JP2880783B2 - Printing equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus for printing on cut paper, and more particularly, to a paper discharge mechanism of the printing apparatus.

[Conventional technology]

In general, there are a wide variety of printing devices depending on the use form and printing method. Here, the configuration of the printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described.

This type of printing apparatus is often used in an electrophotographic system. The apparatus is roughly divided into an upper unit and a lower unit, and printing paper is transported between these two units. At this time, an image is formed on the upper surface of the sheet by printing means such as a photoconductor provided in the upper unit. Thereafter, the paper is carried out of the apparatus through a fixing unit or the like. At this time, two types of paper can be carried out in response to an operator's request.

One is a method of stacking the unloading from the device as it is. In this method, the printing is performed with the printing surface facing up,
The operator can immediately confirm the quality of printing. This is called face-up discharge.

Another method is to reverse the carry-out from the apparatus to the upper part of the apparatus and then stack the sheets. According to this method, when a plurality of sheets are printed, sheets are stacked in the order of printing. In the case of this method, a sheet discharge unit which turns over the sheet at the upper portion 1 and conveys the sheet, which is not necessary in the above-described method, is required. This is called face-down ejection.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the above-described conventional printing apparatus, since an operation of opening the upper unit due to a paper jam or the like is required, and in order to facilitate the operation, the opening side is pivotally supported on the unloading side so that it can be opened and closed.
Since the paper discharge unit is provided on the carry-out side, there is a problem that when opening and closing the upper unit, it is necessary to first open the paper discharge unit and then open the upper unit.

[Means for solving the problem]

The paper discharge unit according to the present invention includes a paper discharge unit attached to the lower unit of the apparatus body, which is vertically divided with one end as a fulcrum, so as to freely rotate about the fulcrum side as a rotation fulcrum, and the paper discharge unit. An upper unit having a hook portion shape to be fixed, and a guide portion of the paper discharge unit for guiding the hook portion so as to follow the opening and closing of the upper unit, and a hook portion of the upper unit is usually prevented from coming off from the guide portion. The lock lever includes a lock spring and a lock spring that urges the lock lever so as not to come off unless a certain force or more is applied.

〔Example〕

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Normally, as shown in FIG. 1, when the upper unit 1 is closed, the paper discharging unit 3 is held by the hook 6 of the upper unit 1 and the lock lever 8 urged by the lock spring 9. As shown in FIG. 2, when the upper unit 1 is opened with the rotation fulcrum 5 as a fulcrum for replacement of various cartridges or troubleshooting, the hook 6 moves with the guide 7 as a guide, and rotates the paper discharge unit 3. Open fulcrum 4 as a fulcrum. When the upper unit 1 is closed, the paper discharge unit 3 returns to the state shown in FIG. When a failure occurs in the paper discharge unit 3, when the paper discharge unit 3 is opened against the force of the lock spring 9 in the direction A with the upper unit 1 closed as shown in FIG. be able to. When the paper discharge unit 3 is closed, the hook unit 6 of the upper unit 1 is pushed strongly against the direction A to overcome the force of the lock spring 9 and enter while sliding on the slope of the tip of the lock lever 8. It returns to the state of FIG.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, the paper discharge mechanism of the present invention is configured such that the paper discharge unit opens following the opening and closing of the upper unit, and the paper discharge unit can be easily opened and closed with a certain force or more. It is possible to provide a paper discharge unit that can easily perform processing and the like and has good operability at low cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 and 2 are conceptual side views of an embodiment of the present invention. 1 upper unit, 2 lower unit, 3 paper discharge unit, 4 fulcrum, 5 fulcrum, 6 fulcrum
... Hook, 7 ... Guide, 8 ... Lock lever, 9
...... Rock spring.

Continuation of front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B41J 13/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A lower unit, an upper unit having a printing unit and supported by the lower unit on a paper discharge side, and a discharge unit for discharging print paper conveyed from the upper unit and the lower unit. In a printing apparatus having a paper discharge unit pivotally supported on the discharge side of the lower unit, a hook provided on the discharge side of the upper unit, and a paper discharge unit provided on the paper discharge unit, from above the hook. And a guide provided on the paper discharge unit for guiding the hook downward from a position where the lock lever is caught by the lock lever. 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the paper discharge unit selectively switches between face-down discharge and face-up discharge.