JPH05330717A - Sheet material discharging device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect the length of a discharged sheet material and to automatically and telescopically control a discharged paper tray according to the discharge of a sheet material. CONSTITUTION:This sheet material discharging device is provided with a length detecting means 11 for detecting the longest length of a discharged sheet material, a driving part 10 for changing the length of a discharged paper tray 4 and a control means for controlling the driving part. At discharge of the sheet material, the discharged paper tray is set the longest in advance, and after completion of discharge of the sheet material, the length of the discharged paper tray is changed according to the length of the discharged sheet material.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet material discharging device, and more particularly, to a device such as a facsimile or a document reading device (scanner) which feeds a sheet-like document into the device and performs a certain process. The present invention relates to a device for discharging to the outside, and particularly to the discharging device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a sheet discharging device having a structure as shown in FIG. 14 is known. Sheet material S has outlet A
The sheet is ejected from the sheet ejection roller pair 101, 102 in the C direction. The discharged sheet materials S are sequentially stacked on the paper discharge tray 104 and the paper discharge tray 103. The sheet material S to be discharged is as shown in FIG.
If the sheet material S does not fit in 03, the sheet discharge tray 104 is pulled out in advance and the sheet material S is discharged. When the discharged sheet material S fits in the discharged paper receiving tray 103 as shown in FIG. 15, the paper discharge tray 104 discharges the sheet material S while being stored in the discharged paper receiving tray 103.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, as shown in FIG. 12, when the length of the sheet material S is too long to be accommodated in the sheet discharge tray 104, the sheet discharge tray 10 is used.
If the user forgets to pull out 4, the sheet material S has a drawback that it falls in the D direction. If there is a sheet feeding unit (not shown) or the like at the place where the sheet material S has dropped, the sheet material S falls on the sheet material that is being continuously fed, and the dropped sheet material S is also fed. Sending, jam, etc. have occurred.

On the contrary, as shown in FIG. 13, when the length of the sheet material S is such that it can be accommodated in the sheet discharge tray 103, after the sheet material S is discharged while the sheet discharge tray 104 is pulled out, the sheet When the material S is taken out, there is a problem that the paper discharge tray 104 becomes an obstacle and cannot be taken out easily.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and is a sheet discharge tray on which a sheet material discharged from a sheet material discharge port is stacked, and the sheet discharge tray is automatically expanded and contracted. In a sheet material discharging device including a drive unit and a detection unit that detects the sheet material of the discharge tray, a control unit that controls the drive unit by detecting the sheet material by the detection unit is provided. Characterize.

Further, the control means extends the paper discharge tray to the maximum length in advance, arranges the sheet material detecting portion at the leading end of the paper discharge tray, and after the completion of the discharge of all sheet materials, The feature is that the discharge tray is pulled down until the detection unit detects the sheet material.

Further, the control means preliminarily extends the discharge tray to the maximum length, and arranges a plurality of the sheet material detecting units in the discharge tray in a direction parallel to the sheet material discharge direction. After the sheet material is discharged, the sheet material detection unit located on the most downstream side in the sheet material discharge direction is one position lower than the detection unit that detects the discharged sheet material, and the position of the detection unit on the downstream side in the sheet material discharge direction. The feature is that the discharge tray is pulled down so that

Further, the control means extends the discharge tray to the longest length in advance, disposes the sheet material detecting portion at the leading end of the discharge tray, and after completion of discharging all the sheet materials, After the sheet material detection unit detects the discharged sheet material, the sheet discharge tray is pulled down for a certain set time.

[0009]

【Example】

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention, and is a sectional view of a sheet material discharging device which best shows the features of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the transport drive roller 1, the discharge drive roller 5, and the pinion 100 are driven by a drive source such as a motor. Further, the transport belt 7 wound around the transport driven roller 2 and the discharge driven roller 6 is pressed by the transport drive roller 1 and the discharge drive roller 5 with a constant pressure, respectively, and is rotated clockwise in the drawing. 8 is a discharge tray, which supports the auxiliary tray portion 9 slidably by a guide 8a,
A rack 9a is formed on a part of the auxiliary tray 9.

Now, when the paper feed operation switch is pushed, the control device causes the paper ejection tray 9 to be extended to the maximum length through the pinion 10 and the paper ejection tray rack portion 9a. The sheet material S is read by the image processing unit (not shown), and the arrow B
Is conveyed in the direction. Further, the sheet material S is the conveyor belt 7
Between the discharge drive roller 5 and the transport belt 7 while entering and exiting between the transport drive roller 1 and the transport belt 7 along the transport guide plate 3 and along the paper discharge guide plate 4 and the transport belt 7. It enters and is discharged in the direction C in the figure. Sheet material S
During the discharging, the discharging tray 9 is discharged while being extended to the maximum length. When the machine equipped with the sheet material discharging device detects that the sheet material set in the sheet feeding tray (not shown) has been completely discharged by the sheet material detecting sensor or the like, the sheet discharging tray 9 causes the pinion 10 and By driving the paper discharge tray rack section 9a, the reflective sheet material detection sensor 11 is pulled down in the direction E in FIG. 2 until it detects the discharged sheet material S (see FIG. 2). When the discharged sheet material S has such a length that it can be accommodated in the discharge tray 8, as shown in FIG. 3, the discharge tray 9 is pulled down to the end (the discharge tray is pulled down to the end). This position will be described as "home position" hereinafter.).

Here, the sheet material detection sensor 11 detects the presence or absence of the sheet material even after the discharge of the sheet material is completed. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, after the discharge of the sheet material, the discharged sheet material S is taken out when the discharge tray 9 is pulled down to the middle, and the sheet material is no longer in the discharge tray 9. Is detected by the sheet material detection sensor 11, the paper discharge tray 9 moves down to the home position. Also, when the user forgets to take out the discharged sheet material S and tries to discharge the next sheet material, when the paper feed operation switch is pressed, the sheet discharge tray 9 is extended again to the maximum length and the next sheet material S is discharged. After the sheet material is discharged, the sheet material detection sensor 11 is pulled down until the discharged sheet material S is detected.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, a plurality of sheet material detection sensors 11 are arranged on the sheet discharge tray 9 in a direction parallel to the sheet material discharge direction. Other than that, the control means and the like are the same as those in FIG. The operation until the end of discharging the sheet material S is the same as that of the first embodiment, and after the end of discharging the sheet material, it is detected which sheet material detection sensor 11a to 11d has detected the sheet material. For example, when the sheet material detection sensor 11a detects the sheet material after the sheet material is discharged, the sheet discharge tray 9 is pulled down until the sheet material detection sensor 11d reaches the position 11b. That is, the sheet material detection sensor 11d at the front end of the sheet discharge tray 9 is moved to the sheet material detection sensor position downstream of the sheet material detection sensor only one of the sheet material detection sensors that detects the sheet material. Pull down. The discharged sheet material is taken out, and when the sheet material detection sensor detects that the sheet material is exhausted in the sheet discharge tray 9, the sheet discharge tray 9 is pulled down to the home position.

That is, a plurality of sheet material detection sensors 1
By arranging 1 in the discharge tray 9, the longest length of the discharged sheet material can be detected immediately after the discharge of the sheet material is completed, and the length of the discharge tray 9 is determined. Further, since it is only necessary to pull down the paper discharge tray 9 in accordance with the number of sheet material detection sensors, a control device for driving the pinion 10 can be easily formed.

(Embodiment 3) Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. In this embodiment, the sheet material detection sensor 11 arranged at the front end of the discharge tray 9 detects the sheet material in the F direction in FIG. 5, and the sheet material is detected for a certain period of time after the detection. After that, the drive of the pinion 10 is stopped. The operation until the discharging of the sheet material S is the same as that of the first embodiment,
After the sheet material is discharged, as shown in FIG. 5, the sheet discharge tray 9 is pulled down until the sheet material detection sensor 11 detects the discharged sheet material S in the F direction. Further, the drive of the pinion 10 is not stopped for a certain set time after the sheet material is detected, and when the set time is reached, the drive is stopped by the control device as shown in FIG. Here, especially for sheet materials with weak stiffness,
Although it is easy to drop from the paper discharge tray 9, the set time for driving the pinion 10 after detecting the sheet material is set so that even a weak sheet material does not fall.

That is, after the discharged sheet material is detected, the sheet material detection sensor 11 detects the discharged sheet material, and then the sheet discharge tray 9 is pulled down until a certain set time, whereby the discharged sheet material is removed. , The machine operator does not drop from the discharge tray 9, and especially when the operator of the machine G in FIG.
It becomes easier to take out the discharged sheet material when operating from the direction. This is because the tip of the sheet material hangs down slightly.

Further, after taking out the discharged sheet material S, the paper discharge tray 9 is pulled down to the home position as in the first embodiment.

(Fourth Embodiment) FIGS. 8 and 9 show a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the sheet material discharging device during sheet material discharge standby, and FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the sheet material discharging device during sheet material discharge.

In FIGS. 8 and 9, the conveyance drive roller 2
1, the ejection drive roller 25, and the pinion 32 are driven by a drive source motor. Further, the transport belt 23 wound around the transport driven roller 22 and the discharge driven roller 26 has the transport drive roller 21 and the discharge drive roller 25 at a constant pressure, respectively.
It is pressed by and is rotated clockwise in the figure. Further, a discharged paper presser 27 is arranged near the discharge port A, and the discharged paper presser 27 is rotatable about a fulcrum 27a. Normally, the discharged paper presser foot 27 is pulled by the tension spring 28 and is in a state as shown in FIG. 8. During discharging of the sheet material, the discharged paper presser foot 27 is discharged as shown in FIG. Lifted by S, sheet material S
When the sheet material S is detached from the discharge port, the sheet material S is dropped so that the discharged sheet material S is reliably stacked on the sheet discharge tray 31 and the sheet discharge tray 30. Then, while waiting for sheet material discharge and during sheet material discharge, the discharged paper presser 27
Turns ON / OFF the sheet material detection sensor 29 including a photo interrupter by the detection unit 27b. The paper discharge tray 31 is housed in the paper discharge tray 30 and is driven by the pinion 32 to discharge the paper discharge tray rack unit 2
The drive is transmitted to 1a, and it is movable in the direction of arrow D in the figure.

Now, the sheet material S which has been read in the direction shown by the arrow B after the reading of the original document by the image processing unit (not shown) provided in the sheet discharging device is carried by the carrying drive roller 21 and the carrying belt 2.
After entering and exiting during the period 3, the sheet enters between the discharge driving roller 25 and the conveyor belt 23 along the conveyor guide plate 24 and the conveyor belt 23, and after exiting, ejects while holding the discharged paper presser 27. .. After the sheet material S is completely removed from the discharge port A, the sheet material S is dropped onto the sheet discharge tray 31 and the sheet discharge tray 30 by the discharged sheet presser 27, and is stacked and the discharge is completed.

Here, the length of the sheet material S discharged by the discharged paper presser 27 is detected. That is, during the discharge of the sheet material, the sheet material detection sensor 29 is in the ON state by the discharged paper pressing detection unit 27b. Further, since the conveyance speed of the sheet material S is constant, the sheet material detection sensor 29
The length of the sheet material S can be detected depending on the time during which is ON. When the length of the discharged sheet material S fits in the discharged paper tray 30, the sheet is discharged as it is. The length of the sheet material S to be discharged next is determined by the discharge tray 3
If it does not fit in 0, the sheet material detection sensor 29 is turned on.
At the same time when it is determined that the sheet material S discharged according to the time of the state does not fit in the sheet discharge tray 30, the pinion 32 is driven by the control device. Here, the speed at which the paper discharge tray 31 extends is set to the same speed as the speed at which the discharged sheet material S is conveyed, and at the same time when the sheet material detection sensor 29 is turned off, the drive of the pinion 32 is stopped by the control device. Further, when the sheet material S is continuously discharged, the length of the sheet material S is detected for all the sheet materials, but the control device corresponds to the longest sheet material S and the discharge tray 31
Determine the length of. That is, the discharged sheet material S is
In the case of a sheet material that is the longest than the sheet materials that have been ejected up to that point, the length of the sheet ejection tray 11 is sequentially changed.

In the present embodiment, the means for detecting the length of the sheet material S is arranged in the paper discharge section, but it may be arranged in a paper supply section, an image processing section or the like (not shown).

(Fifth Embodiment) Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, the member of the paper discharge tray 41 is an elastic member having a curved cross section and flexible in the longitudinal direction.

In FIG. 11, the means for detecting the length of the discharged sheet material is carried out by the sheet material detection sensor 29 through the discharged paper retainer 27, as in the above embodiment. When it is determined that the sheet material discharged by the sheet material detection sensor 29 does not fit in the discharged paper receiving tray 30, the controller drives the discharge tray expansion / contraction member 42 to drive the discharge tray 41.
Stretch out. By using a flexible elastic member in the longitudinal direction having a curved cross section for the paper ejection tray 41, the paper ejection tray 41
When the sheet is contracted, it can be rolled up and stored by the sheet discharge tray expansion / contraction member 42, so that the apparatus can be downsized. Also,
Since the cross-sectional view is curved even when stretched, it is elastic and can sufficiently bear the weight of the sheet material.

(Sixth Embodiment) Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 similarly to the fourth embodiment.
The present embodiment relates to a control method for a control device that controls driving of the pinion 32.

First, when a paper feed operation switch (not shown) is pressed,
The control device controls the output tray 31 via the binion 32.
Is stretched to the maximum length. The sheet material S has been read by the image processing unit (not shown), and is conveyed to the discharge unit. While the sheet material is being discharged, the discharge tray 31 remains at the maximum length, and the sheet material length detection means is detected by the sheet material detection sensor 29 via the discharged paper retainer 7 as in the fourth embodiment. The length of the sheet material is detected for each sheet material, and the maximum length of the sheet material is stored. When the discharge of all the sheet materials is completed, the length of the sheet discharge tray 11 is determined by the control device in accordance with the maximum length of the sheet material, and the pinion 32
Drive. By determining the length of the discharge tray 11 after the completion of sheet material discharge, the control device can be simplified without driving the pinion 32 during sheet material discharge.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The sheet ejection tray is automatically stretched before discharging the sheet material, and after all sheet materials have been ejected, the sheet ejection tray is automatically pulled down to match the longest sheet material that has been ejected. There is less risk of forgetting to pull it out, and the sheet material does not drop, and the length of the discharge tray corresponds to the length of the sheet material, so you can easily take out the sheet material after discharging the sheet material. be able to.

Further, for example, even if the discharged sheet material is forgotten and the sheet material is discharged next time, the discharged sheet material does not drop.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a sheet material discharging device embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a sheet material discharging device embodying the present invention in a discharged state (large size).

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a sheet material discharging device embodying the present invention in a discharged state (small size).

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a sheet material discharging device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a sheet material discharging device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing an operation example (during operation) of the sheet material discharging device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing an operation example (when completed) of the sheet material discharging device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a sheet material discharging device according to a fourth example of the present invention.

9 is a sectional view of the sheet material discharging device of FIG. 1 in a discharged state.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a sheet material discharging portion according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

11 is a cross-sectional view of the sheet material discharging device of FIG.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a conventional sheet material discharging device.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing an example of a conventional sheet material discharging device.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing an example (large size) of a problem of the conventional sheet material discharging device.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view showing an example (small size) of a problem of the conventional sheet material discharging device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Transport Drive Roller 2 Transport Driven Roller 3 Transport Guide Plate 4 Discharge Guide Plate 5 Discharge Drive Roller 6 Discharge Driven Roller 7 Transport Belt 8 Paper Ejection Receiver 9 Paper Ejection Tray 10 Pinion 11 Sheet Material Detection Sensor

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A discharge tray for stacking sheet materials discharged from a sheet material discharge port, a drive unit for automatically expanding and contracting the discharge tray, and a detection unit provided on the discharge tray for detecting the sheet material. A sheet material discharging apparatus comprising: a sheet material discharging apparatus including a control unit that detects the length of the sheet material by the detection unit and controls the driving unit. 2. The control means preliminarily extends the paper discharge tray to the maximum length, arranges the sheet material detecting portion at the leading end of the paper discharge tray, and after the completion of the discharge of all seed materials, 2. The sheet material discharging device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet discharging tray is pulled down until the sheet material detecting section detects the discharged sheet material. 3. The control means preliminarily extends the paper discharge tray to the maximum length, and arranges a plurality of the sheet material detecting units in the paper discharge tray in a direction parallel to the sheet material discharge direction. After the discharge of the sheet material, the sheet material detection unit located on the most downstream side in the sheet material discharge direction has only one detection unit located downstream of the detection unit detecting the discharged sheet material. 2. The sheet material discharging device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge tray is pulled down so as to be in the position. 4. The control means extends the discharge tray to the longest length in advance, disposes the sheet material detection unit at the leading end of the discharge tray, and after completion of discharging all sheet materials, 2. The sheet material discharging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet material discharging unit pulls down the sheet discharging tray for a predetermined set time after detecting the discharged sheet material. 5. A sheet discharge tray for stacking sheet materials discharged from a sheet material discharge port, a drive unit for varying the length of the sheet discharge tray, and detection for detecting the length of the sheet material during sheet material conveyance. In the sheet material discharging device provided with the section, the length of the sheet material is detected by the detection unit for each sheet material discharged, and the longest sheet material among the discharged sheet materials is detected. The sheet material discharging device, which has a control means for sequentially extending the length of the paper discharging tray by the drive unit in accordance with the length of the sheet discharging tray. 6. The sheet material discharging device sets a discharge tray in advance to the longest length to discharge the sheet material, and selects the longest sheet material among all the sheet materials discharged during the sheet material discharge. 2. The sheet according to claim 1, further comprising control means for detecting the length and varying the length of the sheet discharge tray in correspondence with the length of the longest sheet material after the completion of discharging all the sheet materials. Material discharging device.