JPH0419144B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a cassette device for storing a large number of sheets of paper and for feeding the stored sheets one by one, and particularly to a paper feeding cassette device that can store a large amount of paper.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Currently, a cassette device that stores a large number of sheets of paper and is removably attached to the main body of the device is widely used as a paper feed section used in copying machines and the like. This cassette device had a structure in which the stored sheets faced a paper feed roller on the side of the main body of the copying machine.
Accordingly, this cassette device can accommodate approximately 200 to 250 sheets of normal paper. However, in today's world where high-speed copying machines have become widespread and the number of copies being made has increased significantly, it is not uncommon for a large number of copies to be made at one time. In that case, the conventional 200~
When using a cassette device that accommodates about 250 sheets of paper, it takes a lot of time to attach and detach the cassette device and load the paper, and the operations are complicated and extremely difficult to operate.

In order to solve this problem, a multi-sheet cassette device capable of storing a large amount of paper at one time has been proposed. For example, according to the cassette device shown in FIG. 2, a tray 9 containing a large amount of paper is set, and the tray 9 is raised about a fulcrum 19 to bring the topmost paper 8 into pressure contact with the paper feed roller 12. This feeds paper sheet by sheet. Here, there will be no problem if the tray 9 containing the paper 8 is inserted in the Q direction and set at a fixed position on the mounting table 10 at a relatively slow speed. However, when the tray 9 is quickly inserted, and the tray 9 is held in a fixed position due to the amount of paper and its inertia, only the paper 8 is significantly displaced in the Q direction. This misalignment is not constant because the paper itself is in a free state without any restraints, and if the paper comes into contact with other parts or the amount of misalignment is large, there is a problem that the tray 9 cannot be lifted up.

In addition, in order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks, in order to regulate the leading edge of the paper in the tray 9 that is inserted, if a paper regulating plate 35 is placed as shown in the figure, facing the leading edge of the paper, the paper regulating plate 35 can be placed in the tray 9. The leading edges of the stored sheets 8 can be aligned. However, if the amount of paper 8 stored in the tray 9 is small, there is no problem in raising the tray, but if the amount of paper is large, the leading edge of the paper may come into contact with the regulation plate 35 when the tray 9 is raised. This acts as a large resistance and prevents the rise. Therefore, if there is no regulating plate, the sheets in the tray 9 will shift, and if the regulating plate is provided, the tray 9 will be prevented from rising.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, and has a structure in which the regulating plate that regulates the leading edge of the paper is released after the tray 9 is inserted, and the regulating plate returns to the paper regulating position when the tray 9 is removed. A paper cassette device is provided.

The cassette device of the present invention will be explained in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a specific example of the cassette device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the state in which the cassette device is attached to the copying machine main body, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the main components of the cassette device according to the present invention. FIG. In the figure, 1 is the main body of the copying machine, 2 is a paper feed section to which a cassette device can be attached/detached, 3 is a paper feed roller provided on the main body side facing the paper feed section, and 4 is a paper fed by the paper feed roller. This is a guide for guiding paper to the copying process. The paper feed section 2 has a structure in which not only a normal cassette device can be attached and removed, but also a cassette device 5 which can accommodate a large amount of paper according to the present invention.

Next, the structure of the cassette device 5 will be explained.
The cassette device 5 has a tip end that is the same size as a normal cassette, and has a structure that is attached to the paper feed section 2 of the copying machine main body, and has a storage section that stores a large amount of paper in a part that protrudes from the copying machine main body 1. ing. The paper accommodating section is constituted by a space surrounded by cassette side plates (frames) 7, 7 provided upright on the bottom side 6 of the cassette. A lid is attached to the cassette bottom plate 6 via a hinge (not shown) for opening a space in which sheets are stored. The sheets 8 are not stored as they are in the cassette device 5, but are stored in a paper replenishment tray 9 having a wide open end, and both the tray 9 and the tray 9 are placed on a mounting table 10 in the storage section.
A fixing fitting 11 for fixing the tray 9 at a fixed position on the placing table 10 is fixed to the rear end of the mounting table 10, and this fixing fitting 11 is attached to a fixing protrusion 9 provided at the bottom of the tray 9. _-1 and recessed part 11 _-1
is provided. This fixture 11 prevents the tray 9 from slipping down when the tray 9 is raised.

A paper feed roller 12 is provided at the top of the cassette device 5, facing the tip of the table 10, particularly near the tip of the paper 8 placed thereon. This paper feed roller 12 is fixed to a rotating shaft 14 that is rotatably held by a roller holding plate 13. The roller holding plate 13 is rotatably attached to a rotating shaft 15 rotatably held between both frames 7. In other words, the paper feed roller 12 is configured to rotate around the rotating shaft 15, and although it sag due to its own weight, the sagging below that point is regulated by a regulating means (not shown) at the position shown in the figure. There is. A paper feed roller 16 configured similarly to the paper feed roller 12 is fixed to the rotating shaft 15, and the fed paper 8 is further transferred to the paper feed section of the copying machine by the action of the paper feed roller 16. It is something to be sent.
The paper feed rollers 12 and 16 are driven by attaching a chain 18 between sprockets 17 _-1 and 17 _-2 that are fixed approximately at the center of both rotating shafts 14 and 15, and rotating the rotating shaft 15. roller 12,
A control signal for rotation at this time is output from the main body of the copying machine. The paper feed rollers 12 and 16 are made of a material having a high coefficient of friction, such as rubber, so that the friction with the paper 8 is greater than the friction between the paper 8 and each other.

The above-mentioned mounting table 10 has a shaft 1 at the end opposite to the paper feeding side.
The tray 9 on the mounting table 10 can be moved up and down about the shaft 19. Further, the paper feeding end side of the mounting table 10 is connected by a shaft 20, and both ends of the shaft 20 protrude from both frames 7. Both frames 7 have a protruding shaft 2 for rotation about the shaft 19 on the mounting table 10.
A guide groove 21 is formed in an arc shape for guiding the 0. One end of a chain 22 for raising the mounting table 10 is fixed to one end of the protruding end of the shaft 20. The other end of the chain 22 is connected to a spring 24, which is a biasing means, via a sprocket 230 fixed to a rotating shaft 23 rotatably held by the frame 7. is fixed. Therefore, the tray 9 containing the paper 8 on the mounting table 10
is urged upward about the shaft 19 by the urging force of the spring 24, and the paper feed roller 12 and the paper 8 are pressed against each other. As described above, the shaft 20, the chain 22, the sprocket 230, the spring 2
A push-up mechanism configured in four equal parts is provided.

Further, as shown in the figure, a chain 28 is installed between another sprocket 25 fixed to the rotating shaft 23 and a sprocket 27 fixed to a shaft 26 rotatably provided on the frame 7. A flywheel (brake wheel) 29 is fixed to 26. The flywheel 29 exerts a restraining force on the raising of the mounting table 10, and suppresses the sudden rise of the mounting table 10. In other words, even when a small amount of paper is set, the biasing force of the spring 24 is suppressed by the flywheel 29, the sprocket 230 etc. are rotated slowly, and the loading table 1 is
0 means that a sudden rise is suppressed and the rise is gradual. Although not shown in the figure, when the sprocket 27 rotates clockwise in the figure,
The rotational force is transmitted to the shaft 26, and the flywheel 2
9 and is attached to the shaft 26 via a one-way clutch so that the opposite rotation can be freely rotated without restriction. Also flywheel 2
Brake means 30 for braking the rotation of the wheel is mounted opposite to the wheel 9.

As shown in FIG. 1, the brake means 30 has a lever 32 that holds a brake plate 31 provided facing the circumferential surface of the flywheel 29 and is rotatably supported on the frame 7. It is configured to include a spring 33 for rotating clockwise, and a solenoid 34 for releasing the brake on the flywheel 29 against the bias of the spring 33.
When the mounting table 10 gradually rises, this brake means 30 is gradually accelerated by the action of the flywheel 29, and in order to prevent it from colliding with the roller 12 with a considerable force, the flywheel 29
It has a control circuit that controls.

As shown in FIG. 3, the present invention provides the cassette device configured as described above with a regulating plate 35 for regulating the leading edge of the paper, facing the leading edge of the tray 9 inserted with the loading table 10 as a guide. It is set up. The regulating plate 35 is rotatably supported between the bottom plate 6 of the cassette device and a frame 70 fixed to the top of the cassette device as shown in FIG. A positioning piece for the regulation plate 35 indicated by reference numeral 36 is attached to the lower part of the regulation plate 35 . Reference numeral 37 is a spring provided between the regulating plate 35 and a pin 38 erected on the bottom plate 6, and is for rotating the regulating plate 35. The positioning piece 36 positions the regulating plate 35 at the paper regulating position by coming into contact with a positioning pin 39 fixed to the bottom plate 6, and this state is maintained by the biasing force of the spring 37. Further, the spring 37 is attached so as to bias the regulating plate 35 in the opposite direction when the regulating plate 35 rotates beyond a certain position from the paper regulating position.

On the other hand, the positioning piece 36 has a positioning pin 39
One end of a spring 40 fixed to the bottom of the tray 9 is attached to the opposite end facing the tray 9. The spring 40 is a return member for returning the regulation plate 35 to the paper regulation position. Further, a projection piece 41 is fixed to the bottom of the tray 9 for releasing the regulation plate 35 from the paper regulation position.
The positioning piece 36 and the regulating plate 35 are connected to the projection piece 41.
By pressing , the regulation plate 35 is released from the regulation position. Here, the positioning piece 3
6 is attached to the regulating plate 35 at a position below the bottom of the tray 9 to be inserted.

Further, a micro switch 42 attached to one of the loading tables 10 is for detecting the paper stored in the tray 9, and a notch 9 formed in the tray 9 is used to detect the paper stored in the tray 9.
An actuating piece 42 _-1 is arranged opposite to _-2 .

In the figure, 43 is a guide plate that guides the paper 8 fed by the paper feed rollers 12 and 16 to the paper feed unit 2 equipped with a cassette device, and 44 is attached to the lower part of the guide plate 43 and is used to This is a paper detection switch in which the piece _44-1 is placed in the guide path of the paper 8. That is, the paper detection switch _44-1 is for stopping the paper feeding operation of the paper feed rollers 12 and 16 when the fed paper is detected.

Next, the operation of the above-mentioned structure will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 2, about 1000 sheets of paper 8 are stored in a tray 9 pulled out from the cassette device 5, and the tray 9 is inserted along the mounting table 10 in the Q direction.
When the tray 9 is inserted, the convex portion 9 _-1 comes into contact with the fixture 11 and stops. At this time, the leading ends of the sheets 8 in the tray 9 are regulated by the regulating plate 35 and aligned. Furthermore, the protruding piece 9 _-2 of the tray 9 does not press the regulating plate 35 . Next, when you push the tray 9, the convex part 9
_-1 passes over the fixing fitting 11 and fits into the recess 11 _-1 , and the tray 9 is fixed in position. At this time, the regulation plate 35 is pushed by the protruding piece 41, and the regulation plate 35 is pushed away from the paper regulation position. When this pressing is further performed and the state in which the regulating plate 35 is present is passed, the spring 37 urges the regulating plate 35 in the opposite direction, releasing the regulating plate 35 from the leading edge of the paper as shown in FIG. 4b. The regulating plate 35 is the spring 3
7, the convex portion 9 _-1 of the tray 9 and the concave portion 11 _-1 of the fixture 11 engage with each other. The above-mentioned state is a state in which the spring 37 is located on the rotational axis of the regulating plate 35 and does not apply any rotational force to the regulating plate 35 in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

Once the paper 8 has been inserted as described above, the lid of the cassette device is closed. By closing this lid, the solenoid 34 of the brake means 30 is energized, the braking force is released, and the mounting table 10 is moved to the flywheel 2.
It rises slowly and gradually due to the action of 9. Due to this rise, the paper 8 in the tray 9 and the paper feed roller 12
is pushed up, and when it reaches a predetermined position, the solenoid 34 is de-energized, braking is applied, and the tray 9 is stopped at that position. In this state, if the paper feed roller 12 is rotated in accordance with the paper feed command, the sheets 8, which are in pressure contact with the roller 12, are sequentially fed to the paper feed roller 3 on the copying machine main body side. As the paper 8 gradually decreases due to this paper feeding, the paper feed roller 12 follows the paper 8 due to its own weight and comes into pressure contact with the paper 8. Then, when the number of sheets decreases to a predetermined value or less, the solenoid 34 is energized, and the solenoid 34 is raised to a predetermined position and stopped. This operation is repeated until the paper 8 in the tray 9 runs out.

Next, when paper 8 runs out, micro switch 4
2, and the state is notified via the notification means. When the lid of the cassette device is opened and the tray 9 and the tray 10 are pushed down, the tray 10 is lowered to the lower position as shown in FIG. 3 and fixed at that position. In other words, if the mounting table 10 is pushed down, the sprocket 27 will be moved to the flywheel 29.
Although the sprocket 27 will rotate in the opposite direction by the spring 24 when the pressure is released, since the flywheel 29 is braked by the brake means 30, the mounting table 10
is fixed in that position.

In this state, the engagement between the tray 9 and the mounting table 10 is released, and the tray 9 is pulled out in the P direction as shown in FIG. At this time of pulling out, the positioning piece 36 is pulled clockwise in FIG. 4 by a spring 40 provided between the tray 9 and the positioning piece 36. After the regulating plate 35 is rotated to a certain position by the spring 40, it is returned to the paper regulating position by the spring 37 as shown in FIG. 4a.

If the paper 8 is stored after the tray 9 is pulled out, if the tray 9 is inserted as described above, after the leading edge of the paper 8 in the tray 9 is aligned, the regulation plate
5 is released, and the leading edge of the paper becomes free.

According to the paper feeding cassette device of the present invention, since the paper is stored in the tray that can be pulled out, the work of storing the paper can be carried out very easily without being obstructed by a regulating member or the like since the leading edges are aligned.

In addition, the regulation plate for aligning the leading edge of the paper in relation to the tray insertion operation is released from the regulation position when the leading edge is aligned, so that when the paper rises, the platen can be reliably raised without the regulation plate restricting its rise. be able to.

Moreover, in connection with the insertion and withdrawal operations of the tray, the regulation plate is applied with a biasing force in the respective rotational directions in the released state of the regulation position and the non-regulation position, and is reliably maintained at each position.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the paper feeding cassette device of the present invention when paper is placed thereon, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing in detail the main parts of the cassette device of the present invention, and FIGS. 4a and 4b are operation explanatory diagrams for explaining the operation of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Copying machine main body, 2...Paper feed section, 3...Paper feed roller, 8...Paper, 9...Tray, 10...
...Placement table, 12, 16...Paper feed roller, 20...
... shaft, 22 ... chain, 23 ... sprocket, 24 ... spring, 30 ... brake means, 35 ... regulation plate, 36 ... positioning piece, 37
. . . Spring (for rotation of regulation plate), 39 . . . Positioning pin, 40 . . . Spring (for return of regulation plate), 41 . . . Protrusion piece, 42 .

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A cassette device 5, which is removably installed in the paper feed section of the copying machine body and has a section for storing paper, is rotatably supported to hold the paper stored in a prescribed position. a tray 9 which is open at the paper feed end and upper part and which accommodates paper and is held on the above-mentioned placing table so that it can be inserted or pulled out; Push-up mechanisms 20, 22, 23 that rotate and push up the paper along with the tray to the paper feed rollers 12, 16 arranged opposite to each other.
0, 24, and a regulating plate 35 provided at the leading edge of the paper feed side in the cassette device in order to align the leading edges of the stored sheets when the tray is inserted into the tray, a regulating plate rotatably supported within the apparatus, normally maintained at a regulating position where the leading edges of the sheets in the tray are aligned by the rotational biasing force of a biasing means 37, and in the regulating position when the tray is inserted; A protrusion piece 41 is provided at the tip of the tray for pressing and releasing the regulation plate from the regulation position and rotating it to the non-regulation position, and in order to return the regulation plate from the non-regulation position to the regulation position when the tray is pulled out. A return member 40 is provided between the regulation plate and the tray, and the biasing means applies a rotation biasing force of the regulation plate when the regulation plate is rotated from the paper regulation position and rotated by a predetermined angle. A paper feeding cassette device in which the regulating plates are arranged in such a relationship that they are biased in opposite directions, and the regulating plate is maintained at the regulating position and the non-regulating position by rotational force in each direction.