JP2011170302A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

An image forming apparatus capable of reducing an area occupied by an apparatus when a sheet is placed on a sheet placing portion to form an image.
An image forming unit for forming an image on a sheet, a sheet storage unit for storing a sheet provided below the image forming unit, and a position at which an image is formed on the sheet by the image forming unit. Passed by a vertical transport path that extends in a substantially vertical direction so as to pass, a paper transport unit that transports the paper fed from the paper storage unit from below to above, and a position where an image is formed on the paper An image forming apparatus comprising: a second sheet conveying unit configured to convey a sheet from above to below in a second longitudinal conveying path extending in a substantially vertical direction to which the sheet is selectively sent, and to send the sheet to the longitudinal conveying path. A paper feed unit that has a paper placement unit for placing paper and that feeds the paper placed on the paper placement unit to the upper end side of the second vertical conveyance path is provided above the second paper conveyance unit. It was.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a facsimile machine, and a copying machine.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of image forming apparatus, there is known an image forming apparatus in which a reversing unit for reversing the front and back sides of a sheet is provided on the side of the image forming apparatus main body, as in the image forming apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-122867.

  In the apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1, a paper storage unit that stores paper, an image formation unit that is provided above the paper storage unit and forms an image on the paper, and image formation from the paper storage unit And a sheet conveying unit that conveys the sheet from below to above in a longitudinal sheet conveying path extending in the vertical direction to the sheet discharging unit provided outside the apparatus main body.

  In the reversing unit, a reversing path for branching from the upper end side of the vertical sheet conveying path in the apparatus main body and reversing the front and back of the paper, and a branching from the reversing path extending in the vertical direction, the lower end side for conveying the vertical sheet in the apparatus main body A re-feeding path connected to the path is formed.

  With such a structure, an image is formed by the image forming unit on the sheet fed from the sheet storage unit to the vertical sheet conveyance path while being conveyed along the vertical sheet conveyance path, and an image is formed only on one side of the sheet. When it does, it is conveyed to the paper discharge unit. On the other hand, when images are formed on both sides of the paper, the paper on which the image is formed on one side by the image forming unit is sent from the vertical paper conveyance path to the reverse path, and the front and back sides of the paper are reversed by the reverse path. Then, the reversed sheet is conveyed from the upper side to the lower side in the refeed conveyance path, and sent again to the vertical sheet conveyance path to form an image on the other side of the sheet.

  The image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1 has a manual feed tray that is openable and closable with respect to the side surface of the reversing unit, and reverses the paper placed on the manual feed tray that is opened almost horizontally. A paper feed unit that feeds paper from a side surface of the unit to a vertical paper conveyance path in the apparatus main body is provided. In the manual feed tray, when it is desired to form an image on a type of paper that is not stored in a paper storage unit provided in the apparatus main body, the paper is placed.

  When the manual feed tray is opened almost horizontally from the side of the reversing unit in order to place the paper on the manual feed tray, the manual feed tray largely protrudes to the side of the reversing unit. As a result, the area occupied by the entire image forming apparatus when the manual feed tray is opened increases, and a problem arises that a large installation space is required.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of reducing the area occupied by the apparatus when a sheet is placed on a sheet placing portion to form an image. is there.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet, a sheet storage unit that is provided below the image forming unit, and stores the sheet, and the image. A sheet conveying means for conveying the sheet fed from the sheet accommodating portion from below to above in a vertical conveying path extending in a substantially vertical direction so as to pass a position where an image is formed on the sheet by the forming means. And a second vertical conveying path extending in a substantially vertical direction in which a sheet that has passed through a position where an image is formed on the sheet is selectively fed, and the sheet is conveyed from the upper side to the lower side to the vertical conveying path. An image forming apparatus comprising: a second sheet conveying unit that feeds the sheet; a sheet placing unit that places the sheet; the sheet placed on the sheet placing unit is disposed on an upper end side of the second longitudinal conveying path; The paper feeding means for feeding paper is located above the second paper conveying means. It is characterized in that provided in the.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the second paper transport unit is provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to the apparatus main body, and the paper feed unit is connected to the second paper transport unit. It is provided in the main part of the apparatus located above.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the paper feeding means is detachably provided.

  In the present invention, since the paper feeding unit having the paper placement unit is provided above the second paper conveyance unit, the paper placement unit is provided on the side of the second paper conveyance unit. Thus, it is possible to reduce the amount by which the paper stacking unit projects to the side of the second paper transport unit. Therefore, the area occupied by the entire apparatus when the paper is placed on the paper placement portion to form an image can be reduced, and the need for a large installation space can be suppressed.

  As described above, according to the present invention, there is an excellent effect that it is possible to reduce the area occupied by the apparatus when an image is formed by placing a sheet on the sheet placing portion.

1 is a schematic diagram of a copying machine according to Embodiment 1. FIG. Schematic diagram showing an example of a conventional vertical conveyance path type copying machine. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram when the transport unit of the copier of FIG. 2 is opened. (A) The schematic diagram which showed the position of the branch nail | claw when sending a paper to a reverse path | route at the time of duplex printing. (B) Schematic diagram showing the position of the branching claw when the paper is transported from the reverse path to the refeed vertical transport path during duplex printing. (C) Schematic diagram showing the position of the branching claw when paper is fed from the manual feed unit to the refeed vertical conveyance path. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram when the transport unit of the copying machine shown in FIG. 1 is opened. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a copying machine according to a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram when the transport unit of the copying machine shown in FIG. 6 is opened. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a copying machine according to a third embodiment. Schematic diagram showing another example of a conventional vertical conveyance path type copying machine. FIG. 5A is a schematic diagram illustrating the position of a branching claw when a sheet reversed on the copying machine main body side is transported to a refeed vertical transport path. FIG. 6B is a schematic diagram illustrating the position of the branching claw when the sheet is fed from the manual feed unit to the refeed vertical conveyance path through the conveyance path. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram when the conveyance unit of the copying machine shown in FIG. 8 is opened with respect to the copying machine main body. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a copier according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram when the conveyance unit of the copying machine shown in FIG. 12 is opened with respect to the copying machine main body.

[Embodiment 1]
A first embodiment of an electrophotographic copying machine (hereinafter simply referred to as a copying machine) will be described below as an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

  The copying machine of this embodiment is an application example of a copying machine that employs a so-called tandem system. FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing an outline of the copying machine.

  In the apparatus of the copying machine main body 100, four latent images are carried as image forming means for forming images of each color of yellow (Y), cyan (C), magenta (M), and black (B). The drum-shaped photoconductors 2Y, 2M, 2C, and 2B, which are the bodies, are arranged in parallel at an equal interval. When the copying machine main body 100 is operated, it is rotated in the direction of the arrow by a drive source (not shown).

  Around the photosensitive member 2, members and devices necessary for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a developing device are arranged and configured as an image forming unit 1. For convenience, Y (yellow), C (cyan), M (magenta), and B (black) representing the color are appended as subscripts after the number indicating each image forming device. In particular, in the general description, these subscripts may be omitted. The four image forming units 1Y, 1C, 1M, and 1B all have the same configuration.

  Image forming members such as a charging device 4, a developing device 5, and a cleaning device 3 are sequentially arranged around the photoreceptor 2 in accordance with an electrophotographic process.

  Below the photoreceptors 2Y, 2C, 2M, and 2B, a laser beam corresponding to image data for each color is scanned by the charging means onto the surface of each photoreceptor 2 that has been uniformly charged to form an electrostatic latent image. The exposure apparatus 8 is provided. Between each charging device 4 and each developing device 5, an elongated space is secured in the direction of the rotation axis of the photoconductor 2 so that the laser beam irradiated by the exposure device 8 enters the photoconductor 2. Yes.

  When the yellow (Y), cyan (C), magenta (M), and black (B) toners are consumed by the developing devices 5Y, 5C, 5M, and 5B that handle the respective colors, they are detected by a toner detection unit (not shown). Then, the toner cartridges 140Y, 140C, 140M, and 140B that store toner of each color provided in the upper portion of the copying machine main body 100 are supplied to each developing device 5 by a supply unit (not shown). The outer shell of each toner cartridge is a container made of resin or paper, and is partially provided with a discharge port. The discharge port can be easily attached to and detached from the mounting portion TS of the copying machine main body 100. Combined with individual toner replenishing means provided on the main body. In order to prevent the toner cartridge 140 of each color from being erroneously mounted and supplying toner to a developing device that handles different colors, the mounting portion TS and the toner cartridge 140 are paired with each other to prevent erroneous mounting. It is.

  The electrostatic latent image for each color formed on the surface of each photoconductor 2 by the laser beam from the exposure device 8 is developed by each developing device 5 that handles toner of a predetermined color to become a visible image.

  An intermediate transfer unit 160 is provided above the photoreceptors 2Y, 2C, 2M, and 2B. The drive roller 6a rotates so that the intermediate transfer belt 6 as an image carrier supported and stretched by the drive roller 6a and the driven roller 6b travels in the direction of the arrow. The intermediate transfer belt 6 is endless, and is stretched and arranged so that a part of each photoreceptor 2 after the development process comes into contact. Primary transfer rollers 7 </ b> Y, 7 </ b> C, 7 </ b> M, and 7 </ b> K are provided on the inner peripheral portion of the intermediate transfer belt so as to face each photoconductor 2.

  The intermediate transfer belt 6 is, for example, a belt based on a resin film or rubber having a base thickness of 50 to 600 μm, and a bias for applying a toner image carried by each photoreceptor 2 to the primary transfer roller 7. Therefore, it has a resistance value that enables electrostatic transfer to the belt surface.

  A secondary transfer roller 114 is provided on the outer periphery of the intermediate transfer belt 6 and in the vicinity of the driving roller 6a. The secondary transfer roller 114 is a metal roller that is a metal core, and is coated with a conductive rubber. A bias is applied to the metal core part from a power source (not shown). The toner image carried on the intermediate transfer belt 6 is electrostatically transferred to the sheet S by applying a bias while passing the sheet S between the intermediate transfer belt 6 and the secondary transfer roller 114.

  A plurality of, for example, two-stage sheet cassettes 109A and 109B are arranged below the exposure apparatus 8 so as to be able to be drawn out from the copying machine main body. The sheets S stored in the sheet feeding cassettes 109A and 109B are selectively sent out by the rotation of the corresponding feeding rollers 110A and 110B and sent to the feeding and conveying path.

  A pair of registration rollers 113 is provided in the feeding conveyance path in order to take a feeding timing for feeding the sheet S to the secondary transfer unit. The sheet S is conveyed from the registration roller pair 113 toward a secondary transfer unit configured by the intermediate transfer belt 6 and the secondary transfer roller 114.

  A fixing device 115 including a heating roller 115a and a pressure roller 115b is provided above the secondary transfer unit.

  The sheet S on which the image is transferred on one side is subjected to a fixing action by the fixing device 115, and is discharged and stacked on the discharge stack portion T by the discharge roller pair 116 with the image surface facing downward (face down).

  The copying machine main body 100 of FIG. 1 has a reversing path 45 for reversing and refeeding the paper S, a refeeding vertical conveyance path 49 and rollers so that images can be automatically formed on both sides of the paper S. A transport unit 12 having a pair 120, 121, 122 is provided.

  Inside the transport unit 12, the paper S that has finished image formation on one side and is reversed using the roller pair 122 in the reverse path 45 is transported from the refeed vertical transport path 49 to the transport path 18 by the roller pairs 120 and 121. The registration roller pair 113 is reached. Then, the sheet S having an image on one side is conveyed again toward the secondary transfer portion where the secondary transfer roller 114 is located by taking a timing with the registration roller pair 113, so that the sheet on the intermediate transfer belt 6 is transferred. The toner image is transferred to the other side of the paper S.

  An operation during single-sided printing in which an image is formed on one side of the paper S in such a configuration will be described. First, an electrostatic latent image is formed by irradiating the surface of the photoreceptor 2Y uniformly charged by the charging device 4 with laser light corresponding to image data for yellow emitted from the semiconductor laser by the operation of the exposure device 8. It is formed. This electrostatic latent image is developed with yellow toner after being developed by the developing device 5Y, becomes a visible image, and is subjected to a transfer action by the primary transfer roller 7Y on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 6 that moves in synchronization with the photoreceptor 2Y. The primary transfer. Such latent image formation, development, and primary transfer operations are similarly performed in sequence on the photoreceptors 2C, 2M, and 2B in sequence.

  As a result, yellow (Y), cyan (C), magenta (M), and black (B) toner images are carried on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 6 as sequentially overlapping four-color toner images. It is moved together with the belt 6 in the direction of the arrow. On the other hand, the remaining toner and foreign matter are cleaned on the surface of the photoreceptor 2 by the cleaning device 3.

  The four-color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 6 is transferred onto the paper S conveyed in synchronization with the intermediate transfer belt 6 by receiving a transfer action by the secondary transfer roller 114.

  The sheet S to which the image has been transferred is subjected to a fixing action by the fixing device 115 and is discharged to the discharge stack portion T by the discharge roller pair 116 with the image surface facing downward (face down).

  Next, the operation at the time of double-sided recording in which images are formed on both sides of the paper S will be described. By the operation as described above, first, an image is transferred from the intermediate transfer belt 6 to one side of the sheet S, and the sheet S that has passed through the fixing device 115 is once conveyed to the reverse path 45. Then, the sheet S conveyed in the reversing path 45 is reversely fed by the roller pair 122 and conveyed toward the refeed vertical conveying path 49 and reaches the registration roller pair 113 via the conveying path 18 as described above. Let Thereafter, the sheet S having an image on one side is conveyed again toward the secondary transfer portion where the secondary transfer roller 114 is located by taking a timing with the registration roller pair 113, so that the sheet on the intermediate transfer belt 6 is transferred. The toner image is transferred to the other side of the paper S.

  Images to be formed on the second surface of the paper S are sequentially formed by an image forming process that is started when the paper S is conveyed to a predetermined position. The image forming process in this case is also the same as the full-color toner image formation at the time of single-sided printing described above, and this full-color toner image is carried on the intermediate transfer belt 6.

  The sheet S having the full-color toner image transferred on both sides in this manner is again discharged onto the discharge stack portion T by the discharge roller pair 116 after undergoing fixing processing by the fixing device 115. In order to increase the efficiency of double-sided image formation, several sheets of paper can be transported simultaneously on the transport path. The timing of forming images to be formed on the front and back sides of the paper S is executed by a control means (not shown).

  In this embodiment, the polarity of the toner image formed on the photoreceptor 2 is negative, and the toner image on the photoreceptor 2 is transferred to the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 6 by applying a positive charge to the primary transfer roller 7. Is done. Further, the toner image on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 6 is transferred to the sheet S by applying a positive charge to the secondary transfer roller 114.

  In the copying machine according to the present embodiment, the copying machine main body 100 can be opened and closed by rotating around a rotating shaft (not shown) provided in the lower part of the transport unit 42. When a paper jam or the like occurs in the vertical conveyance path 13, the conveyance unit 42 is opened with respect to the copying machine main body 100, and the work is performed with the inside of the vertical conveyance path 13 exposed.

  Here, FIG. 2 shows a copying machine showing an example of a conventional vertical conveyance path system. The copying machine shown in FIG. 2 performs a vertical conveyance of a reversing path 45 for reversing the paper after single-sided printing by switchback and a refeed vertical conveying path 49 for refeeding during double-sided printing. The path 13 is provided on the side facing the image forming unit 1 and the like.

  In the copying machine shown in FIG. 2, a manual feed unit 10 including a pair of transport rollers 16 and a manual feed tray 17 is provided on a side surface of the transport unit 12, and the manual feed tray 17 is used by being greatly opened with respect to the transport unit 12. .

  When the manual feed tray 17 is not used, it can be rotated and stored in a part of the frame of the transport unit 12. The uppermost sheet S stored in the manual feed tray 17 is fed by the paper feed roller 11, and sent by the transport roller pair 16 to the registration roller pair 113 through the transport path 18.

  Assuming that the rising angle of the manual feed tray 17 from the horizontal is θt, the protruding amount of the manual feed tray 17 is the product of the tray length Lt and cos θt. For this reason, since the angle θt is small in the copying machine shown in FIG. 2, the manual feed tray 17 protrudes greatly from the outer shape of the transport unit 12. The reason why the rising angle θt is small is that when the sheet placed on the manual feed tray 17 is fed to the registration unit by the pair of conveyance rollers 16, it is put into the conveyance path 18 extending in the substantially horizontal direction through which the sheet passes. . That is, in order to place the paper on the manual feed tray 17 in a state of being almost leveled, the side of the transport unit 12 is placed until the placement surface on which the paper of the manual tray 17 is placed is almost horizontal. This is for opening the manual feed tray 17. As a result, in the conventional copying machine, the manual feed tray 17 protrudes greatly from the outer shape of the transport unit 12, and the occupation area of the copying machine is increased.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram when the transport unit 12 of the copying machine of FIG. 2 is opened.
In FIG. 3, the opening angle θk of the transport unit 12 is larger than the rising angle θt of the manual feed tray 17. For this reason, if the transport unit 12 is opened with respect to the copying machine main body for paper jam processing with paper on the manual feed tray 17, the paper placed on the manual feed tray 17 falls.

  The following two measures can be cited as measures for suppressing the sheet drop from the manual feed tray 17.

  First, the opening angle θk of the transport unit 12 is made smaller than the rising angle θt of the manual feed tray 17 (θk <θt). As a result, it is considered that even if the transport unit 12 is opened with respect to the copying machine main body, the sheet dropping from the manual feed tray 17 can be suppressed. However, the opening amount of the transport unit 12 with respect to the copying machine main body is reduced, and the paper jam handling operability is deteriorated.

  Secondly, a mechanism is provided in which the manual feed tray 17 does not fall down in conjunction with the opening of the transport unit 12 with respect to the copying machine main body, or the manual feed tray 17 falls down in conjunction with the opening of the transport unit 12 with respect to the copying machine main body. However, it is possible to provide a mechanism that keeps the paper on the manual feed tray 17 so that the paper does not fall from the manual feed tray 17. However, in both cases, the number of parts increases, resulting in an increase in cost and size due to the complexity of the mechanism.

[Example 1]
FIG. 1 shows a copying machine according to this embodiment. In the copier according to this embodiment, a manual feed unit 40 including a paper feed roller 41, a transport roller pair 46, and a manual feed tray 47 is provided above the refeed vertical transport path above the transport unit 42.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a paper conveyance branch path between the manual feed unit 40 and the conveyance unit 42 in the copying machine shown in FIG.

  Reference numeral 85 in the drawing is a conveyance path on the copying machine main body 100 side. Reference numeral 45 in the figure is an inversion path during double-sided printing. Reference numeral 49 in the drawing denotes a refeed vertical conveyance path for refeeding the sheet S to the registration roller pair 113. Reference numeral 88 in the drawing is a conveyance path on the manual feed unit 40 side.

  The route pattern in the paper conveyance branch path between the manual feed unit 40 and the conveyance unit 42 is divided into three as shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C.

  FIG. 4A shows the positions of the branching claws 82 and 83 when the paper is sent to the reverse path 45 during duplex printing. Reference numeral 81 a in the drawing is the paper traveling direction when the paper S is conveyed to the reversing path 45. The branch claw 82 is held at a position P1 that blocks the conveyance path 88, and the branch claw 83 is held at a position P1 'that blocks the refeed vertical conveyance path 49.

  FIG. 4B shows the positions of the branching claws 82 and 83 when the paper is transported from the reverse path 45 to the refeed vertical transport path 49 during duplex printing. Reference numeral 81b in the drawing represents the sheet traveling direction when the sheet is conveyed from the reverse path 45 to the refeed vertical conveyance path 49. The branching claw 82 closes the conveyance path 85 and the conveyance path 88 from the position P1 that blocks the conveyance path 88 shown in FIG. It moves to the position of P2 to guide and is held. The branching claw 83 is moved and held from the position P1 'blocking the refeed vertical conveyance path 49 shown in FIG. 4A to the position P2' blocking the conveyance path 85. By holding the branching claws 82 and 83 at such a position, the sheet switched back in the reversing path 45 can be transported to the refeed vertical transport path 49.

  FIG. 4C shows the positions of the branching claws 82 and 83 when the paper is fed from the manual feed unit 40 to the refeed vertical conveyance path 49 through the conveyance path 88. Reference numeral 81 c in the figure denotes the sheet traveling direction when the sheet is conveyed from the manual feed unit 40 to the refeed vertical conveyance path 49 through the conveyance path 88. The branch claw 82 is held at a position P3 that blocks the reversing path 45, and the branch claw 83 is held at a position P3 that blocks the conveyance path 85.

  The manual feed unit 40 rises from the horizontal of the manual feed tray 47 in order to smoothly feed the paper into a substantially vertical refeed vertical transport path 49 for transporting the paper from top to bottom within the transport unit 42. θs is increased so that the sheet placement surface of the manual feed tray 47 is close to vertical with respect to the horizontal.

  The amount of protrusion of the manual feed tray 47 from the side wall of the transport unit 42 is the product of the length Lt of the manual feed tray 47 and cos θs, and since the rising angle θs is large, the amount of protrusion from the side wall of the transport unit 42 is small. As a result, compared to the copying machine shown in FIG. 2, the amount of protrusion of the manual feed tray 47 from the side wall of the transport unit 42 can be reduced, and the area occupied by the copying machine can be reduced.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram when the transport unit 42 of the copying machine shown in FIG.

  The opening angle of the transport unit 42 with respect to the copying machine main body 100 is the same θk as in FIG. Looking at the inclination of the manual feed tray 47, it can be seen that the paper does not fall from the manual feed tray 47. This is because the manual feed tray 47 has a large rising angle θs from the horizontal, and the relationship θs> θk shown in the first countermeasure described above can be easily realized.

  From the above, it can be seen that the sheet fall can be suppressed without adding a special mechanism or parts. Further, since there is room for increasing the opening angle θk, by increasing the opening angle θk, it is possible to increase the opening amount of the transport unit 42 with respect to the copying machine body as compared with the copying machine shown in FIG. The processability can be improved.

  The manual feed unit 40 may be detachably attached to the transport unit 42. When a jam occurs at the transport roller pair 46 or the like, the manual feed unit 40 is removed from the transport unit 42 to improve the jam handling workability. Can be made. It is also possible to provide the manual feed unit 40 as an optional device that can be retrofitted by the user as needed.

  However, although the height of the transport unit 12 is Lh in FIG. 3, the height of the transport unit 42 including the manual feed unit 40 becomes Ls by providing the manual feed unit 40 on the upper portion of the transport unit 42. Thus, Ls> Lh, and as a result, the occupied area when the transport unit 42 is opened in the copying machine shown in FIG. 5 is the same as when the transport unit 12 is opened in the copying machine shown in FIG. It can be seen that it is larger than the occupied area.

[Example 2]
FIG. 6 shows a copying machine according to this embodiment. In the copier shown in FIG. 1 according to the first embodiment, the manual feed unit 40 is fixed to the transport unit 42. However, in this embodiment, a paper feed roller 61 is provided in a housing 65 that is a part of the copier main body 100. A manual feed unit 60 including a pair of conveying rollers 66 and a manual feed tray 67 is fixedly provided. As described above, even when the manual feed unit 60 is provided in the housing 65 which is a part of the copying machine main body 100, the manual feed tray 67 from the side wall of the transport unit 62 has a large rising angle θs from the horizontal. The protruding amount of is small. As a result, compared to the copying machine shown in FIG. 2, the amount of protrusion of the manual feed tray 67 from the side wall of the transport unit 62 can be reduced, and the area occupied by the copying machine can be reduced.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram when the transport unit 62 of the copying machine shown in FIG.

  The opening angle of the transport unit 62 with respect to the copying machine main body 100 is the same θk as in FIGS. 3 and 5. Since the manual feed unit 60 is fixed to the housing 65 which is a part of the copying machine main body 100, the occupied area when the transport unit 62 is opened with respect to the copying machine main body 100 is shown in FIGS. It is possible to reduce the occupied area when the transport unit 12 and the transport unit 42 are opened by the copying machine shown.

  The manual feed unit 60 may be detachably attached to the housing 65 that is a part of the copying machine main body 100, and the manual feed unit 60 is removed from the housing 65 when a jam occurs in the conveyance roller pair 66 or the like. Thus, the workability of the jam processing can be improved. In addition, the manual feed unit 60 can be provided as an optional device that can be retrofitted by the user as needed.

[Embodiment 2]
A second embodiment of an electrophotographic copying machine (hereinafter simply referred to as a copying machine) will be described below as a copying machine to which the present invention is applied. Since the basic configuration of the copying machine according to the present embodiment is substantially the same as that of the copying machine according to the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

  The copier of this embodiment shown in FIG. 8 has a reversing path 75 for reversing the paper after single-sided printing by switchback in the in-cylinder paper discharge unit during double-sided printing. Further, a refeed vertical conveyance path 74 for refeeding the reversed paper is provided on the side facing the image forming unit with respect to the refeed vertical conveyance path 74.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a copying machine showing another example of the conventional vertical conveyance path method.
When performing double-sided printing, the in-body discharge unit has a reversing path 25 for reversing the paper after single-sided printing by switchback. In addition, a refeed vertical conveyance path 24 for refeeding the reversed paper is provided on the side facing the image forming unit with respect to the refeed vertical conveyance path 24.

  Further, in the copying machine shown in FIG. 9, a manual feed unit 20 including a paper feed roller 21, a transport roller pair 26 and a manual feed tray 27 is provided on a side surface of the transport unit 22. Use it by opening it wide.

  Assuming that the rising angle of the manual feed tray 27 from the horizontal is θt, the protruding amount of the manual feed tray 27 is the product of the tray length Lt and cos θt. Therefore, in the copying machine shown in FIG. 9, since the angle θt is small, the manual feed tray 27 protrudes greatly from the outer shape of the transport unit 22. The reason why the rising angle θt is small is that when the sheet placed on the manual feed tray 27 is fed to the registration unit by the pair of conveying rollers 26, it is put into the conveying path 28 extending in the substantially horizontal direction through which the sheet passes. . That is, in order to place the paper on the manual feed tray 27 in a state of being almost horizontal, the side surface of the transport unit 22 is placed on the side of the transport unit 22 until the placement surface on which the paper of the manual tray 27 is placed is almost horizontal. This is because the manual feed tray 27 is opened. As a result, in the conventional copying machine, the manual feed tray 27 greatly protrudes from the outer shape of the transport unit 22, and the occupation area of the copying machine is increased.

[Example 3]
In the copying machine according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, a manual feed unit 70 comprising a paper feed roller 71, a transport roller pair 76, and a manual feed tray 77 is disposed above the refeed vertical transport path 74 above the transport unit 72. Provided.

  FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a paper conveyance branch path between the manual feed unit 70 and the conveyance unit 72 in the copier according to the present embodiment.

  Reference numeral 85 in the drawing is a conveyance path on the copying machine main body side. Reference numeral 74 in the figure denotes a refeed vertical conveyance path 74 for refeeding the registration roller pair 113. Reference numeral 88 in the drawing is a conveyance path on the manual feed unit 70 side. It can be seen that the paper conveyance branch path shown in FIG. 10 has a simpler configuration than the paper conveyance branch path shown in FIG.

  FIG. 10A shows a branching claw 92 when a sheet is conveyed from the conveyance path 85 to the refeed vertical conveyance path 74 in order to refeed the sheet reversed on the copier body side to the registration roller pair 113. Indicates the position. Reference numeral 91a in the figure denotes the paper traveling direction when the paper that has been reversed on the copier body side is transported from the transport path 85 to the refeed vertical transport path 74. The branching claw 92 is held at a position P1 that guides the sheet from the conveying path 85 to the refeed vertical conveying path 74 while closing the conveying path 88.

  FIG. 10B shows the position of the branching claw 92 when the paper is fed from the manual feed unit 70 to the refeed vertical conveyance path 74 through the conveyance path 88. Reference numeral 91 b in the drawing is the paper traveling direction when the paper is fed from the manual feed unit 70 to the refeed vertical conveyance path 74 through the conveyance path 88. The branch claw 92 is held at a position P2 that closes the conveyance path 85.

  The manual feed unit 70 raises the manual feed tray 77 from the horizontal in order to smoothly feed the paper into the substantially vertical refeed vertical conveyance path 74 for conveying the sheet from top to bottom in the conveyance unit 72. The angle θs is increased to bring the paper placement surface of the manual feed tray 77 closer to the vertical with respect to the horizontal.

  The amount of protrusion of the manual feed tray 77 from the side wall of the transport unit 72 is the product of the length Lt of the manual feed tray 77 and cos θs, and since the rising angle θs is large, the amount of protrusion from the side wall of the transport unit 72 is small. As a result, compared to the copying machine shown in FIG. 9, the amount of protrusion of the manual feed tray 77 from the side wall of the transport unit 72 can be reduced, and the area occupied by the copying machine can be reduced.

  FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram when the transport unit 72 of the copying machine shown in FIG. 8 is opened with respect to the copying machine main body.

  The opening angle of the transport unit 72 with respect to the copying machine main body is θk. Looking at the inclination of the manual feed tray 77, it can be seen that the paper does not fall from the manual feed tray 77. The reason is that the rising angle θs of the manual feed tray 77 from the horizontal is large, and the relationship of θs> θk shown in the first countermeasure described in the first embodiment is easy to realize.

  Thus, it can be seen that the copying machine of the present embodiment can suppress the fall of the sheet from the manual feed tray 77 without adding a special mechanism or parts. Further, since there is room for increasing the opening angle θk, by increasing the opening angle θk, the opening amount of the transport unit 72 with respect to the copying machine main body 100 can be increased, and the paper jam handling ability can be improved. .

  Note that the manual feed unit 70 may be detachably attached to the transport unit 72, and when the jam is generated by the transport roller pair 76 or the like, the manual feed unit 70 is removed from the transport unit 72 to improve the jam handling workability. Can be made. In addition, the manual feed unit 70 can be provided as an optional device that can be retrofitted by the user as needed.

[Example 4]
FIG. 12 shows a copying machine according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, a manual feed unit 30 including a paper feed roller 31, a transport roller pair 36, and a manual feed tray 37 is fixedly provided in a casing 35 that is a part of the copying machine main body 100. As described above, even when the manual feed unit 30 is provided in the casing 35 which is a part of the copying machine main body 100, the horizontal rise angle θs of the manual feed tray 37 is large. The protrusion amount of 37 is small. As a result, compared with the copying machine shown in FIG. 9, the amount of protrusion of the manual feed tray 37 from the side wall of the transport unit 32 can be reduced, and the area occupied by the copying machine can be reduced.

  FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram when the conveyance unit 32 of the copying machine shown in FIG. 12 is opened with respect to the copying machine main body.

  The opening angle of the transport unit 32 with respect to the copying machine main body 100 is the same θk as in FIG. Since the manual feed unit 30 is fixed to the casing 35 which is a part of the copying machine main body 100, the occupation area when the transport unit 32 is opened with respect to the copying machine main body 100 is shown in FIG. The area occupied when the transport unit 72 is opened by the machine can be reduced.

  Note that the manual feed unit 30 may be detachably provided to the housing 35 that is a part of the copying machine main body 100, and the manual feed unit 30 is removed from the housing 35 when a jam occurs in the conveyance roller pair 36 or the like. Thus, the workability of the jam processing can be improved. It is also possible to provide the manual feed unit 30 as an optional device that can be retrofitted by the user as needed.

As described above, according to each embodiment, the intermediate transfer unit 160 that is an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet, and the sheet feeding that is a sheet storage unit that is provided below the intermediate transfer unit 160 and stores the sheet. The paper is fed from the paper feed cassette 109 through the vertical transfer path 13 extending substantially in the vertical direction so as to pass through the cassette 109 and the secondary transfer portion where the image is formed on the paper by the intermediate transfer unit 160. A sheet conveying means including a pair of registration rollers 113 that conveys the sheet from below to above, and a second longitudinal conveyance path extending in a substantially vertical direction through which the sheet that has passed through the secondary transfer portion is selectively sent. A copying machine provided with transport units 42 and 72 as second paper transport means for transporting paper from the upper side to the lower side in the refeed vertical transport paths 49 and 74 and sending it to the vertical transport path 13; In addition, there are manual feed trays 47 and 77 which are paper placement units for placing paper, and the paper placed on the manual feed trays 47 and 77 is fed to the upper end side of the refeed vertical conveyance paths 49 and 74. Manual feed units 40 and 70 which are paper means are provided above the transport units 42 and 72. Thereby, since the manual feed units 40 and 70 having the manual feed units 47 and 77 are provided above the transport units 42 and 72, the manual feed unit is provided on the side of the transport units 42 and 72 as described above. As compared with the case, the amount of the manual feed units 47 and 77 projecting to the side of the transport units 42 and 72 can be reduced. Therefore, the area occupied by the entire apparatus when the paper is placed on the manual feed trays 42 and 72 to form an image can be reduced, and the need for a large installation space can be suppressed.
Further, according to each embodiment, the transport units 32 and 62 as the second paper transport means are provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to the copying machine main body 100, and the transport units 30 and 60 as the paper feed means are provided. By providing the casings 35 and 65, which are the apparatus main body portions located above the conveyance units 32 and 62, the occupied area when the conveyance units 32 and 62 are opened with respect to the copying machine main body 100 is manually inserted upward. The occupied area when the transport units 42 and 70 provided with the units 40 and 70 are opened with respect to the copying machine main body 100 can be reduced.
Further, according to each embodiment, the manual feed units 30, 40, 60, and 70 are detachably provided with respect to the transport units 42 and 72 and the casings 35 and 65 that are a part of the copying machine main body 100. Thus, as described above, the workability of the jam processing can be improved. It is also possible to provide manual feeding units 30, 40, 60, and 70 as optional equipment that can be retrofitted by the user as needed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image formation part 2 Photoconductor 3 Cleaning apparatus 4 Charging apparatus 5 Developing apparatus 6 Intermediate transfer belt 6a Drive roller 6b Driven roller 7 Primary transfer roller 8 Exposure apparatus 10 Manual feed unit 11 Paper feed roller 12 Conveyance unit 13 Vertical conveyance path 16 Conveyance roller Pair 17 Manual feed tray 18 Transport path 20 Manual feed unit 22 Transport unit 24 Refeed vertical transport path 25 Reverse path 26 Transport roller pair 27 Manual feed tray 28 Transport path 30 Manual feed unit 32 Transport unit 35 Housing 36 Transport roller pair 37 Manual feed tray 40 Manual feed unit 41 Paper feed roller 42 Transport unit 45 Reverse path 46 Transport roller pair 47 Manual feed tray 49 Refeed vertical transport path 60 Manual feed unit 62 Transport unit 65 Housing 67 Manual feed tray 70 Manual feed unit 72 Feed unit 74 Refeed vertical transport path 75 Reverse path 76 Transport roller pair 77 Manual feed tray 82 Branch claw 83 Branch claw 85 Transport path 88 Transport path 92 Branch claw 100 Copier main body 109A Paper feed cassette 109B Paper feed cassette 110A Feed roller 110B Feed roller 113 Registration roller pair 114 Secondary transfer roller 115 Fixing device 115a Heating roller 115b Pressure roller 116 Discharge roller pair 120 Roller pair 121 Roller pair 122 Roller pair 140 Toner cartridge 160 Intermediate transfer unit

JP 2007-148196 A

Claims (3)

Image forming means for forming an image on paper;
A paper storage portion for storing paper, provided below the image forming means;
A sheet that conveys a sheet fed from the sheet storage unit from below to above in a longitudinal conveyance path that extends in a substantially vertical direction so as to pass a position where an image is formed on the sheet by the image forming unit. Conveying means;
A second vertical transport path extending in a substantially vertical direction through which a sheet that has passed a position where an image is formed on the sheet is selectively fed, transports the sheet from the upper side to the lower side, and sends the sheet to the vertical transport path. An image forming apparatus including two sheet conveying units;
A paper feeding unit that has a paper placement unit for placing paper and feeds the paper placed on the paper placement unit to an upper end side of the second vertical conveyance path; An image forming apparatus provided in the apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
The second paper transport means is provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to the apparatus main body.
An image forming apparatus, wherein the paper feeding means is provided in a main part of the apparatus located above the second paper conveying means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
An image forming apparatus, wherein the paper feeding means is detachably provided.

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