JPH0336749B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a copying machine equipped with a locking mechanism that can lock a drawer-type paper feeding unit without play.

[Conventional technology]

Modern copying machines are equipped with paper feed units that can accommodate multiple paper feed cassettes in order to easily switch between paper sizes of different sizes. However, in the case of such a paper feeding unit, the path of the paper sent from the upper cassette at the first paper feeding section to the second paper feeding section (register roller) is longer than the path of the paper pulled out from the lower cassette.
Therefore, there is a high possibility of jamming within the paper path, and unlike when the paper path is short, the trailing edge of the jammed paper does not remain outside the first paper feed section, making it difficult to remove the cassette and take out the paper. In many cases, this is not possible.

Conventionally, in order to remove jammed paper from a paper path that communicates with an upper cassette, the outer plate of the paper path is divided into upper and lower halves so that the lower plate can be opened, and the paper feed unit is moved from the paper feed position to the non-paper feed position. It was known that it was possible to make withdrawals. Making this paper feed unit pull-out type was advantageous in that the user could easily take out the jammed paper, but the paper feed unit had to be pushed into the locking mechanism that locked the paper feed unit in its paper feeding position. Must be automatically locked. However, the locking mechanism consists of a lever on the paper feed unit side that swings around a fulcrum, and a fixed locking means on the main body that engages with the lever through an action point. In order to avoid any problems, a large clearance had to be provided at the point of application. For this reason, it is inevitable that there will be some looseness after the paper feeding unit is inserted, and the paper feeding position may change. Originally, the paper feeding unit fed out the paper in synchronization with the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum, and fluctuations in the paper feeding position caused shifts in the transfer position.

[Purpose and structure of the invention]

This invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problem, and is provided in a copying machine in which the paper feeding unit is of a pull-out type from a paper feeding position to a non-paper feeding position in the main body of the apparatus. and an engagement pin that is biased by a spring and located at approximately the same level as the fulcrum;
It is provided integrally with the handle so as to be able to rotate against the bias of the spring, and is rotated by the engaging pin in response to the paper feeding unit being stored from the non-paper feeding position to the paper feeding position. and then a second swing lever having an engaging portion that engages with the engaging pin,
It is biased by a spring on a shaft provided on the device main body side, and when the lock is released, the swing lever on the paper feed unit side swings in conjunction with the handle, and when it is locked, the swing lever on the main body side swings in conjunction with the handle. By creating separate levers that swing when unlocking and when locking, so that they swing by acting on the swing lever on the side,
To provide a copying machine equipped with a locking mechanism that minimizes the clearance between the two to prevent a paper feed unit from shaking at a paper feed position and that allows the paper feed unit to be easily attached and detached. The purpose is to

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be described based on an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a copying apparatus main body (hereinafter referred to as the main body) placed on a pedestal 2. The main body 1 is provided with a paper feed unit 5 into which two paper feed cassettes 3 and 4 can be attached. As shown in the third figure, the paper feed unit 5 includes first paper feed sections 6 and 7 for pulling out the sheets loaded in the paper feed cassettes 3 and 4 one by one from the top layer, and the first paper feed sections 6 and 7. The second paper feed section (register roller) 10 is provided for feeding paper to a transfer section (image forming section), not shown. Further, as shown in the second figure, the paper feed unit 5 is provided protruding from the inner surface of the telescopic side of telescopic rails 13, 13 whose base ends are fixed to the upright pieces 12, 12 on both sides of the receiving plate 11 fixed to the bottom plate of the main body 1. It is suspended from a stepped protrusion (not shown) formed on the lower edge of both side plates via a groove (not shown) formed on the lower edge of both sides, and is moved from the paper feeding position to the non-paper feeding position by riding on the telescopic rails 13, 13. It is now possible to withdraw. This telescopic rail 1
3 and 13 are expansion/contraction amounts sufficient to pull out the entire paper feed unit 5 to a position where it is completely exposed outside the main body 1;
It is desirable to have strength.

Reference numeral 16 denotes an outer plate of the paper path 8 which is connected to the cassette 3 above the paper feed unit 5. The outer plate 16 is divided into upper and lower plates 16a and 16b as shown in the fourth figure, and the upper plate 12a is connected to the upper hinge portion. 17 to the upper side as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3, forming a jam paper ejection mechanism.

In this case, it is possible to open the lower plate 16b side, but since a sufficient opening area cannot be secured in relation to the device position of the second paper feed section 10, in this embodiment, the upper plate 16a is opened. I am able to open it. Of course, when the upper plate 16a is opened upward, if the upper plate is simply stacked on the lower plate, there is a risk that the leading edge of the paper will hit the edge of the lower plate, and when the upper plates are butted together, the paper may fall into the gap created between the edges. There is a risk that the tip may be inserted. Therefore, in this embodiment, the abutting portions of the upper and lower plates are formed into comb teeth 18a and 18b, which mesh with each other, and the tips of each tooth 18b of the lower plate are bent outward. In the figure, 14 is a stopper of the upper plate 16a fixed to the side plate of the paper feed unit 5, and 15 is a stopper of the upper plate 1.
This is a spring that biases the stopper 6a in the direction of closing (the direction of pressing against the stopper 14).

Reference numeral 19 denotes a locking mechanism for locking the paper feeding unit 5 at the paper feeding position, and this locking mechanism 19
As shown in Fig. 6, the first swing lever 20 and the second
It is equipped with a swing lever 23. The first swinging lever 20 has upright pieces 25 and 25 facing each other across a notch 24 provided on the frame of the paper feed unit 5.
It has an axle (fulcrum) 26 inserted through the axle, and an engagement pin 21 that is biased by a spring 27 and positioned at approximately the same level as the axle 26.
The pins 21, 21 are provided integrally with the handle 20' so as to be able to rotate against the bias of the pin 7, and the pins 21, 21 normally maintain the same level as the shaft 26 (Fig. 6A, (see C) On the other hand, the second swing lever 2
3 and 23 are rotated by the engagement pin 21 of the swing lever 20 as the paper feed unit 5 is stored from the non-paper feeding position to the paper feeding position, and are then rotated by the engagement pin 21. It has an engaging portion 22 that engages. The second swing lever 23 is attached via a hinge pin (shaft) 29 to both sides of a member 28 fixed to a stay 28' on the upper surface of the paper feed unit installation space on the side of the main body 1, and is supported by a spring 30. The hook (engaging portion) 22 side is urged downward. In this case, the second swing lever 2
3 maintains a substantially horizontal position because its rear end 23' abuts against the stay 28'.

Reference numeral 31 denotes a positioning pin when the paper feed unit 5 is housed in the paper feed position, and is horizontally and parallelly protruded from a wall plate 32 that stands along the back edge of the receiving plate 11. It can fit into the hole 34 provided opposite to the inner surface plate 33 of.

Reference numeral 35 denotes connectors provided on the wall plate 32 and the inner surface plate 33 of the paper feed unit 5, respectively, and are positioned so that the paper feed units 5 can be connected to each other at the paper feed position.

37 is a front cover of the main body 1, and when the front cover 37 is closed, the outer cover 3 of the paper feed unit 5 is closed.
It engages with the side edge of 7 from the outside. Therefore, the paper feed unit 5 cannot be pulled out unless the front cover is opened, and conversely, the front cover 37 is prevented from closing unless the paper feed unit 5 is correctly stored in the paper feed position, and the copying operation is also prevented from starting. It's getting old.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

If it is necessary to pull out the paper feed unit to remove jammed paper, etc., first open the front cover 36 of the main body 1, then put your hand on the handle 20' of the first swing lever 20 and press the arrow Push up slightly in direction a (see Figure 6B). As a result, the swing end of the first swing lever 20 is rotated around the shaft 26 by the spring 2.
7, and the lock between the pin 21 provided at the swinging end and the hook 22 of the second swinging lever 23 is released. The paper unit rides on the telescopic rail 13 and is pulled out (see FIG. 2). However,
When returning the paper feeding unit 5 from the drawn-out position to the paper feeding position after completing the intended work, push it in the direction of arrow C as shown in FIG. 6C. As a result, the pin 21 of the first swing lever 20 comes into contact with the inclined end of the hook 22 of the second swing lever 23. In this case, the pin 21 of the first swing lever 20 is at the same level as the shaft rod 26 and does not swing even if a horizontal force is applied to the pin 21, so the second swing lever 23
It swings in the direction of arrow d against the spring 30 due to the cam action of the inclined end of No. 2. When the paper feeding unit 5 reaches the paper feeding position, that is, the pin 21 is connected to the hook 2.
At the point when it passes the inclined end 2, it swings in the locking direction by the action of the spring 30, and becomes the state shown in FIG. 6A.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, swing levers having locking means that can be engaged with each other are provided on the paper feed unit side and the main body side, and when the lock is released, the swing lever on the paper feed unit side is interlocked with the handle. swaying,
The present invention is characterized by a locking mechanism configured such that when locked, the swinging lever on the main body side acts on the swinging lever on the paper feed unit side to swing.
The levers that swing when unlocking and when locking are separate, and the clearance between them can be made as small as possible. Therefore, when the paper feed unit is locked at the paper feed position, it will not rattle, and the paper feed unit can be pulled out from the paper feed position in the opposite direction to remove paper jammed in the paper path. When the paper feeding unit is returned to the paper feeding position after completing the intended work, the paper feeding position does not change and the correct position can always be ensured, which is an excellent effect.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figures show one embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of the copying machine, Fig. 2 is a perspective view with the paper feed unit pulled out, Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the paper feed unit, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the paper feed unit. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the jam paper ejection mechanism, Figure 5 is a perspective view of the lock mechanism, Figure 6A,
B and C are sectional views showing the operation of the lock mechanism. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Copying apparatus main body, 3, 4... Paper feeding cassette, 5... Paper feeding unit, 12... Receiving plate, 13
... Telescopic rail, 20, 23 ... Swing lever, 2
1... pin, 22... hook.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A copying apparatus in which the paper feeding unit 5 is of a pull-out type from a paper feeding position to a non-paper feeding position of the apparatus main body 1, which has a fulcrum 26 on the frame of the unit 5, and A first swinging lever 20 having an engaging pin 21 which is biased by a spring 27 and positioned at approximately the same level as the fulcrum 26 is connected to a handle 20' so as to be able to rotate against the bias of the spring 27. It is integrally provided, and is rotated by the engaging pin 21 as the paper feeding unit 5 is stored from the non-sheet feeding position to the paper feeding position, and then engages with the engaging pin 21. Joint part 2
2. A copying apparatus characterized in that a second swing lever 23 having a second swing lever 23 is provided on a shaft 29 provided on the apparatus main body 1 side and biased by a spring 30.