JPH0312013B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a transfer medium supply device in an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine or a magnetic recording device.

Conventionally, in image forming apparatuses such as electrophotographic copying machines and magnetic recording devices, transfer media such as transfer paper (hereinafter referred to as transfer paper, taking transfer paper as a representative example) are used.
Separate transfer paper feeding devices are provided for each transfer paper loading means such as cassettes or decks that are loaded and stored, but only one of them is actually used effectively at any given time. It simply made the device more complicated.

In addition, in recent years, there has been an increasing demand for processes such as double-sided copying, in which an image is transferred again to the back side of transfer paper after it has gone through a transfer cycle, or multiple copying, in which images are formed overlappingly on the same surface. In the filling device, a paper refeeding device is required, and a separate paper feeding device needs to be provided for the paper refeeding device, making the mechanical device increasingly complex.

One way to solve this problem is to install a paper feeding device between the upper and lower transfer paper stacking means.
It has been proposed to shift the paper feeding device to one side at a suitable time to select the feeding transfer paper stacking means.
An example of such a conventional device is shown in FIG. This device has a pair of transfer paper loading means arranged above and below,
A paper feed roller is provided between them, and by shifting the paper feed roller upward or downward, the transfer paper is sent out from the upper stacking means or the transfer paper is sent out from the lower stacking means. ing. However, in such a device, since the paper feeding paths are provided on the same side, it is necessary to change the transport direction of the paper feeding means such as the paper feeding roller as the transfer paper stacking means is selected. Therefore, it was necessary to provide a clutch, etc., and the mechanism was not significantly simplified.

The purpose of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems in conventional devices.

In particular, regarding the above-mentioned problem, when one of the transfer paper stacking means is used as an intermediate tray for temporarily storing and refeeding transfer paper in the case of double-sided copying or multiple copying, this Although the intermediate tray is used even less frequently than a normal paper feeding device, the purpose of the present invention is to simply shift the normal paper feeding device to the intermediate tray side for temporary storage for paper refeeding. To provide a paper feeding device that can be used as a paper refeeding device in a machine, has a simple structure, and can be manufactured at low cost.

For this purpose, the present invention provides feeding paths in opposite directions for first and second transfer medium loading means arranged parallel to each other, and a roller, for example, is provided between the two transfer medium loading means. A simple configuration can be achieved by providing a transfer medium feeding means such as the above and providing a means for shifting this transfer medium feeding means (hereinafter referred to as a paper feeding device) toward the first or second transfer medium loading means. This provides an inexpensive paper feeding device.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

In the illustrated embodiment, a paper feed cassette 1 is used as a means for loading new transfer paper, and an intermediate tray 5 is used as a transfer paper stacking means for double-sided copying or multiple copying. In this embodiment, in a normal first side copying cycle, a new transfer sheet is loaded into the paper feed cassette 1, and the paper feed roller arm 3 is moved so that the paper feed roller 2 is in the position shown by the solid line in the figure. is position controlled.

When the paper feed roller 2 rotates in the direction of arrow A, the transfer paper is fed into the paper feed path 4 one by one. This feeding is normally performed intermittently in accordance with the transfer cycle using a clutch or the like (not shown).

Next, when copying is performed on the back side of the transfer paper after copying the first side through a known processing cycle,
When the position of the transfer paper is reversed and copying is performed again on the same side, the position of the transfer paper is not reversed, but is guided to the intermediate tray 5, where alignment processing and the like are performed in preparation for re-feeding.

Next, after replacing the original, by operating the copy button on the operation panel, etc., a solenoid (not shown) is activated, and the paper feed roller arm 3 is shifted to the position shown by the broken line in the figure, and the paper feed roller arm 3 is shifted to the position shown by the broken line in the figure. When the clutch of the paper roller 2 is actuated, the paper feed roller 2 rotates in the direction of arrow A, as in the case of copying the first side, and the intermediate tray 5
Transfer paper that has been temporarily loaded and stored in the re-feed cassette is transferred one sheet at a time from the bottom through the notch 7 at the bottom of the paper re-feed cassette.
The paper is fed in the direction of the paper refeeding path 6. At this time, the contact pressure applying member 8 moves to apply an appropriate contact pressure between the paper feed roller 2 and the transfer paper.

Thereafter, the transfer paper undergoes a processing cycle similar to the copying cycle for the first side, and copying to the back side or the same side is completed.

The apparatus of the present invention can be used to transfer different originals one by one to transfer paper, except for the case where transfer paper is temporarily stored in an intermediate storage container in order to transfer multiple sheets from the same original. Since the sheets are re-fed in the order in which they were stored, it is extremely effective for image forming apparatuses that use an automatic document feeder (auto feeder), for example.

Furthermore, almost all of the mechanisms necessary for the present invention are normally included in conventional paper feeding devices. For example, a means for raising and lowering the paper feed roller is usually provided because it is necessary when replenishing transfer paper, although the purpose is different, and a clutch for driving the paper feed roller intermittently is also usually provided. .

Normally, in an image forming apparatus, the frequency of using the paper refeeding device is much less than when using the paper feeding device, so there is no need to provide a special paper feeding device for paper refeeding, and it is easy to use. The device of the present invention, which functions as a paper refeeding device through its configuration and operation, is extremely useful.

Furthermore, the present invention is effective not only in devices that require the addition of a paper refeeding device, but also in devices equipped with a general paper feed cassette.

The present invention provides paper feeding paths facing in opposite directions to two stacking means provided with the sides for separating sheet materials facing each other, and paper feed paths are provided in opposite directions to each other, and paper feed paths are provided from each stacking means by a rotary feeding rotary body rotating in the same direction. Since the sheet materials can be sent out in opposite directions, the mechanism can be simplified and costs can be reduced compared to conventional paper feeding devices.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional paper feeding device, and FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention applied to a copying machine. 1...Paper feed cassette, 2...Paper feed roller, 3...
...Paper feed roller alarm, 4...Paper feed path, 5...
Intermediate tray, 6...Refeeding path, 7...Notch at the bottom of the paper refeeding cassette, 8...Contact pressure applying member, 9
...Photosensitive drum, 10...Reversing path, 11... Paper output tray.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A first loading means for loading sheet materials; and a second loading means for loading sheet materials, the sides of which separate the sheet materials being arranged to face each other with respect to the first loading means. a loading means; a paper feed path provided in each of the loading means facing in the opposite direction; and either the sheet material loaded on the first loading means or the sheet material loaded on the second loading means. a feeding rotary body that is provided so as to be able to selectively come into contact with one of the first and second loading means, and that rotates in the same direction to send out the sheet materials loaded on the first and second loading means in opposite directions; Characteristic paper feeding device.