JPH075078Y2 - Image forming apparatus having media cartridge - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for forming an image using a media sheet having photosensitivity and, more particularly, to a control means for replacing a media cartridge accommodating the media sheet. Regarding improvement.

(B) Conventional Technology In recent years, development of an image forming apparatus that forms an image using a media sheet and an image receiving sheet has been advanced. A latent image is formed on the media sheet by exposing it to the current reflected light or the like in the exposure section, and then it is superposed on the image receiving sheet on the active surface, and when pressure is applied in the pressure transfer section, an image is formed on the image receiving sheet. It As can be seen from the above, the media sheet has a light and pressure sensitivity, and becomes unusable as an image forming sheet if exposed or pressed before image formation. Therefore, the media sheet is rolled and stored in a light-shielded media cartridge, and when all the media sheets are used up, the media cartridge is replaced.

By the way, when replacing the media cartridge, the leading end of the media sheet in the cartridge must be pulled out and guided to the take-up shaft via the exposure section, the pressure transfer section and the like. In order for the user to do this, work must be performed in a narrow space, and since high pressure is being applied to the pressure transfer portion, workability is poor and the user's burden is heavy. Therefore, conventionally, a relatively strong leader sheet portion is provided at the front end portion of the media sheet, and the media sheet is automatically wound around a take-up shaft via an exposure portion, a pressure transfer portion, etc. (Rolling is called automatic loading.) (C) Problem to be solved by the invention However, conventionally, automatic loading is an automatic loading start switch provided on the image forming apparatus main body when the media cartridge is attached to the image forming apparatus main body. Is started automatically when is operated, and in the former method, there is a possibility that automatic loading will be started while the operator is doing some work, and user safety I had a problem with. Further, the latter method has a problem that an extra work such as a switch operation is required at the time of automatic loading and a problem that the number of switches is increased.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an image forming apparatus having a media cartridge having no problem in user safety and operability.

(D) Means for Solving the Problem This invention is directed to an image forming apparatus in which a media cartridge containing a roll-shaped media sheet can be replaced by opening a front door of the image forming apparatus body. A bucket for mounting a media cartridge having a supply shaft and a take-up shaft is provided slidably in the front-rear direction with respect to the image forming apparatus main body when the front door of the image forming apparatus main body is opened, and the media cartridge is mounted in the bucket. Presence / absence of a media cartridge, a door sensor for detecting the open / closed state of the front door, a front end of the media sheet is automatically pulled out, and the media cartridge is passed through a predetermined position in the main body of the image forming apparatus and fixed to the winding shaft. An automatic loading means for stopping the automatic pulling out of the media sheet after winding the amount, When said with serial medium cartridge detecting means detects the mounting of the media cartridge door sensor detects a closed state of the front door, characterized in that a loading control means for actuating said automatic loading means.

(E) Operation In the present invention, the media cartridge is mounted in the state where the front door of the image forming apparatus main body is opened and the bucket is pulled out, and the bucket with the media cartridge is inserted into the image forming apparatus main body. When the front door is closed, the front end of the media sheet is automatically pulled out, and the front end passes through a predetermined position in the main body of the image forming apparatus and is wound onto the take-up shaft of the media cartridge, and then the media sheet. Automatic withdrawal is stopped. Therefore, even if a new media cartridge is mounted in the image forming apparatus main body, automatic loading does not start by itself, and even if the user does some work after mounting the media cartridge, automatic loading does not start in the meantime. After loading the media cartridge, the automatic loading is automatically started only when the front door of the image forming apparatus main body is closed. Further, in the state where the media cartridge is not mounted in the bucket, useless automatic loading operation is not performed even if the front door is closed.

(F) Embodiment FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of a copying machine which is an embodiment of the present invention.

A pair of pressure rollers 13 that are in pressure contact with each other is arranged in the center of the copying machine main body 1. The pressure roller 13 is installed at a high pressure of about 90 kg / cm by a pressing mechanism including a spring and the like. A bucket 2 for housing a media cartridge is provided on the left side of the pressure roller 13. The bucket 2 has a box-like shape without a lid, and can be pulled out to the front surface (the front direction in the drawing) of the copying machine main body 1 by sliders 2a and 2b.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the bucket 2 is pulled out to the front surface of the copying machine main body 1. Front door 11 of copying machine body 1
Is openable and closable forward. With the front door 11 open, the bucket 2 is pulled out to the front.

A media cartridge 3 is mounted in the box-shaped bucket 2. The media cartridge 3 has a supply shaft 3a and a winding shaft 3b.
Is equipped with. Unused media sheet 31 for supply shaft 3a
Is wound to form a media roll. This media roll is protected by the frame of the media cartridge 3 and the sheet 32 that blocks light so that it is not exposed to stray light or the like, but an opening 33 is formed at one end thereof, The seat 31 is extended. A roller 34 is provided in the opening 33, and the tip of the media sheet is locked to the roller 34 when the media cartridge is new. The media cartridge 3 can be attached to and detached from the bucket 2 in the vertical direction. When exchanging the media cartridge 3, first, the bucket 2 is pulled out from the copying machine main body 1 to the front side, the media cartridge 3 is taken out upward, and then a new media cartridge is mounted. it can.

A transport sprocket 21 is provided on the upper right portion of the bucket 2. The transport sprocket 21 is provided with protruding guides 21a at both ends of a rotatable roller. On the other hand, holes 21b are formed at both ends of the medium 31. The hole 21b engages with the guide 21 and the transport sprocket 21 rotates, so that the media sheet 31 is delivered from the media cartridge 3. When the media sheet cartridge 3 is mounted in the bucket 2, the user pulls out the media sheet 31 engaged with the roller 34 and engages the transport sprocket 21 with the hole 21b at the tip thereof. This work can be easily performed because the bucket 2 is pulled out to the front of the main body of the copying machine, and does not burden the user.

A rotary gear (not shown) is provided on the rear surface of the transport sprocket 21, and when the bucket 2 is pushed into the copying machine main body 1, it meshes with a gear on the copying machine main body side. A main motor is connected to a gear on the side of the copying machine main body 1 via a clutch, and the clutch is turned on at the time of automatic loading of the media sheet to transmit the driving force to the transport sprocket 21. A knob 21c is provided on the front surface of the transport sprocket 21, and is used when the media sheet is replaced or when the media sheet is jammed.

A sensor S1 is provided on the upper rear surface of the bucket 2, and a sensor S2 is provided on the bucket insertion portion of the copying machine body 1. S1 detects the presence / absence of the media sheet 31 between the roller 33 and the transport sprocket 21, and S2 detects the presence / absence of a bucket being inserted into the copying machine main body 1. A sensor S3 is provided on the front surface of the copying machine body to detect the open / closed state of the front door 11.

The media sheet 31 is wound around the winding shaft 3b via the transport sprocket 21, the exposure unit P1, the transport rollers 14 and 15, the pressure transfer unit P2, and the transport roller 16.

Next, the automatic loading operation of the media sheet will be described. FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure of the main part of this copying machine.

The ready lamp on the main body of the copying machine lights up (n1) when the set state of the media sheet and the temperature of the heating device are ready for copying, and the copying process is performed when the print switch is operated (n2 → n3). If the media sheet does not run out during the copying process, it returns to the ready state (n4 → n5 → n1) and waits for the next process, but when it is determined that the media sheet is running out (when MS1 turns on) In step n6, the copying process is interrupted and the empty lamp is turned on to notify the user that the media sheet is out (n6). When the user knows that the media sheet is out by lighting the empty lamp, the front door 11 of the copying machine main body is opened to replace the media cartridge 3 (n
7). That is, the new media cartridge 3 is mounted in the bucket 2, the leading end of the media sheet 31 is pulled out, and the media sheet 31 is hung on the transport sprocket 21. As a result, MS1 detects the media sheet 31 and turns it on (n8), and the mounting of the media cartridge 3 is confirmed.

If the user then closes the front door 11, the main motor rotates and the media sheet 31 hung on the transport sprocket 21 is taken up via the exposure section P1, the transport rollers 14 and 15, the pressure transfer section P2 and the transport roller 16. It is automatically sent to axis 3b (n9 → n10). The main motor rotates for a predetermined time,
If the leading edge of the media sheet 31 is taken up by the take-up shaft 3b, the main motor stops and returns to the ready state (n11 → n12 → n
1).

(G) Effect of the Invention As described above, according to the invention, the automatic loading is started after the media cartridge is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body and the front door is closed. The safety can be improved without the risk of being caught. Moreover, since automatic loading is automatically started when the front door is closed, there is an advantage that operability is improved without requiring extra work such as a switch operation. Moreover, since the media cartridge is mounted while the front door of the image forming apparatus main body is opened and the bucket is pulled out, the mounting of the media cartridge becomes extremely easy. Furthermore, simply inserting the bucket with the media cartridge into the main body of the image forming apparatus and closing the front door causes the leading edge of the media sheet to be automatically pulled out and the leading edge to pass through a predetermined location in the main body of the image forming apparatus. Since the automatic drawing of the media sheet is stopped after being wound around the winding shaft of the media cartridge by a predetermined amount, the media sheet can be reliably and easily set at a predetermined position in the image forming apparatus. Moreover, in the state where the media cartridge is not mounted in the bucket, useless automatic loading operation is not performed even if the front door is closed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure of a main part in a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the copying machine, and FIG. 3 includes a media cartridge from a copying machine main body. It is a perspective view showing the state which pulled out the bucket. 2 …… bucket, 3 …… media cartridge, 11 ……
Front door, S3 ... Door detection sensor.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An image forming apparatus in which a media cartridge containing a roll-shaped media sheet can be exchanged by opening a front door of the main body of the image forming apparatus. A media cartridge detecting means for providing a bucket for accommodating the media cartridge slidably in the front-rear direction with respect to the main body of the image forming apparatus with the front door of the main body of the image forming apparatus open, and detecting whether or not the media cartridge is attached to the bucket. A door sensor for detecting the open / closed state of the front door, and a front end portion of the media sheet is automatically pulled out to pass a predetermined amount in the main body of the image forming apparatus to be wound around the winding shaft by a predetermined amount, and then the media sheet Automatic loading means for stopping automatic drawing and the media cartridge detecting means An image forming apparatus having a media cartridge, characterized in that a loading control means is provided for activating the automatic loading means when the mounting of the media cartridge is detected and the door sensor detects a closed state of the front door.