KR100233119B1 - Apparatus for detecting paper of printer - Google Patents

Abstract

It is possible to detect the presence or absence of paper in an apparatus equipped with a printer function capable of putting paper in a paper feed cassette and to print, and to provide a paper remaining paper detection device of a paper feed cassette in which a user can predict a paper remaining amount of a paper feed cassette. The paper remaining amount detection device of the paper feed cassette includes a paper plate for supporting the paper fed inside the paper feed cassette, a hole formed in a predetermined size on one surface of the paper plate, and a hinge shaft coupled to the inside of the main body. A first actuator, which is fixed and rotated in conjunction with the hinge shaft, and the other end which is formed on the upper end of the hole and is formed with a projection passing through the hole as it is rotated about the hinge shaft, and fixed to the hinge shaft. A second actuator configured to be coupled and rotated, a second actuator configured to extend from the one end and to pass through a paper detection sensor as it is rotated about the hinge axis, and fixedly coupled to a rod slidingly coupled to a side of the second actuator. Extends from one end and the one end in conjunction with movement of the second actuator. And a third actuator having the other end passing through the residual amount detection sensor and spaced apart from the second actuator at a predetermined distance, and a controller for generating an output control signal lighting a predetermined indicator light in response to the output values of the sensors. Configure.

Description

Paper remaining detector in paper cassette

The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting the remaining amount of paper in a paper cassette, and more particularly, to detect the presence or absence of paper in an apparatus equipped with a printer function capable of printing by inserting paper into the paper cassette. The paper remaining amount detection device of the paper feed cassette is predictable.

Typically, a paper feed cassette mounted on a part of a main body is used to feed paper in an electrophotographic apparatus. In addition, a variety of devices for detecting and displaying on the display unit when the paper of the paper cassette mounted on the main body is exhausted. The paper detection sensor is used to detect the presence or absence of paper fixed to the paper feed cassette.

1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of a paper detection apparatus according to the prior art.

The configuration of the apparatus capable of detecting the presence or absence of the paper includes a paper detection sensor 26, an actuator 22, a paper plate 18 of the paper feed cassette 14, and the like.

The operation of the sheet detecting apparatus will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, a paper plate 18 for supporting paper is mounted inside the paper feed cassette 14. In addition, a pressure spring 16 for pushing the paper mounted on the paper plate 18 upwards is installed on the lower side of the paper plate 18. In this state, if there is no paper on the paper plate 18, the second protrusion 30 of the actuator 22 is inserted into the hole 20 of the paper plate 18, and accordingly the first protrusion 28 of the actuator 22 rotating about the hinge axis 24 detects the paper. It will enter between the sensors 26. At this time, the light from the light emitting portion of the sheet detection sensor 26 to the light receiving portion is cut off so that the photo transistor is turned off and the photo transistor is at a high level. On the contrary, if there is paper on the paper plate 18, the hole 20 of the paper plate 18 is blocked by the paper, so that the second protrusion 30 of the actuator 22 is rotated upward, and the first protrusion 28 of the actuator 22 moves downward. . At this time, the output of the sheet detection sensor 26 is turned on to become a low level and detect the sheet.

However, the paper detection device of the paper feed cassette as described above detects only the presence or absence of paper regardless of the remaining amount of paper. If there is no paper, it displays a message that there is no paper. If there is one sheet remaining, the message is not displayed. That is, since the general paper detection apparatus of the paper feed cassette only displays the presence or absence of paper, the user cannot fix the appropriate amount of paper to be printed on the paper feed cassette in advance. For example, when a user needs to print 50 sheets and displays only 10 sheets of paper even when there are only 10 sheets, the remaining amount of paper is not known until the sheets are exhausted. Therefore, after printing 10 sheets, there was an uncomfortable problem of reloading the paper only when the display unit indicated that there was no paper.

An object of the present invention is to detect the remaining amount of paper at all times to be suitable when you want to print the paper by feeding a plurality of sheets in the device using an electrophotographic method can prevent the printing is stopped because there is no paper during printing An apparatus for detecting the remaining amount of paper in a paper feed cassette is provided.

Another object of the present invention is to compare the number of sheets to be printed and the number of sheets to be printed by the user by displaying the remaining amount of paper on the main body when the paper is fed in the electrophotographic device is less than 30 sheets detected by the control unit In addition, the present invention provides a device for detecting the remaining amount of paper in a paper cassette that can be determined.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a paper remaining amount detection device of a paper feed cassette mounted on a main body such as a printer using a transfer photograph method, comprising: a paper plate for supporting a paper being fed inside the paper feed cassette; A hole formed in a predetermined size on one surface of the paper plate, one end fixed to a hinge shaft coupled to the inside of the main body, and rotated in association with the hinge shaft, and positioned above the hole to rotate about the hinge shaft. And a first actuator comprising the other end formed with a projection passing through the hole, one end fixedly coupled to the hinge shaft and rotating, and extending from the one end and rotating about the hinge shaft to pass through a paper detection sensor. The second actuator is configured to the other end, and slidingly coupled to the side of the second actuator A third actuator configured to be fixedly coupled to the rod, the other end extending from the one end and passing through the paper remaining amount detection sensor in association with the movement of the second actuator, and spaced apart from the second actuator at a predetermined distance; And a control unit for generating an output control signal for lighting a predetermined indicator in response to the output values of the sensors.

1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of a paper detection apparatus according to the prior art.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a paper remaining amount detection device of the paper feed cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3A is a schematic diagram showing the position of the paper remaining amount detection device component in the state where no paper is detected on the paper cassette according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3B is a schematic diagram showing the position of the paper remaining amount detection device component in a state in which a certain amount of paper is fixed on the paper cassette according to one embodiment of the present invention.

3C is a cross-sectional view of a paper feed cassette showing a state in which a large amount of paper is fixed on a paper feed cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is an electrical circuit diagram of a paper remaining amount detection device of a paper feed cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, in adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same reference numerals are used for the same components, even if displayed on different drawings. In describing the present invention, it should be noted that specific descriptions of well-known functions or configurations are omitted in order not to disturb the gist of the present invention.

2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a paper remaining amount detection device of a paper feed cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3A is a schematic diagram showing the position of the paper remaining amount detection device component in the state where no paper 50 is detected on the paper feed cassette according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3B is a schematic diagram showing the position of the paper remaining amount detecting device component in a state in which a certain amount of paper 50 is fixed on the paper feed cassette according to one embodiment of the present invention. 3C is a cross-sectional view of a paper feed cassette showing a state in which a large amount of paper 50 is fixed on a paper feed cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is an electric circuit diagram of a paper remaining amount detection device of a paper feed cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A configuration and a coupling relationship of a paper remaining amount detection device of a paper feed cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

The paper remaining amount detection device of the paper feed cassette is a paper remaining amount detection device of a paper feed cassette mounted on a main body such as a printer using a transfer photograph method, wherein the first, second and third actuators 42, the paper detection sensor 40, the paper remaining amount detection are detected. It comprises a sensor 44, a control part 64, etc. The first actuator 34 is formed to pass through a hole 20 formed in a predetermined size on one surface of the paper plate 18 for supporting the paper fed inside the paper feed cassette. The first actuator 34 is fixed to a hinge shaft 32 coupled to the inside of the main body and rotated in conjunction with the hinge shaft 32, and positioned above the hole 20 and rotated about the hinge shaft 32. It consists of the other end where the projection 36 passing through 20 is formed. The second actuator 38 includes one end fixedly coupled to the hinge shaft 32 and rotated, and the other end extending from the one end and rotating about the hinge shaft 32 to pass through the paper detection sensor 40. The third actuator 42 has one end fixedly coupled to the rod 46 slidingly coupled to the side of the second actuator 38 and the other end extending from the one end and passing through the paper remaining amount detection sensor 44 in conjunction with the movement of the second actuator 38. And spaced apart from the second actuator 38 by a predetermined distance. The controller 64 generates an output control signal for lighting a predetermined indicator in response to the output values of the sensors. The paper detection sensor 40 and the paper remaining amount detection sensor 44 are optical sensors including photo transistors 54 and 58 and light emitting diodes 52 and 56, respectively. The indicators are a first indicator 60 for warning the remaining amount of paper and a second indicator 62 for warning the presence of paper, and each of the indicators 60, 62 is a light emitting diode.

An operation of the paper remaining amount detection device of the paper feed cassette according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, as shown in FIG. 3A, when there is no paper on the paper plate 18, the projection 36 of the first actuator 34 passes through the hole 20 formed in the paper plate 18. By driving the first actuator 34, the second actuator 38 and the third actuator 42 pass through the paper detection sensor 40 and the paper remaining amount detection sensor 44, respectively. At this time, light transmitted to each of the phototransistors 54 and 58 from the light emitting diodes 52 and 56 constituting the paper detection sensor 40 and the paper remaining amount detection sensor 44 is blocked, and the paper detection sensor 40 and the paper remaining amount detection sensor 44 are turned off. Is off. In response to the low level signals output from the respective sensors, the controller 64 generates an output control signal such that the first indicator 60 and the second indicator 62 are turned on.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the projection 36 of the first actuator 34 is placed on the surface of the paper 50 fixed on the paper plate 18 in a state where a predetermined amount of paper 50 is detected on the paper plate 18. The third actuator 42 is spaced apart from the paper detection sensor 40 by the upward driving of the first actuator 34, and the third actuator 42 passes through the paper remaining amount detection sensor 44. At this time, the paper detection sensor 40 maintains a turn-on state, and light transmitted from the light emitting diode 56 constituting the paper remaining amount detection sensor 44 to the phototransistor 58 is blocked, and the paper remaining amount detection sensor 44 is turned off. In response to the low level signal output from the paper remaining amount detection sensor 44, the controller 64 generates an output control signal such that the first indicator 60 is turned on.

As shown in FIG. 3C, the projection 36 of the first actuator 34 is placed on the surface of the paper 50 fixed on the paper plate 18 in the state in which a plurality of sheets of paper 50 are fixed on the paper plate 18. The first actuator 34 is driven slightly upward than the position shown in FIG. 3B, and the second actuator 38 and the third actuator 42 are spaced apart from the paper detection sensor 40 and the paper remaining amount detection sensor 44, respectively. At this time, light is transmitted from the light emitting diode 56 constituting the paper remaining amount detection sensor 44 to the photo transistor 58, and the paper detection sensor 40 and the paper remaining amount detection sensor 44 are turned on. According to the high level signal output from each of the sensors, the controller 64 generates an output control signal such that the first indicator 60 and the second indicator 62 are turned off.

As described above, in the apparatus for detecting the remaining amount of paper in the paper cassette according to the embodiment of the present invention, the third actuator 42 sends a signal to the controller 64 when about 30 sheets of paper remain. Here, the thickness of one sheet of paper is about 0.08 mm to 0,12 mm and an average of 0.1 mm assuming that the paper is placed on the paper plate 18. Therefore, there is a difference of 3 mm when there is no paper and when there are 30 sheets. Also, if there is no paper, the first actuator 34 recognizes that there is no recording paper when it completely falls into the hole 20 of the paper cassette paper plate 18, so the third actuator 42 turns on the remaining paper detection sensor 44 before the second actuator 38. The third actuator 42 may be in a position to turn on the paper remaining amount detection sensor 44 when the actuator 34 moves 3 mm. In addition, there is a sliding groove 48 on the side of the second actuator 38 so that even if the third actuator 42 contacts the paper remaining amount detection sensor 44 first, if there is no paper, it slides to the rear of the sliding groove 48 so as not to disturb the movement of the second actuator 38. Do it.

As described above, the position at which the third actuator 42 turns on the remaining paper detection sensor 44 is determined according to the distance that the first actuator 34 moves 3 mm (30 sheets x 0.1 mm), and the user is informed that a certain number of sheets remain. You will be informed.

As described above, the paper remaining amount detection device of the paper cassette according to the embodiment of the present invention stops printing in the middle because no paper is fed when a plurality of sheets are frequently used in a paper feeder such as a printer using a transfer photograph method. There is an effect that can warn the user to determine how much paper is left to prevent the case in advance.

Claims (3)

In the paper remaining amount detection device of the paper feed cassette attached to a main body such as a printer using a transfer photograph method, A paper plate for supporting the paper fed inside the paper feed cassette; Holes formed in a predetermined size on one surface of the paper plate, One end is fixed to the hinge shaft coupled to the inside of the main body is rotated in conjunction with the hinge axis, and the other end is located on the upper portion of the hole is rotated about the hinge axis is formed as a projection passing through the hole is formed The first actuator, A second actuator configured to be fixedly coupled to the hinge shaft and rotated, the second actuator being extended from the one end and rotated about the hinge shaft to pass through a paper detection sensor; One end fixedly coupled to the rod slidingly coupled to the side of the second actuator, and the other end extending from the one end and passing through the paper remaining amount detection sensor in association with the movement of the second actuator, and having a constant distance from the second actuator. A third actuator spaced apart from And a control unit for generating an output control signal for turning on a predetermined indicator light in response to the output values of the sensors. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the paper detection sensor and the paper remaining amount detection sensor are optical sensors each comprising a photo transistor and a light emitting diode. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indicator is a first indicator for warning the remaining amount of paper and a second indicator for warning the presence of paper, and each of said indicators is a light emitting diode.

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