spring 21, the leaf spring applies a force to further tilt the switching member 16, and then the switching member 16 is moved to the second position. Press the click stop at the position shown in the figure. In the above state, the upper surface of the sheet _S1 of the upper cassette is separated from the paper feed roller 13, and this separated state is maintained by the click stop action of the leaf spring 21.

On the other hand, when the switching member 16 is tilted from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG.
The arm rod 23 rotates clockwise together with the shaft 24, and as a result, as shown in FIG.
is spaced from the upper surface of the lower sheet _S2 . Then, the bottom plate lifting member 7 rotates clockwise due to the elasticity of the spring 12, pushing up the bottom plate 5 and lifting the seat _S2.
The upper surface of the paper is brought into pressure contact with the paper feed roller 14.

Under these circumstances, when a paper feed signal is applied to the drive system of the paper feed rollers 13 and 14, both rollers 13 and 14 rotate by a predetermined angle in the direction of the arrow. Then, sheets are fed from the lower cassette, and the topmost sheet is fed by feed roller 2.
Head to 5,26. In contrast, the upper sheet S ₁
Since the top surface of is separated from the paper feed roller 13,
Sheet feeding from this paper feeding section is not performed. By tilting the switching member 16 from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 2 in this way, the paper feeding mode is switched from the upper cassette to the lower cassette.

Next, in order to switch the paper feeding mode from the lower cassette to the original upper cassette, the switching member 16 shown in FIG. 2 can be tilted clockwise. That is, by tilting the switching member 16 in the clockwise direction, one of the paper surface pressing members 17 moves the sheet as shown in FIG.
spaced apart from the upper surface of S ₁ , and thus of the bottom plate rising member 6,
Due to the pushing up action on the bottom plate 4, the upper surface of the sheet _S1 comes into pressure contact with the paper feed roller 13. On the other hand, by tilting the switching member 16 clockwise from FIG. 2, the link rod 22 is pulled, and therefore the arm rod 23
rotates counterclockwise, and at this time, the paper surface pressing member 18 pushes the sheet S ₂ against the elasticity of the spring 12 into the first
Push down to the position shown.

In this state, the switching member 16 is click-stopped by the leaf spring 21 at the position shown in _FIG . The separation state is maintained. Through the above operations, the paper feeding mode is switched from the lower cassette to the upper cassette. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the uppermost sheet of the sheets _S1 in the upper cassette is fed by the paper feed roller 13.

In this way, in order to switch the paper feed size mode, it is only necessary to move the switching member 16 by a small amount,
In this case, the operating force is extremely small. That is,
In FIG. 1, the pressing force of the sheet S ₁ against the paper feed roller 13, so to speak, the paper feed pressure is set by subtracting the weight of the sheet from the elasticity of the spring 11 of the bottom plate lifting member 6. In this case, the switching member 1
The operating force of No. 6 is approximately equal to the above-mentioned paper feeding pressure, and is, for example, about several hundred grams as a design value, which is extremely small as a manual operating force. Further, in the device of the present invention, it is sufficient to use one switching member and a simple link mechanism.
The mechanism structure is extremely simple, the device can be made compact, and the cost of the device can be reduced. In the embodiment of the present invention, the switching member 16 is manually operated, but in addition, a member corresponding to the switching member may be selectively driven using, for example, a solenoid, and the switch may be operated from the outside. Accordingly, the paper surface pressing member may be selectively rotated. In this case, of course, the operating suction force of the solenoid may be small.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a paper feed switching device which can easily selectively switch between a plurality of paper feed cassettes and which has a simple mechanical structure and is inexpensive. The device of the present invention can be applied not only to electrophotographic copying machines and diazo copying machines, but also to various other mechanical devices having a plurality of paper feed cassettes.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a device configuration diagram of a paper feed switching device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an operational view from FIG. 1 showing a state in which the paper feeding mode is switched by operating the switching member of the device. 2, 3... Paper feed cassette, 4, 5... Bottom plate,
6, 7... Bottom plate raising member, 11, 12... Spring,
13, 14...Paper feed roller, 16...Switching member,
17, 18...Paper surface pressing member.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] Bottom plates 4 and 5 provided in each of the plurality of paper feed cassettes 2 and 3 for storing and placing sheets, and fixed above each of the plurality of paper feed cassettes 2 and 3, respectively. means 6, 11; 7, 12 for imparting a rising habit to each bottom plate in order to cause each paper feeding roller to press the upper surface of the sheets S ₁ and S ₂ on each bottom plate; and paper surface pressing members 17 and 18 that can freely move toward and away from the upper surface of the sheet on each bottom plate, and by selectively switching the rotational position, one of the paper surface pressing members 17 is pressed against the sheet S ₁ on one of the bottom plates 4.
The upper surface of the sheet S ₁ on the bottom plate 4 is pressed by one paper feed roller 13 due to the above-mentioned rising behavior, and the other paper surface pressing member 18 is operated to move the sheet S ₂ on the other bottom plate 5 away from the top surface. A paper feed switching device characterized by having a switching member 16 for pushing the upper surface against the above-mentioned upward movement and separating the upper surface from the other paper feed roller 14.