JP6477931B2 - Sheet supply apparatus and image forming apparatus having the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet supply apparatus suitably used for a copying machine, a printer, and the like and an image forming apparatus including the sheet supply apparatus.

  An image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer includes a tray for setting paper. On the tray, a pair of width alignment cursors for aligning the width of the paper is provided. The pair of width alignment cursors are configured to move evenly from the center in the width direction in conjunction with each other.

  For example, the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes a pair of width alignment cursors each having a disk-like driven rotating body that rotates along the sheet conveyance direction. A compression spring is disposed between the inner surface of the width alignment cursor and the member that supports the driven rotating body. The driven rotator swings in the width direction due to the balance between the biasing force of the compression spring and the resistance of the sheet to be aligned, and suppresses the skew of the sheet.

JP 2006-240857 A

  However, the pair of width alignment cursors (guide members) described in Patent Document 1 move away from each other when, for example, a load received from the paper increases. For this reason, it was not possible to prevent the skew of the paper. Here, if the movement resistance (movement load) of each width alignment cursor is increased, the skew of the sheet can be suppressed. However, since a large force is required to move the width alignment cursor, the operability when setting paper on the tray has deteriorated.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a sheet supply device that maintains good operability of the guide member and suppresses the skew of the conveyed sheet, and an image forming apparatus including the sheet supply device.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, a sheet feeding apparatus according to the present invention includes a tray on which a sheet is placed, a guide member provided in the tray so as to be movable in the width direction of the sheet perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction, A lock member provided below the guide member in the tray and provided so as to be engageable with the guide member, and a biasing member provided below the lock member and biasing the lock member upward And the tray rises from the upper surface of the tray to enable conveyance of the sheet, and a retreat position that descends from the conveyance position and stops conveying the sheet. The plate includes a plate that can be moved up and down, and the plate and the lock member can be moved up and down independently, and the lock member moves the plate to the transport position. In a state where the guide member is engaged, the movement of the guide member is restricted, and in a state where the plate is moved to the retracted position, the engagement with the guide member is released to move the guide member. In a state where the plate is moved to the retracted position, the urging member raises the lock member to a position where the lock member is engaged with the guide member, and then further raises the lock member. Is raised to the transfer position.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, the sheet feeding device of the present invention includes a transport roller that transports a sheet, a tray on which the sheet is placed, and a width of the sheet that is orthogonal to the transport direction of the sheet in the tray. A guide member provided to be movable in a direction, a lock member provided below the guide member in the tray, and provided to be engageable with the guide member, provided below the lock member, A biasing member that biases the lock member upward, and the tray is lifted from the upper surface of the tray and transported to bring the downstream side of the sheet into contact with the transporting roller, and lowered from the transporting position. And a plate provided so as to be movable up and down between a retracted position for separating the downstream side of the sheet from the conveying roller, and the plate and the lock member Are provided so that they can be moved up and down independently, and the lock member is engaged with the guide member to regulate the movement of the guide member in a state where the plate is moved to the transport position, and the plate is retracted. In the state where it is moved to the position, the engagement with the guide member is released to allow the movement of the guide member, and in the state where the plate is moved to the retracted position, the biasing member moves the lock member to the position described above. After raising the position to engage with the guide member, the plate is raised to the transport position by further raising the lock member.

  In this case, the guide member has a first rack portion in which a plurality of teeth are arranged along the width direction of the sheet, and the lock member has a plurality of teeth arranged along the width direction of the sheet. It is preferable to have the 2nd rack part formed so that engagement to 1 rack part is possible.

  In this case, the guide member includes a pair of cursors provided on the plate so as to face each other in the width direction of the sheet, and an interlocking connection mechanism that moves the pair of cursors in the width direction of the sheet by interlocking with each other. The interlocking coupling mechanism is sandwiched between the pair of interlocking rack members and a pair of interlocking rack members that extend from the pair of cursors and are provided facing the sheet conveyance direction. A pinion gear meshing with interlocking rack teeth formed on the pair of interlocking rack members, and the pitch of the teeth of the first rack portion and the second rack portion is set smaller than the pitch of the interlocking rack teeth. It is preferable that

  In this case, the first rack portion is formed on the lower surface of the interlocking rack member on the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction of the pair of interlocking rack members, and the lock member is provided on the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction. It is preferable that a contact portion that contacts the lower surface of the plate is provided downstream of the first rack portion in the sheet conveyance direction.

  In this case, it is preferable that the plate and the lock member are provided so as to be rotatable about the same axis set at the upstream end portion in the conveyance direction of the sheet.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus of the present invention includes any one of the above sheet supply apparatuses.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to maintain good operability of the guide member and to suppress the skew of the conveyed sheet.

1 is a front view schematically showing an internal structure of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the sheet supply apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is III-III sectional drawing of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the guide member of the sheet supply apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows a part of guide member of the sheet supply apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the locking member of the sheet supply apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a part of a guide member and a lock member of the sheet supply apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing explaining the effect | action of the sheet supply apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, Comprising: The process which enables conveyance of a sheet | seat is shown. It is sectional drawing explaining the effect | action of the sheet supply apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, Comprising: The state which enabled conveyance of the sheet | seat is shown.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the directions shown in the drawings are used as a reference.

  With reference to FIG. 1, an overall configuration of a printer 1 as an image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing the internal structure of the printer 1.

  The printer 1 includes an apparatus main body 2, a paper feed cassette 3, and a paper discharge tray 4. The apparatus main body 2 is formed in a substantially box shape. The paper feed cassette 3 is detachably provided at the lower part of the apparatus main body 2. The paper discharge tray 4 is provided in the upper part of the apparatus main body 2.

  In addition, the printer 1 is configured to include a paper feeding unit 10, an image forming unit 11, a fixing device 12, and a control device 13 inside the apparatus main body 2. The sheet feeding unit 10 is provided in the vicinity of the sheet feeding cassette 3 in order to supply the sheet S in the sheet feeding cassette 3 to the conveyance path 14. The image forming unit 11 is provided at the approximate center in the vertical direction in the apparatus main body 2. The fixing device 12 is provided on the downstream side of the conveyance path 14. The control device 13 is provided for overall control of each component of the printer 1. The sheet S stored in the paper feed cassette 3 is not limited to paper, but may be a resin film, an OHP sheet, or the like.

  The image forming unit 11 includes a toner container 20, a drum unit 21, and an exposure device 22. The toner container 20 contains, for example, black (K) toner (developer). The drum unit 21 is provided in an intermediate portion of the transport path 14. The exposure device 22 emits scanning light toward the drum unit 21 (photosensitive drum 23).

  The drum unit 21 includes a photosensitive drum 23, a charging device 24, a developing device 25, a transfer roller 26, and a cleaning device 27. The photosensitive drum 23 is supported so as to be rotatable around an axis. The charging device 24, the developing device 25, the transfer roller 26, and the cleaning device 27 are arranged around the photosensitive drum 23 in the order of the transfer process. A nip N is formed between the photosensitive drum 23 and the transfer roller 26.

  In the transport path 14, a registration roller pair 28 is provided on the upstream side of the nip portion N. The registration roller pair 28 is provided to temporarily block the sheet S conveyed on the conveyance path 14 and to align the leading end position (so-called skew correction).

  A concave portion 2 a that supports the sheet supply device 5 is provided on the right side surface of the apparatus main body 2. The sheet supply device 5 is provided to supply the set sheet S to the manual feed path 15. The manual conveyance path 15 joins the conveyance path 14 between the paper feeding unit 10 and the registration roller pair 28. A conveyance roller 29 is supported at the upstream end of the manual conveyance path 15 so as to be rotatable about an axis. The transport roller 29 is disposed on the upper surface side of the manual transport path 15 and is rotationally driven by a drive source (not shown). The sheet S set in the sheet feeding device 5 is sent to the manual conveyance path 15 by the rotating conveyance roller 29. The sheet S is supplied from the manual conveyance path 15 to the nip portion N through the conveyance path 14.

  Here, the operation of the printer 1 will be described. The control device 13 of the printer 1 executes image forming processing as follows based on the input image data.

  The charging device 24 charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 23. The exposure unit 22 performs exposure corresponding to the image data (see the broken line arrow in FIG. 1) toward the photosensitive drum 23. Thereby, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 23. The developing device 25 develops the electrostatic latent image into a toner image using toner. As a result, the toner image is carried on the surface of the photosensitive drum 23.

  On the other hand, the sheet S supplied from the paper feed cassette 3 or the sheet supply device 5 is transported through the transport path 14 and passes through the nip portion N. The toner image is transferred to the sheet S by the transfer roller 26 to which a transfer bias is applied. The fixing device 12 fixes the toner image on the sheet S. The sheet S after the fixing process is discharged to the paper discharge tray 4. The cleaning device 27 removes the toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 23 after the transfer.

  Next, the sheet supply apparatus 5 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sheet feeding device 5. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the guide member 31. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a part of the guide member 31. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the lock member 32. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a part of the guide member 31 and the lock member 32. In the following description, the term “conveying direction” refers to the conveying direction of the sheet S, and the term “width direction” refers to the width direction of the sheet S perpendicular to the conveying direction (see FIG. 2). . The terms “upstream” and “downstream” and similar terms refer to “upstream” and “downstream” in the transport direction and similar concepts.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the sheet supply device 5 includes a manual feed tray 30 (tray), a guide member 31, a lock member 32, and an elevating device 33. The manual feed tray 30 is provided for placing the sheet S thereon. The guide member 31 is provided to align the sheet S placed on the manual feed tray 30. The lock member 32 is provided below the guide member 31 in the manual feed tray 30. The elevating device 33 is provided to elevate and lower the lock member 32.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the manual feed tray 30 is formed in a hollow, substantially rectangular thick plate shape. On the downstream side (left end portion) of the manual feed tray 30, a pair of rotating shafts 30a project outward from both side surfaces in the width direction (front-rear direction). Each rotary shaft 30a is pivotally supported by a bearing portion (not shown) formed in the recess 2a of the apparatus body 2 (see FIG. 1). The manual feed tray 30 is supported by the apparatus main body 2 so as to rotate about each rotation shaft 30a. The manual feed tray 30 is accommodated in the recess 2a to form substantially the same plane as the right side surface of the apparatus main body 2 (see FIG. 1). On the other hand, the manual feed tray 30 is rotated outward and has a posture (hereinafter also referred to as “manual feed posture”) that extends obliquely upward to the right from the recess 2a (see FIG. 3). By setting the manual feed tray 30 to the manual feed posture, the sheet S can be placed on the manual feed tray 30. Hereinafter, a description will be given based on the state where the manual feed tray 30 is in the manual feed posture.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a sheet placement surface 35 for placing the sheet S is formed on the upper surface of the manual feed tray 30. A plate recess 35 a is formed on the downstream side (left side) of the sheet placement surface 35. A lift plate 36 (plate) is disposed in the plate recess 35a. The lift plate 36 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape in plan view. A pair of rotating shafts 36a project outwardly from both sides in the width direction at the upstream end (right end) of the lift plate 36 (see FIG. 2). Each rotary shaft 36a is pivotally supported by a bearing portion (not shown) formed in the plate recess 35a. The lift plate 36 is supported by the manual feed tray 30 so as to rotate about each rotation shaft 36a.

  As will be described in detail later, the lift plate 36 includes a transport position P1 (see FIG. 9) spaced upward from the upper surface of the manual feed tray 30 and a retreat position P2 along the upper surface (sheet placement surface 35) of the manual feed tray 30 (see FIG. 9). 3) and can be moved up and down. In a state where the lift plate 36 is displaced to the retracted position P2, the upper surface of the lift plate 36 forms a substantially same plane as the sheet placement surface 35. The sheet S is placed in a range from the upper surface of the lift plate 36 to the sheet placement surface 35 (see FIG. 2). The lift plate 36 moves up to the transport position P <b> 1 to bring the downstream side of the sheet S into contact with the transport roller 29. On the other hand, the lift plate 36 descends to the retracted position P <b> 2 to separate the downstream side of the sheet S downward from the transport roller 29.

  A rubber pad 36 b is provided at the center in the width direction of the downstream end of the lift plate 36. The lift plate 36 is formed with guide grooves 37 extending in the front-rear direction (width direction) (see FIG. 2). A guide member 31 is provided in the guide groove 37 so as to be movable in the width direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the guide member 31 has a pair of front and rear cursors 40 </ b> F and 40 </ b> R and an interlocking connection mechanism 45. The pair of cursors 40F and 40R are provided on the lift plate 36 so as to face each other in the width direction. The interlocking connection mechanism 45 is disposed below the lift plate 36 (in the plate recess 35a). That is, the guide member 31 is configured to move up and down together with the lift plate 36.

  The pair of cursors 40F and 40R have sliding portions 41F and 41R and cursor bodies 42F and 42R, respectively. Each sliding portion 41F, 41R is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape in plan view, and is disposed on the lift plate 36. Sliding projections 411F and 411R that are slidably fitted into the guide grooves 37 project from the lower surfaces of the sliding portions 41F and 41R (see FIG. 4). Each cursor body 42F, 42R is formed in a substantially trapezoidal plate shape extending in the transport direction in a side view. The cursor bodies 42F and 42R are erected on both front and rear outer ends of the sliding portions 41F and 41R. That is, the pair of cursors 40F, 40R are integrally formed so as to be substantially L-shaped in a side view so as to be symmetrical in the front-rear direction. Note that document holding portions 421F and 421R extend inward in the width direction at the upper downstream side of the cursor bodies 42F and 42R.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the interlocking connection mechanism 45 includes a pair of front and rear interlocking rack members 46 </ b> F and 46 </ b> R and a pinion gear 47. The interlocking connection mechanism 45 is provided in order to move the pair of cursors 40F and 40R evenly from the center in the width direction by interlocking with each other.

  The pair of interlocking rack members 46F and 46R are formed integrally with the sliding protrusions 411F and 411R of the pair of cursors 40F and 40R. The pair of interlocking rack members 46F and 46R extend from the pair of sliding convex portions 411F and 411R toward the inner side in the width direction. The front interlocking rack member 46F is disposed on the right side of the rear interlocking rack member 46R across the gap. A plurality of interlocking rack teeth 461F and 461R are formed on the opposing surfaces of the pair of interlocking rack members 46F and 46R.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the interlocking rack member 46R on the rear side of the guide member 31 has a first rack portion 48 in which a plurality of teeth 48a are arranged along the width direction. The first rack portion 48 is formed on the lower surface of the interlocking rack member 46R. The pitch of the teeth 48a of the first rack portion 48 is set smaller than the pitch of the interlocking rack teeth 461R (461F) of the interlocking rack member 46R (46F).

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pinion gear 47 is disposed at the center in the width direction of the lift plate 36 so as to be sandwiched between the pair of interlocking rack members 46 </ b> F and 46 </ b> R. The pinion gear 47 is rotatably supported by a gear shaft 47a that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the lift plate 36 (see FIG. 3). On the peripheral surface of the pinion gear 47, a plurality of teeth (not shown) that mesh with the interlocking rack teeth 461F and 461R of the interlocking rack members 46F and 46R are formed. A front interlocking rack member 46F is engaged with the pinion gear 47 from an upstream side, and a rear interlocking rack member 46R is engaged from the downstream side.

  Here, the operation of the guide member 31 will be described. The user places the sheet S (or a bundle of sheets S) on the manual feed tray 30 (lift plate 36) (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2). At this time, the number of sheets S that can be set is regulated by the document pressing portions 421F and 421R of the cursors 40F and 40R.

  Next, for example, in order to bring the cursor bodies 42F and 42R into contact with both ends in the width direction of the sheet S, the user moves the front cursor 40F rearward along the guide groove 37. The interlocking rack member 46F that moves together with the cursor 40F rotates the pinion gear 47. The rotating pinion gear 47 moves the cursor 40R forward via the rear interlocking rack member 46R. The rear cursor 40R moves by the same distance in the opposite direction to the front cursor 40F in synchronization with the movement of the front cursor 40F. In other words, the pair of front and rear cursors 40F and 40R approach or separate from each other in synchronization with each other with respect to the center in the width direction. By bringing the cursor bodies 42F and 42R into contact with both ends in the width direction of the sheet S, the sheet S is aligned (set) on the lift plate 36 at the center in the width direction.

  As described above, since the positions of the cursors 40F and 40R can be adjusted with a single operation, the operability for the position adjustment can be improved. Further, since the cursors 40F and 40R are evenly distributed with reference to the center in the width direction, the position adjustment can be performed with a small amount of movement.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the lock member 32 is disposed below the interlocking connection mechanism 45 (pinion gear 47) at the center in the width direction of the lift plate 36. The lock member 32 is provided so as to be engageable with the guide member 31 from below.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the lock member 32 includes a lock plate 50 and a contact portion 55.

  The lock plate 50 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape. A shaft fitting portion 51 extending in the width direction is formed at the upstream end portion of the lock plate 50. The shaft fitting part 51 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape (substantially C-shaped cross section in a front view) having a slit in the upper part. The shaft fitting portion 51 is rotatably fitted to a support shaft 51a extending in the width direction within the plate recess 35a of the manual feed tray 30 (see FIG. 3). The support shaft 51 a is provided on the same axis as the pair of front and rear rotating shafts 36 a of the lift plate 36. The lock member 32 is supported by the manual feed tray 30 so as to rotate about the support shaft 51a. In addition, a through hole 50a for allowing the tip end of the gear shaft 47a of the lift plate 36 to escape (preventing interference) is formed at a substantially central portion of the lock plate 50 (see also FIG. 3). Similarly, a through hole 50b for preventing interference with the lift plate 36 is formed on the upstream side (right side) of the lock plate 50 (see also FIG. 3).

  The lock plate 50 of the lock member 32 has a second rack portion 52 in which a plurality of teeth 52a are arranged along the width direction. The second rack portion 52 is formed on the upper surface on the downstream side of the lock plate 50. The second rack portion 52 is formed so as to be able to mesh (engage) with the first rack portion 48 (see FIG. 7).

  The contact portion 55 is connected to the downstream end portion of the lock plate 50. The contact portion 55 is formed smaller (narrower) than the lock plate 50 in the width direction. The contact portion 55 has a convex portion 56 and an action piece 57. The convex portion 56 is continuous with the downstream end portion of the lock plate 50 and is bent so as to protrude upward. The action piece 57 extends from the downstream end portion of the convex portion 56 toward the downstream side. An inclined surface 57 a is formed below the distal end portion (downstream end) of the action piece 57.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the lifting device 33 includes a pressing bar 60, a pair of front and rear eccentric cams 61, and a drive motor 62.

  The pressing bar 60 is formed in a rod shape having a substantially U-shaped cross section. The pressing bar 60 extends so as to penetrate the downstream end portion of the manual feed tray 30 in the width direction. The pressing bar 60 is disposed below the lock member 32. The pressing bar 60 is connected to the tip of an arm 60a extending from the apparatus main body 2 side. The arm 60a is supported so as to be rotatable about the rotation fulcrum 60b on the apparatus main body 2 side. The pressing bar 60 is provided so as to be pivotable in the vertical direction around the pivot fulcrum 60b via the arm 60a. A compression spring 60 c is disposed below the pressing bar 60. The compression spring 60c receives the apparatus main body 2 and urges the pressing bar 60 upward.

  The pair of front and rear eccentric cams 61 are provided so as to be in contact with the upper surfaces of both end portions in the width direction of the pressing bar 60. Each eccentric cam 61 is a so-called disc cam, and is configured such that the distance from the rotation center to the circumference is not constant.

  The drive motor 62 rotationally drives each eccentric cam 61 in one direction via, for example, a gear train. The drive motor 62 is connected to a power source (not shown) in order to receive power supply. The control device 13 controls the power supply and the like to drive and control the drive motor 62 and the like.

  Next, the operation of the sheet supply apparatus 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3, 8 and 9. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the sheet feeding device 5 showing a process of enabling the sheet S to be conveyed. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the sheet feeding apparatus 5 showing a state where the sheet S can be conveyed. 8 and 9, the illustration of the arm 60a is omitted.

  When the sheet S is not supplied (feeded), as shown in FIG. 3, each eccentric cam 61 presses the pressing bar 60 downward against the urging force of the compression spring 60c. The lift plate 36 is displaced to a retreat position P2 where the conveyance of the sheet S is stopped. With the lift plate 36 displaced to the retracted position P2, the lock member 32 is displaced to the unlock position P13 that is spaced downward from the guide member 31. At this time, the cursors 40F and 40R are allowed to move in the width direction. In this state, the user can set the sheet S on the manual feed tray 30.

  Next, when supplying (feeding) the sheet S, the control device 13 drives and controls the drive motor 62 to rotate each eccentric cam 61 (counterclockwise in FIG. 3). The pressing bar 60 is lifted by being biased by the compression spring 60c, and comes into contact with the action piece 57 (inclined surface 57a) of the lock member 32 (see FIG. 8).

  As shown in FIG. 8, when the rotation of each eccentric cam 61 proceeds, the lock member 32 starts to rotate upward about the support shaft 51a as the pressing bar 60 rises. At this time, the lift plate 36 does not move from the retracted position P2. When the rotation of each eccentric cam 61 (the push bar 60 is raised) further proceeds, the lock member 32 moves to the retreat lock position P12 that engages with the guide member 31 in a state where the lift plate 36 is displaced to the retreat position P2. To rise. In this state, the second rack portion 52 of the lock member 32 is engaged with the first rack portion 48 of the interlocking rack member 46R. Therefore, the cursors 40F and 40R are restricted from moving in the width direction. When the lock member 32 is displaced to the retraction lock position P12, the upper surface of the convex portion 56 of the contact portion 55 is in contact with the lower surface of the lift plate 36.

  As shown in FIG. 9, when the rotation of each eccentric cam 61 (up of the pressing bar 60) further proceeds, the lift plate 36 is pushed up by the rising lock member 32. That is, the lift plate 36 (guide member 31) and the lock member 32 start to rotate upward about the rotation shafts 36a (see FIG. 2) and the support shaft 51a. The lock member 32 is maintained in a state where the second rack portion 52 is engaged with the first rack portion 48.

  Then, the lift plate 36 (guide member 31) is displaced (raised) to the transport position P1 that enables the transport of the sheet S. On the other hand, in a state where the lift plate 36 is displaced to the transport position P1, the lock member 32 moves (rises) to the transport lock position P11 that engages with the guide member 31. Even in this state, the second rack portion 52 is engaged with the first rack portion 48. Therefore, the lock member 32 is engaged with the guide member 31 and restricts the movement of the guide member 31 (cursors 40F and 40R) in a state where the lift plate 36 is moved to the transport position P1. As described above, when the first rack portion 48 and the second rack portion 52 are engaged (engaged), the movement of the guide member 31 can be firmly restricted. Thereby, the skew of the conveyed sheet S can be effectively suppressed. When the lift plate 36 is displaced to the transport position P1, the control device 13 temporarily stops driving the drive motor 62.

  When the lift plate 36 rises to the transport position P <b> 1, the sheet S on the lift plate 36 contacts the transport roller 29. The conveyance roller 29 whose rotation is controlled by the control device 13 sends the sheet S to the manual conveyance path 15 (primary sheet feeding). The sheet S enters the conveyance path 14 from the manual conveyance path 15 and is temporarily blocked by the registration roller pair 28 (see FIG. 1). The sheet S is skew-corrected by the registration roller pair 28 and then conveyed toward the nip portion N (secondary paper feeding).

  When starting the secondary sheet feeding, the control device 13 drives and controls the drive motor 62 again to rotate the eccentric cam 61 (counterclockwise in FIG. 9). The pressing bar 60 is lowered against the urging force of the compression spring 60c by each rotating eccentric cam 61. As the pressing bar 60 is lowered, the lift plate 36 rotates downward together with the lock member 32 (see FIG. 8). Specifically, the lift plate 36 is lowered from the transport position P1 to the retracted position P2. At the same time, the lock member 32 is lowered from the transport lock position P11 to the retreat lock position P12. At this time, the lock member 32 moves down with the second rack portion 52 engaged with the first rack portion 48.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when the rotation of the eccentric cam 61 (the lowering of the pressing bar 60) further proceeds, the lock member 32 rotates downward about the support shaft 51a to move from the retraction lock position P12 to the unlock position P13. Descend to As a result, the second rack portion 52 of the lock member 32 is disengaged from the first rack portion 48 of the interlocking rack member 46R. Accordingly, the lock member 32 is disengaged from the guide member 31 and allows the guide member 31 (cursors 40F and 40R) to move in a state where the lift plate 36 has moved to the retracted position P2.

  As described above, the lift plate 36 is provided to be movable between the transport position P1 and the retracted position P2. According to the sheet supply device 5 according to the present embodiment, when the lift plate 36 moves to the conveyance position P1 in order to convey the sheet S, the guide member is held immovably by the lock member 32. Thereby, the skew of the conveyed sheet S can be suppressed during the conveyance of the sheet S. On the other hand, when the lift plate 36 moves to the retracted position P2 in order to stop the conveyance of the sheet S, the engagement of the lock member 32 is released, and the movement of the guide member 31 (cursors 40F, 40R) is allowed. By the way, in order to suppress the skew of the conveyed sheet S, the guide member 31 only needs to be restricted when the lift plate 36 is displaced to the conveyance position P1. Therefore, when the conveyance of the sheet S is stopped, the moving load of the guide member 31 can be set lightly. Thereby, the user can move the guide member 31 (cursors 40F and 40R) with a light force. That is, the operability of the guide member 31 can be improved. As described above, according to the sheet supply device 5 according to the present embodiment, the guide member 31 is locked when the sheet S is conveyed even if the movement resistance (movement load) of the guide member 31 is set to be small (light). Can do. Accordingly, the sheet S can be appropriately conveyed while maintaining the operability of the guide member 31 in a good state.

  As described above, the lock member 32 is provided so as to be movable up and down among the transport lock position P11, the retreat lock position P12, and the unlock position P13. According to the sheet supply device 5 according to the present embodiment, the lock member 32 moves up and down so as to engage and separate from the guide member 31 as the lift plate 36 moves up and down. That is, the guide member 31 is locked in conjunction with the conveyance operation of the sheet S, and the guide member 31 is unlocked in conjunction with the conveyance stop operation of the sheet S. Thereby, the operation of the lift plate 36 and the operation of the lock member 32 relative to the guide member 31 can be accurately linked.

  Further, according to the sheet supply device 5 according to the present embodiment, the lifting device 33 lifts and lowers the lift plate 36 and the lock member 32 in conjunction with each other. Since the lift plate 36 and the lock member 32 can be lifted and lowered by the single lifting device 33, the structure of the sheet feeding device 5 can be simplified. Note that the sheet supply device 5 according to the present invention does not prevent the provision of a plurality of lifting devices that individually lift and lower the lock member 32 and the lift plate 36.

  In the sheet supply device 5 according to the present embodiment, the first rack portion 48 is provided in the interlocking rack member 46R, but the present invention is not limited to this. The first rack portion 48 may be provided on at least one of the pair of interlocking rack members 46F and 46R. For example, two pairs of first rack portions 48 may be provided on the interlocking rack member 46F and the interlocking rack member 46R. In this case, it is preferable to provide the two second rack portions 52 on the lock member 32.

  In the sheet supply device 5 according to the present embodiment, the second rack portion 52 of the lock member 32 is engaged with the first rack portion 48 of the guide member 31 (the interlocking rack member 46R), so that each of the cursors 40F and 40R is engaged. Although the movement is restricted, the present invention is not limited to this. Although illustration is omitted, for example, a single (or a plurality of) protrusions may be formed on the lock member 32 instead of the second rack portion 52. In this case, the protrusion of the lock member 32 meshes with the teeth 48 a of the first rack portion 48. In addition, for example, the first rack portion 48 and the second rack portion 52 are omitted, and the lock members 32 are pressed against at least one of the pair of interlocking rack members 46F and 46R, thereby moving the cursors 40F and 40R. It may be regulated. In this case, at least one of the guide member 31 and the lock member 32 is preferably provided with a pressing member (for example, made of rubber) for generating a frictional force.

  The sheet supply apparatus 5 according to the present embodiment is provided with the pair of cursors 40F and 40R that move in synchronization, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the interlocking coupling mechanism 45 may be omitted, and only one cursor may be provided so as to be movable, and a fixed wall surface may be provided on the other. In addition, for example, the interlocking connection mechanism 45 may be omitted, and the pair of cursors 40F and 40R may be configured to be independently movable.

  In the present embodiment, as an example, the sheet supply device 5 including a manual feed tray has been described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention may be applied to the inside of the paper feed cassette 3, for example.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the monochrome printer 1 has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention may be applied to, for example, a multifunction machine, a facsimile machine, a color printer, and the like. .

  The description of the above embodiment shows one aspect of the sheet supply apparatus according to the present invention and an image forming apparatus including the same, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. . The components in the above embodiment can be appropriately replaced or combined with existing components and the like, and the description of the above embodiment does not limit the content of the invention described in the claims. .

1 Printer (image forming device)
5 Sheet supply device 29 Conveyance roller 30 Manual feed tray (tray)
31 Guide member 32 Lock member 33 Lifting device 36 Lift plate (plate)
40F, 40R Cursor 45 Interlocking connection mechanism 46F, 46R Interlocking rack member 47 Pinion gear 48 First rack portion 48a, 52a Tooth 52 Second rack portion 55 Contact portion 60c Compression spring (biasing member)
461F, 461R Interlocking rack teeth P1 Conveyance position P2 Retraction position P11 Conveyance lock position P12 Retraction lock position P13 Unlock position S Sheet

Claims (7)

A tray for placing sheets;
A guide member provided in the tray so as to be movable in the width direction of the sheet perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction;
A lock member provided on the lower side of the guide member in the tray and provided to be engageable with the guide member;
A biasing member provided on the lower side of the lock member and biasing the lock member upward;
The tray is provided so as to be able to move up and down between a transport position that allows the sheet to be transported ascending from the upper surface of the tray and a retreat position that is lowered from the transport position to stop the transport of the sheet. Including plates,
The plate and the lock member are provided so that they can be raised and lowered independently,
The guide member is provided so as to be movable in the width direction of the sheet in the plate and to move up and down together with the plate,
The locking member is
In a state where the plate is moved to the transport position, the plate is engaged with the guide member to restrict the movement of the guide member,
With the plate moved to the retracted position, the engagement with the guide member is released to allow the guide member to move,
In a state where the plate is moved to the retracted position, the biasing member raises the lock member to a position where it engages with the guide member, and then brings the lock member into contact with the plate, and the lock A sheet feeding apparatus, wherein the plate is raised to the transport position by further raising the lock member while maintaining the engagement between the member and the guide member . A transport roller for transporting the sheet;
A tray on which the sheet is placed;
A guide member provided in the tray so as to be movable in the width direction of the sheet perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction;
A lock member provided on the lower side of the guide member in the tray and provided to be engageable with the guide member;
A biasing member provided on the lower side of the lock member and biasing the lock member upward;
The tray rises from the upper surface of the tray and moves to a position where the downstream side of the sheet comes into contact with the conveyance roller. A retreat position moves down from the conveyance position and separates the downstream side of the sheet from the conveyance roller. Including a plate provided to be movable up and down between,
The plate and the lock member are provided so that they can be raised and lowered independently,
The guide member is provided so as to be movable in the width direction of the sheet in the plate and to move up and down together with the plate,
The locking member is
In a state where the plate is moved to the transport position, the plate is engaged with the guide member to restrict the movement of the guide member,
With the plate moved to the retracted position, the engagement with the guide member is released to allow the guide member to move,
In a state where the plate is moved to the retracted position, the biasing member raises the lock member to a position where it engages with the guide member, and then brings the lock member into contact with the plate, and the lock A sheet feeding apparatus, wherein the plate is raised to the transport position by further raising the lock member while maintaining the engagement between the member and the guide member . The guide member has a first rack portion in which a plurality of teeth are arranged along the width direction of the sheet,
3. The lock member according to claim 1, wherein the lock member includes a second rack portion formed such that a plurality of teeth are arranged along a width direction of the seat and can be engaged with the first rack portion. Sheet feeding device. The guide member includes a pair of cursors provided on the plate so as to oppose each other in the width direction of the sheet, and an interlocking connection mechanism that moves the pair of cursors in the width direction of the pair by interlocking with each other. Including
The interlocking coupling mechanism is sandwiched between a pair of interlocking rack members extending from the pair of cursors and facing the sheet conveying direction, and the pair of interlocking rack members. A pinion gear meshing with interlocking rack teeth formed on the rack member,
The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a pitch of teeth of the first rack portion and the second rack portion is set smaller than a pitch of the interlocking rack teeth. The first rack portion is formed on the lower surface of the interlocking rack member on the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction of the pair of interlocking rack members,
The lock member is provided on the downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction, and has a contact portion that contacts the lower surface of the plate on the downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction from the first rack portion. The sheet supply apparatus according to claim 4.   The said plate and the said locking member are provided so that rotation is possible centering | focusing on the same axial center set in the conveyance direction upstream end part of the said sheet | seat. Sheet feeding device.   An image forming apparatus comprising the sheet supply device according to claim 1.

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