JP2019177979A - Sheet storage device, and image formation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sheet storage device and an image forming apparatus capable of maintaining a fixed state of a regulating means. A moving mechanism (20) includes racks (52a, 52b), and the racks (52a, 52b) are movable by rotation of a pinion gear (4) that comes into contact with the racks (52a, 52b). When the fixing member 41 is attached to the storage device 1, the movement of the rack portions 52 a and 52 b is regulated by contacting the fixing member 41. [Selection] Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet storage device and an image forming apparatus.

  The sheet storage device used in the image forming apparatus main body can store sheets of various sizes, and can regulate the position of the sheets stacked on the stacking means included in the sheet storage device.

  As an example of a sheet storage device, a cassette unit configured to be detachable from an image forming apparatus main body is known. The cassette unit includes a regulation unit that regulates the position in the conveyance direction or the width direction of the sheets stacked on the stacking unit. The role of this regulating means is to properly regulate the sheets stacked on the stacking means and realize appropriate sheet conveyance. There are various sizes of sheets stacked on the stacking means, and it is necessary to move the regulating means according to the sheet size.

  The restricting means is provided with an operation lever for the user or serviceman to operate. By operating the operation lever, the restricting means is released from the fixed state, and the restricting means can be moved. Further, when the operation of the operation lever is stopped, the restricting means is fixed at a position where the operation of the operation lever is stopped.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which an operation lever is provided above the restricting means so that the user can easily recognize and operate.

JP-A-2006-113300

  The restricting means disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured to be movable when the operation lever is operated, and the fixed state of the restricting means is easily released. Some users may desire to use the restricting means in a fixed manner because only fixed-size sheets are used. Further, when the image forming apparatus is transported, the restricting unit may be fixed in order to prevent the restricting unit from moving. In either case, a method for fixing the regulating means using a dedicated fixing member such as a screw is known.

  However, if the screw itself is exposed in a state where the restricting means is screwed with a screw, it is easy to remove the screw, and it is easy to release the fixed state of the restricting means. Further, in order to fix the screws, it is necessary to provide a plurality of screw fixing holes in the body of the restricting means and the sheet storage device.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a sheet storage device and an image forming apparatus that can maintain a fixed state of a restricting unit with a simple configuration.

The invention according to claim 1 is a sheet storage device capable of storing a sheet, and is provided so as to be movable with respect to the support portion that supports the stored sheet and the position of the end portion of the sheet. Regulatory means to
A moving mechanism for moving the restricting means, and the moving mechanism includes a moving member configured to be movable in a direction parallel to a moving direction of the restricting member, and the moving member is the moving member. When the fixed member is attached to the sheet storage device instead of the rotating member, the movement of the moving member is restricted by contacting the fixed member. It is characterized by that.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a sheet storage device and an image forming apparatus that can maintain the fixed state of the restricting means with a simple configuration.

Sectional view showing configuration of image forming apparatus (A) Top view when the cassette is removed from the apparatus body, (b) Top view with the intermediate plate removed from (a) (A) Enlarged view of the periphery of the rotating member in FIG. 2 (b), (b) Enlarged view showing a state in which a fixing member is mounted on the cassette instead of the rotating member in (a). Enlarged view for explaining another fixing member

Example 1
Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described in this embodiment should be appropriately changed according to the configuration of the apparatus to which the invention is applied and various conditions. That is, the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to the following examples.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a color electrophotographic image forming apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to the image forming apparatus 100 that employs the electrophotographic process, and may be an image forming apparatus of another type, for example, a printer that employs an inkjet image forming process.

  In FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 100 includes an apparatus main body 2, an image forming unit 102 that forms an image by an electrophotographic method, and a sheet feeding device 103 that feeds a sheet S to the image forming unit 102. .

  The image forming unit 102 includes a photosensitive drum 107 that forms a toner image, a charging roller 109 that uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum, a developing device 110 that supplies toner to the photosensitive drum 107, and the like.

  The sheet feeding device 103 is a cassette 1 that is a sheet storage device that can store a plurality of sheets S, and a feeding member that is provided above the cassette 1 and feeds the sheets S stored in the cassette 1. A certain feed roller 103A is provided.

  The cassette 1 holds a sheet main body 1A for storing sheets S, and stacks the sheets S, and is held by the cassette body 1A so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction about a shaft 50a. An intermediate plate 6 that is a stacking member biased toward the center is provided. That is, the middle plate 6 can stack a plurality of sheets S.

  Here, the cassette body 1A constitutes a support portion for supporting the sheet S. Then, the sheet S stacked on the intermediate plate 6 is pressed against the feeding roller 103A by pushing up the middle plate 6 serving as a stacking member toward the feeding roller 103A by the coil spring 51. Further, the cassette 1 is provided with a separating unit 101 that separates the sheets S fed by the feeding roller 103A one by one.

  Next, an image forming operation of the image forming apparatus 100 configured as described above will be described. First, based on an image signal from a host computer (not shown), laser light is irradiated onto the photosensitive drum 107 from a laser scanner 122 serving as an exposure unit. Note that the surface of the charging roller 109 is uniformly charged in advance and rotates clockwise. As a result, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 107. Next, the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 107 is developed by the toner on the developing device 110, and a toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 107.

  On the other hand, the feeding roller 103A starts to rotate at a predetermined timing, and in conjunction with this, the middle plate 6 biased toward the feeding roller by the force of the coil spring 51 rotates upward. As a result, the middle plate 6 is pressed against the feeding roller 103A by a predetermined force. Here, the feeding roller 103A is controlled to rotate counterclockwise only during feeding, and feeds the pressed sheet S by frictional force. If a plurality of sheets S on the intermediate plate 6 are sent out simultaneously, only the uppermost sheet S is separated by the action of the separating means 101 and conveyed downstream.

  Next, the uppermost sheet S thus separated by the separating unit 101 is sent to the skew feeding correcting unit 105 to correct the skew feeding, and thereafter, the photosensitive drum 107 and the transfer roller 106 are corrected by the skew feeding correcting unit 105. Are transferred to a transfer unit 108. In the transfer unit 108, as described above, the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 107 is electrically attracted by the transfer roller 106 and transferred to the sheet S.

  The sheet S on which the toner image has been transferred is then conveyed by a conveying belt 104 to a fixing unit 115 including a heating unit 113 and a pressure roller 114, and the toner is heated and pressed in the fixing unit 115. The image is fixed. Thereafter, the sheet is discharged onto the sheet discharge tray 121 on the upper surface of the apparatus main body by the intermediate sheet discharge roller pair 118 and the sheet discharge roller pair 119.

  Next, the configuration of the cassette 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2A is a top view when the cassette 1 is removed from the apparatus main body 2, and FIG. 2B is a top view when the intermediate plate 6 is removed from FIG. 2A. The structure of the cassette body will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a view showing the inside of the cassette 1. When the cassette 1 is attached to the apparatus main body 2, the arrow A direction of the cassette 1 is the sheet conveying direction.

  The cassette 1 includes a cassette body 1A that accommodates sheets of various sizes, regulation means (5a, 5b, 3) for regulating the position of the end of the sheet supported by the cassette body 1A, and an intermediate plate 6. . Here, the regulating means includes a trailing edge regulating member 3 that abuts the trailing edge of the sheet in the sheet conveying direction and regulates the position of the trailing edge, and a width that regulates the position of the sheet in the width direction that intersects the sheet conveying direction. Restricting members 5a and 5b are provided. The width regulating members 5a and 5b and the rear end regulating member 3 are arranged so as not to affect the turning operation of the intermediate plate 6 (shown in FIG. 1).

  In this embodiment, since the sheet feeding apparatus and the image forming apparatus are integrally configured as the image forming apparatus 100, the cassette 1 can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus 100. However, in a configuration in which the sheet feeding device is provided independently of the image forming apparatus, the cassette 1 can be attached to and detached from the sheet feeding device. As an example of a sheet feeding apparatus, an option feeder that can be attached to the image forming apparatus 100 is conventionally known.

  When accommodating a plurality of sheets with respect to the cassette 1, after the sheets are placed on the intermediate plate 6, the width regulating members 5a and 5b are brought into contact with the side edges of the sheets to define the side edge positions of the sheets. At the same time, the trailing edge regulating member 3 is brought into contact with the trailing edge of the sheet to define the trailing edge position of the sheet. Thereby, it can accommodate in the state which positioned the sheet | seat. Thereafter, the cassette 1 is mounted on the image forming apparatus 100, and the sheet is fed by the feeding roller 103A.

  Here, when the cassette 1 is mounted, the intermediate plate 6 (shown in FIG. 1) is pushed upward about the support shaft 50a by the coil spring 51 (shown in FIG. 1). Accordingly, the sheet positioned by the width regulating members 5a and 5b and the rear end regulating member 3 is pressed against the feeding roller 103A (described in FIG. 1). The sheets pressed against the feeding roller 103A in this way are fed one by one by the feeding action of the feeding roller 103A and fed to the image forming unit 102 (shown in FIG. 1).

  The moving mechanism 20 for moving the width restricting members 5a and 5b in the width direction is a moving member provided in the cassette body 1A and configured to be movable in a direction parallel to the moving direction of the width restricting members 5a and 5b. Rack portions 52a and 52b and a pinion gear 4 which is a rotating member are provided. Specifically, the pair of width restricting members 5a and 5b are provided with rack portions 52a and 52b extending in the same direction (arrow B direction) as the moving direction of the width restricting members 5a and 5b, respectively. Yes. (Refer to FIG. 2 (b)) The rack portions 52a and 52b are guided by guide grooves (not shown) provided in the direction of arrow B on the bottom plate of the cassette body 1A so as to be movable in the width direction. A gear shape that engages with the pinion gear 4 is provided.

  A pinion gear 4 that is a rotatable member is provided at the center of the bottom surface of the cassette body 1A. The pinion gear 4 is detachable from the cassette body 1A. The teeth formed on the rack portions 52a and 52b mesh with the pinion gear 4, respectively. Accordingly, when one of the width regulating members 5a and 5b is moved in the width direction, the other width regulating member 5a and 5b are interlocked with each other by the action of the pinion gear 4 and the rack portions 52a and 52b. It moves in the opposite direction to the regulating members 5a and 5b. Then, by moving one width regulating member 5a, 5b in this way, both width regulating members 5a, 5b are simultaneously moved in the width direction and brought into contact with the side edges of the sheets stacked on the intermediate plate 6. The sheet can be easily positioned in the width direction.

  The rear end regulating member 3 is guided in a guide groove (not shown) provided in the direction of arrow C on the bottom plate of the cassette body 1A and is movable in the feeding direction. As described above, the width regulating members 5a and 5b can be freely moved in accordance with the size of the stacked sheets.

  As described above, depending on the user, the width regulating members 5a and 5b may be fixed because only a sheet having a predetermined fixed size is used. Further, when the image forming apparatus 100 is transported, the width regulating members 5a and 5b may be fixed. In the present embodiment, the width regulating members 5 a and 5 b can be fixed with a simple configuration by using the moving mechanism 20.

  FIG. 3A is an enlarged view of the periphery of the pinion gear 4 of FIG. FIG. 3B is an enlarged view showing a state in which the fixing member 41 is attached to the cassette body 1A instead of the pinion gear 4 of FIG. The mounting method of the fixing member 41 is as follows. First, the middle plate 6 shown in FIG. Next, the width regulating members 5a and 5b are moved to desired positions. The pinion gear 4 is removed with the width regulating members 5a and 5b positioned. The positioning of the width regulating members 5a and 5b may be performed before the middle plate 6 is removed. In this case, the width regulating members 5a and 5b may be positioned by setting a standard size sheet in the cassette 1 and abutting the width regulating members 5a and 5b against the sheet in that state.

  Next, the fixing member 41 shown in FIG. 3B is attached to the place where the pinion gear 4 has been attached. Finally, the middle plate 6 is attached. Thus, the teeth 41a of the fixing member 41 and the rack 52a are engaged, and the teeth 41b of the fixing member 41 and the rack 52b are similarly engaged on the opposite side. Then, the outer edge portion 41c of the non-engaging portion of the fixing member 41 comes into contact with the rack 52a, and the rack 52a facing the outer edge portion 41d of the non-engaging portion of the fixing member 41 similarly contacts the rack 52a. The movement of 52a, 52b is regulated, and the movement of the width regulating members 5a, 5b is fixed.

  Thus, although the fixing member 41 includes the arc-shaped outer edge portion 41d as the non-engaging portion, the shape of the fixing member may be other configurations. For example, a fixing member having a shape as illustrated in FIGS. 4A to 4C may be used. FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view illustrating the fixing member 42 and the linear shapes 42 c and 42 d provided in the fixing member 42. FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view illustrating the fixing member 43 and the linear shapes 43 c and 43 d provided in the fixing member 43. The teeth 42a and 42b of the engaging portion of the fixing member 42 are linearly arranged, and the non-engaging portions are linear shapes 42c and 42d having no teeth. Similarly, the teeth 43a and 43b of the engaging portion of the fixing member 43 are linearly arranged, and the non-engaging portions are linear shapes 43c and 43d having no teeth. Since the teeth of the engaging portion are linearly arranged, the backlash of the width regulating members 5a and 5b after fixing is less than the arc shape. On the other hand, when the phases of the rack portions 52a and 52b are different between LTR and A4, for example, fixing members that match the respective phases are required as shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b).

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4C, the teeth 44a and 44b of the engaging portion of the fixing member 44 have the same linear arrangement as that of FIG. 4B, but the teeth 44c and 44d are also provided in the non-engaging portion. It is. For example, the teeth 44a and 44b are LTR-sized engaging portions, the teeth 44c and 44d are A4-sized dedicated engaging portions, and the tooth phases are shifted between the LTR side and the A4 side, for example, the rack portions 52a and 52b. Even if the phases of LTR and A4 are different, one fixing member can be used.

  Further, the surface of the fixing member may be the shape of the pinion gear 4 described in FIG. 3A, and the back surface may be the shape described in FIG. By doing in this way, the pinion gear 4 and the fixing members 41, 42, and 43 can be formed by the same component, and the width regulating members 5a and 5b can be fixed and non-fixed by reversing and replacing the same component. Yes.

  In addition, the cassette body 1A may be provided with a storage portion that exclusively stores the fixing member 41 (or the fixing member 42 and the fixing member 43). In that case, the pinion gear 4 is in a state in which the cassette main body 1A is mounted, and can be used by taking out the fixing member 41 from the storage portion when fixing the width regulating members 5a and 5b.

  Thus, in this embodiment, it is possible to fix the width regulating members 5a and 5b using the configuration provided in the moving mechanism 20. Therefore, there is no need to provide a dedicated screw hole for fixing the width regulating members 5a and 5b in the cassette body 1A. When the screw hole is provided in the cassette body 1A, the strength of the cassette body 1A may be reduced. Moreover, since the fixing member 41 (or the fixing member 42 and the fixing member 43) is completely covered with the intermediate plate 6, it is difficult to easily remove the fixing member 41.

1 cassette 1A cassette body 4 pinion gear (rotating member)
5a, 5b Width regulating member 6 Middle plate 41, 42, 43 Fixed member 52a, 52b Rack part (moving member)

Claims (8)

In a sheet storage device capable of storing a sheet,
A support for supporting the accommodated sheet;
A restricting means that is movably provided with respect to the support portion and restricts the position of the end of the sheet;
A moving mechanism for moving the regulating means,
The moving mechanism includes a moving member configured to be movable in a direction parallel to the moving direction of the regulating member, and the moving member is movable by rotation of a rotating member that contacts the moving member, and the rotating member When the fixing member is attached to the sheet storage device instead of the movement of the sheet storage device, the movement of the moving member is regulated by contacting the fixing member.   The moving mechanism includes a first moving member and a second moving member as the moving member, and the first moving member and the second moving member are integrally formed by the rotation of the rotating member. The sheet storage device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet storage devices move in directions opposite to each other.   The restricting means includes a first restricting member fixed to the first moving member, and a second restricting member fixed to the second moving member, and the first restricting member and the 3. The sheet storage device according to claim 2, wherein the second restricting member restricts a position of an end portion of the sheet in a width direction intersecting a feeding direction of the sheet stored in the support portion. A stacking member capable of stacking sheets accommodated in the support portion,
The stacking member is disposed so as to cover the first moving member and the second moving member,
The rotation member is completely covered when the rotation member is attached to the sheet storage device, and the fixation member is completely covered when the fixing member is attached to the sheet storage device. The sheet storage device according to 3. Each of the first moving member and the second moving member has a gear shape,
5. The sheet storage device according to claim 2, wherein the rotation member rotates while engaging with the gear shape. 6.   The fixing member includes a non-engaging portion that does not engage with the gear shape, and the movement of the first moving member and the second moving member is restricted when the non-engaging portion contacts the gear shape. The sheet storage device according to claim 5, wherein   The sheet storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a storage unit that stores the fixing member in a state where the rotation member is mounted on the sheet storage device. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit that forms a toner image; a feeding member that feeds a sheet to the image forming unit; and a sheet storage device that stores a sheet fed by the feeding member. In
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet storage device is the sheet storage device according to claim 1.

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