JPS638019B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in so-called desk-top copying machines, and particularly to a copying apparatus capable of increasing recording paper supply capacity as required.

In general, desktop copying machines have a paper feed stand that allows you to insert a dedicated paper cassette prepared for each paper size as needed, so that you can easily copy onto paper of the required size. It is normal to have

By the way, this type of recording paper cassette can usually only hold about 500 sheets of recording paper at most, so if you are making a large number of copies or performing page alignment using a sorter, you should Since the cassette empties quickly, the recording paper cassette must be removed and installed frequently.

For this reason, so-called console-type large-scale copying machines have been developed for use in large business establishments that perform a large amount of copy processing. In addition to the above-mentioned paper feed tray into which a recording paper cassette can be inserted, this large-sized copying machine also has a paper feed tray that can store thousands of sheets of recording paper at once and feed these recording sheets one by one. Since it has a built-in paper device, you can use this paper feeding device when making large quantities of copies.

However, as a copy machine purchaser, you may not be able to accurately determine the scale of copying processing required at your office, or the current scale of copying processing may not be that large, but the processing scale may be expected to expand in the future. Introducing a large-sized copying machine in such a case brings about the following disadvantages. That is, if the current scale of copying processing is not very large, the investment capital will be relatively high and the installation space of a large machine will be large, resulting in wasted space.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems in introducing a conventional copying device, the present invention is essentially a desk-top type, can increase recording paper supply capacity as the scale of copying processing increases, and is capable of recording The present invention proposes a copying apparatus whose installation area does not significantly increase even when paper supply capacity is increased.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Figures 1 and 2 show an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a variable magnification type copying machine, and this copying machine has a stand A that can be moved to any position by means of casters, and It is equipped with a copying machine body B that can be placed on a pedestal A and a paper feed unit C.
That is, since the paper feed unit C is shared with the copying machine main body B when the recording paper supply capacity of the copying machine main body B is increased, the paper feeding unit C is used in common with the copying machine main body B when the recording paper supply capacity of the copying machine main body B is sufficient. B is used alone. Furthermore, positioning members 4 and 5 for receiving the legs 2 and 3 of the copying machine body B are fixed to the upper surface of the pedestal A in order to connect the pedestal A and the copying machine body B. The paper feed unit C is connected to the main body B by fastening the upper part of the connecting plate C-1 provided on the upper part to the lower right end of the main body B with a bolt C-2, and is electrically connected to the main body B by connecting the connectors 6 and 7. is combined with the main body.

The copying machine main body B, which can vary the copying magnification, is of a type in which the position of the lens 9 of the exposure optical system 8 and the scanning speed of the exposure optical system 8 are changed according to the copying magnification. The copying machine body B has a built-in photosensitive drum 10, and around the photosensitive drum 10 there are a process unit, that is, a charger 11, and a developing device 1.
2. A transfer electrode 13, a separation electrode 14, and a cleaning device 15 are arranged.

The copying machine body B has two paper feed trays 16 and 17 whose details will be described later with reference to FIG. 2, and a recording paper path 18 is formed between these paper feed trays 16 and 17 and the photosensitive drum 10. be done. In this recording paper path 18, a paper feed roller is located which feeds the recording paper a fed from either of the paper feed trays 16, 17 or a paper feeding device to be described later to the photosensitive drum 10. Therefore, the recording paper a supplied to the photoreceptor drum 10 has no contact with the photoreceptor drum 10 while passing through the transfer electrode 13.
toner image is transferred, and this recording paper a is transferred to the fixing device 20 by the conveyor belt 19,
After the toner image is fixed at 0, the sheet is taken out of the machine by the action of the sheet discharge roller 21.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the vicinity of the paper feed trays 16 and 17, and each paper feed tray 16 and 17 accommodates recording sheets a of different sizes (for example, A-size series size or B-size series size). Paper feed cassette 22A, 2
2B is installed. Each of the paper feed trays 16 and 17 carries the recording paper a in the recording paper cassettes 22A and 22B.
Paper feeding units 23A and 23B are attached to feed out the sheets one by one. That is, each paper feeding unit 23A, 23
B includes a feeding roller 24 that is pressed against the surface of the recording paper a in the recording paper cassettes 22A and 22B, and a belt 25 that takes over the recording paper a fed out by the feeding roller 24. A cylindrical fixing member 27 attached with a local guide plate 26 is pressed into contact with the cylindrical fixing member 27 . Therefore, the recording paper cassette 22
Of the recording sheets A and 22B fed out by the feeding roller 24, the recording sheets other than the uppermost one are separated from the uppermost recording sheet by the fixing member 27,
Only the uppermost recording paper is taken out into the recording paper path 18 by the movement of the belt 25.

Inside each of the paper feeding units 23A and 23B, there is a guide plate 28 for guiding the leading edge of the recording paper a fed from these units to the recording paper path 18.
29 is located. These guide plates 28, 29
The branched entrance passages 31 and 3 that merge into the recording paper passage 18 are connected to the partition plate 30 located at the center.
form 2. Further, the bottom wall 3 of the copying machine main body B
3 includes an intake opening 34 facing the inlet passage 32;
is opened, and recording paper a can be taken into the machine through this intake opening 34.

Returning to FIG. 1, the paper feed unit C, into which the vessel 36 can be taken in by opening the lid 35, is connected to the main body B of the copying machine when the paper feed unit C is connected to the copying machine main body B. 34 is provided. Further, inside the paper feeding unit C, there is built-in a paper feeding device 38 that feeds the recording paper a stored in the vessel 36 one by one to the recording paper outlet 37. This paper feeding device 38
A base 39 on which the Bethel 36 is placed, and a lift 41 that is moved up and down along a vertical frame 40.
and a pallet 42 in Bethel 36.
The recording paper a placed thereon is fed by the upward movement of the recording lift 41 to a paper feed unit 43 similar to the paper feed units 23A and 23B. Note that this paper feeding unit 43 feeds the recording paper a on the pallet 42.
are delivered to the recording paper outlet 37 one by one.

In the above embodiment, the paper feed unit C is fixed to the main body B of the copying machine, but the present invention is not limited to this. , and copying machine body B
Of course, it also includes those that are removably fixed to.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a recess A' is provided in the stand A for the copying machine main body B as described above, and the recording paper a is contained in the recess, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. A paper feeding unit 122 for feeding the recording paper a is provided in this form, and a receiving guide 145 for mounting and fixing the paper feeding unit 122 is provided at the lower end of the copying machine main body B. A locking edge 146 that can be slidably inserted is formed, and the paper feed unit 122 is configured to be detachable from the copying machine main body B. Furthermore, when the paper feed cassette unit containing the recording paper a is attached and fixed to the copying machine main body B,
It goes without saying that the intake opening 134 and the recording output opening 137 should be installed so that they are aligned.

Furthermore, in contrast to the system in which the paper feed unit 122 is slid and fixed as shown in FIG. 134, and a fixing protrusion 148 formed on the other side may be fixed to the side wall of the copying machine body B with a screw 149. In addition, the above-mentioned paper feed unit is attached to the copying machine main body B as shown in FIG.
It is also possible to configure it so that it can be set below the paper feed cassettes 22A, 22B. In that case, a recording paper intake port 150 is provided on the lower side of the copying machine body B, and a recording paper outlet 151 is provided in the paper feed unit 122, so that the recording paper a can be supplied to the copying machine body B side. . The paper feed unit 122 can be detachably attached to the main body B using a fixing member 152.

Since the copying apparatus of the present invention has the above-described structure, a business with a relatively small scale of copying processing uses only the copying machine main body B, and a business with a large scale of copying processing uses the copying machine main body B and a paper feed unit. It may be used in combination with C. Therefore, the purchaser of the copying machine can first install only the copying machine body B, and then install the stand A later in consideration of expanding the scale of copying processing or other needs. There is no financial burden on the Even when the copying machine main body B and paper feed unit C are used together, the installation area can be the same as that of a conventional small-sized copying machine, so it is easier to install than a large-sized copying machine.
much more advantageous.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall sectional view of a copying apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of a paper feed section of the same copying apparatus, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are an illustration of a paper feed unit of the present invention. 5 is a front view and a side view showing another embodiment; FIG. 5 is a front view of another embodiment showing the combination of the paper feed unit and the main body of the copying machine; and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.
It is. a... Recording paper, A... Stand, B... Copying machine main body, 10... Photosensitive drum, 16, 17... Paper feed stand, 18... Recording paper path, 34... Intake opening, 3
7...Recording paper outlet, 38...Paper feeding device, C12
2...Paper feeding unit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a copying device configured to sequentially feed recording sheets in cassettes loaded into predetermined locations of the device in response to copying operations, the device is placed on a pedestal and a large number of recording sheets can be fed when desired. A paper feeding unit having a base plate (pallet) that can be stacked and held and a dedicated paper feeding means is removably attached using the pedestal and/or a part of the device, and the paper feeding unit and the main body of the device are A copying apparatus characterized in that the recording paper in the paper feeding unit can be used by aligning a recording paper take-out opening and an intake opening provided respectively.