JPH085187Y2 - Duplex unit in copier - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention relates to a duplex unit that can be used to form a double-sided image or a composite image in a copying machine.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, a copying machine uses a double-sided unit for forming a double-sided image and a composite image, and the intermediate tray section for storing sheets in this double-sided unit is pushed by a single drive section as a means for aligning sheets. It is known that the plate and the side plate are moved at a constant ratio (Shokai 58-135).
No. 29).

[Problems to be solved by the device]

As described above, in the duplex unit in which the push plate and the side plate provided in the intermediate tray unit are moved at a constant ratio, the sheets such as A4 and B5 are positioned sideways with respect to the sheet feeding direction.

For this reason, when A3 and B4 sheets are positioned vertically with respect to the feeding direction and double-sided copying is performed, they are not compatible with the push plate and the side plate that are moved at a fixed ratio.

Then, when accommodating sheets having a different ratio to the intermediate tray portion, a configuration has been proposed in which the push plate is moved to the rear of the intermediate tray portion and tilted. However, a power source and mechanism for tilting the push plate are proposed. In need.

The present invention relates to a duplex unit of a type in which a push plate and a side plate, which are means for aligning sheets provided in an intermediate tray section, are moved at a constant ratio by a single drive member, and the sheet is moved in a direction different from the constant ratio. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that does not require a power source and a mechanism for tilting the push plate even when the position is located, and that can function as an intermediate tray section with a simple mechanism at a low cost. is there.

[Problems to be solved by the device]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an intermediate tray part for stacking single-sided copied sheets, and a feeding device for feeding sheets from the copying apparatus main body to the intermediate tray section or from the intermediate tray section to the copying apparatus main body. And a side plate provided orthogonally to the pressing plate and the pressing plate capable of positioning the stacked sheets at the sheet re-feeding position in the intermediate tray part, and the pressing plate and the side plate have a constant ratio. In a double-sided unit in a copying machine having a moving structure, several ribs are formed on the rear bottom plate of the intermediate tray section, and the pressing plate is pressed against the paper having a ratio different from the moving ratio of the pressing plate and the side plate. With the trailing edge of the paper fed from the copying machine main body to the intermediate tray part clamped by the feeding part, the paper is moved between the moving range and between the several ribs located behind the intermediate tray part. It can be stored in the intermediate tray. Further, the rib has a guide portion for guiding the edge of the sheet to be fed, and the retracted push plate is located between several ribs and does not come into contact with the sheet. It is a feature.

[Action]

According to the configuration of the present invention, when the arrangement of the paper is the normal orientation for double-sided copying, the paper fed to the intermediate tray unit is fed from the intermediate tray unit to the main body of the copying apparatus. The push plate and the side plate that move at a ratio can align the edge of the paper with the feeding unit, and also when the paper is positioned in a direction different from the moving ratio of the push plate and the side plate of the intermediate tray unit. , The push plate retracts between several ribs located at the rear of the intermediate tray, the end of the paper is guided and accommodated by the guide of the rib, and the stop of the paper feeds the other end of the paper. The sheet is pinched, so that the sheet can be re-fed regardless of whether the push plate is inoperative.

〔Example〕

 Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an outline of a sheet conveying path between the copying apparatus main body 1 and the duplex unit 2 and the configuration of the duplex unit 2.

The toner image formed on the photoconductor drum 3 in the copying apparatus main body 1 is transferred to a transfer paper (referred to as a paper) sent from a paper feed cassette (not shown) provided on the right side of the drawing, and the paper is the toner image. Is fixed by the fixing unit 4, and in the case of normal one-sided copying, the copying apparatus main body 1
Is discharged to the outside.

When performing double-sided copying, the double-sided unit 2 is attached to the lower portion of the copying apparatus main body 1, and the paper that has passed through the fixing unit 4 is fed into the double-sided unit 2 through the curved path 7 by the switching claw 6.

The duplex unit 2 has an upper guide plate 8a and a lower guide plate, which are connected to the curved passage 7 of the copying apparatus main body 1 on the upper surface thereof.
A guide passage 8 composed of 8b, a switching pawl 9 located at an end of the guide passage 8, a passage 10 directly connected to the copying apparatus main body 1 by switching the switching pawl 9, and a passage 12 for feeding a sheet to an intermediate tray portion 11. It has and.

The passage 12 for feeding the paper to the intermediate tray portion 11 is a passage formed between the switching claw 9 and the feeding roller 13.

The feed roller 13 can be rotated in the forward and reverse directions, and the paper is
It is configured to rotate clockwise when it is fed into 11, and counterclockwise when the paper is delivered from the intermediate tray portion 11. A separating roller 14 is provided at a position facing the feeding roller 13, and the separating roller 14 is connected to a drive unit via a one-way clutch, and the feeding roller 13 is fed with respect to a clockwise rotation. The roller 13 rotates following the rotation of the roller 13 and rotates counterclockwise with respect to the counterclockwise rotation of the feeding roller 13, and feeds only one sheet to be fed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the intermediate tray portion 11 is provided with a push plate 15 and two side plates 16 and 16 capable of aligning the fed sheet end portion with a feeding roller 13 which is a feeding portion. It is provided.

The push plate 15 and the two side plates 16 and 16 are formed by the intermediate tray portion 11
Relationship with the orientation of the paper fed to the
A4 and B5 sheets are fed sideways) and mounted on movable members 17, 18 and 19, respectively, so that a single motor 20 can rotate the rack 17a of movable member 17 so that they can be moved at a constant ratio.
To move the movable member 17 back and forth to the rack of the movable member 17.
17b to the pinion 21, and the pinion 21 is moved to the movable member 18,1 via racks 18a, 19a formed on the movable member 18,19.
Move 9 laterally.

In the configuration in which the sheet sent to the intermediate tray portion is thus positioned by the pushing plate 15 and the two side plates 16 and 16 by the single motor 20, for example, even when the sheets A3 and B4 are fed in the vertical direction, In the present invention, the push plate is made inoperative, and a structure for re-feeding the paper is provided.

That is, since the sheets are accommodated in the intermediate tray portion 11 at a ratio different from the moving ratio between the push plate and the side plate, the third tray is used in the present invention.
As shown in FIGS. 5 to 5, ribs 22 are formed on the bottom plate of the intermediate tray portion 11 in the retreat region of the push plate 15.

The arrangement of the ribs 22 formed at the rear end region of the push plate 15 at the positions of the dotted lines in FIGS. 3 and 4 when the push plate 15 has moved to the retracted region is as shown in FIG. Ribs 22A, 22A higher than the height of the push plate 15 are formed on both sides of the plate 15, and similar ribs 22B are provided behind the moved push plate 15.

The end of the rib 22 facing the end of the paper forms a guide portion 22a that forms an inclined surface.

Therefore, when the paper sent to the intermediate tray unit 11 has the same direction as the ratio set in advance on the push plate 15 and the two side plates 16 and 16, it is pushed by the single motor 20 according to the size of the paper. After the plate 15 and the two side plates 16 and 16 are positioned, the one-sided copy sheet is sent into the push plate 15 and the two side plates 16 and 16 of the intermediate tray section 11, and the intermediate tray section 11 is used for double-sided copying. Is sent to the photosensitive drum 3.

When the orientation of the paper fed to the intermediate tray portion 11 is different from the preset ratio, the push plate 15 is retracted from the solid line position in FIG. 3 to the rib 32A shown by the dotted line. Therefore, the leading edge of the paper P fed into the intermediate tray portion 11 is guided by the guide portion 22a having an inclined surface as shown in FIG. It is accommodated in the intermediate tray section 11.

In this case, in order to ensure that the paper is re-fed from the intermediate tray unit 11, the rear end of the paper P fed into the intermediate tray unit 11 has a paper feed roller 13 and a separation roller 14 as shown in FIG.
It is configured so that it can be clamped and stopped. Therefore, in the passage between the paper feed roller 13 and the separation roller 14, a sensor 23 that can detect the leading edge of the paper fed to the intermediate tray unit 11 is arranged. Paper feed roller only for feed amount according to size
13 is driven to sandwich the trailing edge of the paper between the paper feed roller 13 and the separation roller 14. In this case, the two side plates 16 and 16 can regulate the side surface of the sheet.

As described above, when the size of the paper differs from the set size, the push plate is inactivated, and the rear end of the paper is fed to the paper feed roller 13 and the separation roller 14.
After being sandwiched between the sheets, the sheet is conveyed to the copying apparatus main body 1 by the counterclockwise rotation of the sheet feeding roller 13, and an image can be formed on the other surface of the sheet.

In the present invention, the rib is formed in the rear area of the intermediate tray portion and the push plate is positioned between the ribs. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It is also possible to provide a convex member that does not come into contact with the rear tray area of the intermediate tray portion.

〔effect〕

According to the configuration of the present invention, in the paper feed cassette in which the push plate and the two side plates provided in the intermediate tray portion can be moved according to the paper size, the push plate can be tilted even when using a paper different from the set size. There is an advantage that the sheet can be reversed and re-fed accurately at low cost by a simple means without using a driving member or a structure for performing the feeding.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing a copying apparatus main body and a duplex unit to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the relationship between a push plate provided on an intermediate tray portion and two side plates, FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the movement of the push plate of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the position of the paper fed to the intermediate tray portion, and FIG. 5 is a case where the push plate of the present invention is moved to the rear area. It is a top view which shows the relationship with a rib. 1 ... Copier main body, 2 ... duplex unit, 3 ... photosensitive drum, 11 ... intermediate tray section, 13 ... feeding roller, 15 ...
… Pushing plate, 16 …… Two side plates, 22 …… Rib, 22a …… Inclined guide part.

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An intermediate tray section for temporarily accumulating single-sided copied sheets; a feeding means capable of feeding sheets from the copying apparatus main body to the intermediate tray section or from the intermediate tray section to the copying apparatus main body; The intermediate tray portion is provided with a push plate that can position the stacked sheets at the refeed position and a side plate that is provided orthogonal to the push plate, and the push plate and the side plate move at a constant ratio. In the duplex unit of the copying machine equipped with it, several ribs are formed on the rear bottom plate of the intermediate tray part, and for the paper of the ratio different from the moving ratio of the pressing plate and the side plate, the pressing plate is moved from the moving range of the paper to the middle. Move the paper back to the intermediate tray section with the trailing edge of the paper fed from the copying machine body to the intermediate tray section sandwiched by the feeding section by retracting between the ribs located behind the tray section. A copying machine characterized by accommodating Kick duplex unit. 2. The rib has a guide portion for guiding an edge of a sheet to be fed, and the retracted push plate is located between several ribs and does not come into contact with the sheet. The double-sided unit in the copying apparatus according to claim 1.