JPH0132131B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improvement in a copying machine equipped with a cassette changing device that allows various cassettes to be inserted or replaced in a paper feed section of the copying machine.

In a copying machine equipped with a cassette exchange device,
Depending on the size of the original, the cassette containing paper of various sizes is automatically replaced, and recording paper corresponding to the original size is supplied for copying. A system has also been proposed in which paper of the desired size is supplied and copies are made.
However, no matter which type of copying machine you use, when the paper in the cassette is used up, a warning is issued.
Furthermore, there was no copying machine that had a function beyond displaying that copying was not possible.

Here, based on the signal of zero recording paper, the operator takes out the cassette from the copying machine, feeds paper into the cassette, and then performs a time-consuming and complicated operation of loading the cassette into the copying machine again.

The present invention was made for the purpose of facilitating the removal and loading of the above-mentioned cassette with zero recording paper, and in response to the signal of zero recording paper from the main body of the copying machine, the cassette moving mechanism of the cassette changing device A cassette with zero recording paper is automatically ejected from the cassette exchange device using this system. That is, the present invention provides a copying machine equipped with a cassette exchange device having a mechanism for storing a plurality of cassettes therein, and a cassette inserting means for selecting one of the plurality of cassettes and inserting the cassette into a cassette mounting section of the copying machine. The copying machine has a recording paper presence/absence detection means for detecting the presence or absence of recording paper in a cassette loaded in the cassette loading section, and the cassette changing device has a direction in which the cassette is inserted into the cassette loading section of the copying machine. ejecting means for ejecting the cassettes in different directions; and cassette ejecting means for ejecting the cassette installed in the copying machine when the recording paper presence detection means detects that there is no recording paper in the cassette installed in the copying machine. The present invention provides a copying machine equipped with a cassette exchange device having an outlet for discharging the cassette taken out by the ejection means to the outside of the cassette exchange device.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 show the basic structure and basic circuit of the present invention. The copying machine main body 1 and the cassette exchange device 2 are connected, and the cassette exchange device 2
Inside are multiple cassettes 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d.
is held. Each cassette 3a, 3b, . . . contains recording paper of different sizes.

The main body 1 of the copying machine has a cassette insertion slot 11, and when a cassette 3 is loaded into the cassette insertion slot 11, recording paper in the cassette 3 is fed.

The cassette exchange device 2 has an ejection section 2 which is inserted in a direction opposite to the direction in which the cassette is inserted into the cassette insertion opening 11.
1 is provided.

Now, as shown in Figure 1a, the cassette exchange device 2
For example, the cassette 3c is inserted into the cassette insertion slot 11 by rotating the cassette ejecting/extracting motor M shown in FIG.
When the paper is loaded into the cassette 3c and fed, a known paper detector installed in the paper feed section of the copying machine main body 1 detects that the cassette 3c
When a signal is sent to the CPU indicating that the number of recording sheets in the cassette is zero, the CPU issues a reverse command to the cassette loading/unloading motor M, as shown in Figure 1b.
The cassette 3c is discharged from the discharge section 21 to the outside of the apparatus. Now replenish the recording paper into the cassette 3c,
When a cassette loading button (not shown) is pressed, the cassette loading/unloading motor M rotates normally and the cassette 3c is loaded into the cassette insertion slot 11 again.

The third part specifically shows the basic structure above.
FIG. 4 is an example of the embodiment shown in FIG. FIG. 3 shows a side view of the cassette exchange device 2 connected to the copying machine 1. The cassette exchange device 2 has a vertically movable frame 22 that can move up and down. A rack 22a is attached to the vertically movable frame 22, and the rack 22a
As the pinion 23 meshes with the rotation of the pinion 23, the vertically movable frame 22 moves up and down. A vertical handle 23a is attached to the pinion 23 and rotated manually.

The vertically movable frame 22 accommodates a plurality of cassettes 3a, 3
b... is maintained. Each cassette 3a, 3b...
...There are recording paper of different sizes built into it.
In addition, a plurality of notches 22b are cut into the vertically movable frame 22, and when the click 24 provided on the cassette exchange device 2 engages with the notches 22b,
The cassette 3 is inserted into the cassette insertion slot 11 of the copying machine main body 1.
It is configured to be a loading position.

After the cassette 3 corresponding to the document size is positioned at the loading position in the cassette insertion slot 11 by the vertical movement of the vertical movement frame 22, the cassette ejection/unloading motor M is activated.
rotates in the normal direction, and the cassette 3 moves horizontally, and is inserted and loaded into the cassette insertion opening 11.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the insertion/loading mechanism for the cassette 3, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing the operating sequence.

Fig. 5a shows the state in which the cassette 3 is moving up and down, and Fig. 5b shows the state in which the cassette 3 has arrived at the loading position into the cassette insertion slot 11 of the copying machine main body 1 and has started inserting the cassette 3. It shows.

When the cassette 3 reaches the loading position, the levers 26, 26, which are pivoted about the pivot shafts 25, 25 in the cassette exchanger 2, are moved by the biased springs 27, 27.
The levers 26 and 2 are rotated toward the cassette 3 by the levers 26 and 2.
The rollers 28, 28 for cassette insertion and ejection provided at the tips of the cassettes 6 come into contact with sliding plates 32 provided on both sides of the cassettes 3. The sliding plate 32 is made of rubber or has small irregularities on its surface, and when the roller 28 rotates, the cassette 3 moves without slipping between the sliding plate 32 and the roller 28.

At the position where the roller 28 comes into contact with the sliding plate 32 of the cassette 3, the micro switch _MS1 is actuated by the cam 26a, which swings together with the lever 26, and the cassette loading/unloading motor M rotates to operate the deceleration mechanism. Then, the roller 28 is rotated to move the cassette 3 in the direction of insertion into the insertion slot 11.

When the cassette 3 is inserted into the cassette insertion slot 11 and is inserted into the normal position, the groove cam 31 provided on the side surface of the cassette 3 engages with the actuator of the micro switch MS ₂ provided on the lever 26, and the micro Motor M is stopped by switch _MS2 .

FIG. 5c shows a state in which the grooved cam 31 of the cassette 3 and the micro switch _MS2 are engaged, the completion of insertion of the cassette is detected, and the motor M is stopped. In this state, the user can see the size of the inserted paper from the cassette size display window 2a of the cassette changing device 2 as shown in the third figure, and the set recording paper is fed by a paper feeding mechanism (not shown). One sheet is taken out from the cassette 3 and copied.

It goes without saying that the relationship between the grooved cam 31 of the cassette 3 and the microswitch _MS2 may be determined by, for example, a combination of a magnet and a magnetic sensor, or a combination of a reflective surface and a photoelectric sensor.

Now, when there is no recording paper in the cassette 3, a known paper detector installed in the paper feed section of the copying machine main body 1 issues a signal indicating that there is no recording paper in the cassette 3. Motor M reverses and moves cassette 3.
is pulled out from the insertion opening 11, and the cassette 3 is carried out of the apparatus from an ejection section 21 provided in the opposite direction to the insertion direction of the cassette. FIG. 5d shows this situation.

Here, the user replenishes the recording paper into the cassette 3 and presses the cassette loading button (not shown), the motor M rotates in the normal direction, the cassette 3 is loaded into the cassette insertion slot again, and the state shown in FIG. 5c is made. becomes.

As described above, the present invention has an excellent effect of making it extremely easy to replenish recording paper.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows the basic structure of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows the basic circuit. 3 and 4 show an embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 3 showing a side view and FIG. 4 showing a perspective view of the cassette insertion portion. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the sequence of operations for loading and unloading a cassette. 1... Copying machine main body, 2... Cassette exchange device,
3...Cassette, 11...Cassette insertion slot, 21
...Cassette ejection section.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A copying machine equipped with a cassette exchange device having a mechanism for storing a plurality of cassettes therein, and a cassette insertion means for selecting one of the plurality of cassettes and inserting the cassette into a cassette mounting section of the copying machine. In the copying machine, the copying machine has recording paper presence/absence detection means for detecting the presence or absence of recording paper in the cassette installed in the cassette loading section, and the cassette changing device inserts the cassette into the cassette loading section of the copying machine. ejecting means for ejecting the cassette in a direction different from the direction; and a cassette ejecting means for ejecting the cassette installed in the copying machine when the recording paper presence/absence detection means detects that there is no recording paper in the cassette installed in the copying machine. What is claimed is: 1. A copying machine comprising: a cassette changing device; and a discharge port for discharging a cassette taken out by the taking out device out of the cassette changing device.