JP2000247458A - Picture image recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a positioning means having simplified configuration to position a paper feeding cassette in a paper feeding part of an image forming device. SOLUTION: A projection 41 as a positioning means 40 is provided in a frame 38 on a rear side of a paper feeding cassette storage part of a facsimile device, and a groove 62 as a positioning means is provided on a front plate 60 of a paper feeding cassette. Plane parts 44, 66 are provided in an engaging part of the projection 41 and the groove 62 through inclined face parts 43, 65, and both of the plane parts are mutually engaged at the final stage of mounting the paper feeding cassette to accurately position and fix the paper feeding cassette on a paper feeding part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper feeding device in an image recording apparatus, and more particularly, to a means for mounting a paper feeding cassette to a paper feeding unit of a facsimile machine or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus or a printer, a paper storage device such as a paper cassette is mounted on a paper feeding section of the apparatus main body, and a paper feeding apparatus arranged in a paper feeding section from the paper feeding cassette. Means are provided for feeding out sheets one by one using rollers. A guide member for guiding the paper cassette is arranged in the paper feeding unit to mount the paper cassette on the paper feeding unit. Means for positioning are used. Then, the paper feed cassette is fixedly held at a paper feed position corresponding to the paper feed roller using a lock unit or the like, and then the paper feed roller is set in a drivable state, and the paper feeding operation is started. Like that.

[0003]

However, in order to fix the paper cassette at the paper feeding position of the image recording apparatus,
Since a positioning member such as a pin is provided on both or one of the paper feeding cassette and the apparatus main body, and a fixing and holding mechanism for the pin or the like is provided on the other, there is a problem that the mechanism of the positioning device is complicated. . In addition, a lock mechanism or the like may be provided in the apparatus main body to fix the sheet cassette at the sheet feeding position, so that the sheet cassette can be reliably held in the sheet feeding section. . However, despite the fact that positioning means combining a number of components is arranged in the mounting portion of the conventional paper cassette, there is no positioning means having a simple configuration in the height direction of the paper cassette. At present, it is desired to develop a positioning means corresponding to a small-sized image recording apparatus.

An object of the present invention is to solve the problem of mounting and positioning the paper feed cassette, and to provide an apparatus which simplifies a guide mechanism for a paper feed unit of an image forming apparatus and can easily perform positioning. And

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus in which a paper storage device is mounted on a paper supply unit and paper is supplied from the paper storage device. The invention of claim 1 of the present invention
Engagement projections for positioning the paper cassette in the vertical and horizontal directions are provided on the inner wall of the paper cassette storage section provided in the main body of the image recording apparatus and on the front end of the paper cassette on the insertion side. It is characterized in that a positioning means having a mating recess is provided. Therefore, when the sheet cassette is mounted on the sheet feeding unit, the sheet cassette can be easily positioned not only in the left-right direction but also in the up-down direction.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the positioning means includes:
The paper feed cassette is provided at two places at a predetermined interval in the width direction. Further, the positioning of the sheet cassette in the vertical direction can be performed more reliably by the two positioning means. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the positioning means, the engaging protrusion provided on the apparatus main body or the paper feed cassette has a slope provided on a corner portion and a flat portion for positioning in combination with the engaging recess. It is characterized by the following. Therefore, the positioning of the sheet cassette can be performed only by the operation of attaching the sheet cassette to the sheet feeding section, and the operability can be improved.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One example of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described using a facsimile apparatus according to the illustrated example. FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a facsimile machine 1, in which a telephone stand 2a is arranged on a side of the machine main body 2, an operation unit 3 is arranged on a front side of an upper part of the main body, and numeric keys and functions are provided. Buttons and the like are provided so that functions such as telephone calls and copy creation can be selected at any time in addition to the original functions of the facsimile. A paper feed unit 10 using a paper feed cassette is disposed at a lower portion of the apparatus main body, a printing unit 20 is disposed at an intermediate portion of the apparatus main body, and a document handling mechanism is disposed at an upper portion thereof. An upper frame 30 is disposed on the upper part of the printing unit 20 so as to be openable and closable, and an outer cover 32 is mounted on the upper surface of the upper frame 30, and the outer cover 32 is opened and closed together with the upper frame to form an opening on the upper part. When replacing the ink ribbon 21 or checking the internal mechanism, the opening provided by opening the upper frame can be used.

A document reading section is arranged below the operation section 3 provided in the apparatus main body 2 and above the sheet transport path corresponding to the printing section. Document tray 4 which is arranged and provided detachably
Insert the original from. A transport roller device 6 for transporting a document toward a reading unit via a document transport path 5 connected to the document tray is provided, and a platen roller 7 is provided downstream of the transport roller device 6. And a reading unit in which the reading device 8 and the reading device 8 are opposed to each other. The reading section is configured to discharge the document, whose image information has been read by the reading device, through the discharge port 9. The reading device 8 is constituted by a device using a photoelectric conversion element such as a contact type reading sensor, irradiates an image of a document conveyed at a constant speed with light, receives reflected light and converts an optical signal into an electric signal. It can be output as a signal and the image signal can be transmitted through a telephone line using a facsimile function.

In the above-mentioned apparatus, even when the copy mode is selected, it is possible to transmit the read information of the original to the thermal head of the printing section and use it for printing on the recording paper. By arranging the document reading section on the upper portion of the apparatus main body 2, in the facsimile apparatus, the document handling mechanism can be collectively disposed on the upper portion of the apparatus main body, and inserted from a document tray provided on the apparatus main body. A path for discharging the original to be discharged to the front side of the apparatus body can be configured.

A paper feeding unit 10 arranged at a lower portion of the apparatus main body
, A leg-shaped projection is arranged at the lower part of the apparatus main body of the facsimile apparatus via a space in which the sheet cassette 50 is mounted. The paper cassette is mounted between the leg members of the apparatus main body and positioned so that the paper accommodated in the paper cassette 50 is fed to the paper feed roller 15.
, And is transported while being sharply curved through the curved path 16 and fed to the printing unit 20. In the printing unit 20, the ink ribbon 21 and the paper are conveyed between the thermal head 26 as a device for creating a recording paper and the platen roller 25, and the ink of the ink ribbon is melted by the heat of the thermal head to form a paper. Transferred to
After printing on the recording paper, the ink ribbon is separated from the ink ribbon and discharged to a discharge path 18 via a discharge roller device 17.

The discharge path uses the portion above the cassette cover 57 of the paper feed cassette 50, and deposits recording paper between the lower plate and the cover of the main body. Further, the lower surface of the apparatus main body is configured so that the recording paper discharged onto the paper feed cassette 50 is subjected to a process so that no extra unevenness is formed so as not to hinder the movement. The recording paper discharged to 18 is guided in a stable state. further,
The leading end of the recording paper discharged to the discharge path 18 is supported by a supporting member 59 provided at the leading end of the slide cover 58 at a position where the recording paper exits the apparatus main body, and a pressing member 19 is provided above the supporting member. The arrangement is such that even if a large number of recording papers are discharged, the state of deposition of the recording papers is not disturbed. The pressing member 19 can be configured by bending a wire, and can be detachably disposed on the front side of the apparatus main body.

The ink ribbon 2 disposed in the printing unit 20
1 is, while being moved from the feeding roll 22 to the take-up roll 23, passes over the paper and passes between the thermal head 26 and the platen roller 25, and causes the heating element to generate heat based on information applied to the thermal head. The ink on the ink ribbon is transferred to paper and printed on recording paper. In order to move the ink ribbon 21 together with the paper, the drive mechanism provided on the take-up roll 23 is used to drive the ink ribbon 21 at the same speed as the paper feed speed. Also, when printing on the recording paper through the printing section, the paper may adhere to the ink ribbon, so by rapidly bending and guiding the ink ribbon via the peeling edge 33 downstream of the printing section, ,
The recording paper is separated from the ink ribbon, and the recording paper is sent out to the discharge roller device 17.

In the present embodiment, the paper transport path provided in the facsimile apparatus is a
6, the paper is moved in a curved path 16 in a direction substantially 180 ° immediately after being fed from the paper cassette 50. In the curved path 16, if there is a large sliding resistance on the guide surface on which the paper slides, stable conveyance of the paper may be difficult. Therefore, for example, the guide surface outside the curved path is formed by performing a surface treatment so that there is no unevenness, and the sheet is guided so as to slide in a state where the leading end of the sheet is pressed. When the bending action is applied, a large sliding resistance is not applied. As described above, the paper transport path is formed in a U-shape, and a mechanism for discharging the recording paper toward the upper portion of the paper feed cassette 50 is used. The space between the lower surface and the lower surface
It can be used as a
A storage means for recording paper can be configured.

An upper frame 3 provided with a thermal head holding portion 34 is provided above the portion where the ink ribbon is disposed.
0 is arranged and provided so as to be swingable via a support shaft 31.
An outer cover 32 is provided on the upper frame 30.
The outer cover 32 and the upper frame are opened via a support shaft, and when the ink ribbon 21 is replaced in the printing unit, the upper part of the printing unit is fixed. A large opening is formed in the work.

The upper frame 30 is formed by integrally connecting a thermal head support portion 34 thereto. The thermal head holding section 34 has a groove formed in a substantially U-shape upward, and the thermal head 26 is disposed above the groove. The thermal head 26 is mounted on the platen roller 25 using an urging member such as a spring. And a predetermined value of nip pressure can be applied to the sheet and the ink ribbon. On the upstream and downstream sides of the thermal head holding section 34, there are disposed projections projecting downward, respectively, and the downstream side projection has a peeling edge for peeling printed paper from the ink ribbon. 33.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the facsimile apparatus 1 of the present invention, a
A document discharge port 9 is opened, and a recording paper pressing member 19 made of wire or the like and a protrusion 59 of a slide cover are provided below the discharge port 9 to protrude. However, the other members are not protruded, and the front surface of the device is configured as substantially one surface, and has little unevenness. Therefore, when a sheet cassette described later is arranged at the lower portion of the apparatus main body, the front portion of the sheet cassette is also formed integrally with the front surface of the apparatus main body.

A lower frame 35 for accommodating a paper feed cassette 50 is provided below the main body 2 of the facsimile machine 1.
The lower frame 35 is configured as shown in FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 2 described above, the sheet cassette accommodating portion is viewed obliquely from the lower side. Side plates 36 and 37 are arranged on both sides of the sheet cassette accommodating portion, and the rear side is provided on the rear side. A frame 38 is provided, the paper cassette insertion opening is opened, and the other three sides are covered with the frame. In the lower frame 35, guide members 48, 48a, 48b are arranged at predetermined intervals on the inner side surfaces of the side plates 36, 37, respectively, in order to guide when the sheet cassette is mounted, as described later. Then, the step provided on the side plate of the paper feed cassette is guided by sliding on the upper surface of the guide member. A guide member 16a for a curved path provided in the apparatus main body is disposed on the rear frame 38, and a cassette positioning member 40
As shown in FIG. 1, the ridges 41 and 42 are arranged at predetermined intervals.

The paper feed cassette mounted in the paper feed cassette accommodating portion arranged in the lower frame 35 of the apparatus main body is shown in FIG.
A side plate 51, 51a and a rear plate member 51b provided with a handle are arranged around the paper storage unit, and a cassette front plate 60 is provided at the front end in the paper feeding direction. And an opening formed in the upper part. Also, on the paper feed side of the bottom plate of the paper storage unit,
A bottom plate 55 is swingably provided, and an end guide mounting portion 56 is provided at the rear of the bottom plate. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a cassette cover 57 is detachably provided at the rear of the apparatus main body of the paper feed cassette so as to cover the opening, and the cassette cover 57 allows the slide cover 58 to be pulled out. Provided.

Side guides 53, 53a are arranged to position the side surfaces on both sides in the feeding direction with respect to the paper accommodated in the paper feed cassette 50, and the snubbers 54, 54a are arranged corresponding to the side guides. Provided. The sheet is positioned between the side guides on both sides and an end guide (attached to the attachment section 56) for regulating the rear end of the sheet, and the sheet is fed by the sheet feeding unit 10 provided in the apparatus main body. The paper is fed one by one toward the printing unit by the feeding action of the roller 15 and the separating action by the snubber.

A positioning member 61 is provided on a cassette front plate 60 of the sheet cassette in correspondence with the cassette positioning member 40 provided on the lower frame 35 of the apparatus main body. Grooves 62, 63
Has been arranged. The relationship between the concave groove provided in the paper feed cassette and the ridge provided in the rear frame 38 of the lower frame is configured as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and as shown in FIG. The ridge 41 provided on the rear frame 38 is provided with an inclined surface 43 in the insertion direction of the sheet cassette and a flat portion 44 on the upper portion. In the concave groove 62 formed in the cassette front plate 60 of the paper feed cassette, an inclined surface 65 and a flat portion 66 are formed corresponding to the ridge. Then, in the final stage of mounting the paper feed cassette 50 toward the paper feed cassette accommodating portion, the concave groove of the paper feed cassette engages with the ridge of the rear frame. The sheet cassette is guided, and the sheet cassette is positioned with respect to the sheet feeding section in a state where the two flat sections are engaged.

FIG. 5 shows an example in which one ridge 41 and one groove 6 are provided.
2 is shown in a plan view, and side flat portions are formed on both sides of an end flat portion 47 of the ridge 41 via side slope portions 45, respectively. Further, in the concave groove 62 of the sheet cassette, side slope portions 67 are formed between the side flat portions 68 and the end flat portions 69 on both sides corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the ridge. Then, by inserting the paper cassette toward the mounting portion of the lower frame, the positioning member 61 of the paper cassette and the cassette positioning member 40 of the rear frame 38 are combined, and the left and right directions and the vertical direction of the paper cassette are Are respectively performed.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the positioning of the paper cassette with respect to the paper feeding section is performed in the vertical and horizontal directions at one time as shown in FIGS. Thus, the rear frame has two ridges 4 of the same shape.
1 and 42 are arranged, and concave grooves 62 and 63 are also arranged in the sheet cassette. Therefore, the positioning of the sheet cassette in the left-right direction and the up-down direction can be easily performed by the two positioning means. The sheet cassette is fixed by positioning the upper and side flat portions provided in each other. When the two positioning members are used, the paper feeding cassette is inserted into the paper feeding unit, and the cassette positioning member 40 and the positioning member 61 are inserted.
Only by positioning each other, the paper accommodated in the paper feed cassette is directed toward the paper transport path communicating with the printing unit.
The paper is sent out by a paper feed roller.

In the apparatus configured as described above, when the sheet cassette is mounted in the storage section, the step 52 provided on the side plate of the sheet cassette 50 is slid on the upper surface of the guide member of the side plate. In a state where it is moved, it is inserted into the accommodation section of the lower frame. Then, at the final stage of the operation of inserting the sheet cassette, as shown in FIG. 1, the concave groove 62 of the member 61 to be positioned of the sheet cassette is engaged with the ridge 41 of the cassette positioning member 40. Thus, the positioning of the sheet cassette with respect to the sheet feeding section is automatically performed. Therefore, by the positioning operation of the paper feed cassette, the front portion of the paper supported on the bottom plate on the paper feed side is moved by the paper feed roller 1.
5, the paper is fed one by one by the rotation of the paper feed roller and the separating action by the snubber.
In addition, when replenishing a paper cassette with a paper cassette or replacing the paper cassette with a paper cassette containing paper of a different size, only the paper cassette is pulled out, and the positioning means is disengaged. Can be moved along the guide member.

In the embodiment of the present invention, not only the case where only one sheet feeding roller is disposed in the sheet feeding section for the sheet feeding cassette, but also the case where the sheet feeding rollers are spaced from the axis by two. May be placed. In such a case, by providing two positioning means on the paper cassette and its mounting portion, it is possible to accurately perform the positioning operation of the paper cassette with respect to the paper feeding roller, and to perform the paper feeding operation. Can be set well.

In the present invention, the spacing between the ridges provided on the rear frame and the grooves provided on the paper feed cassette, and the shapes of the inclined surface and the flat portion can be arbitrarily set. It suffices if the sheet feeding cassette can be positioned in the sheet feeding section of the apparatus body. Further, the relationship between the snubbers and the side guides disposed in the paper feed cassette and the structure of the end guides are not related to the configuration of the positioning of the paper feed cassette, and thus are particularly limited to those shown in the embodiments. Not something. Further, the relationship between the cassette positioning member and the member to be positioned shown in the present embodiment is not limited to the paper feed cassette used for the facsimile machine, and in addition, any cut paper may be stored in the paper feed cassette. It can be used for an arbitrary image forming apparatus of a type that is mounted on a paper feeding unit of the apparatus main body.

[0026]

Since the apparatus of the present invention is constructed as described above, the inner wall of the paper cassette housing section provided in the apparatus main body of the image recording apparatus and the front end of the paper cassette on the insertion side. When the paper cassette is mounted on the paper feeding unit, the positioning unit is provided with an engaging convex portion and an engaging concave portion for positioning the paper cassette vertically and horizontally. The positioning of the sheet cassette not only in the horizontal direction but also in the vertical direction can be easily performed. Further, the positioning means is provided at two places at a predetermined interval in the width direction of the paper cassette, so that the positioning of the paper cassette in the vertical direction can be more reliably performed using the two positioning means. It can be carried out. Further, in the positioning means, since the engaging projection provided on the apparatus main body or the paper feed cassette has an inclined surface provided at a corner portion and a flat portion for positioning in combination with the engaging recess, The positioning of the paper feed cassette can be performed only by the operation of mounting the paper feed cassette on the paper feed unit, and the operability can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view from below of a lower frame of the apparatus main body of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a sheet feeding cassette.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the positioning means.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the positioning means.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 facsimile machine, 2 main body, 4 document trays, 7 platen roller, 8 reading section, 10 paper feeding section, 15 paper feeding roller, 20
Printing section, 21 ink ribbon, 25 platen roller, 26 thermal head, 30 upper frame, 35 lower frame, 36/37 side plate,
38 rear frame, 40 cassette positioning member, 41/42 ridge, 43 inclined surface, 44
Plane part, 45 side slope part, 46 side plane part,
47 end flat part, 48 guide member, 50
Paper cassette, 51 side plate, 52 steps, 5
3 Side guide, 57 Cassette cover, 58
Slide cover, 60 cassette front plate, 61
Positioned member, 62/63 concave groove, 65 inclined surface, 66 plane portion, 67 side inclined surface portion, 68
Side plane part, 69 End plane part.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image recording apparatus in which a paper storage device is mounted on a paper supply unit and paper is supplied from the paper storage device, wherein a back wall portion of a paper cassette storage unit provided in a main body of the image recording device is provided. An image recording apparatus provided with a positioning means formed with an engaging convex portion and an engaging concave portion for positioning the sheet cassette vertically and horizontally at an end portion on the insertion side of the sheet cassette. . 2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said positioning means is provided at two places at a predetermined interval in a width direction of the sheet cassette. 3. The positioning means, wherein the engaging projection provided on the apparatus main body or the paper feed cassette has an inclined surface provided at a corner portion and a flat portion for positioning in combination with the engaging recess. The image recording device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein