JP3528472B2 - Sensor device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is particularly applicable to copiers,
The present invention relates to a mounting structure of each member of a feeler type sensor device applied to a paper feed cassette or the like equipped in an image recording device or the like having both a facsimile function and a copying function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a copying machine or an image recording apparatus having both a facsimile function and a copying function is equipped with a paper feed cassette having a structure for feeding one by one from stacked recording papers. However, in this paper feed cassette, in order to detect the presence / absence of paper in the paper feed cassette, or to recognize the transport drive timing of the subsequent recording paper transport process, the presence / absence of paper jam, etc. Therefore, it is known that a feeler type sensor device is applied. This is a structure in which the movement of the feeler due to the contact of the paper is detected by the photoelectric unit.

[0003]

However, in the conventional feeler type sensor device, since both ends of the sensor substrate on which the photoelectric section is mounted are screwed to the sensor mounting portion, there is a problem that the number of mounting steps and cost are increased. It was Therefore, it is also possible to screw only one end of the sensor substrate to the sensor mounting portion, but in this case, there is a problem that the sensor substrate is bent and a detection error occurs. Further, the process of pivotally supporting the feeler shaft (the feeler swinging fulcrum shaft integrally provided on the feeler) on the sensor mounting portion has been complicated.

[0004]

The present invention uses the following means in order to solve the above-mentioned problems relating to the feeler type sensor device. That is, the sensor mounting part
The sensor board with the photoelectric unit mounted on the material and the feeler.
In a sensor device integrally assembled, the sensor
A lateral groove is formed on one surface of the opposing surface of the mounting member and extends downward from the lateral groove.
And a vertical groove to be projected, and the other surface is opposed to the lower end of the vertical groove.
Shaft hole at the position where the feeler is integrated
One end of the feeler shaft provided in the shape of
Position at the lower end of the vertical groove and fit the other end into the shaft hole
The sensor mounting member is pivotally supported by the
The sensor substrate is fitted with one end of the sensor substrate into the lateral groove,
The photoelectric section is positioned by being positioned with respect to the mounting member.
The upper end of the feeler in the notch formed in it.
It can be inserted by turning and the upward movement of the feeler can be suppressed.
It is placed in a position to stop .

Further, Oite to the sensor device, the sensor
By screwing the other end of the substrate to the sensor mounting member,
The sensor substrate is fixed to the sensor mounting member .

Further, this sensor device is provided with a recording paper feed cover.
It is detachably attached to the upper frame plate of the set .

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 is an assembled perspective view of a feeler type sensor device, FIG. 2 is a front sectional view showing the same mounting process of the feeler, FIG. 3 is a schematic side view showing a detected state and a non-detected state of the feeler 4, and FIG. 4 is an image recording device. 5 is an overall perspective view of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a recording paper feeding cassette.

The assembly structure of the feeler type sensor device S according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The components are a sensor mounting member (sensor mounting portion) 1, a sensor substrate 2 on which the photoelectric portion 3 is mounted, a feeler 4, and a screw 5. First, the configuration of the sensor mounting member 1 will be described.
The metal plate is bent to form a horizontal surface portion A for mounting the board, vertical surface portions B and C for the feeler shaft support, a horizontal surface portion D for installation, etc. The horizontal surface portion A for mounting the substrate is a surface on which the sensor substrate 2 is mounted. Thus, the cutout portion 1a, the screw hole 1b, and the positioning protrusion 1c are provided. A hole 1d is formed in the vertical surface portion B for the feeler shaft support, and a T-shaped groove connecting the lateral groove 1e and the vertical groove 1f is provided in the vertical surface portion C for the feeler shaft support on the opposite side. ing. Furthermore, the horizontal surface D for installation
A screw hole 1g and positioning holes 1h and 1i are formed in this.

The feeler 4 is integrally formed with a feeler shaft 4a, which is a swinging fulcrum shaft of the feeler 4, on both sides so as to swing each time the feeler 4 directly touches the object.
One end is 4b and the other end is 4c. When attaching to the sensor mounting member 1, first, as shown by X in FIG. 2, the end portion 4b is inserted downward from above the sensor mounting member 1 through the cutout portion 1a, and the end portion 4b is inserted into the hole 1d. insert. This end 4
Using b as a fulcrum of rotation, the end 4c is inserted into the vertical groove 1f and lowered downward, and finally the end 4c is pivotally supported by the lower end of the vertical groove 1f as indicated by Y in FIG. . The end 4c
Before inserting the groove into the vertical groove 1f, the end 4b is not always inserted into the hole 1d.
Does not have to be inserted, and while sliding the end 4c downward in the vertical groove 1f or after lowering it to the lower end,
The end 4b may be fitted and axially supported in the hole 1d.

Although the feeler 4 pivotally supported in this manner has its end 4b fitted into the hole 1d and fixed in position,
The end 4c is vertically slidable in the vertical groove 1f. Therefore, if it is left as it is, the feeler 4 may vibrate up and down, resulting in a detection error.
This is suppressed by the photoelectric section 3 and will be described in detail later.

The sensor substrate 2 is attached from above the feeler 4 to the sensor mounting member 1 which pivotally supports the feeler 4 in this manner. First, one end of the sensor substrate 2 is inserted into the lateral groove 1e of the sensor mounting member 1. A screw hole 2a and a positioning hole 2b are formed in the sensor substrate 2, and when one end is inserted and the positioning protrusion 1c of the sensor mounting member 1 is fitted in the positioning hole 2c, the positioning is performed, and the screw hole 2a and the screw hole 2b. 1b matches. Therefore, the screw 5 is screwed into the screw holes 2a and 1b, and the sensor substrate 2 is screwed to the horizontal surface portion of the sensor mounting member 1. In this way, the screwing of the sensor substrate 2 to the sensor mounting member 1 is performed only at one place, and while the screwing process can be reduced,
Even if there is only one screw stop, the end portion on the opposite side is fitted into the lateral groove 1e and is restrained, so that the sensor substrate 2 does not warp.

The photoelectric section 3 is mounted on the lower surface of the sensor substrate 2 thus mounted, and the photoelectric section 3 is vertically provided downward through the notch 1a of the sensor mounting member 1. The portion 3 is provided with a cutout portion 3a, one side of which serves as a light projecting portion and the other side of which serves as a light receiving portion, and an optical path is formed across the cutout portion 3a. L in FIG. 3 is a cross section of this optical path. The head of the feeler 4, which is axially supported below the notch 3a, is fitted into the notch 3a. When the paper does not hit the feeler 4, the lower end of the feeler 4 is lowered by its own weight as in the state α in FIG. 3, and the head of the feeler 4 fits into the notch 3a, The optical path in the photoelectric section 3 is blocked, and the presence of paper is not detected by this sensor device. When the paper P contacts the lower end of the feeler 4 as shown in FIG. 3 and pushes up the lower end of the feeler 4, the head of the feeler 4 moves to the feeler shaft 4 as indicated by β in FIG.
On the contrary, a is used as a swing fulcrum shaft to turn downward, and the cutout 3a
Lower position. Thus, in the photoelectric section 3, the light from the light projecting section reaches the light receiving section through the cutout section 3a, and the presence of paper is detected.

As an application example of the feeler type sensor device S constructed as described above, an application example of the image recording apparatus to a recording paper feeding cassette will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8. First, the configuration of the cassette unit 6 will be described. The cassette unit 6 has a recording paper feed cassette 6A inserted in a cassette unit main body 6B.
The illustrated sheet feeding cassette 6 shows a state in which the recording sheet feeding cassette 6A is inserted into the cassette unit body 6B, and FIG. 7 shows a state in which the recording sheet feeding cassette 6A is removed from the cassette unit body 6B. In the recording paper feed cassette 6A, a pivotal support portion 7a of the recording paper push-up plate 7 is pivotally supported on the front and rear inner surfaces of the recording paper feed cassette 6A, and the recording paper push-up plate 7 is attached so as to be vertically rotatable. As shown in FIG. 8, a spring 8 is interposed between the lower surface of the recording paper feeding cassette 6A and the recording paper feeding cassette 6A to urge the rotation side end of the recording paper pushing up plate 7 upward. Further, a vertical guide member 9 is erected on the bottom of the recording paper push-up plate 7 so as to extend along the end of the recording paper feed cassette 6A which is pivotally supported on the bottom of the recording paper feed cassette 6A. It is slidable in accordance with the length of the recording paper placed on the push-up plate 7.

Before and after the recording paper push-up plate 7, a paper width which is a vertical plate so as to come into contact with the front and rear edges (both side edges when viewed from the recording paper) of the recording paper placed on the recording paper push-up plate 7. The guide plates 10 and 10 are erected. On the bottom surface of the recording paper feeding cassette 6A, there are formed some positioning grooves 6a for inserting the lower end of the paper width guide plate 10, and any positioning according to the standard size of the recording paper is performed. The lower end of the paper width guide plate 10 is inserted into the groove 6a to stand upright,
・ The space between 10 is adjusted to the paper width. Further, the upward movement of the rotation end of the recording paper push-up plate 7 is regulated by suppressing both corners thereof by the claw members 10a, 10a laid on the end of the paper width guide plate 10. The uppermost corners of the recording paper accumulated on the recording paper push-up plate 7 are also attached to the claw members 10a.
・ Suppressed at 10a.

The recording paper feeding cassette 6 having the above-mentioned structure
By mounting A in the cassette unit body 6B, the cassette unit 6 capable of feeding recording sheets one by one is completed.
An upper frame plate 11 arranged above the recording paper push-up plate 7 of the attached recording paper feed cassette 6A is arranged in the cassette unit body 6B, and the upper position of the rotation-side end of the recording paper push-up plate 7 is provided. A pickup roller shaft 12a is provided around the pickup roller shaft 12a. Also,
A paper feed guide surface 6b is formed in an inclined shape in a front view on the recording paper carry-out side from the upper frame plate 11, and paper feed rollers 16 and 17 are arranged in the middle thereof. A gear mechanism G is provided between both ends of the roller shaft (paper feed roller shaft 16a) of the paper feed roller 16 and both ends of the pickup roller shaft 12a.
When is attached to the bottom of the device body 18, the gear transmission mechanism in the device body 18 meshes with the gear attached to the paper feed roller shaft 16a, and the paper feed roller shaft 16a is transmitted by the drive device in the device body 18, It is transmitted to the pickup roller shaft 12a via the gear mechanism G. Therefore, the rotation of the pickup roller 12 and the rotation of the paper feed rollers 16 and 17 are synchronized. However, the rotation of the pickup roller 12 is controlled to one rotation by the one-rotation clutch 13 described later.

Further, a transport controller E is formed in one portion of the cassette unit body 6B, and a one-rotation clutch 13 is attached to one end of the pickup roller shaft 12a. For the transmission from the paper feed roller shaft 16a through the gear mechanism G, the pickup roller shaft 1
The 2a makes one rotation under the control of the one-rotation clutch 13, and during the one rotation, the pickup roller 12 is pressed against the uppermost sheet of the recording paper stacked on the recording paper push-up plate 7. Since the frictional force between the pickup roller 12 and the recording paper exceeds the frictional force between the recording papers, the uppermost one sheet is pushed out, and both corners thereof are further pushed out of the claw members 10a, 10a. The recording paper pushed out by the pickup roller 12 along the paper feed guide surface 6b passes between the rotating paper feed rollers 16 and 17, and is fed upward.

In the present embodiment, the feeler type sensor S is mainly used for detecting the presence / absence of the recording paper, and is therefore disposed immediately in front of the pickup roller shaft 12a (upstream side of conveyance). If the main purpose is to detect paper passing (paper jam), the downstream side of the pickup roller shaft 12a is preferable. Further, when the purpose is to synchronize with the recording unit H to be described later (for example, the photosensitive drum 24 of the recording unit H starts to rotate in a few seconds after the paper is fed), the recording sheet of the device main unit 18 will be described later. It may be arranged on the transport path F or the like. The mounting structure of the feeler type sensor S in this embodiment will be described. The upper frame plate 1 of the cassette unit body 6B.
1, a feeler insertion hole 11a for inserting the feeler portion of the feeler type sensor S is formed in front of the pickup roller shaft 12a, and screw holes 11b and positioning protrusions 11c and 11d are provided in the vicinity thereof. Is provided. In the feeler type sensor S, the feeler 4 and the vertical surface portion B / C for the feeler shaft support are fitted into the feeler fitting hole 11a from above with the feeler 4 facing down and the sensor substrate S facing up. Then, the positioning projections 11c are provided in the positioning holes 1h and 1i of the horizontal installation surface D.
・ 11d is inserted and positioned, and screws are screwed into the screw holes 1g and 11b to be fixed. A transfer controller 14 is provided in the transfer controller E, and the harness 1 is provided between the sensor substrate 2 and the transfer controller 14.
5 is connected to convert the light passing state into an electric signal by the photoelectric unit 3 and input it to the transport controller 14. Based on this input, the one-rotation clutch 13 is controlled, and further, the inside of the device main body 18 is controlled. Control of the paper feed transmission device and alarm device is performed.

The feeler 4 thus attached is
The recording paper feed cassette 6A below the upper frame plate 11 faces the recording paper push-up plate 7, and the recording paper push-up plate 7 is provided at a portion corresponding to the feeler 4 as shown in FIG. A cutout 7b is provided. When there is a recording sheet on the recording sheet push-up plate 7, the feeler 4 is in contact with the recording sheet pushing plate 7, and is in the state β in FIG. 3, that is, the detection state. Then, when the recording paper is removed from above the recording paper push-up plate 7, the feeler 4 rotates by its own weight and falls into the notch 7b, and becomes the state of α in FIG. 3, that is, the non-detection state. At this time, an output signal is issued from the transport controller 14 so as to stop the recording sheet transport control means and the like and issue an alarm regarding replenishment of the recording sheet later.

Finally, the image recording apparatus shown in FIGS. 5 to 8 as an object to which the cassette unit 6 is attached will be described. The cassette unit 6 can be attached to the bottom of the apparatus body 18 of the image recording apparatus as shown in FIG. 5 and the like.
Inside, a recording paper conveyance path F is formed upward from the upper end of the paper feed guide surface 6b of the cassette unit 6. The recording paper feed path F also communicates with a recording paper manual feed tray 19 formed at the bottom of the image recording apparatus, and the recording paper is stacked on the recording paper manual feed tray 19 or is filled in the cassette unit 6. Either of them is selected and transferred to the recording paper conveyance path F.

A recording portion H is formed along the recording paper conveyance path F. That is, the transfer roller 20 and the fixing device 21 are arranged on the recording paper conveyance path F, and the laser unit 22 is arranged. And
A toner cassette 23 and a photosensitive drum 24 are removably arranged. The photoconductor drum 24 is disposed so as to be in pressure contact with the transfer roller 20 (specifically, the transfer roller 20).
The recording paper passes between the photosensitive drum 24 and the photosensitive drum 24. ), And the toner cassette 23 is arranged so that toner adheres to the surface of the photosensitive drum 24. The recording on the recording paper will be described. The laser unit 22 irradiates the surface of the photosensitive drum 24 with laser light based on an electric signal of a document image stored in a document reading unit J described later or a signal by facsimile reception. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photoconductor drum 24, toner is attached to the electrostatic latent image, and when the recording paper passes between the photoconductor drum 24 and the transfer roller 20, the photoconductor drum 24 The toner adhered on the surface adheres to the recording paper. Further, the recording paper is conveyed and heated when passing through the fixing device 21, so that the adhered toner is fixed on the recording paper. In this way, recording is performed on the recording paper, and the recorded recording paper is discharged to the recorded recording paper discharge tray 25 arranged at the top of the apparatus main body 18.

In a front view, the recorded recording paper discharge tray 2
Reference numeral 5 also serves as a part of the original document transport cover portion 18a formed on the upper part of the apparatus main body 18, and the original document transport cover portion 18a
As shown in FIG. 8, an automatic document feeding unit I forming an inverted U-shaped document feeding path is internally provided therein. A document supply port is formed on the upper side and a document discharge port is formed on the lower side on the outer right side of the document transport cover portion 18a, and a document supply tray 26 is attached to the document supply port in a slanted shape in a front view. In the apparatus main body 18, a document transport cover portion 18a
An image reading cover portion 18b is provided under the image reading cover portion 18b, and a document discharge tray 27 is attached to the right outer side portion of the image reading cover portion 18b in a substantially horizontal shape in a front view. The inside of the image reading cover portion 18b corresponds to the lower side of the automatic document feeding unit I disposed inside the document feeding cover portion 18a, and an image reading portion J including an optical system image reading device is formed here. In this case, the image of the document conveyed by the automatic document conveying unit I is optically read and converted into an electric signal.

[0022]

The present invention has the following effects in the sensor device having the above-mentioned configuration. First, the feeler is constituted by the construction as set forth in claim 1.
-Simplifies the mounting process of the shaft to the sensor mounting member, and
The feeler's upward movement regulation does not require any special member.
It can be realized, and after the detection that occurs when the feeler moves up
You can avoid it .

Further, according to a second aspect of the present invention , the sensor substrate
The screw is attached to the mounting member only once
Therefore, the process can be reduced and the cost can be reduced. Also screwed
Even if the position is only on one end, the other end is on the side of the sensor mounting member.
Both ends of the sensor are locked by fitting and locking in the groove.
It is fixed to the mounting member and does not warp .

By applying such a feeler type sensor device to a recording paper sheet feeding cassette as claimed in claim 3, there is no detection error and the recording paper has a simple and low cost feeler type sensor device. A paper feed cassette can be provided, which helps reduce the number of assembly steps and cost of the recording paper feed cassette itself.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an assembled perspective view of a feeler type sensor device S according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the feeler type sensor device S showing a detected state and a non-detected state of the feeler 4.

4 is a perspective view showing an assembling process of a feeler type sensor device S to a cassette unit 6. FIG.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the image recording apparatus in which the cassette unit 6 is mounted.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the image recording apparatus in a state where the cassette unit 6 in which the feeler type sensor device S of the present invention is mounted is removed.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cassette unit 6 with a recording paper feed cassette 6B removed from the cassette unit body 6A.

FIG. 8 is a front cross-sectional view of the image recording apparatus in which the cassette unit 6 is mounted.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Sensor mounting member 1a Notch 1b screw hole 1c Positioning protrusion 1d hole 1e Lateral groove 1f vertical groove A Horizontal surface for board mounting B Feeler Vertical support for shaft support C Feeler shaft support vertical surface D Horizontal plane for installation 2 sensor board 2a screw hole 2b Positioning hole 3 Photoelectric part 3a Notch 4 feelers 4a Feeler shaft 4b end 4c end 5 screws 6 cassette units 6A recording paper feed cassette 6B cassette unit body

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A sensor mounting member having a photoelectric section mounted thereon.
Sensor board and feeler are integrally assembled.
Sensor device, one surface of opposite sides of the sensor mounting member
A horizontal groove and a vertical groove extending below the horizontal groove, and
A shaft hole is formed in the surface at a position facing the lower end of the vertical groove,
The feeler is a feeler integrally provided on the feeler.
Position one end of the shaft at the lower end of the vertical groove by fitting it into the vertical groove
The other end into the shaft hole to attach the sensor
The sensor substrate is pivotally supported by a member, and one end of the sensor substrate is
Positioning with respect to the sensor mounting member by fitting in the lateral groove
The optoelectronic part in the notch formed in the
The upper end of the feeler can be inserted into the
Further , the sensor device is arranged at a position that suppresses upward movement of the feeler . Wherein Oite the sensor device according to claim 1, before
Screw the other end of the sensor board to the sensor mounting member.
The sensor device is characterized in that the sensor substrate is fixed to the sensor mounting member by . 3. The sensor device according to claim 1 or 2,
Removably attached to the upper frame plate of the recording paper feed cassette
A sensor device characterized by being struck .