JPH0442664B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a document table locking device for a copying machine, etc., in which a document table having a document holder that can be opened and closed is provided on the top surface of the device body so as to be able to reciprocate. .

(Prior Art) Conventionally, in copying machines of the type that moves the document table, unnecessary movement of the document table has been avoided, as shown in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 56-164352 and 1987-138662. For the purpose of regulating the movement of the document table and ensuring that the reciprocating movement of the document table is stopped, a device is known that includes a movement locking mechanism that restricts the movement of the document table and a release mechanism that releases the movement.

On the other hand, a copying machine equipped with a document size detection device that automatically detects the size of the document placed on the document table before starting the copying operation is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 56-78849, for example.
This method is known as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 173733/1983. Such a document size detection device is
Turns on and off by opening and closing the document holder that covers the document table.
The document size is detected based on the open/close detection signal from the switch that is turned off. In order to apply such an original size detection device to a copying machine of the type that moves the original table as described above, it is necessary to install a switch on the moving original table that is activated by opening and closing the document holder. An electric wire is required to guide the detection signal between the two, and there is a risk that this electric wire may be disconnected due to movement of the document table. Also,
If a switch that is activated by opening and closing the document holder is provided on the copying machine main body side, in order to operate this switch by opening and closing the document holder, it is necessary to provide a lever or the like that is linked to the document holder from the document table. This lever, etc. will protrude from the document table, and therefore, when the document table moves during a copying operation, a mechanism is required to retract this lever, etc. before the copying operation so that it does not become a hindrance. becomes complex.

In addition, since the detection means consisting of a light emitting and light receiving element for detecting the document size is normally installed on the copying machine body, accurate document size detection cannot be achieved unless the document table is at a certain position relative to the copying machine body. It is possible. Therefore, in order to stop the document table at a fixed position, a lock mechanism is required to restrict the movement of the document table.

In view of this, the present applicant has proposed, for the purpose of simplifying the configuration, a locking mechanism that restricts the movement of the document table and an actuator for a document size detection mechanism that is used when opening and closing a document holder on the document table.
In other words, in this configuration, the lock lever in the lock mechanism moves up and down slightly while maintaining the locked state of the document table as the document holder opens and closes, and this up and down movement also detects the opening and closing of the document holder, and adjusts the timing of document size detection. I'm trying to get it. However, in this configuration, when the document table is locked by the locking mechanism and the document holder is closed, the lock lever is slightly depressed, so in this state, there is no unnecessary movement in one direction on the document table. If a moving force is applied and the document table is restrained, it is assumed that even if the document presser is opened next, the lock lever will remain in its depressed state and will not return to its original state. If such a situation occurs, when the document holder is closed again, it may become impossible to detect whether the document holder is open or closed, and therefore, it may become impossible to detect the document size.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems.The present invention has a simple structure, allows the document holder to be opened and closed appropriately even when the movement of the document table is restricted, and also enables the document size to be detected. The purpose is to provide a locking device.

(Structure of the Invention) The present invention is a locking device for a document table having a document holder which is reciprocatably provided on the upper surface of an apparatus main body and which can be opened and closed, wherein the document table is located at a predetermined position on the side of the device main body. At some point, it engages and disengages from a receiving part provided at an appropriate position on the lower surface of the document table, and restricts its movement.
A lock mechanism includes a lock lever that can be freely extended and retracted to release the document, and a drive means that moves the lock lever in and out, a rod that is guided inside the lock lever and is raised and lowered in response to the opening and closing of the document holder, and a rod that moves up and down the document holder by raising and lowering the rod. It is equipped with a switch that detects opening and closing.

Further, a document table locking device is provided on the upper surface of the device main body so as to be reciprocally movable and has a document holder that can be opened and closed, and when the document table is in a predetermined position, the document table locking device is provided on the device main body side. A lock mechanism includes a retractable lock lever that engages and disengages from a receiving portion provided at an appropriate position, and restricts and releases the movement thereof, and a drive means for retracting and retracting the lock lever, and a document holder that is guided inside the lock lever. It is provided with a rod that is raised and lowered in response to opening and closing, and a switch that is operated by the raising and lowering of the rod and drives a document size detection means.

This configuration applies a moving force to the document table,
Even when the lock lever is pressed against the receiving portion of the document table and is in a restrained state, the rod for detecting opening/closing of the document holder can freely move up and down in response to the opening/closing of the document holder, thereby ensuring reliable detection of the document holder.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 to 3 show the overall structure of a copying machine to which the present invention is applied, in which a copying machine main body 1 consists of an upper housing 2 and a lower housing 3. and are pivoted at one end to each other via a hinge (not shown) so that they can be opened and closed. A rotatable photoreceptor 4 formed in the shape of a drum is provided on the upper housing 2 side. A charging device 5, an exposure device 6, a developing device 7, a transfer device 8, a separating device 9, and a cleaning device 10 are arranged around the photoreceptor 4. Further, a document table 11 is provided on the upper surface of the upper housing 2 so as to be able to reciprocate by means of rails 12 . On one side of the lower housing 3, paper feed cassettes 13 and 14 containing a copying machine are removably disposed, and a manual paper feed section 15 for manually feeding paper is provided. A conveying path 16 is provided for conveying the copy paper from these paper feeding devices to the transfer section between the photoreceptor 4 and the transfer device 8, and this conveying path 16 is further extended toward the other side via the separating device 9. A fixing device 17 is arranged in the middle, and a paper discharge tray 18 is provided at the end.

In a copying machine having such a configuration, when performing maintenance and inspection on each device in the copying machine main body 1 or when removing jams from copy paper, the upper housing 2 is rotated upward as shown in FIG. At this time, a lock mechanism 27, which will be described later, prevents the document table 11 from moving in the direction of inclination and sliding down.

On the inner surface of the upper part of the copying machine main body 1 facing the document table 11, there are detection sensors 19a to 19d and 20a to 20d consisting of light emitting and light receiving elements for detecting the size of the document placed on the document table 11. It is provided.

FIG. 4 shows the upper surface of the main body of the copying machine, in which the document table 11 includes a document table frame 21 and a contact glass 22 fixed to the document table frame 21 and on which the document is placed.
A hinge portion 24 is provided at both rear ends of the document frame 21.
A document presser 23 that can be opened and closed via a document presser 24
FIG. 4 shows a state in which the document presser 23 is opened, and the detection sensors 19a to 19d and 20a to 20d are placed below the contact glass 22 on the main body 1 side in a horizontal and vertical direction corresponding to a predetermined document size. arranged vertically.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the document table 11 of the copying machine, in which the document presser 23 is closed using the hinge portion 24 as a fulcrum, and when it reaches a predetermined angle, it is placed on the contact glass 22. The size of the original document D is also detected at the activation timing of an opening/closing detection mechanism 39, which will be described later.

6 and 7 show the locking mechanism 27 of the document table 11.
FIG. 8 to FIG. 13 are diagrams for explaining the structure and operation of each of the above mechanisms. The following will explain based on these figures.

The exposure device 6 in the copying machine main body 1 exposes the original platen 11.
The position at which the original placed on the copying machine 1 is exposed and irradiated is always the part covered by the original table 11 regardless of the reciprocating movement of the original table 11. A lock mechanism 27 is provided which has a lock lever 26 that can freely move in and out. When the document table 11 is at a predetermined position, that is, the home position, the lock lever 2
Receiving portions 25, 25 are provided on the lower surface of the document frame 21 of the document table 11 so as to be engaged with the document table frame 21 of the document table 11.

The lock mechanism 27 has a mounting plate 29 provided on a side plate 28 attached to the copying machine main body 1, a guide plate 30 for guiding the lock lever 26 up and down freely, and a guide plate 30 attached to the mounting plate 29. A rod 126 for detecting opening/closing of the document holder is guided so as to be movable up and down, and a lock release solenoid 31 for releasing the lock is attached.A spring 33 is inserted into the plunger 32 of this solenoid 31. ,
Furthermore, one end of the tip of the plunger 32 is pivotally supported at the intermediate portion of an arm 34 which is rotatably supported, and the other end of this arm 34 is engaged with a protrusion 126a of the opening/closing detection rod 126. In addition, the protrusion 26a of the lock lever 26 and the opening/closing detection rod 126
A spring 51 is provided between the protrusion 126a and the spring 51 to attract the space between the two. When the solenoid 31 is in the OFF state, the tension of the spring 33 causes the opening/closing detection rod 126 and the lock lever 2 to
6 is pushed upward, and the upper end surface of the opening/closing detection rod 126 is configured to protrude upward slightly from the upper end surface of the lock lever 26 due to the positional relationship between the insertion grooves of the protrusions 126a and 26a formed on the guide plate 30. has been done. Note that the spring 33 has a larger spring force than the spring 51.

With this configuration, when the solenoid 31 is off, the tension force of the spring 33 causes the arm 34 to
The opening/closing detection rod 126 is pushed upward through the opening/closing detection rod 126, and the lock lever 26 is also pushed upward accordingly. When the document table 11 is located at a predetermined home position, it enters between the receivers 25 and 25 and the document table 11 is pushed upward. lock. On the other hand, when the lock release solenoid 31 is turned on, the plunger 32 is attracted and the opening/closing detection rod 126 is opened via the arm 34.
is pushed up, thereby pushing down the lock lever 26 and releasing the above-mentioned locked state.

Further, a lever 35 is provided on the hinge portion 24 of the original presser 23 and is biased downward by a spring 36. The lever 35 is configured to slightly move up and down the opening/closing detection rod 126 via the presser plate 37, and as the rod 126 moves up and down, its protrusion 126b also operates the switch 38 for driving the document size detection means. It has become possible to do so. That is, the lever 35, presser plate 37, rod 126, switch 38, etc. provided on the hinge portion 24 detect the opening/closing of the document presser 23, and thereby detect the opening/closing timing for driving the means for detecting the document size. A detection mechanism 39 is configured. Further, the spring 36 is connected to the solenoid 3.
A spring 33 with a larger spring force than the spring 33 provided in 1 is used.

Note that the presser plate 37, which is interposed between the lever 35 and the rod 126 provided on the hinge portion 24 as described above, is supported rotatably within a predetermined range on the lower surface of the document frame 21, and the lever 35 is attached to the document frame 21. It can come into contact with the upper surface of the holding plate 37 through the opening provided in the holding plate 21. This configuration is used because the rod 126 is always provided at a position covered by the document table 11 as described above, whereas the lever 35 of the hinge portion 24 of the document presser 23 is located at a position apart from the rod 126. It depends on what is provided.

In addition, cams 40, 41, 42, etc. of a predetermined shape are provided on the lower surface of the document frame 21 of the document table 11, and the copying machine main body 1
Micro switches 44a, 4 are mounted on the side mounting plate 29.
4b are arranged in series. and these cams 4
0, 41, 42, etc., and micro switch 44a,
44b detects the position of the document table 11,
The detected signal is used to control the movement of the document table 11 and drive the lock release solenoid 31.

Furthermore, the opening/closing detection mechanism 39 operates when the document table 11 is at the home position and the document table 11 is locked by the locking mechanism 27, that is, when the lock lever 26 and the rod 126 protrude upward. Even if the rod 126 is moved up and down as much as necessary to activate the opening/closing detection mechanism 39 by opening and closing the document presser 23, the locked state by the locking mechanism 27 is maintained.

Figures 8 to 13 all show the original platen 1.
1 is in a predetermined position, that is, the home position, and FIGS. 8 and 9 show a state in which the lock lever 26 has entered between the receivers 25 and 25 of the document table 11 and has locked the document table 11. The document presser 23 is shown in an open state, and FIGS. 10 and 11 show the document presser 23 in a closed state from the above state.

As shown in FIG. 8, when the document table is locked and the document presser 23 is open, the spring 33
As a result, the opening/closing detection rod 126 is pushed up together with the lock lever 26, and the switch 38 for driving the document size detection means is turned on.

Next, when the document presser 23 is closed, the presser plate 37 is pushed down within a predetermined range by the lever 35 provided on the hinge part 24 at a certain angle, and the presser plate 37 is opened and closed as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. Only the detection rod 126 is pushed down, which turns off the switch 38;
The document size detection means is driven by the operation of the document size detecting means.
Since the lock lever 26 is biased by the spring 51, when the opening/closing detection rod 126 is pushed down, the lock lever 26 is not pushed down together with the lock lever 26.

Now, in this state, a moving force is applied to the document table 11 in one direction, and the lock lever 26 and one of the receiving parts 2
Even if the document presser 5 is in pressure contact with the document holder 23 and is in a restrained state, when the document presser 23 is next opened, the lock lever 26
Since the opening/closing detection rod 126 rises by a predetermined amount regardless of the restraint of
Make sure to perform the necessary lifting and lowering movements to operate the machine.
Furthermore, by turning on the solenoid 31, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the opening/closing detection rod 126 is pushed down, and the lock lever 26 is also pushed down accordingly, so that the document table 11 is unlocked. .

In the above embodiment, the opening/closing detection rod 126 is guided inside the lock lever 26, but the opening/closing detection rod 126 is provided at least within the range of the lock lever 26 in the moving direction of the document table 11.
It suffices if it is provided so that it can be raised and lowered.

In the above embodiment, as the document presser 23 is closed, the opening/closing detection rod 126 is pushed down by a predetermined amount by the lever 35 of the hinge section 24.
As a result, the switch 38 for driving the document size detection means is shifted from the on state to the off state.
4 is provided with a lever or the like having a cam function, and as the document presser 23 is closed, the opening/closing detection rod moves upward from a slightly depressed state due to the action of this lever having a cam function, and as a result, the above-mentioned A configuration in which the switch transitions from an off state to an on state may also be used. Note that the logic of the circuit for driving the document size detection means at this time is reversed from that of the above embodiment.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, the engagement with the document table,
A retractable lock lever for releasing, regulating and releasing the movement of the lock lever, and a driving means for retracting and retracting the lock lever are provided on the main body of the device, and a rod for detecting opening/closing of the document holder that is raised and lowered in response to opening/closing of the document holder is provided as described above. The device is guided inside the lock lever, and the lifting and lowering of this rod activates a switch to detect the opening and closing of the document holder.Since the document table itself does not have a switch to detect the opening and closing of the document holder, Since there is no need for an electric wire to guide open/close detection signals between the document table and the main body of the device, there is no possibility of failures such as disconnection of electric wires due to the movement of the document table. There is no lever, etc. that protrudes from the document table side to the main body of the device in conjunction with the opening/closing of the document holder to operate the switch that detects the opening and closing of the document holder, so it does not interfere with the movement of the document holder. Therefore, a structure for retracting such a lever or the like is not necessary, and the structure can be simplified.

Furthermore, since the document size is detected with the document table locked at a predetermined position, accurate document size detection is possible.

Furthermore, even if the locking mechanism is restrained due to unnecessary moving force being applied to the document table when the document table is in the locked state, the lifting and lowering movement of the rod that detects the opening and closing of the document holder can be smoothly performed without any hindrance. At the same time, it is possible to prevent the situation where the document size cannot be detected.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a copying machine equipped with the document table locking device of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the copying machine, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the copying machine with its upper housing rotated. FIG. 4 is a top view of the document table of the copying machine, FIG. 5 is a side view of the document table, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the hinge of the document table, and FIG.
The figure is an exploded perspective view of the main parts of the locking mechanism and opening/closing detection mechanism in the same device, FIG. 8 is a front view of the main parts of the locking mechanism and opening/closing detection mechanism, FIG. 11 is a schematic side sectional view of the state shown in FIG. 10, FIG. 12 is a front view of the state shown in FIG. 10, FIG. 12 is a front view of the state shown in FIG. 10, and FIG. FIG. 1...Copy machine main body, 11...Original table, 23...
Document holder, 25... Receiving portion, 26... Lock lever, 27... Lock mechanism, 31... Lock release solenoid (driving means), 33... Spring, 3
5...Lever, 38...Switch for driving document size detection means, 39...Opening/closing detection mechanism, 126...
...Rod for detecting opening/closing of document presser.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A locking device for a document table having a document holder that is reciprocatably provided on the top surface of a device body and can be opened and closed, when the document table is in a predetermined position on the device body side. a lock mechanism comprising a retractable lock lever that engages with and disengages from a receiving portion provided at an appropriate position on the lower surface of the document table, and restricts and releases the movement; and a drive means that causes the lock lever to retract and retract;
A document table locking device comprising: a rod that is guided inside the lock lever and is raised and lowered in response to opening and closing of the document holder, and a switch that detects opening and closing of the document holder by raising and lowering the rod. 2. A locking device for a document table, which is reciprocatably provided on the top surface of the device body and has a document holder that can be opened and closed, and is placed on the bottom surface of the document table in an appropriate position when the document table is in a predetermined position on the device body side. A lock mechanism comprising a retractable lock lever that engages with and disengages from a receiving portion provided in the lock lever, and restricts and releases the movement thereof, and a drive means that causes the lock lever to retract and retract;
A document table lock device comprising: a rod that is guided inside the lock lever and is raised and lowered in response to the opening and closing of the document holder; and a switch that is operated by the raising and lowering of the rod and drives a document size detection means. .