Media supply device and image forming system

Abstract

To provide a media supply device that can reduce skew occurrence in a configuration where a side fence is arranged separated from an image forming apparatus.SOLUTION: A media supply device 10 that supplies media to a media supply section 140 of an image forming apparatus 100, includes a side fence 11 that restricts the width direction of a media perpendicular to a media feed direction D, and an auxiliary fence member 12 that is detachably mounted to the side fence 11 and shortens the gap between a tip portion 11a of the side fence 11 downstream of the feed direction and the media supply section 140.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a medium feeding device and an image forming system. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Some image forming apparatuses, such as printers, copiers, and facsimiles, are known to have a medium supply unit (hereinafter also referred to as a "manual paper feed unit") on the exterior side of the housing. The manual feed tray can also be used to feed special media other than plain paper. In particular, envelopes with flaps, which are uneven in thickness, are more likely to get caught on guide plates during transport, so they are generally fed from the manual feeder.

[0003] The manual paper feed unit includes a manual feed tray that is supported so as to be freely openable and closable relative to the image forming apparatus body, and media are stacked on the manual feed tray. However, manual feed trays are generally designed to hold a small amount of media, and are not suitable for continuously feeding large amounts of media. Therefore, a technique is known in which a media feeder is provided outside the image forming apparatus and a large amount of media is fed to the manual feed unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration including a first width restriction plate (side fence) supported so as to be movable in the width direction so as to guide the side edges of the medium placed on the placement surface, a second width restriction plate (side fence) disposed between the manual paper feed roller of the image forming device and supported so as to be movable in the width direction of the medium, and a connecting member that connects the first and second width restriction plates at the bottom of the tray body. Note that the first and second width restriction plates are provided on a common tray body and are therefore always maintained in a connected state. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, because the manual feed tray has an opening and closing mechanism, the side fence of the medium feeding device may not be able to be permanently installed close to the manual feed roller due to its structure. Furthermore, the media supply device, commonly known as an envelope feeder, is not connected to the manual feed unit of the image forming apparatus but is instead positioned separately, which results in a gap between the leading edge of the side fence and the entrance of the manual feed unit of the image forming apparatus.

[0006] In the gap, the side fences do not regulate the width of the media, which can lead to skew. This is particularly true for envelopes with varying thickness, which can lead to misaligned printing and jams.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a medium feeding device that can reduce the occurrence of skew in an embodiment in which the side fences are disposed at a distance from the image forming device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problem, the media supply device of the present invention is a media supply device that supplies media to a media supply section of an image forming device, and is characterized by comprising a side fence that regulates the width direction of the media perpendicular to the media feed direction, and an auxiliary fence member that is detachably attached to the side fence and shortens the gap between the tip of the side fence downstream in the media feed direction and the media supply section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a medium feeding device that can reduce the occurrence of skew in an embodiment in which the side fences are disposed at a distance from the image forming device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming system according to the present invention. [Figure 2]1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an image forming apparatus that constitutes an image forming system. [Figure 3] 1 is a photograph of the vicinity of a medium supply unit in a conventional image forming system. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the vicinity of a medium supply unit in a conventional image forming system. [Figure 5] 1 is a photograph of the vicinity of a medium supply unit in the image forming system of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the vicinity of a medium supply unit in the image forming system of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which an auxiliary fence member is attached to a side guide. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an auxiliary fence member. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the amount of skew. [Figure 10] 10 is a table showing the amount of skew depending on whether or not an auxiliary fence member is present. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The following describes a medium supply device and an image forming system according to the present invention with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and other modifications, additions, corrections, deletions, and other changes may be made within the scope of what one skilled in the art can conceive. Any modification that achieves the functions and effects of the present invention is within the scope of the present invention.

[0012] <Image forming system> FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming system according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, an image forming system 200 includes an image forming apparatus 100 having an image forming means 100A that forms an image on a medium, and a medium supplying apparatus 10 that feeds a medium to the image forming apparatus 100. The medium supply device 10 is disposed on the side of the image forming apparatus 100 and does not abut on the main body of the image forming apparatus 100 .

[0013] The medium fed from the medium supply device 10 is conveyed while its position in the direction (width direction) perpendicular to the feeding direction indicated by arrow D is regulated by side fences 11 and auxiliary fence members 12. The medium fed to the medium supply section 140 of the image forming device 100 is picked up by a pickup roller 130 and carried into the image forming device 100. The medium is fed to image forming unit 100A, where a desired image is formed on the front and / or back side of the medium, and the medium with the image formed thereon is ejected from the image forming device.

[0014] The image forming method of the image forming apparatus 100 constituting the image forming system of this embodiment is not particularly limited, and any method such as an electrophotographic method or an inkjet method can be adopted.

[0015] <Image forming device> 2 is a schematic diagram of an electrophotographic printer as an example of image forming apparatus 100. This image forming apparatus 100 is a full-color printer that uses toner of four colors, yellow (Y), cyan (C), magenta (M), and black (K), and a full-color copier that has equivalent image forming functions.

[0016] Four imaging units 101Y, 101M, 101C, and 101K, each of which creates an image using a different color toner, are arranged side by side in the upper portion of the device main body. The configuration and operation of each of the imaging units 101Y, 101M, 101C, and 101K are essentially identical, so the following description of each imaging unit will omit the reference symbols (Y, M, C, and K) indicating the colors. In each imaging unit 101, a charger 103, a developing device 104, a cleaning device 105, and the like are arranged around a photosensitive drum 102 serving as an image carrier. An exposure unit 107 is also arranged above the photosensitive drum 102.

[0017] An intermediate transfer belt 108 wound around a plurality of support rollers is disposed below each imaging unit 101. The intermediate transfer belt 108 is driven to travel in the direction of arrow A1 when one of the support rollers is driven to rotate by a driving means (not shown). A transfer roller 106 serving as primary transfer means is disposed opposite the photosensitive drum 102 of each imaging unit across the intermediate transfer belt 108.

[0018] In each imaging unit 101, a photosensitive drum 102 is rotated counterclockwise in the drawing, and the surface of the photosensitive drum is uniformly charged to a predetermined polarity by a charger 103. Next, an optically modulated laser beam emitted from an exposure means 107 is irradiated onto the charged surface, thereby forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 102. The electrostatic latent image is developed with toner applied by a developing device 104 and visualized as a toner image. The yellow, cyan, magenta, and black toner images formed in each imaging unit are transferred onto an intermediate transfer belt 108 in succession, superimposed on one another.

[0019] A paper feed unit 114 having paper feed trays 114a and 114b is provided at the bottom of the device body, and media is fed from either this paper feed unit 114 or the media supply device 10 of this embodiment that is attached to the image forming device 100. The fed medium is transported in the direction of arrow B1 toward registration rollers 111. After hitting and temporarily stopping against the registration rollers 111, the medium is sent out by the registration rollers 111 in time with the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 108 and is sent to a secondary transfer section where secondary transfer roller 109 and intermediate transfer belt 108 come into contact. A voltage of opposite polarity to the charge polarity of the toner is applied to the secondary transfer roller 109, thereby transferring the superimposed toner image (full-color image) on the intermediate transfer belt 108 onto the medium. After the toner image has been transferred, the medium is transported by conveyor belt 112 to fixing device 113, where the toner is fixed to the medium by heat and pressure. After the toner image has been fixed, the medium is ejected outside the machine as shown by arrow C and onto a paper output tray (not shown).

[0020] In the case of face-down discharge in single-sided printing, the medium is reversed by being discharged outside the machine via reversal unit 115 as shown by arrow C. In the case of double-sided printing, the medium after fixing is resupplied to registration rollers 111 via resupply path 117 via double-sided reversal unit 116, and the toner image is transferred to the back side by intermediate transfer belt 108. The medium after the toner image transfer is fixed in fixing device 113, and is then discharged outside the machine from fixing unit 113 as shown by arrow C, or via reversal unit 115 as shown by arrow C, just like in single-sided printing, and is then discharged onto a paper output tray (not shown). Switching claws 118 and 119 are appropriately arranged to switch the transport direction.

[0021] In the case of monochrome printing, the image forming apparatus 100 of this example creates a toner image using only the black (K) imaging unit 101K, and transfers the toner image onto the medium via the intermediate transfer belt 108. The medium is handled in the same manner as in the case of full-color printing after the toner image is fixed.

[0022] On the top surface of the device body, there is provided a toner bottle setting section 120 for setting toner bottles 121 of each color, which contain toner to be supplied to the developing devices 104 of each image forming unit. Also provided on the top surface of the device body is an operation section 124 having a display section 122 and an operation panel 123.

[0023] A medium supply unit (manual feed unit) 140 is provided on the right side of the main body of the image forming apparatus 100. The medium supply unit 140 is provided with an opening for receiving the medium, a pickup roller 130 for picking up the medium, and a manual feed tray 141. The medium supplied from the medium supply device 10 is carried in from the medium supply unit 140.

[0024] <Media supply device (envelope feeder)> The medium supply device 10 of this embodiment is a device that supplies medium to the medium supply section 140 of the image forming device 100, and is equipped with a side fence 11 that regulates the width direction of the medium perpendicular to the medium feed direction D, and an auxiliary fence member 12 that is detachably attached to the side fence 11 and shortens the gap between the tip end 11a of the side fence 11 downstream in the feed direction and the medium supply section 140.

[0025] The following describes an example in which envelopes 20 are fed as media to a manual feed unit serving as medium supply unit 140. Note that medium supply device 10 is also referred to as an "envelope feeder." Although the medium feeding device 10 of this embodiment is suitable for feeding envelopes, the medium to be fed is not limited to envelopes.

[0026] First, a conventional example of an envelope feeder is shown in FIGS. FIG. 3 is a photograph of the vicinity of the medium supply unit 140 of the image forming apparatus 100, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the top surface. 3 and 4, the leading ends 11a of the pair of side fences 11 are spaced apart from the medium supply unit 140, leaving a gap of a length indicated by G1 in the figures. In this section G1, the width direction of the envelope 20 is not restricted by the side fences 11, making it prone to skew.

[0027] The envelope feeder of this embodiment is shown in FIGS. FIG. 5 is a photograph of the vicinity of the medium supply unit 140 of the image forming apparatus 100, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the top surface. In the medium supply device 10 of this embodiment, the auxiliary fence member 12 is provided, so that the distance over which the width of the envelope 20 can be restricted is longer than in the past (the portion indicated by L in the figure), and the gap G2 between the tip 12a of the auxiliary fence member 12 and the medium supply unit 140 is shorter than the conventional gap G1. In this embodiment, L is approximately 30 mm.

[0028] With this configuration, the envelope 20 is restricted in the width direction up to the vicinity of the pickup roller 130 of the medium supply unit 140, thereby reducing the occurrence of skew.

[0029] 7A and 7B are explanatory diagrams showing a state in which the auxiliary fence member 12 is attached to the side fence 11, with FIG. 7A being a side view and FIG. 7B being a top view. The auxiliary fence member 12 is detachably attached to the side fence 11. In this embodiment, the side fence 11 is made of a magnetic material, and the auxiliary fence member 12 is provided with a magnet 12b that is attracted to the side surface of the side fence 11, making it detachable.

[0030] Auxiliary fence member 12 is attached to side fence 11 by magnetic attraction, making it easy to attach and detach, and can be attached and detached even after envelope feeder 10 has been installed in the main body of image forming apparatus 100. Therefore, the installation method and time required for envelope feeder 10 are the same as those for conventional devices that do not have auxiliary fence member 12.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 7(A) and 7(B), the auxiliary fence member 12 has a step portion 12c that engages with the tip end portion 11a of the side fence 11 on the downstream side in the feeding direction. Positioning in the X and Y directions in the drawing becomes possible by abutting the step portion 12c against the tip portion 11a.

[0032] FIG. 8 is a perspective explanatory view showing an example of the auxiliary fence member 12. As shown in FIG. Each of the pair of auxiliary fence members 12 has a magnet 12b on the surface facing the side fence 11. In addition to the configuration shown in Fig. 8(A), the auxiliary fence member 12 may have a media pressing portion 12d on its upper surface as shown in Fig. 8(B). The media pressing portion 12d can regulate the height of the stacked media (envelopes 20) in the stacking direction.

[0033] (Example) FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the amount of skew in the envelope 20. As shown in FIG. If the envelope 20 is fed into the media supply section 140 at an angle, the image data 20a formed in the areas parallel to each of the four sides of the envelope 20 that are not tilted will be printed at an angle as shown in the figure.

[0034] In the following examples, printing was performed on C-3 size envelopes using the envelope feeder of this embodiment equipped with the auxiliary fence member 12 and an envelope feeder not equipped with the auxiliary fence member 12. The amount of vertical skew and horizontal skew that occurred on the envelopes after printing was measured. The results are shown in Figure 10.

[0035] In the envelope feeder of this embodiment equipped with the auxiliary fence member 12 (marked "With auxiliary fence" in the table), the average horizontal skew was 0.2 mm, 3σ was 0.7 mm, and the average +3σ was 0.9 mm. The average vertical skew was 0.1 mm, 3σ was 0.6 mm, and the average +3σ was 0.7 mm.

[0036] On the other hand, for envelope feeders without auxiliary fence members 12 ("without auxiliary fence" in the table), the average horizontal skew was 1.8 mm, 3σ was 2.1 mm, and the average +3σ was 3.9 mm. The average vertical skew was 1.1 mm, 3σ was 1.4 mm, and the average +3σ was 2.5 mm.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 10, it was found that by using the envelope feeder of this embodiment equipped with the auxiliary fence member 12, both the horizontal skew amount and the vertical skew amount can be significantly reduced.

[0038] For example, aspects of the present invention are as follows. <1> A medium supplying device that supplies a medium to a medium supplying section of an image forming device, a side fence for restricting the width direction of the medium perpendicular to the feeding direction of the medium; The media supply device is characterized by comprising an auxiliary fence member that is detachably attached to the side fence and shortens the gap between the downstream tip of the side fence in the feed direction and the media supply section. <2> The side fence is made of a magnetic material, The auxiliary fence member is provided with a magnet that is attracted to the side fence. <1> 2 is a medium supplying device according to the first embodiment. <3> The auxiliary fence member has a step portion that engages with the downstream end of the side fence in the feeding direction. <1> or <2> 2 is a medium feeding device according to the first embodiment. <4> The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the medium supply unit is a manual supply unit. <1> from <3> 10. The medium supply device according to claim 9, wherein: <5> The medium is an envelope. <1> from <4> 10. The medium supply device according to claim 9, wherein: <6> an image forming apparatus including an image forming means for forming an image on a medium; a medium feeding device that feeds a medium toward the image forming device, The medium feeding device includes: <1> from <5> 10 is a diagram showing an image forming system using the medium feeding device according to any one of the above items. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 10 Media supply device (envelope feeder) 11 Side Fence 11a Tip 12 Auxiliary fence members 12a Tip 12b Magnet 12c Step 12d Media holder 20 Medium (envelope) 20a Image 100 Image forming device 100A Image forming unit 130 Pickup Roller 140 Media supply unit (manual feed unit) 141 Manual feed tray 200 Image forming system [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0040] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-129851

Claims

1. A medium supplying device that supplies a medium to a medium supplying section of an image forming device, a side fence for restricting the width direction of the medium perpendicular to the feeding direction of the medium; a secondary fence member that is detachably attached to the side fence and that shortens the gap between the downstream end of the side fence in the feeding direction and the media supply unit;

2. The side fence is made of a magnetic material, 2. The media supply device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary fence member includes a magnet that is attracted to the side fence.

3. 3. The medium feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary fence member has a step portion that engages with a downstream end of the side fence in the feeding direction.

4. 4. The medium feeding device according to claim 3, wherein the medium feeding unit of the image forming apparatus is a manual feeding unit.

5. 4. The media feeding device of claim 3, wherein the media is an envelope.

6. an image forming apparatus including an image forming means for forming an image on a medium; a medium feeding device that feeds a medium toward the image forming device, 3. An image forming system, comprising the medium feeding device according to claim 1 or 2 as the medium feeding device.

Images