JP2010018357A - Paper feeding device and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent paper feeding performance from being lowered and a loaded paper from being damaged due to an erroneous operation of a paper feeding device.
A main body base is provided with a sheet feed base cover that is pivotally supported by a support shaft of a main body base of the apparatus and a prevention member that prevents loading of stacked paper. An operation lever is provided on the main body base so that the prevention member is retracted to the housing portion of the main body base as the sheet feed base cover rotates in the opening direction. When the sheet feed table cover is in the open position, the sheet feed table is formed by the upper surface of the sheet feed table cover and the main body base mounting surface, and stacked sheets can be loaded into the sheet feed table. When the paper feed base cover is in the closed position, the paper feed base cover is disposed so as to cover the main body base mounting surface, and the prevention member is attached to a position where paper cannot be loaded on the main body base mounting surface. An elastic body is provided on the main body base.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet feeding device attached to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, etc., and more particularly to a sheet feeding apparatus that reduces the size of the image forming apparatus main body and saves installation space.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is an apparatus having a configuration shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 in a sheet feeding apparatus having a sheet feeding table for storing and feeding stacked sheets. As shown in FIG. 5, the paper feed base cover 4 that is cantilevered and supported by the support shaft 3 of the main body base 2 of the apparatus 1 is in a closed position in which the side surface of the apparatus 1 is formed. When the paper feed table cover 4 is operated in the opening direction (counterclockwise) by holding the handle 5 of the paper feed table cover 4, the paper feed table cover 4 rotates around the support shaft 3. As shown in FIG. 4, when the paper feed table cover 4 abuts against a stopper (not shown) of the main body base 2, the paper feed table cover 4 is in the open position, and the upper surface 7 of the paper feed table cover and the main body base mounting surface. 6 forms a sheet feed table 8. Accordingly, it is possible to load the paper P on the paper feed tray 8. The paper P loaded on the paper feed tray 8 is separated one by one from the uppermost paper by the paper feed unit 20 and fed to a predetermined unit.

  In the sheet feeding device configured as described above, the sheet feed table is formed when the sheet feed table cover 4 is opened (FIG. 4), and the sheet feed table cover is mounted on the sheet feed table when the sheet feed table cover 4 is closed. It covers the mounting surface and constitutes the side surface of the device (FIG. 5). As a result, the apparatus can form a paper feed table with a minimum space, and the installation area of the apparatus can be saved.

As an example of the above, Patent Document 1 below can be cited.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-010194

  However, as shown in FIG. 5, when the paper feed base cover 4 is in the closed position, the opening 30 may exist on the lower side of the support shaft 3 and on the outer side (left side in the drawing) of the main body base mounting surface 6. there were. This occurs remarkably when the apparatus outer lower part 31 is configured one step deeper in order to configure the apparatus 1 in a small size. In that case, the paper can be forcibly inserted from the opening 30 into the main body base mounting surface 6.

  When the paper feed base cover 4 is operated in the opening direction in a state where the paper base is placed on the main body base mounting surface 6 with the paper feed base cover 4 in the closed position, the paper is sandwiched between the paper feed base cover 4 and the main body base 2. As a result, there is a problem that not only the paper feeding performance is deteriorated but also the paper surface is damaged.

  In view of the inconveniences described above, the object of the present invention is not only to cover the paper feed table with the paper feed cover in the closed position of the paper feed table cover, but also to load paper from the opening 30 below the paper feed table cover. It is an object of the present invention to provide a paper feeding device for preventing the above.

To solve the above problem,
According to the first aspect of the present invention, a sheet feeding device having a sheet feeding table and a sheet feeding unit for feeding stacked sheets has the following configuration.

  A paper feed cover is cantilevered and supported on the main body base on the stationary side of the apparatus. When the paper feed table cover is in the open position, the paper feed table mounting surface is formed by the upper surface of the paper feed table cover and the main body base mounting surface, and stacked paper can be loaded into the paper feed table. . The main body base includes a prevention member that is disposed so as to cover the main body base mounting surface when the paper feed base cover is in the closed position, and prevents the stacked paper from being loaded on the main body base mounting surface. It is characterized by having.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the paper feeding device according to the first aspect, the prevention member is retracted to the housing portion of the main body base as the paper feed base cover rotates in the opening direction. A link mechanism that allows paper to be loaded on the mounting surface of the paper feed table is provided on the main body base. In addition, as the paper feed base cover is rotated in the closing direction, the prevention member moves from the housing portion of the main body base and protrudes from the loading surface, thereby preventing paper loading on the main body base loading surface. An elastic body that enables this is provided on the main body base.

  Furthermore, an image forming apparatus according to a third aspect includes the paper feeding device according to the first or second aspect.

  According to the above configuration, it is possible to prevent the paper from being loaded in the state where the paper feed table cover is closed, and it is possible to prevent deterioration of the paper feeding performance of the apparatus and damage of the loaded paper due to an erroneous operation.

  Next, details of the present invention will be described in accordance with the description of the embodiments.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. First, the schematic structure of the sheet feeding device will be described with reference to FIGS. In the apparatus main body 1, a paper feed base cover 4 is cantilevered on a first support shaft 3 of a main body base 2 so as to be rotatable. As shown in FIG. 1, the sheet feed base cover 4 forms the side surface of the apparatus 1 in the closed position, and the apparatus can be miniaturized. An opening 30 is formed below the first support shaft 3. The paper feed base cover 4 is provided with a handle 5 for opening and closing. By operating the handle 5, the paper feed base cover 4 can be rotated around the first support shaft 3 from the closed position shown in FIG. 1 to the open position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. As shown in FIG. 2, a sheet feed table 8 is formed by the main body base mounting surface 6 and the sheet feed table cover mounting surface 7 with the sheet feed table cover 4 in the open position, and as shown in FIG. A predetermined number of recording papers P can be stacked and loaded on the paper base 8. The paper P loaded on the paper feed tray 8 is separated one by one from the uppermost paper by the paper feed unit 20 and fed in the direction of arrow B. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the main body base mounting surface 6 is provided with a storage portion 9, and a preventive member 10 for preventing recording paper from being loaded in the storage portion 9 is the second portion of the main body base 2. The support shaft 11 is cantilevered so as to be rotatable. As shown in FIG. 3, an operating spring 12 is provided in the storage portion 9 so as to stretch the hook portion 10 a of the prevention member 10 and the hook portion 2 a of the main body base 2. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an operating lever 13 operable in the direction of arrow A is provided in the storage portion 9. An operating shaft 13 a is formed at the end of the operating lever 13, and is rotatably attached to each other by the receiving portion 10 b of the prevention member 10.

  With the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 1, when the paper feed base cover 4 is in the closed position, the prevention member 10 is urged clockwise around the second support shaft 11 by the tension of the operating spring 12. The The prevention member 10 is rotated until the protruding portion 10 c comes into contact with the contact portion 2 b of the main body base 2, protrudes from the storage portion 9, and is held upright on the main body base mounting surface 6. Even if paper is to be loaded from the opening 30 onto the main body base mounting surface 6, the leading edge of the paper interferes with the holding member. Since the prevention member 10 in the held state is in contact with the protrusion 10a and the contact portion 2b of the main body base 2, the prevention member 10 does not further rotate clockwise, and the paper cannot be pushed further. Therefore, the prevention member 10 can prevent the paper from being loaded onto the main body base mounting surface 6 through the opening 30.

  Next, when the paper feed base cover 4 is rotated counterclockwise around the first support shaft by holding the handle 5 and the paper feed base cover 4 is in the open position, as shown in FIG. The end 4 a of the sheet feed table cover 4 comes into contact with the tip 13 b of the operating lever 13. For this reason, the operating lever 13 is pressed in the direction of arrow A by the weight of the paper feed base cover 4, overcomes the tension of the operating spring 12, and the operating shaft 13 a rotates the prevention member 10 counterclockwise. Of course, the tension of the operating spring 12 is set to be smaller than the operating force applied to the operating lever 13 due to the weight of the paper feed cover. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, the prevention member 10 can be retracted to the storage unit 9 from a state of being erected on the main body base mounting surface 6, and paper can be loaded on the paper feed table 8.

  According to the paper feeding device of the present invention described above, it is possible to prevent paper loading when the paper feed tray cover is closed while realizing downsizing of the device. The inconvenience of damaging the loaded paper surface can be eliminated.

FIG. 3 is a front sectional view showing a state in which the paper loading prevention member protrudes from the paper feeding surface of the paper feeding base with the paper feeding base cover in the closed position in the paper feeding device of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a front sectional view showing a state in which the paper loading prevention member is retracted to the storage unit of the paper feed base with the paper feed base cover in the open position in the paper feed device of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a front sectional view showing a state in which paper is loaded on the paper feed tray with the paper feed tray cover in the open position in the paper feeding device of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a front sectional view showing a state in which paper is loaded on a paper feed tray with a paper feed tray cover in an open position in a conventional paper feeder. FIG. 6 is a front cross-sectional view showing a state in which a sheet feed table is covered with a sheet feed table cover in a closed position in a conventional sheet feeder.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Apparatus 2 Main body base 3 1st support shaft 4 Paper feed base cover 5 Handle 6 Main body base mounting surface 7 Paper feed base cover mounting surface 8 Paper feed base 9 Storage part 10 Prevention member 11 2nd support shaft 12 Actuating spring 13 Actuation lever 20 Paper feed part 30 Opening P Paper

Claims (3)

A paper feed base for feeding the stacked paper and a paper feed base cover that is openably / closably locked to the paper feed base;
In the paper feeding device in which a mounting surface is formed by the upper surface of the paper feeding table cover and the paper feeding table when the paper feeding table cover is in the open position.
A sheet feeding device, comprising: a preventing member that prevents a recording sheet from being placed on the sheet feeding table when the sheet feeding table cover is in a closed position. The prevention member is provided on the main body base, and the prevention member is retracted to the housing portion of the main body base as the paper feed base cover rotates in the opening direction, and paper is loaded on the placement surface of the paper feed base A link mechanism that enables the
The prevention member moves from the housing portion of the main body base and protrudes on the mounting surface as the sheet feeding table cover rotates in the closing direction, thereby making it impossible to load paper on the main body base mounting surface. The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein an elastic body is provided on the main body base.   An image forming apparatus comprising the paper feeding device according to claim 1.

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