JPH09160320A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To sort a facsimile receiving paper, a copying paper, etc., and to store them so as to make them identifiable ones by any image recording mode. SOLUTION: A paper ejecting part 17 is provided with a paper ejecting roller 39 as an ejecting port for ejecting a paper sheet 29 after recording is completed and a copy tray 41 and a facsimile tray 42 for selectively housing the ejected sheets 29. The upper copy tray 41 is arranged to be diagonally movable along an oblong hole 43 between a lower paper housing position and an upper retreat position. Then, the copy tray 41 is moved by a rack 44, a pinion 45 engaged therewith and a motor 46 for rotating the pinion 45. The lower facsimile tray 42 is fixed to the bottom part of the paper ejecting part 17.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus having a plurality of recording modes such as a copy function and a facsimile function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in an image recording apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus, a tray for receiving recorded sheets discharged from a recording section is fixedly arranged with respect to an outlet.

[0003]

Therefore, when the image recording apparatus has a plurality of mode functions such as a copy mode and a facsimile mode, there is a possibility that sheets used for recording under different modes may be mixed on the tray. In the case of such a mixture, not only is it necessary to select fax receiving papers, copy papers, etc. one by one, but it is also troublesome, and sometimes the papers are lost due to misunderstanding due to a selection error.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to such problems existing in the conventional technology. A main object of the invention is to provide an image recording apparatus provided with a paper discharge device capable of separately selecting a fax receiving paper, a copy paper, and the like and accommodating which recording mode can be discriminated.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, in the invention described in claim 1, a plurality of image recording modes are provided and recorded sheets are discharged to a tray through a discharge port. In the image recording device,
The gist is that a changing means is provided for changing the positional relationship between the tray and the discharge port according to the image recording mode.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the trays have a plurality of stages, and the trays are moved according to the image recording mode, and one tray is ejected by the movement. The point is to correspond to.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the gist of the first aspect is that the tray is single and the position of the tray with respect to the discharge port is displaced by the movement of the tray.

Therefore, according to the first aspect of the invention, the positional relationship between the tray and the discharge port is changed by the changing means according to the image recording mode, and the sheets are stored at different positions in each mode.

According to the second aspect of the invention, in addition to the operation of the first aspect of the invention, one of a plurality of trays is moved so as to correspond to the discharge port in accordance with the image recording mode. In this mode, paper is stored in different trays.

According to the third aspect of the invention, in addition to the operation of the first aspect of the invention, a single tray is moved in accordance with the image recording mode and the position with respect to the discharge port is displaced. Paper is stored in different positions on the top.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(First Embodiment) A first embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a copy / facsimile multifunction machine having a copy function and a facsimile function will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus main body 11 is equipped with a document feeding section 12, a document placing section 13, a reading section 14, a sheet accommodating section 15, a recording section 16 and a sheet ejecting section 17. . The document feeding unit 12 includes a document table 19 on which a document 18 is placed, a separating unit 20 for separating and feeding the document 18, a plurality of feeding rollers 21 for feeding the document 18, and a translucent plate 22 through which the document 18 passes. And a document discharge table 23 for discharging the document 18. The original document placing portion 13 includes a transparent original document placing plate 24 on which the original document 18 is placed.

The reading section 14 includes the document 18 passing on the through-hole plate 22 or the document 1 placed on the document placing plate 24.
It is provided with a light source 25 for irradiating light on the light source 8, a plurality of reflecting mirrors 26 for changing the optical path of the reflected light from the document 18, a condenser lens 27 for converging the light, and an image pickup device 28 for reading image information of the document 18. When reading the original document 18 fed by the original document feeding unit 12, when the light source 25 is statically arranged below the through-hole plate 22 and the original document 18 placed on the original document placing unit 13 is read. The light source 25 is moved along the lower surface of the document placing plate 24.

The paper container 15 is equipped with two paper feed cassettes 30A and 30B, and two kinds of papers 29A and 29B having different sizes are stacked and supported separately. A paper feed roller 31 for feeding the papers 29 one by one is provided on the upper surface of the stacked and supported papers 29, and the papers 29 are guided by a guide plate 32 to be sent to the recording unit 16. .

The recording unit 16 includes a photosensitive drum 33 and an exposure device 3 for forming an electrostatic latent image of image information on the photosensitive drum 33.
4 and a developing device 35 that supplies toner to the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 33 to visualize the latent image. The recording unit 16 further includes a feeding roller 36 that feeds the paper 29 to the photosensitive drum 33, and a visualized toner image on the photosensitive drum 33.
A transfer device 37 for transferring the toner image on the paper 29 from the paper to the paper 29 and a heat fixing device 38 for heating and fixing the toner image on the paper 29 are provided.

The paper discharge section 17 is for recording the recorded paper 2
A pair of paper discharge rollers 39 forming a discharge port for discharging 9
A guide plate 40 for guiding the discharge of the paper 29 toward the space between the discharge rollers 39, a copy tray 41 and a facsimile tray 4 as a discharge tray for storing the discharged paper 29.
2 is provided at the upper and lower two positions.

The pair of guiding long holes 43 are formed in the apparatus main body 11 so as to be inclined so as to correspond to the protrusions 57 on both sides of the upper copy tray 41. Copy tray 41
The protrusions 57 on both sides thereof engage with the elongated hole 43 and can move along the elongated hole 43 between a lower sheet storage position and an upper retracted position. A rack 44 is connected to the copy tray 41, and a pinion 45 meshing with the rack 44 is rotated by a motor 46 that constitutes a changing unit, whereby the copy tray 41 is moved up and down. ing.

The lower facsimile tray 42 is fixed to the lowermost part of the paper discharge section 17. As shown in FIG. 2, the CPU 58 constitutes a changing means and stores the image information in the memory 59 when the image information of the document 18 is input from the reading section 14 or when the image information is input by facsimile reception. Let In addition, the CPU 58 is the memory 5
The image information stored in 9 is read out and recorded on the paper 16 by the recording unit 16. Further, at the time of recording the image information, the CPU 58 determines which recording mode the image information belongs to, and drives the motor 46 to move the copy tray 41 to the lower sheet storage position and the upper retracted position. Switch to either of the above. An NCU (Network Control Unit) 60 has a function of controlling connection with a telephone line and detecting sending and receiving of dial pulses corresponding to the fax number of the other party. The modem 61 performs modulation and demodulation of transmitted / received data.

Next, the operation of the image recording apparatus provided with the sheet discharging device constructed as described above will be described. Now, in this image recording apparatus, when in the copy mode, the image read by the image pickup device 28 is recorded on the paper 2 by the recording unit 16.
The recorded sheets 29A and 29B, which are recorded on either 9A or 29B, are discharged to the sheet discharge unit 17 via the discharge rollers 39. Further, when receiving in the facsimile mode, the received image data is the paper 29A, 29B.
The recorded paper 29 that is recorded on any of the
A and 29B are provided between the paper discharge rollers 39 and the paper discharge unit 17
Is discharged.

In the copy mode, the CPU
The copy tray 41 is lowered by the action of the motor 46 under the control of 58, and is stopped at the sheet storage position (the solid line position in FIG. 1) immediately below the discharge roller 39. Therefore, the recorded paper 29 is transferred from the paper discharge roller 39 to the copy tray 41.
Is discharged on top.

On the other hand, in the facsimile mode, the copy tray 41 is controlled by the motor 4 under the control of the CPU 58.
By the action of 6, it is moved to the upper retracted position (the position indicated by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 1) and is positioned above the position between the paper discharge rollers 39. As a result, the paper 2 on which the received data is recorded
9 is discharged onto the lower facsimile tray 42.

As described above, the recorded sheets are sorted and stored in the copy tray 41 or the facsimile tray 42 according to the copy or facsimile recording mode.

The effects that can be expected from this embodiment will be described below. (1) In the image recording apparatus of the present embodiment, copy paper and facsimile paper can be sorted according to the recording mode and accommodated in different trays. It can be easily identified, and the sorting work becomes unnecessary, and the complexity can be eliminated. Further, for example, since facsimile paper does not coexist between ejected copy papers, there is no fear that the papers will be lost.

(2) In the image recording apparatus of this embodiment, since the copy tray 41 is moved in an oblique direction,
In the copy mode, the copy tray 41 can be reliably positioned below the paper discharge roller 39 as a discharge port, and the paper can be reliably stored in the copy tray 41.
Further, in the facsimile mode, the copy tray 41 and the discharge roller 39 can move upward without interfering with each other. (Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a copying / facsimile / printer multifunction machine to which a function as a printer is added will be described with reference to FIG.

The same members as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals to avoid duplication, and mainly different points will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, in the present embodiment, three discharge trays, that is, a copy tray 41, a printer tray 47, and a facsimile tray 42 are provided as discharge trays.

In this embodiment, each tray 41, 4
7, 42 are movable in an oblique direction along the long hole 43, the movement of which is a driving roller 49 driven and rotated by a motor 46, a driven roller 50, and a belt 51 stretched between them. And by. The trays 41, 47, 42 are connected to the belt 51 at a predetermined interval. Then, the belt 51 accompanying the rotation of the motor 46
By the orbiting, any one of the trays 41, 47, and 42 is arranged immediately below between the paper discharge rollers 39.

In the copy mode, the copy tray 41, the facsimile tray 42 in the facsimile mode, and the printer tray 47 in the printer mode are arranged immediately below the discharge rollers 39.

The connection between at least the lowermost facsimile tray 42 and the belt 51 is achieved by engaging the locking projection 48 on the facsimile tray 42 with the claw portion 52 on the belt 51 from below. Done. Therefore, even if the belt 51 is circulated so that the trays 41, 42 and 47 move downward from the state of FIG. 3, when the tray 42 for facsimile reaches the lower end position of the long hole 43,
The claw 52 is disengaged from the locking projection 48, and the facsimile tray 42 is stopped at that position. And the belt 51
When the orbit is rotated in the opposite direction, the claw portion 52 is again engaged with the locking protrusion 48, and the facsimile tray 42 is moved upward.

Therefore, the recorded sheets are sorted and stored in the copy tray 41, the printer tray 47 or the facsimile tray 42 according to the recording mode of the copy, printer or facsimile.

The effects that can be expected from this embodiment will be described below. (1) In the image recording apparatus of the present embodiment, three trays are provided and any one of the trays can be arranged directly below the paper discharge roller 39 according to the image recording mode. It is possible to store the sheets discharged in the multi-function peripheral having the above three functions in different trays.

(2) In the image recording apparatus of this embodiment, when the tray 42 reaches the lowermost portion of the long hole 43, the engagement between the claw portion 52 on the belt 51 and the locking projection 48 is released, and the tray 42 is released. Is stopped at that position. Therefore, the paper discharge unit 1
It is possible to achieve compactness without requiring an extra space for moving the tray 42 downward. (Third Embodiment) Next, a third embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a copy / facsimile multifunction peripheral having a copy function and a facsimile function will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

In this embodiment, a single tray 54
Are only provided. As shown in FIG. 4B, a rack portion 55 is provided on the inner end side of the tray 54, and a pinion 56 that meshes with the rack portion 55 is provided to the motor 5.
When the tray 54 is rotated by 3, the tray 54 is reciprocated in the left-right direction and is arranged at two positions, the left and right positions.

Then, when the paper 29 used for recording in the recording unit 16 is ejected from the paper ejection roller 39, it is moved to the right or left by the rotation of the motor 53 according to the recording mode.

As described above, the tray 54 is moved in the left-right direction according to the recording mode of copying and facsimile, and the accommodating position of the sheet 29 is changed according to the recording mode as shown in FIG. Since the sheets are stored, a step is formed in the lateral direction at the sheet collecting position on the tray 54 according to each mode, and sorting is performed, and it is possible to easily identify which mode the sheet is in.

The effects that can be expected from this embodiment will be described below. (1) In the paper discharge device of the present embodiment, since the paper can be stored in a discriminable manner by the single tray 54, the configuration can be simplified and the cost can be reduced. (Fourth Embodiment) Next, a fourth embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a copy / facsimile multifunction peripheral having a copy function and a facsimile function will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, the tray 54 is also single in this embodiment. A rack 44 is extendedly arranged in the front-rear direction on the lower surface of the tray 54, and the pinion 45 meshing with the rack portion 44 is rotated by a motor 46 to reciprocate the tray 54 in the front-rear direction (left-right direction in FIG. 5). It is like this.

Then, the paper 2 recorded by the recording unit 16
When the sheet 9 is discharged from the sheet discharge roller 39, the tray 54 is arranged at the front or rear position according to the recording mode. Therefore, in accordance with each mode, a step in the front-back direction is formed at the gathering position of the sheets 29A and 29B, and the sheets 29A and 29B are formed.
It is selected, and it is possible to easily identify which one is under which mode.

The effects expected from this embodiment will be described below. (1) In the image recording apparatus of the present embodiment, sheets can be stored in a single tray in a distinguishable manner, so that the configuration can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

The present invention can be embodied with the following modifications. (1) Use a means other than a rack and pinion or a belt for moving the tray. For example, connecting a moving element of an electromagnetic solenoid to the tray so that the tray is moved by demagnetizing and exciting the electromagnetic solenoid.

(2) A fixed tray is provided integrally with a part of the apparatus frame. (3) Embodying the present invention in a multi-function peripheral having a copy function and a printer function.

(4) The tray is arranged at a fixed position, and the position of the discharge port is displaced according to the recording mode. Next, technical ideas other than the claims grasped from the embodiment will be described below together with their effects.

(1) The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of trays are movable in an oblique direction with respect to the discharge port. With this configuration, the tray is surely positioned at the lower portion of the discharge port, and the paper is reliably accommodated in the tray. Further, it does not interfere with the discharge port during movement.

(2) In claim 2, the tray is provided with a locking projection, and the locking projection is locked from below by a claw portion of a belt for moving the tray, and the tray is moved up and down. Image recording device.

In this way, the locking projections and the claws can be unlocked to hold the tray in a fixed position, and no extra space is required for moving the tray. Therefore,
The device can be downsized.

[0045]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, it has the following effects. According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the positional relationship between the tray and the discharge port is changed according to the image recording mode, the storage position of the paper is different in each mode, and the discharged paper is in any mode. It is possible to identify whether it is due to Therefore, the complexity of paper selection can be eliminated, and there is no risk of paper being lost due to mixing.

According to the invention described in claim 2, according to claim 1
In addition to the effect of the present invention, one of the trays of a plurality of trays is moved to correspond to the discharge port according to the image recording mode, so that the sheets are sorted and stored in the tray corresponding to each mode. The discriminating property is further improved.

According to the invention of claim 3, claim 1
In addition to the effects of the present invention, since it is possible to select and store the sheets of paper in a single tray according to the image recording mode, the configuration is simplified and the cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control means of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing a third embodiment. (B) A plan view of the paper discharge tray.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a fourth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... Device main body, 16 ... Recording unit, 29 ... Paper, 39 ... Ejection roller, 41 ... Copy tray, 42 ... Facsimile tray, 44 ... Rack, 45 ... Pinion, 46 ... Motor, 47 ... Printer tray, 48 ... Locking protrusion, 49
... drive roller, 50 ... driven roller, 51 ... belt, 52
... claws, 54 ... trays, 55 ... racks, 56 ... pinions.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of image recording modes are provided, and
An image recording apparatus configured to discharge a recorded sheet to a tray through a discharge port, the image recording apparatus including a changing unit for changing a positional relationship between the tray and the discharge port according to an image recording mode. . 2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tray has a plurality of stages, and the tray is moved in accordance with an image recording mode, and one tray corresponds to a discharge port by the movement. 3. The tray is single, and the position of the tray with respect to the discharge port is displaced by the movement of the tray.
The image recording apparatus according to claim 1.