JPS6259021B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a sheet guiding device that can be used, for example, in a paper feeding device such as a copying machine.

For example, in a copying machine, as shown in FIG. 1, an automatic paper feeder 2 and a manual paper feeder 3 are used to supply a sheet P on which a copy image is formed to an image forming section 1 of the copying machine. It is provided.

The image forming section 1 includes an exposure device (not shown) that exposes an original image to be copied onto a drum-shaped photoreceptor 4, and a developing device (not shown) that develops an electrostatic latent image formed by exposure. A transfer/separation device 5 is provided which transfers the developed image onto the sheet P and then separates the sheet P from the photoreceptor 4. With these configurations, a copy image is formed on the sheet P, but since the process is conventionally well known as xerography, it will not be described in detail here.

By the way, the transfer peeling device 5 is similar to the automatic paper feeding device 2.
Alternatively, guide plates 6, 7 are provided at the front and rear along the transport direction of the sheet P in order to guide the sheet P fed from the manual paper feeder 3 while rolling it into contact with the photoreceptor 4. The guide plate 6 includes a pair of plate bodies 6
A and 6b are arranged facing each other, and a transport path for the sheet P is formed between the mutually opposing surfaces of these plates 6a and 6b.

The automatic paper feeder 2 includes a cassette 9 that stores a receiving plate 8 on which a large number of sheets P are placed in a pile.
It has a roller 10 that sequentially feeds out the sheets P stored in the cassette 9 one by one starting from the upper one. A spring 11 is provided inside the cassette 9 to bias the receiving plate 8 toward the roller 10 side. The cassette 9 is held within the copying machine by an engaging portion 12 formed at its front end.

On the other hand, the manual paper feeder 3 includes a paper feed table 13 and a feed roller 14 for setting the sheet P toward the image forming section 1. The paper feed table 13 is rotatable between the position shown in FIG. 1 and an upwardly erect position. Feeding roller 14
When the sheet P set on the paper feed tray 13 is manually pushed in, the sheet P is inserted between the mutually facing surfaces.
is held and sent out toward the image forming section 1.

Note that the manual paper feeding device 3 includes a plurality of guide plates 15 extending before and after the paper feeding tray 13 and the feeding roller 14.
is provided. First, a case will be described in which a sheet P is fed using the automatic paper feeder 2. In this case, the paper feed tray 13 is set in an upwardly erect state from the position shown in FIG. Depending on the paper feed signal generated at appropriate timing,
The roller 10 rotates and the sheet P is fed from the cassette 9. The fed sheet P is sent to the first guide body 16. At this time, the seat P biases the switch 17. The switch 17 detects that the sheet P has been fed and generates a signal instructing the above-mentioned exposure device to start exposure.

Further, the first guide body 16 is connected to the first rotating body 18
It is a metallic guide means that is curved and fixedly arranged along the curve, and forms a conveyance path for the sheet P between surfaces facing each other with the first rotating body 18.

Furthermore, the first rotating body 18 is connected to the second rotating body 19.
These first and second rotating bodies 18,
19 constitutes a so-called registration roller. Further, the first guide body 16 has one end extending to the vicinity of the mutual contact position (hereinafter referred to as nip) A of these rotary bodies 18 and 19, and the other end being fed by the roller 10. After receiving the sheet P,
It is configured to extend toward the automatic paper feeder 2 side so as to lead to the first rotating body 18 side.

Thus, the sheet P is guided to the vicinity of the nip A by the first guide member 16, and the leading end thereof reaches the nip A. At this time, the feeding action by the roller 10 is temporarily stopped, and the first and second rotating bodies 1
8 and 19 have stopped rotating.

Therefore, the sheet P is curved along the curved shape of the first guide body 16. Therefore, the leading edge of the sheet P is aligned along the nip A. After that, the first and second rotating bodies 1
8 and 19 rotate, the sheet P is transferred to the image forming section 1.
In particular, it is sent out toward the transfer and peeling device 5.

On the other hand, when feeding the sheet P using the manual paper feeder 3, the paper feed tray 13 is lowered to the position shown in FIG. When the paper feed tray 13 is in the position shown in FIG. 1, the switch 20 is energized, and a signal from the switch 20 inhibits the operation of the automatic paper feed device 2. Next, the sheet P is placed on the paper feed tray 1.
3 and feed it toward the feed roller 14. The sheet P moves forward while being guided by the guide 15, and at this time the switch 21 is energized. When the switch 21 is energized and activated, the feeding roller 14 rotates and transports the sheet P while nipping it. The sheet P advances further, and at this time the switch 22 is energized. Next, the leading edge of the sheet P reaches the nip A, and the first and second rotating bodies 18, 19
The image is sent to the image forming section 1 by.

By the way, in the above-described configuration, when the sheet P fed from the automatic paper feeder 2 is guided by the first guide body 16, the leading edge of the sheet P is not necessarily moved by the rotating bodies 18 and 19. It cannot be said that it advances toward the wedge-shaped portion B that is formed, and therefore it may not reach the nip A.

This is because the ease with which the sheet P curves varies depending on the thickness and size of the sheet P being fed. Therefore, it is conceivable that one end side of the first guide body 16 be brought into contact with the nip A to ensure the guiding action of the sheet P. However, in such a case, the guiding action of the sheet P fed from the manual sheet feeding device 3, for example, will be hindered. That is, since one end of the guide body 16 is in contact with the nip A, the sheet P is prevented from advancing from the guide plate 15 to the nip A.

The present invention has been made based on the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sheet guiding device that can reliably guide a sheet without interfering with the progress of the sheet.

The present invention will be described below with reference to an illustrated embodiment.

The sheet guiding device of the present invention is particularly utilized in the copying machine shown in FIG. 1 mentioned above. The difference from that shown in FIG. 1 is the configuration near the first guide body 16. Therefore, in the following explanation, only the differences from that shown in FIG. 1 will be detailed, and the remaining explanation will be omitted.

FIG. 2 shows a main part of an embodiment of the present invention, in which the first guide body 1 of the configuration shown in FIG.
6 shows the vicinity of 6.

One end of the first guide body 16 is close to the nip A and just enters the entrance side of the wedge-shaped portion B. The other end extends toward the automatic paper feeder 2, similar to that shown in FIG. A flexible second guide 23 is connected to one end of the first guide 16 . One end of the second guide body 23 is attached to one end of the first guide body 16, and the other end can freely swing. This second guide body 23 is preferably made of a synthetic resin film such as a polyester film such as Mylar (trade name) from the viewpoint of flexibility. However, if it is necessary to prevent frictional electrification during transport of the sheet P, other suitable metal foils, such as aluminum foil, may be used. In any case, the second guide body 23 requires flexibility. The reason for this will be described later, but in short, whether the sheet P is guided by the first guide body 16 or the guide plate 15, the leading end of the sheet P is away from the wedge-shaped portion B. This is to ensure that there is no obstruction when moving forward toward nip A.

Note that one end of the first guide body 16 is located at a position farther away from the nip A than in the example shown in FIG. This has the effect of allowing the sheet P to advance toward the nip A from multiple directions, and also has the effect that the attachment of the first guide body 16 is significantly facilitated. Even if the first guide body 16 is separated from the nip A in this manner, the sheet P is reliably guided to the nip A by the action of the second guide body 23.

Therefore, when the sheet P is fed by the automatic paper feeder 2, the sheet P is fed by the first guide body 16 and the first rotating body 18, as described above.
along the transfer path formed between the mutually opposing surfaces of the
It moves forward toward the nip A while being guided by the first guide body 16. The tip of the sheet P is the first guide body 16
After passing one end of the sheet, the sheet P now passes the second
is guided by a guide body 23. At this time, the second
The surface of the guide body 23 is extremely smooth when it is made of Mylar (trade name) film, for example.
Now, the sheet P reaches the nip A while being guided by the second guide body 23, and is conveyed while being nipped by the rotating bodies 18 and 19. The subsequent operation is the same as that shown in FIG.

Next, when the sheet P is fed by the manual sheet feeding device 3, it is fed to the position of the guide plate 15 in the same manner as that in FIG. 1 described above. Next, the sheet P reaches the wedge-shaped portion C formed between the second rotating body 19 and the second guide body 23, and
It moves further forward and comes into contact with the second guide body 23. At this time, the second guide body 23 is easily deformed to allow the sheet P to pass and guide it toward the nip A. The subsequent operations are the same as those in FIG. 1 described above.

Since the second guide body 23 is easily deformed as the sheet P advances, the sheet P is reliably guided to the nip A.

Note that the second guide body 23 may be installed on the guide plate 15 as shown in FIG.

In the above description of the embodiments, the description has been given mainly in relation to the paper feed device of the copying machine, but the present invention may of course be applied to other parts, such as the fixing roller, and can also be applied to devices other than the copying machine. Available.

As explained above, according to the present invention, the sheet can be reliably guided toward the mutually rotated position of the rotating body by the flexible second guide body. Furthermore, the attachment and adjustment of the first guide body can be carried out extremely easily.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a schematic front view showing the inside of the copying machine;
The figure is a front view showing the main parts of one embodiment of the present invention.
The figure is a front view showing the main parts of another embodiment of the present invention. A...Nip (mutual contact position), P...Seat, 15...Guide (third guide body), 16...
First guide body, 18... First rotating body, 19...
Second rotating body, 23... second guide body.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first rotating body and a second rotating body are brought into rolling contact,
In the device for guiding the sheet to the mutual contact position of the first and second rotating bodies, the first and third guide bodies have one end located near the mutual contact position and form a plurality of sheet guide paths. and a flexible second guide body provided on the one end side of the first and third guide bodies, and the sheet is connected to the first guide body.
and a third guide body from the other end side of either one of them to the sheet guide path, guide the sheet to the vicinity of the mutual contact position, and further guide the sheet through the second guide body to the mutual contact position. A sheet guiding device characterized in that the sheet guiding device is configured to guide the sheet to the seat. 2. The sheet guiding device according to claim 1, wherein the second guiding body is a synthetic resin film. 3. The sheet guiding device according to claim 1, wherein the second guiding body is a metal foil. 4. The sheet guiding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first guide body is provided along the first rotating body. 5 The second guide body has one end attached to one end side of either the first and third guide bodies, and the other end of the second guide body swingably moves the first and second rotating bodies into mutual contact position. A sheet guiding device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the sheet guiding device is arranged nearby.