JPS6259014B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention is applicable to machines such as electrophotographic copying machines and facsimile machines, which are used to produce stacked sheets of paper cut into various sizes and stacked together, or stacked sheets of originals of different types. In a sheet feeding device that can selectively feed sheets, it relates to a device that can selectively pull out a specific storage means from among a large number of storage means such as trays that store the same sheets. It is.

Prior Art For example, in a conventional electrophotographic copying machine,
Since paper storage trays are installed inside the aircraft, it was only possible to store two or three of the same paper storage trays.

In addition, there are many sizes of originals such as B4, B5, A4, and A5, and in order not to waste paper, it is necessary to prepare many types of paper corresponding to the original size, so it is necessary to prepare various types of paper corresponding to the original size, so it is necessary to prepare various types of paper corresponding to the original size. If the paper size does not match the document size, the paper storage tray must be replaced, and the replacement work is complicated.

In particular, recently, electrophotographic copying machines capable of multi-step variable magnification copying have become widespread, and the frequency of replacing the paper storage tray described above has increased, making it impossible to ignore from the standpoint of copying work efficiency. In order to reduce the work as much as possible, if the number of paper storage trays stored in one copying machine is increased, the number of conveyance means such as paper feed rolls in the area where each tray is installed will correspondingly increase. The cost of the entire paper device increases significantly.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of a sheet feeding device that overcomes the above-mentioned difficulties, and its purpose is to improve the sheet feeding device so that even if there are a large number of sheet storage means, only one conveying means is sufficient. Another object of the present invention is to provide a device from which the sheet storage means can be pulled out.

Structure of the Invention In the present invention, a plurality of support means are arranged at required intervals in the vertical direction, and each of the support means supports a plurality of sheet storage means so as to be movable back and forth. In a sheet feeding device configured such that a conveying means for contacting the uppermost layer of sheets in the means and conveying them to a sheet discharge side is moved up and down along the sheet discharge side of the sheet storage means. , a tilting means is interposed between the support means and the sheet storage means, the tilting means is pivotally connected to the support means so as to be tiltable up and down, and an engagement means capable of releasably engaging the tilting means. is provided on the conveying means or other elevating means, and the engaging means is kept in a state where it can be engaged with the tilting means,
By operating the conveyance means or other elevating means and tilting the tilting means in a direction in which the sheet storage means is tilted forward and downward, the desired sheet storage means can be pulled out.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention illustrated in the drawings will be described below.

Reference numeral 1 denotes copy paper, which is a laminated sheet cut and stacked in various sizes such as A3, A4, A5, B4, and B5. It is stored in a layered manner with different layers.

Reference numeral 4 denotes shelf supports oriented vertically, and on the front and rear shelf supports 4, at regular intervals in the vertical direction, the paper feed direction (right side in Fig. 1) is directed upward. Six stages of shelf support members 5 are installed in such a manner that the tip (the right end in FIG. 1) of a slide guide 3 serving as a tilting means is located above and adjacent to the shelf support member 5 and can freely tilt up and down on the front shelf support 4a. The paper tray 2 is mounted on the slide guide 3 via a guide roll 36 which is pivotally mounted on the bottom of the paper tray 2, and the paper tray 2 is supported by the slide guide 3. However, it can be moved back and forth along its length.

Further, the paper tray 2 is located closer to the paper feed position (first
A total of four guide rails 6 (two pairs, two pairs) are vertically oriented on both the left and right sides (the front and rear sides perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 1), and the guide rails 6 have one A pair of first elevating members 7 are fitted so as to be able to move up and down.

Furthermore, a screw rod 8 oriented parallel to the two guide rails 6 is pivotally supported via a bearing 9, and a bevel gear 10 is fitted to the lower end of the screw rod 8. Rotating shaft 12 of step motor 13 via bevel gear 11
The first elevating member 7 is connected to the threaded rod 8, and the first elevating member 7 is driven upward and downward by forward and reverse rotation of the step motor 13.

Moreover, a bracket 14 is provided protruding from the first elevating member 7 on the side facing the paper tray 2,
The base end of a swinging lever 16 is pivoted to the bracket 14 via a pivot shaft 15 so as to be able to swing up and down, and a paper feed roll shaft 17 is pivotally attached to the tip of the swinging lever 16. Pulley 19 integrated with paper roll shaft 17
A belt 20 is stretched around a driving pulley 21 which is supported on the same axis as the pivot shaft 15 of the swing lever 16, and a transmission means (not shown) and a paper feed clutch C ( (See Figure 7)
When the drive pulley 21 connected via the conveyance roll 29 is rotated in conjunction with the rotation of the conveyance roll 29, the sheet feeding unit integrated with the roll shaft 17 is connected via the belt 20, the pulley 19, and the paper feed roll shaft 17. roll 18
is designed to be rotated counterclockwise in FIG.

Further, a paper guide 22 is integrally attached to the lower part of the first elevating member 7 near the paper tray 2 so as to be directed diagonally downward. It is designed to be guided between a pair of upper and lower transport rolls 29.

Furthermore, a reflective paper feeding completion detector RS is attached to the lower surface of the paper guide 22 so as not to interfere with the transport of the paper 1. Whether or not paper feeding is completed is detected based on the presence or absence of light reflected by the light source 1.

Furthermore, the first elevating member 7 and the paper receiving section 3 of the dry type electrophotographic copying machine 34 capable of multi-step variable magnification copying.
5 is connected by a connecting means 24 formed by pivotably connecting three pairs of connecting links 25, 26, 27 to each other, and a pair of upper and lower flexible guide chute 28, from which the inner Four upper and lower pairs of transport rolls 29, 30, 31, 32 are pivotally mounted to the joints and ends of the connecting means 24 so as to protrude in the direction and come into contact with each other. , 31, 32, a paper feed motor 33
(See FIG. 7) are appropriately connected by belts, etc. not shown, and the transport rolls 29, 30, 31, and 32 are rotated all at once by the operation of the paper feed motor 33, and the paper is taken out by the paper feed roll 18. Copy paper 1 is fed to a paper receiving section 35 of a copying machine 34.

Moreover, in the first elevating member 7, the swing lever 1
A limit switch LS is disposed above and adjacent to the base protrusion 23 that is integrated with the base protrusion 6, and when the limit switch LS is turned off and on, it is determined whether or not the paper feed roll 18 is in contact with the copy paper 1 in the paper tray 2. are now being detected.

Further, two pairs of guide rails 37 are vertically oriented on both left and right sides at the rear of the paper tray 2 (on the left side in FIG. 1), and screw rods 38 oriented parallel to these are installed via bearings 39 A second elevating member 40 is fitted into the guide rail 37 so as to be able to rise and fall freely up and down, and is also screwed into the threaded rod 38.
A bevel gear 41 is fitted to the lower end of the screw rod 38,
A bevel gear 42 that meshes with the bevel gear 41 is fitted onto a rotating shaft 43 of an elevating motor 44, and when the elevating motor 44 is rotated forward or backward, the second elevating member 42
0 is driven up and down.

Further, an engaging rod 46 is attached to the support piece 45 of the second elevating member 40 so as to be able to slide back and forth without rotating, and a roll 48 is pivotally attached to the tip of the engaging rod 46. The pulley 4 is attached to the rear male screw part 47 of
9 are screwed together, and the same pulley 49 is
A belt 51 is stretched between a drive pulley 52 which is held between a pair of fixed pieces 50 and fitted onto a rotating shaft 53 of an engagement motor 54, and the pulley 50, and is engaged by forward and reverse rotation of the engagement motor 54. The rod 46 is moved back and forth so that the roll 48 can be releasably engaged with the rear end of the slide guide 3.

Note that 55 is a stopper provided on the slide guide 3, and when the slide guide 3 is tilted diagonally forward and downward and the paper tray 2 is pulled out forward, it engages with the roll 36 to hold the paper tray 2 in a predetermined position. It is now being stopped.

The operation panel (not shown) of the copying machine also has a paper feed ready indicator PD and a tray selection switch that allows you to select one of the six paper trays 2.
SE, a copy number setting switch group NE that can set the number of copies by specifying a number from 0 to 9, a copy start switch ST, and other switch groups are provided.

Furthermore, a microcomputer 60 is installed in the copying machine 34.
The microcomputer 60 has an input interface 61, a ROM 62, and a RAM 6.
3, a CPU 64, and an output interface 65.

Furthermore, the input interface 61 includes a tray selection switch SE, a copy number setting switch group NE,
Copy start switch ST, reflective paper feed completion detector
Signals from input means such as RS, limit switch LS, other switches, and various counters in the copying machine 34 are appropriately adjusted and input to the CPU 64.

The ROM 62 also stores sequence programs necessary for normal copying operations, programs necessary to execute the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 8 through 11, and the like.

Further, the RAM 63 can read and write the input data, data obtained by the operation of the CPU 64 described later, and other data.

Furthermore, the CPU 64 executes programs and instructions stored in the ROM 62 according to input signals from the input interface 61, and controls the step motor 13, paper feed motor 33, lifting motor 44, and engagement motor via the output interface 65. 54, a control signal is output to the paper feed preparation completion indicator PD and each operating part of the copying machine 34.

Since the illustrated embodiment is configured as described above, as shown in FIG. When the user presses the button and inputs the selection of the tray 2 to be pulled out and the number of copies to be made (step), the program enters the paper feeding preparation subroutine (step).

In the paper feed preparation subroutine, as shown in FIG. 9, the steps of the program are to determine whether the previously selected tray 2j and the currently selected tray 2j are equal (step 〓), and if they are equal, the step Proceed to 〓. If they are not equal, that is, i≠j, calculate aj−ai in step S
The value of

Here, ai is the standby position of the first elevating member 7 for the i-th paper tray (a position slightly higher than the highest paper level in the paper tray 2i) when the step motor 1
The number of steps is 3, and the standby position a1 of the first elevating member 7 for the paper tray ₂₁ on the first day from the top is taken as the reference position (a= ₀ ) (the 12th
(see figure). Similarly, for aj, the standby position of the first elevating member 7 with respect to the paper tray 2j is shown.

This standby position is also the position to which the first elevating member 7 returns when a series of copying operations is completed.

Note that bj will also be explained here with reference to FIG.

At the position of the first elevating member 7, there is a position range (ⓓ part) in which paper can be fed, corresponding to each paper tray and spaced apart from each other, and the lowest position of this position range is b. The position is also expressed by the number of steps of the step motor 13 with reference to _a1 .

The above values for each paper tray a and b are stored in the ROM 62 of the computer 60.

In the paper feed preparation subroutine, the program proceeds to step after calculating the step, where it is determined whether S is positive or negative, and if it is positive, the first elevating member 7 is lowered by S by reversing the step motor 13 (step), If S is negative, the first elevating member 7 is raised by S by the normal rotation of the step motor 13 (Step 〓), and then the tray drawer subroutine (Step 〓) is entered.

Here, the first elevating member 7 is located at the standby position aj for the newly selected paper tray 2j.

In the tray drawer subroutine, as shown in FIG.
It is lowered by dj−di and proceeds to step 〓. On the other hand, if j is not greater than i, step
It is determined whether or not j is smaller than i, and if j is smaller than i, the second elevating member 40 is raised by di-dj by the forward rotation of the elevating motor 44 in step 〓, and the process proceeds to step 〓. However, if j is neither greater nor less than i, that is, it is equal, proceed from step 〓 to step 〓. At step 〓, the engagement rod 46 is projected forward by the normal rotation of the engagement motor 54, and the second elevating member 4 is moved forward by the normal rotation of the elevating motor 44.
0 is raised by a predetermined amount Δd, the roll 48 is engaged with the rear end of the slide guide 3, the slide guide 3 is tilted forward and downward, and the paper tray is moved until the guide roll 36 is stopped by the stopper 55. 2j is pulled forward.

Next, when the predetermined paper tray 2j is pulled forward and the process returns to the paper feeding preparation subroutine, the elevating member 7 is lowered at step 〓, and the number of steps m of the step motor 13 starts to be counted at step 〓. . Then, the steps 〓,
〓 and 〓 are repeated and the sheet continues to descend, and when the paper feed roll 18 contacts the copy paper 1 in the tray 2j and the limit switch LS is turned off, the value of m is entered in l (step〓), and the position correction subroutine is started. Enter (step).

However, the limit switch LS is not turned off and the number of steps m being counted at step 〓 is bj−
If the value is equal to or exceeds the value of aj (when the first elevating member 7 has passed the paper feeding position and there is no copy paper 1 in the paper tray 2j), the step motor 13 is stopped at step 〓. , number of steps m
The first elevating member 7 is returned to the standby position aj (step 〓).

Then, in step 〓, the second lifting member 40 is lowered by △d by the reverse rotation of the lifting motor 44, and the tray 2j that had been pulled out is retreated rearward by the rearward downward tilting of the slide guide 3, and then in step 〓 The engagement motor 54 is reversed, the engagement rod 46 is retracted, the value of j is entered into i (step 〓), the progress of the program is stopped, and preparations for replenishing the copy paper 1 to the paper tray 2j are made. It can be arranged.

Next, when the program proceeds to the position correction subroutine, the number of steps n of the step motor 13 that is lowering the first elevating member 7 is counted again (step 〓) as shown in FIG.

This number of steps n is determined by the limit switch when the paper feed roll 18 contacts the copy paper 1 in the paper tray 2j.
After the LS is turned off, the first elevating member 7 is counted down by a certain number of steps _n0 , and the paper with a thickness corresponding to the number of steps _n0 is placed at the stop position of the first elevating member 7. Paper can be easily fed.

Therefore, the number of steps n during counting is compared with n ₀ (step 〓), and if n exceeds n ₀ , the value of l is added to the value of n, which is set as the value of l again. (Step 〓), the step motor 13 is stopped (Step 〓), and the position correction subroutine is ended.

Also, before n reaches n ₀ , the value of l+n changes to bj−
When the value of aj is equal to or larger than the value of aj (step〓), the step motor 13 is stopped (step〓), and the step motor 13 is rotated normally again by l+n, which is the distance that the first elevating member 7 has descended from aj. to be raised (step 〓).

Then, in step 〓, the second lifting member 40 is lowered by △d by the reverse rotation of the lifting motor 44, and the tray 2j that had been pulled out is retreated rearward by the rearward downward tilting of the slide guide 3, and then in step 〓 The engagement motor 54 is reversed, the engagement rod 46 is retracted, the value of j is entered into i (step 〓), the progress of the program is stopped, and preparations for replenishing the copy paper 1 to the paper tray 2j are made. It can be arranged.

When the position correction subroutine shown in FIG. 11 is completed, the paper feed preparation completion indicator PD is operated to display the completion of paper feed preparation in the step of FIG. 8, and the copy start switch ST is turned on ( It is determined whether the number of copies Z is 1 or not in steps 1 and 2. If the number of copies Z is 1 or more, the paper feed motor 33 is driven in step 1, and the paper feed clutch C is connected in step 2, and thus the paper feed roll 18 is driven. , the copy paper 1 in the j-th paper tray 2j is transported to the dry electrophotographic copying machine 34 by the rotation of the transport rolls 29, 30, 31, and 32. After copying is done in step, the number of copies Z is subtracted by one (step), and the limit switch is turned on in step.
If the LS remains off, the program steps are returned to the step again, and the steps , , , , etc. are repeated. During this time, when the number of copy sheets 1 in the paper tray 2j decreases and the paper feed roll 18 is no longer able to contact the copy sheets 1 with the required contact force, the limit switch LS is turned on and the step motor 13 is reversely rotated to move the lifting member 7. After the is lowered, the program steps back through the position correction subroutine. When the number of copies Z becomes 1 in step, the program advances to step.

On the other hand, if the number of copies Z is 1 from the beginning, the program progresses from step to step, and after the paper feed motor 33 is operated, the paper feed clutch C is connected at step, and the program continues from step to step. You can proceed to

Then, in step, when the copy paper 1 passes the paper feed roll 18 by the reflection type paper feed completion detector RS, the paper feed clutch C is shut off in step, and after t time elapses, the copy paper 1 passes through the paper feed roll 18.
After the copy paper 1 inside is completely conveyed to the paper receiving section 35 of the copying machine 34, the paper feed motor 3 is activated in a step.
3 is stopped and the final copy is made in step.

After copying is completed, the first elevating member 7 is
The second lifting member 40 returns to the standby position aj which has been raised by △d, and in step, the lifting motor 44 is reversely moved to lower the second lifting member 40 by △d.
The slide guide 3 is tilted rearward and downward to be retreated to the rear and returned to the original storage position.

Then, in step 1, the value of j is entered into i, and the progress of the program is stopped.

In this way, the required paper feeding and copying are accomplished.

In addition, when changing the type of copy paper 1 to be supplied, by selecting and pressing the tray selection switch Sj as appropriate, the operation is similar to that described above, and the first elevating member 7 and the paper feed roll 18 are paper tray 2
The paper tray 2j is pulled forward and the required copy paper 1 is supplied.

Furthermore, by appropriately changing the spacing between the paper trays 2 and the height of the shelf supports 4, and changing the number of steps a and b stored in the ROM 62 to appropriate values, a wide variety of types can be produced regardless of the size of the copying machine 34. It is possible to quickly and easily select and supply copy sheets 1 of different paper sizes and orientations.

Furthermore, in the embodiment, the slide guide 3
The front end of the slide guide 3 is pivotally supported, the second elevating member 40 is arranged at the rear, and the roll 47 of the engagement rod 46 is attached to the slide guide 3.
By engaging the rear end and lifting the engagement rod 46 upward, the slide guide 3 was tilted forward and downward and the paper tray 2 was pulled out forward. The first elevating member 7 is pivotably supported, and an engaging rod is provided on the first elevating member 7 so as to be movable back and forth, and the engaging rod is engaged with the front end of the slide guide 3 to tilt the slide guide 3 forward and downward to pull out the paper tray 2 forward. You can do it like this.

In addition, although the first elevating member 7 was raised and lowered by rotating the screw rod 8, it can be freely inserted and retracted by supplying and discharging fluid to a multistage cylindrical body such as a cylindrical cam mechanism, a pantograph mechanism, or a telescope barrel. The first elevating member 7 may be moved up and down using a fluid expansion/contraction means, a belt mechanism, or the like.

Furthermore, instead of the copy paper 1, a manuscript may be processed as a sheet.

Effects of the Invention In the present invention, only the required sheet storing means can be selectively pulled out or pushed in by simply operating the engaging means and the conveying means or other elevating means. It is possible to transport and feed sheets from the sheet storage means, and there is no need to provide a motor for pulling out or pushing in the sheet storage means for each paper tray, reducing costs. be able to.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a side view illustrating an embodiment of a drawer device for sheet storage means according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of its main parts, Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof, and Fig. 4 is a paper tray. A side view of the main parts illustrating the state before pulling out the
FIG. 5 is a side view of the main part with the paper tray pulled out, FIG. 6 is a longitudinal side view of the main part, FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the control system of the embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart thereof. FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the paper feed preparation subroutine in the same flowchart.
Figure 0 is a flowchart of the tray drawer subroutine in the flowchart of Figure 9, and Figure 11 is the flowchart of the tray drawer subroutine of Figure 8.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the elevating member of the embodiment. 1... Copy paper, 2... Paper tray, 3... Slide guide, 4... Shelf support, 5... Shelf support member,
6... Guide rail, 7... First elevating member, 8...
...Screw rod, 9... Bearing, 10, 11... Bevel gear, 12... Rotating shaft, 13... Step motor,
14... Bracket, 15... Pivot shaft, 16...
Swing lever, 17...Paper feed roll shaft, 18...Paper feed roll, 19...Pulley, 20...Belt, 2
1... Drive pulley, 22... Paper guide, 23...
...Base projecting piece, 24...Connection means, 25, 26, 2
7...Connection link, 28...Guide shoot, 2
9, 30, 31, 32... Conveyance roll, 33...
Paper feed motor, 34... Dry electrophotographic copying machine, 35
...Paper receiving section, 36...Guide roll, 37...
...Guide rail, 38...Screw rod, 39...Bearing,
40... Second lifting member, 41, 42... Bevel gear, 43... Rotating shaft, 44... Lifting motor, 45
... Support piece, 46 ... Engagement rod, 47 ... Male thread part, 48 ... Roll, 49 ... Pulley, 50 ...
Fixed piece, 51... Belt, 52... Drive pulley,
53... Rotating shaft, 54... Engagement motor, 55...
Stopper, 60...Microcomputer, 6
1...Input interface, 62...ROM, 6
3...RAM, 64...CPU, 65...Output interface, C...Paper feed clutch, PD...Paper feed ready indicator, RS...Reflective paper feed completion detector, LS...Limit switch, SE...Tray selection switch, NE...Copy number setting switch group,
ST...Copy start switch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A plurality of support means 5 arranged at required intervals in the vertical direction, a plurality of sheet storage means 2 each supported by the support means so as to be movable back and forth,
A sheet conveying means 18 that moves up and down along the sheet ejection side of the sheet storage means and conveys the uppermost layer of sheets to the sheet ejection side by contacting the sheet storage means. In the paper feeding device, a tilting means 3 interposed between the supporting means and the sheet storing means is pivotally connected to the supporting means so as to be tiltable up and down, and has an engagement that can be releasably engaged with the tilting means. Combining means 4
6 is provided on the conveying means 18 or other elevating means 40.