JPS634034Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a feeding device used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a recording machine. More specifically, it relates to a feeding device that can perform automatic feeding from a loading platform and manual feeding from a manual feeding guide member.

Hereinafter, a description will be given of a feeding device of a copying machine as an example.

Conventionally, as a feeding device that can switch between cassette paper feeding and manual paper feeding, for example,
Devices such as those disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 54-48559 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 117945/1988 are known. In either device, it is possible to switch from cassette paper feeding to manual paper feeding by inserting a manual feeding stand between the sheets of the cassette and the paper feeding roller.

However, in any of the above devices, the cassette used is a dedicated cassette with a function for manual switching.

For example, in the device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 54-48559,
A guide having an inclined surface is provided on the bottom plate of the cassette. When the pressing roller of the manual feed guide presses this inclined surface, the sheets in the cassette are lowered and manual feeding becomes possible. In addition, JP-A-56
In the device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 117945, a manual feed guide is slidably guided on the cover of the cassette, and by inserting this manual feed guide between the roller and the sheet, manual feeding becomes possible.

Therefore, in the conventional configuration, in addition to the ordinary general-purpose cassette, it is necessary to prepare a special cassette that can also be loaded manually.

Therefore, the present invention has been devised in view of the above-mentioned conventional example, and an object of the present invention is to provide a feeding device that allows manual feeding of even general-purpose cassettes.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the main parts of a copying machine using a feeding device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the main parts during manual feeding, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the manual feeding guide. .

In the figure, 1 is the main body of the copying machine. A cassette 2 is detachably loaded into the main body 1 of the copying machine. Reference numeral 4 denotes an intermediate plate serving as a sheet loading platform for loading sheets P, and a spring 5 serving as a pushing means.
The feeding side is pushed up so as to be able to swing freely. Further, numeral 6 is a vertically movable separation claw that separates the sheets P one by one during feeding. Reference numeral 7 denotes a feeding roller as a paper feeding means, which rotates in the direction of the arrow when, for example, a copy button (not shown) is pressed during feeding, and transfers the uppermost sheet in the cassette 2 into the main body 1. Send automatically. This roller 7 may be of a fixed type or may be a vertically movable type that descends during feeding, and comes into pressure contact with the uppermost sheet pushed up by the spring 5 at least during feeding.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a manual feed guide, which is provided on a fixed side plate (not shown) of the main body 1 of the copying machine so as to be rotatable (in the direction of arrow 10) about a shaft 9. This manual feed guide 8 includes a horizontal portion 8a having a width at least equal to or larger than the size of the sheet that can be manually fed and whose tip has a circular arc shape C, and vertical plates 8 provided at both ends of the horizontal portion 8a in the feeding direction.
b, and is provided above the cassette 2. Further, a sheet presser dowel 8c is fixed on the back surface of the horizontal portion 8a. Therefore, the manual feed guide 8 rotates clockwise around the shaft 9 and descends, so that the dowel 8c pushes down the stacked sheets in the cassette 2 against the spring force of the spring 5.
The horizontal portion 8a is inserted between the uppermost sheet in the cassette 2 and the roller 7.

Therefore, in this embodiment, when the guide 8 is retracted upward as shown in FIG. The sheets are automatically taken out one by one by the rotation of step 7.

Also, when performing manual feeding, use this guide 8.
All you have to do is rotate it clockwise until it hits the stopper 11. In this state, the guide 8 is attached to the dowel 8c.
pushes down the sheet P, widens the gap between the roller 7 and the sheet, and the separation claw 6 also lowers under its own weight. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the tip of the horizontal portion 8a is loaded into a predetermined manual feeding position located below the roller 7.
Therefore, the operator places the manual sheet P1 on the horizontal portion 8a of the guide 8 and pushes it in the feeding direction along the vertical plate 8b. Then, a detection member (not shown) detects the passage of this manually fed sheet P1, a detection signal is generated, and the feeding roller 7 starts rotating. When the manually fed sheet P1 reaches the roller 7, the conveying force of the rotating roller 7 causes the sheet P1 to leave the operator's hand and pass through the small gap between the roller 7 and the guide 8 into the main body 1. (This state is shown in FIG. 2). That is, manual feeding is performed.

Therefore, in this embodiment, so-called automatic feeding from the cassette 2 to the feeding station is possible simply by retracting the manual feed guide 8 upward. Moreover, manual feeding becomes possible by simply rotating and pushing down the manual feeding guide 8 in this retracted position.

Note that when the manual guide 8 is retracted upward, the guide 8 may be securely held in the retracted position by a locking member (not shown). Further, a gripping hand (not shown) may be provided on the back surface of the rear end of the horizontal portion 8a of the guide 8 to improve the rotational operation of the guide 8.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment.

In this example, a pressure bonding plate with spring properties is used to
This is to press the manual sheet against the feed roller 7 to ensure more reliable conveyance by the feed roller 7.

In the figure, a portion of the horizontal portion 8a facing the feeding roller 7 is partially cut out, and the tip 16a of the leaf spring 16 is made to protrude from the cutout. Note that the rear end 16b of this leaf spring 16 is fixed to the back surface of the horizontal portion 8a.

Therefore, during manual feeding, the manual feeding sheet located on the horizontal section 8a is moved by the rotating roller 7 and the leaf spring 16.
Because of the elastic force of the sheet, the manually fed sheet is conveyed more reliably.

Still another embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a main part of a copying machine using another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a manual feed guide.

In this embodiment, a manually fed sheet is pressed against the feeding roller 7 by a swinging lever 19 that swings in the direction of arrow a by its own weight instead of a pressure bonding plate having spring properties.

In the figure, a notch opening 17 is provided in a portion of the horizontal portion 8a facing the feeding roller 7.
Then, from this opening 17, the tip 1 of the swinging lever 19
A lever 19 that is rotatable about a support shaft 18 provided on the back surface of the guide is attached so that the lever 9a protrudes. Since this lever 19 is formed to be thicker or heavier at the rear than the support shaft 18, it is always subjected to a clockwise rotational force so that its tip 19a projects into the manual feed path.

Then, the sheet manually fed onto the horizontal section 8a is
The sheet is pushed upward by the tip 19a of the lever 19 and comes into contact with the roller 7 with sufficient pressing force, so that the sheet can receive reliable conveying force from the roller 7.

Further, FIG. 7 shows another embodiment.

In this embodiment, a large vertical plate 13 is rotatably attached to a shaft 9, and a small vertical plate 14 is rotatably attached to a shaft 14 fixed to the large vertical plate 13.
The guide 8 is attached to the main body 1 so as to be rotatable relative to the main body 1 by means of the dowel 8c. The guide 8 receives the elastic force of the spring 5 by means of the dowel 8c.

Therefore, in this embodiment, since the guide 8 can be rotated more sharply during manual feeding, the roller 7
It is possible to further prevent a jam when the manually fed sheet P1 is held and conveyed between the guide 8 and the guide 8.

In each of the above-mentioned embodiments, only examples using cassettes have been shown, but the loading table is not limited to cassettes, and may be any device capable of loading sheets, such as a deck. Furthermore, the cassette is not limited to a type in which a spring is built into the cassette, and it is of course possible to use a type in which the stacked sheets are pushed up by an external push-up mechanism.

Further, in each of the embodiments, the feeding roller starts rotating when a detection member (not shown) detects the presence of the manual feed sheet, and the advancing manual feed sheet is directly transferred to this rotating roller. Only an example of transportation is shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this; for example, after the manual feed sheet is once brought into contact with the feeding roller, or after it is positioned according to the marks on the manual feed guide,
Of course, the sheet may be conveyed by starting the rotation of the rollers.

Since the feeding device according to the present invention is as described above, it has the advantage of being able to easily switch between automatic sheet feeding and manual feeding. Another advantage is that even a general-purpose cassette can be manually loaded.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the main parts of a copying machine using a feeding device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the main parts during manual feeding, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the manual feeding guide, and Fig. 4
5 is a sectional view of a main part of another embodiment, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a guide, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a main part of another embodiment. In the figure, 1...copying machine main body, 2...cassette, 4...middle plate, 5...spring, 6...separation claw, 7
...Feeding roller, 8...Manual feed guide, 8a...
Horizontal part, 8b... Vertical plate, 8c... Sheet presser dowel, 9... Shaft, 13... Vertical plate, 16... Leaf spring, 17... Opening, 18... Support shaft, 19... Lever.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] A sheet loading table; a feeding means for feeding the sheets on the sheet loading table; a pushing means for pushing up the sheets on the sheet loading table toward the feeding means; and an apparatus. It is supported by the main body so as to be pivotable in the vertical direction, and is inserted between the sheet on the sheet loading platform and the feeding means while rotating downward, and the sheet on the sheet loading platform is pushed up against the pushing up means. A feeding device comprising: a manual feed guide member that is pushed down;