JP4280700B2 - Paper feeding device and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet feeding device and an image forming apparatus.

  There is an image forming apparatus that forms an image based on image data on a sheet-like paper. In such an image forming apparatus, as the paper is transported during image formation, the end of the paper in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction (hereinafter referred to as the paper width direction) is attached to each member provided in the paper transport path. By contact, paper dust is generated from the end in the width direction of the paper. Such paper dust is preferably removed because it adheres to each member involved in image formation and causes problems such as degradation in image quality of the formed image.

  For this reason, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses an image forming apparatus in which foreign matter removing means for removing foreign matter such as paper dust adhering to paper is provided on a transport path for transporting paper to an image forming unit. It is disclosed.

JP 11-218918 A

  By the way, the paper dust generated by the conveyance of the paper is a specific portion, that is, a position that becomes an end portion in the width direction of the paper of the size when image formation is continuously performed a plurality of times on the paper of the same size. It occurs in a concentrated manner.

  If paper dust generated when images are formed multiple times in succession on the same size paper will accumulate on the paper transport path, streaky lines that are not possible in the formed image will occur or stick The transferred toner may be transferred to the back of the paper.

  Further, paper dust generated when image formation on the same size paper is continuously performed a plurality of times adheres to, for example, a fixing belt or a fixing device, and then a color photograph or the like is applied to a paper of a size larger than the size. When a solid image is formed, the fixing performance at the position at the end in the width direction of the paper on which image formation was performed last time is reduced due to the influence of paper dust, and unevenness occurs in the gloss of the formed image.

  The foreign matter removing means in the technique described in Patent Document 1 described above removes foreign matters such as paper dust from the entire paper. However, since it is indeterminate which paper size is to be used for continuous image formation, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-151867 discloses paper dust generated when image formation is continuously performed on a certain size paper. In order to remove the foreign matter by the foreign matter removing means in the described technique, there is no need to provide a foreign matter removing means capable of removing the foreign matter over the entire width direction of the maximum size paper expected to be used in the image forming apparatus. There is a concern that the size of the image forming apparatus will increase.

  Conventionally, there is an image forming apparatus in which paper dust generated from paper is removed by a registration roller. However, the registration roller is suitable for removing paper dust mainly over the entire paper surface, as described above. The current situation is that it is not suitable for removing paper dust at a specific location such as paper dust generated at the edge in the width direction of the paper when image formation on the same size paper is performed a plurality of times in succession. .

  An object of the present invention is to prevent paper dust generated from an end in the width direction of a sheet from adversely affecting an image forming operation and a formed image without increasing the size of the apparatus.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sheet feeding device configured to stack and hold sheets, a sheet feeding mechanism that feeds sheets stacked and held on the sheet feeding tray to the outside of the sheet feeding tray, and the sheet feeding device. A guide fence that is provided on the paper tray and regulates the position of the edge of the paper in a direction orthogonal to the feeding direction by the paper feeding mechanism, and a flocked portion that is provided on the guide fence and makes the flocked portion abut on the edge of the paper And a flocking member.

Therefore, the sheet feeding mechanism feeds the sheet in a state where the end of the sheet in the direction orthogonal to the feeding direction by the sheet feeding mechanism (hereinafter referred to as the sheet width direction) is in contact with the flocked portion of the flocking member. Therefore, paper dust from the end in the width direction of the paper due to friction with the flocked portion can be generated in the paper feed tray.
Furthermore, the paper feeding device according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a paper dust collecting member that is provided on the guide fence and has an opening that opens toward the flocking member below the flocking member.
Therefore, the paper dust generated by the friction between the end portion in the width direction of the paper and the flocked portion can be collected by the paper dust collecting member through the opening.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the paper feeding device according to the first aspect, the flocking member is provided on the downstream side in the paper feeding direction of the guide fence by the paper feeding mechanism.

  Therefore, the entire end portion in the feeding direction of the paper fed from the paper feed tray can be brought into contact with the flocked portion without providing the flocking member in the whole paper feeding direction.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the paper feeding device according to the first or second aspect, the guide fences are provided at both ends in the width direction of the paper, and the flocking member is provided at each of the guide fences. It has been.

  Therefore, paper dust can be generated from both ends in the width direction of the paper.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the paper feeding device according to any one of the first to third aspects, the paper dust collecting member is detachably attached to the guide fence.

  Therefore, the paper dust collecting member can be appropriately removed from the guide fence, and the accumulated paper dust can be discarded.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, and an image forming unit that forms an image based on image data on a sheet fed by the paper feeding apparatus. And.

Therefore, the effect of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4 can be achieved, and a good image with no image quality deterioration due to paper dust can be formed.

According to the paper feeding device of the first aspect, the paper feeding tray that stacks and holds the paper, the paper feeding mechanism that feeds the paper stacked and held in the paper feeding tray to the outside of the paper feeding tray, A guide fence provided on the paper feed tray for restricting the edge position of the paper in a direction perpendicular to the feeding direction by the paper feed mechanism, and a flocking part provided on the guide fence against the edge of the paper. And the end of the paper in a direction perpendicular to the feeding direction by the paper feed mechanism (hereinafter referred to as the paper width direction) is in contact with the flocked portion of the flocked member. Since the paper is fed by the paper mechanism, paper dust from the edge in the width direction of the paper due to friction with the flocked portion can be generated in the paper feed tray. For example, the paper feed device of the present invention Is applied to the image forming apparatus according to claim 6. It can be paper dust generated from the end portion in the width direction of the sheet without increasing the size of the well system in case to suppress an adverse effect on the image the image forming operation and formation.
Furthermore, since it comprises a paper powder collecting member provided on the guide fence and having an opening that opens toward the flocking member below the flocking member, friction between the end portion in the width direction of the paper and the flocking portion The generated paper dust can be collected on the paper dust collecting member through the opening, and the paper dust scraped off by the flocking member is not attached to the paper in the paper feed tray.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the paper feeding device according to the first aspect, the flocking member is provided on the downstream side in the paper feeding direction by the paper feeding mechanism of the guide fence. The entire end portion in the feeding direction of the paper fed from the paper feed tray can be brought into contact with the flocked portion without providing a flocking member throughout the feeding direction. The action of the invention can be obtained with a more compact configuration.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the paper feeding device according to the first or second aspect, the guide fences are provided at both ends of the paper in the width direction, and the flocking member is provided in each of the guide fences. Therefore, paper dust can be generated from both ends of the paper in the width direction, and the paper dust generated from the edges in the width direction of the paper can adversely affect the image forming operation and the formed image. It can suppress more reliably.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the paper feeding device according to any one of the first to third aspects, the paper dust collecting member is provided detachably with respect to the guide fence. The collecting member can be appropriately removed from the guide fence, the accumulated paper dust can be discarded, and the paper dust generated from the end in the width direction of the paper can be collected over a long period of time.

According to an image forming apparatus of a fifth aspect of the present invention, the paper feeding device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects and an image for forming an image based on image data on a paper fed by the paper feeding device. And the formation part, the effect of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is achieved,
It is possible to form a good image with no image quality deterioration due to paper dust.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. This embodiment shows an application example to a copying apparatus as an image forming apparatus.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a copying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the copying apparatus 1 includes an image reading unit 2 that reads an image of a document, and an image forming unit 3 that forms an image based on image data read by the image reading unit 2.

  First, the image reading unit 2 will be described. The image reading unit 2 includes a scanner mechanism 4 and an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) 5. The scanner mechanism 4 includes, on the upper surface of the housing 6, a placed original glass 7 on which an original is placed when reading an original image in the original fixing mode, and a reading glass used when reading the original image in the original transport mode. The ADF original glass 8 is provided.

  Here, the document fixing mode is an operation mode for reading an image of a document placed on the placed document glass 7. The document transport mode is an operation mode in which a document is automatically fed by the ADF 5 and an image of the document is read when the automatically fed document passes over the ADF document glass 8. Such an operation mode can be set by operating a main body operation panel (not shown) provided outside the housing 6.

  Below the placed original glass 7 and the ADF original glass 8, an exposure lamp 9 and a mirror 10 are provided, and a first carriage 11 that can travel along the placed original glass 7 and mirrors 12 and 13 are provided. A second carriage 14 capable of traveling along the placed original glass 7, a lens 15, a line sensor 16 having a plurality of CCDs (Charge Coupled Devices) as one-dimensionally arranged photoelectric conversion elements, a first An exposure optical system 18 comprising a stepping motor 17 for driving the second carriages 11 and 14 is provided.

  The ADF 5 is an apparatus that automatically conveys the originals one by one so that the sheet-like original set on the original table 19 passes through the placed original glass 8 at a constant speed. The ADF 5 includes a document transport mechanism 20 that transports the document set on the document table 19 so as to pass over the placed document glass 8 in addition to the document table 19 on which the document is set. A document discharge tray 21 is provided.

  The first and second carriages 11 and 14 are provided so as to be capable of reciprocating in the left-right direction in FIG. 1, and are driven at a speed ratio of 2: 1 in the left-right direction in FIG. .

  When reading the document image in the document fixing mode, the image reading unit 2 moves the first and second carriages 11 and 14 in the forward movement direction by the stepping motor 17 with the exposure lamp 9 turned on. Exposure scanning is performed, and the reflected light from the original is imaged on the line sensor 16 via the mirrors 10, 12, 13 and the lens 15. As a result, the document image is optically read. After the original is exposed and scanned, the first and second carriages 11 and 14 are moved in the backward movement direction by the stepping motor 17 with the exposure lamp 9 turned off to bring the first and second carriages 11 and 14 to the home position. Return.

  Further, the image reading unit 2 performs exposure scanning while conveying the document by the ADF 5 in a state where the exposure optical system 18 is fixed at a fixed position and the exposure lamp 17 is turned on when the document image is read in the document conveyance mode. The reflected light from the light is imaged on the line sensor 16 via the mirrors 10, 12, 13 and the lens 15. As a result, the document image is optically read. The ADF 5 discharges the document after image reading to the document discharge tray 21.

  Although the description is omitted because it is a known technique, the analog image data of the original optically read by each CCD in the line sensor 16 is converted into an electric signal and used for subsequent image processing.

  Next, the image forming unit 3 will be described. The image forming unit 3 includes a paper path 26 from a plurality of paper feed trays 22 or manual feed trays 23 to a paper discharge tray 25 via an electrophotographic printer engine 24 and a fixing device H. The paper path 26 is provided with a transport mechanism 27 for transporting the paper. In the present embodiment, an image forming unit is realized by the printer engine 24.

  Each paper feed tray 22 holds paper P on which images are to be stacked, and is provided with a paper feed mechanism 27 that separates the stacked paper P one by one and feeds it to the paper path 26. ing. The paper feeding mechanism 27 is formed by a pickup roller 28 that feeds the pressure-contacted uppermost paper P toward the downstream side in the paper feeding direction, and separation rollers 29 and 30 that separate the paper fed by the pickup roller 28 one by one. Has been. Details of the internal structure of the paper feed tray 22 will be described later.

  The printer engine 24 is connected to a plurality of (four) photoreceptors 31 and a plurality of rollers 32 provided in association with each color of Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black). An intermediate transfer belt 33 is provided as a wound intermediate transfer member. The transfer surface of the intermediate transfer belt 33 (the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt) is in contact with each photoconductor 31. The intermediate transfer belt 33 is provided so that a part thereof faces the paper path 26.

  Around each photoreceptor 31, there are a charger 34 that uniformly charges the surface of the corresponding photoreceptor 31, a developing unit 35 that forms a toner image on the corresponding photoreceptor 31, and a corresponding photoreceptor 31. A transfer device 36 for forming a transfer electric field, a cleaner 37 for cleaning the surface of the corresponding photosensitive member 31, and the like are disposed respectively.

  The transfer unit 36 is provided so as to be positioned on the inner peripheral side of the intermediate transfer belt 33, and each photoconductor 31 is interposed via the intermediate transfer belt 33 so that the intermediate transfer belt 33 contacts the photoconductor 31. It is arrange | positioned so that it may contact | abut.

  In addition, the printer engine 24 includes an exposure unit 38 provided above the photoconductor 31. The exposure unit 38 emits laser light according to image data for each color of Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black), and emits a laser beam to the corresponding photoreceptor 31. The photosensitive member 31 is exposed and scanned by irradiation. The exposure unit 38 includes an LD (LASER Diode), an imaging lens, a mirror, a polygonal mirror (polygon mirror), and the like (corresponding to reference numerals) provided corresponding to the respective photoreceptors 31. The exposure unit 38 emits light from each LD based on the image data, and reflects the light emitted from each LD in the scanning direction by a polygon mirror that is rotated at a high speed and a constant speed by a motor. The surface of the photoreceptor 31 to be exposed is exposed and scanned. The light emission timing of each LD is controlled by a control unit (not shown).

  Further, the printer engine 24 includes a secondary transfer body 39 provided at a position facing the intermediate transfer belt 33 with the paper path 26 therebetween. The secondary transfer member 39 transfers the toner image relay-supported on the intermediate transfer belt 33 onto the paper P conveyed from the paper feed tray 22 or the manual feed tray 23.

  A sheet whose timing is adjusted by a pair of registration rollers 40 is supplied to a sheet transfer position where the intermediate transfer belt 33 and the secondary transfer body 39 face each other.

  The printer engine 24 includes an intermediate transfer member cleaning device (not shown) that removes residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 33 after the toner image is transferred to the paper P.

  In the paper transport direction, downstream of the printer engine 24, an image is formed on one side of the paper P, an image is formed on both sides of the paper P, or the paper P on which the image is formed on one side is reversed. Accordingly, a switching claw 41 that is selectively positioned is provided. The switching claw 41 is selectively switched by the control unit during the image forming operation. For example, when an image is formed on one side of the paper P, the position of the switching claw 41 is switched so that the paper P is discharged to the paper discharge tray 25. When images are formed on both sides of the sheet P, the position of the switching claw 41 is switched so that the sheet that has passed through the printer engine 24 is guided to the reversing unit 42 (see arrow a).

  The reversing unit 42 includes a reversing unit that switches back and reverses the guided paper, a paper aligning jogger that aligns both sides of the paper, and the like (both not shown). When forming images on both sides of the sheet, the reversing unit 42 aligns both sides of the sheet P that has passed through the printer engine 24 and conveys the sheet path 26 upstream from the printer engine 33 in the sheet conveying direction (see arrow b). . When reversing the sheet P on which an image is formed on one side, the reversing unit 42 aligns both sides of the sheet P via the printer engine 24 and then ejects the sheet P toward the sheet discharge tray 25 (arrow). c).

  The copying apparatus 1 includes a control unit (not shown) that drives and controls each unit included in the copying apparatus 1. For example, the control unit drives the printer engine 24 when executing the image forming operation, or drives the paper feeding mechanism 27 when executing the paper feeding operation.

  Next, the periphery of the paper feed tray 24 that is characteristic in the present invention will be described. Each paper feed tray 22 is configured to be able to be pulled out with respect to the housing 43 in the front direction of the paper surface in FIG. In the present embodiment, hereinafter, the direction in which the sheets P stacked and held in the sheet feed tray 22 are fed to the sheet path 26 is defined as a sheet feeding direction, and the direction orthogonal to the sheet feeding direction is defined as a sheet width direction. . In the present embodiment, the paper width direction and the direction in which the paper feed tray 22 is pulled out from the housing 43 are orthogonal to each other. Each paper feed tray 22 is provided with a bottom plate 44 that supports the stacked paper P from below. Of the sheets P stacked and held on the bottom plate 44, the uppermost sheet P is brought into contact with the pickup roller 28 by an urging mechanism (not shown).

  Here, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where one paper feed tray 22 is pulled out from the housing 43. As shown in FIG. 2, the paper feed tray 22 has a pair of side fences 45 that regulate the positions of both ends of the paper P in the width direction of the paper P and the position of the rear edge of the paper P in the paper feed direction. An end fence E is provided. In the present embodiment, a guide fence is realized by the side fence 45. The side fence 45 is provided so as to be movable along the width direction of the paper P according to the size of the paper P stacked and held in each paper feed tray.

  In each side fence 45, a flocking member 46 is provided at a position downstream (feeding mechanism 27 side) along the feeding direction. Here, FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the sheet feeding tray 24 and the flocking member 46 cut in the longitudinal direction along the paper surface in FIG. 1 are viewed from the side of the paper surface in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the flocked member 46 has a flocked portion 48 on one surface side of the base material 47. The flocking member 46 is fixed by sticking the other surface side of the base material 47 to the side fence 45. The flocking member 46 is provided so that the flocked portion 48 is brought into contact with the end portion in the width direction of the paper P stacked and held on the paper feed tray 24. The flocking member 46 is provided not in the entire feeding direction of the paper P but in a limited range on the side fence 45 only on the downstream side in the feeding direction of the paper P.

  In the side fence 45, a slit 50 communicating with a tray 49 as a paper dust collecting member is provided below the flocking member 46. The tray 49 is a box-shaped member that opens toward the slit 50 (upward). The tray 49 of the present embodiment is detachable from the side fence 45. In the present embodiment, an opening is realized by the upper opening portion of the tray 49 and the slit 50.

  Here, FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the paper feed tray 24 and the paper feed mechanism 27 are vertically cut and viewed from the front. As shown in FIG. 4, the paper feed tray 24 is provided with a bottom plate 44 that supports the paper P from below in a stacked state. The bottom plate 44 is rotatably attached to the paper feed tray 24 via a fulcrum (not shown). Further, in the paper feed tray 24, a swing mechanism 51 is provided that swings the bottom plate 44 by rotating the bottom plate 44 about the pivot point. Although detailed illustration and description are omitted, the swinging mechanism 51 rotates around a fulcrum portion 52a attached to the paper feed tray 24 so as to be rotatable, so that the other end is moved in the vertical direction. An arm 52 configured to be swingable is provided. The arm 52 is provided so as to support the bottom plate 44 from below, and its position is appropriately displaced by being driven and controlled by a stepping motor (not shown). The swing mechanism 51 can swing the bottom plate 44 supported by the arm 52 in the vertical direction by displacing the position of the arm 52 by driving and controlling the stepping motor.

  In such a copying apparatus 1, in the image forming operation in the image forming unit 3 based on the image data of the original read by the image reading unit 2, the printer engine 22 is driven and controlled by a control unit (not shown), thereby the photosensitive member 31. The toner is supplied to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the sheet to form a toner image, and the sheet feeding mechanism 27 is driven and controlled by the control unit, whereby the sheet P stacked on the sheet feeding tray 24 is converted into the toner image. On the other hand, it is transported by adjusting the timing.

  In the sheet feeding device F, the uppermost sheet P pressed against the pickup roller 28 among the stacked sheets P is fed toward the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction, and the sheet P fed by the pickup roller 28 is separated by the separation roller. The paper P is fed into the paper path 26 while being separated one by one by 29 and 30.

  In the paper feeding device F according to the present embodiment, the paper P is fed by the paper feeding mechanism 27 in a state where the end in the width direction of the paper P is in contact with the flocked portion 48 of the flocked member 46. At this time, the edge in the width direction of the paper P is rubbed by the flocking part 48, and paper dust is generated from the edge in the width direction of the paper P. As shown in FIG. 5, the generated paper dust D is dropped and collected in the tray 49 through the slit 50.

  That is, in the paper feeding device F of the present embodiment, the paper dust D can be generated inside the paper feeding tray 24, and the generated paper dust D can be collected inside the paper feeding tray 24. The paper dust D generated from the end in the width direction of the paper P has an adverse effect on the image formed by the image forming unit 3 without increasing the size of the paper feeding device F and the image forming unit 3 and thus the copying device 1. Can be suppressed.

  Further, in the sheet feeding device F of the present embodiment, the flocking member 46 is provided on the side fence 45 on the downstream side in the paper P feeding direction, so that the flocking is performed throughout the paper P feeding direction. Even if the member 46 is not provided, the entire end portion in the feeding direction of the paper P fed from the paper feed tray 24 is brought into contact with the flocking portion 48 of the flocking member 46, and the whole end portion in the width direction of the paper P The paper dust D can be removed over the entire time.

  In this embodiment, since the tray 49 is detachably provided on the side fence 45, the tray 49 can be appropriately removed from the side fence 45 and the paper dust D collected on the tray 49 can be discarded. . Thereby, the paper dust D generated from the end portion in the width direction of the paper P can be collected over a long period of time.

  Further, the side fences 45 are provided at both ends of the paper P in the width direction, and the flocking members 46 are provided at the side fences 45. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent the paper dust D generated from the end portion in the width direction of the paper P from adversely affecting the image forming operation and the formed image.

  A width of the paper P is provided because the tray 50 includes a receiving tray 49 as a paper dust collecting member provided on the side fence 45 and having a slit 50 that realizes a part of the opening that opens toward the flocking member 46 below the flocking member 46. Since the paper dust D generated by the friction between the end portion in the direction and the flocking portion 48 can be collected in the receiving tray 49 through the slit 50, the paper dust D scraped off by the flocking member 46 is stored in the paper feed tray 24. It will not adhere to the paper.

  In addition, since the tray 49, which is a paper dust collecting member, is detachably attached to the side fence 45, the tray 49 can be appropriately removed from the side fence 45 and the accumulated paper dust D can be discarded. The paper dust D generated from the end in the width direction of the paper P can be collected over a long period of time.

  As described above, according to the copying apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to form an image with good image quality without quality deterioration due to the paper dust D.

  In the present embodiment, an example of application to the copying apparatus 1 as an image forming apparatus has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may be applied to a multifunction machine having a communication function added to the copying apparatus 1 described above. Good.

1 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a copying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which one sheet feeding tray is pulled out from the image forming unit. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state which looked at the paper feed tray and flocking member longitudinally cut along the paper surface front-back direction in FIG. 1 from the paper surface side in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state seen through the paper feed tray and the paper feed mechanism longitudinally. It is explanatory drawing which shows collection | recovery of the paper dust in the paper feeding operation | movement.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 22 Paper feeding tray 24 Image forming part 27 Paper feeding mechanism 45 Guide fence 46 Flocking member 48 Flocking part 49 Paper dust collection member F Paper feeding apparatus

Claims (5)

A paper feed tray for stacking and holding paper,
A paper feed mechanism that feeds the paper stacked and held in the paper feed tray to the outside of the paper feed tray;
A guide fence that is provided in the paper feed tray and regulates the end position of the paper in a direction orthogonal to the feeding direction by the paper feed mechanism;
A flocking member provided on the guide fence to bring the flocked portion into contact with an end of the paper;
A paper dust collecting member provided on the guide fence and having an opening that opens toward the flocking member below the flocking member;
A paper feeding device comprising:   The paper feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the flocking member is provided on a downstream side in a paper feeding direction of the paper feeding mechanism of the guide fence. The guide fences are provided at both ends in the width direction of the paper,
The paper feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the flocking member is provided on each of the guide fences . Before SL paper powder collecting member is provided detachably with respect to the guide fence, the sheet feeding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3. A paper feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
An image forming unit that forms an image based on image data on a sheet fed by the sheet feeding device;
An image forming apparatus comprising:

Images