Paper feeder and image formation device

Abstract

To provide a paper feeder and image formation device that enable the unlocking of the rotary plate with a simpler mechanism.SOLUTION: The paper feeder includes: a feed roller that draws a sheet in the transport direction; a rotary plate on which the sheet is placed and which rotates around a rotation center on the upstream side in the transport direction; a locking member that holds the rotary plate in a locked state; and a lock release member that releases the locked state of the rotary plate. The lock release member includes: an interlocking member movable in an unlocking direction to release the locked state; an unlocking lever that moves the interlocking member in the unlocking direction; and a cam provided on the rotating shaft of the feed roller. The device is configured such that the unlocking lever, which comes into contact with the cam as the feed roller rotates, moves the interlocking member in the unlocking direction to release the locked state of the rotary plate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a paper feeder and an image forming apparatus including the paper feeder. [Background technology]

[0002] Some sheet feeding devices are equipped with a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers a pickup roller between a contact position where it contacts a sheet and a separated position where it is separated from the sheet, and are configured to move the pickup roller to the separated state by this lifting mechanism when setting a sheet. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a lifting means moves the pickup roller to a standby position or a contact position for the sheet, and a separation roller is pressed against a sheet feed roller that conveys the sheet fed by the pickup roller. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-210564 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Conventional paper feeders use the biasing force of a pressure spring to press the pickup roller against the sheet, and require a locking mechanism to prevent the sheet on the manual feed tray from pressing against the pickup roller when in the standby position. Furthermore, in paper feed mechanisms that use two rollers, a feed roller and a separation roller, a locking mechanism is required to keep the feed roller separated from the manual feed tray when a sheet is set. A mechanism to release this locking mechanism is required when feeding paper, and multiple gears, arm members, and holders to hold these members are required for unlocking, resulting in an increase in the number of parts.

[0005] The present disclosure aims to solve an issue by enabling a rotary plate on which sheets are placed to be unlocked with a simpler configuration in a paper feeder and an image forming apparatus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The paper feeding device disclosed herein is a paper feeding device comprising a paper feed roller that pulls in a sheet in a conveying direction, a rotating plate on which a sheet is placed and which rotates around the upstream side in the conveying direction as its center of rotation, a locking member that holds the rotating plate in a locked state where it cannot rotate, and an unlocking member that releases the locked state of the rotating plate, wherein the unlocking member includes a linking member that can move in an unlocking direction to act on the locking member and release the locked state, a release lever that moves the linking member in the release direction, and a cam that is provided on the rotation axis of the paper feed roller and can abut against the release lever, and as the paper feed roller rotates, the release lever abuts against the cam and moves the linking member in the release direction, releasing the locked state of the rotating plate and causing the sheet to rotate so that it comes into contact with the paper feed roller.

[0007] In the paper feeding device, it is preferable that the cam has a protrusion that protrudes in a radial direction of the rotary shaft, and the release lever abuts against the protrusion of the rotating cam and swings.

[0008] In the paper feeding device, it is preferable that the release lever has a contact portion that contacts the protrusion and a pressing portion that extends toward the interlocking member.

[0009] In the paper feeding device, it is preferable that the cam has at least two or more of the protrusions.

[0010] In the paper feeding device, the release lever may be biased in a direction opposite to the release direction.

[0011] In addition, in the paper feeding device, the interlocking member includes a first interlocking member that rotates when pressed by the release lever, and a second interlocking member that is connected to the first interlocking member and moves in the release direction in conjunction with the rotating first interlocking member, and the first interlocking member and the second interlocking member may be provided on the rotating plate.

[0012] Furthermore, an image forming apparatus equipped with a paper feeder having the above-described configuration also falls within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to unlock the rotating plate on which the sheet is placed with a simpler configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating a general configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a manual feed tray having a paper feeder according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the main components of the paper feeder; [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the paper feed device and the manual feed tray. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the paper feed device and the manual feed tray. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a tray body of the manual feed tray. [Figure 7] 7 is a plan view showing the manual tray shown in FIG. 6 with the rotary plate removed. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a release lever and a cam in the paper feeder. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the operation of the release lever and the cam. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the operation of the release lever and the cam subsequent to FIG. 9. [Figure 11] 11 is a perspective view showing the operation of the release lever and the cam subsequent to FIG. 10. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a configuration around an unlocking member of a paper feed device according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] An image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and a paper feeding device 10 provided in the image forming apparatus 1 will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0016] (Image forming device) 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment. The image forming apparatus 1 has a copying function of reading an original and printing it on a sheet.

[0017] The image forming apparatus 1 includes a paper feeder 10, an image reading unit 12, a document transport unit 13, an image forming unit 14, etc. The image forming unit 14 and the paper feeder 10 are provided in an apparatus main body 11. The image reading unit 12 and the document transport unit 13 are mounted on the top of the apparatus main body 11.

[0018] The document transport unit 13 transports the document to the image reading unit 12. The image reading unit 12 irradiates the document with light and generates image data corresponding to the image on the document from the reflected light. The image reading unit 12 houses a scanner optical system below a document table on which transparent glass is arranged. The scanner optical system irradiates the document on the document table with light and generates an electrical signal as an image signal corresponding to the reflected light from the document.

[0019] Image forming unit 14 includes a primary transfer unit 15, a secondary transfer unit 16, a belt cleaning unit 17, and a fixing unit 18. It forms a visible image based on image data and forms the image on a sheet, such as a predetermined recording sheet. Image data handled by image forming apparatus 1 corresponds to a color image using black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y), or a monochrome image using a single color (e.g., black). Image forming unit 14 is provided with four photoreceptor drums 21 that function as image carriers. Each drum is equipped with a charging device, an exposure device, a developing device, and a photoreceptor cleaning device (not shown), and is configured to form four types of toner images corresponding to the colors black, cyan, magenta, and yellow.

[0020] The primary transfer unit 15 has four photosensitive drums 21 and an intermediate transfer belt 22 that contacts the photosensitive drums 21. The intermediate transfer belt 22 is an image carrier on which a toner image is formed, and moves around while being stretched between a transfer drive roller 23 and a transfer driven roller 24. The toner images of each color formed on the surface of the photosensitive drums 21 are transferred and superimposed, forming a color toner image on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 22.

[0021] A transfer roller 25 provided in the secondary transfer unit 16 forms a nip between itself and the intermediate transfer belt 22, and the sheet conveyed through the conveying path 201 is sandwiched in the nip and conveyed. When the sheet passes through the nip, the toner image on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 22 is transferred onto the sheet.

[0022] Toner and the like remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 22 are collected by a belt cleaning unit 17. In the fixing unit 18, the sheet onto which the unfixed toner image has been transferred is sandwiched between a heating roller 26 and a pressure roller 27 and heated and pressurized while being transported, thereby thermally fixing the unfixed toner image to the sheet.

[0023] The sheet feeding device 10 uses either a sheet feeding cassette 29 or a manual feed tray 30 as a sheet feeding source and supplies sheets one by one to the image forming unit 14. The sheet feeding cassette 29 is provided below the image forming unit 14. The sheet feeding cassette 29 stores sheets to be used for image formation. The sheet is pulled out of the sheet feeding cassette 29 by a pickup roller 41, transported through a transport path 201, and discharged to the discharge tray 28 via the secondary transfer unit 16 and the fixing unit 18.

[0024] The manual feed tray 30 is provided openably and closably on the side of the apparatus body 11. A sheet placed on the manual feed tray 30 is guided to the conveying path 201 via the horizontal conveying path 202 and conveyed to the image forming unit 14.

[0025] Pairs of rollers such as a registration roller 42, a conveying roller 43, and a paper discharge roller 44 are arranged on the conveying path 201. The registration roller 42 temporarily stops the sheet, aligns the leading edge of the sheet, and then starts conveying the sheet in accordance with the transfer timing at the nip portion between the intermediate transfer belt 22 and the transfer roller 25. The conveying roller 43 and the paper discharge roller 44 promote the conveyance of the sheet.

[0026] When an image is to be formed on the back side as well as the front side of the sheet, the sheet is transported from the discharge roller 44 to the reverse transport path 203, the sheet is turned over and guided to the registration roller 42, and an image is formed on the back side in the same manner as on the front side.

[0027] (Paper feeder) As an embodiment of a paper feeding device according to the present disclosure, a paper feeding device 10 applied to a manual feed tray 30 will be described in detail.

[0028] Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing manual feed tray 30 having paper feed device 10, and Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the main components of paper feed device 10. Figs. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views showing the operation of rotating plate 52 in manual feed tray 30.

[0029] Sheet feeding device 10 feeds sheets (not shown) placed on manual feed tray 30. For example, sheet feeding device 10 is configured to feed sheets to horizontal conveyance path 202 continuous with manual feed tray 30, and further supply the sheets to image forming unit 14 via horizontal conveyance path 202.

[0030] Specifically, the sheet feeding device 10 includes a manual feed tray 30 on which sheets are stacked, a sheet feed roller 31 provided at the upstream end of a horizontal conveyance path 202 at the connecting end (front end) with the manual feed tray 30, and a separation roller 32 pressed against the sheet feed roller 31. For convenience of explanation, the conveyance path continuing to the manual feed tray 30 is referred to as the horizontal conveyance path 202 to distinguish it from the conveyance path 201, but the conveyance path is not limited to being provided horizontally within the device body 11 and may be provided in any manner.

[0031] In the illustrated embodiment, the manual feed tray 30 includes a tray body 51, a rotary plate 52, a restricting member 53, and an extension tray 55. The tray body 51 is provided on the side of the device body 11 of the image forming apparatus 1 so as to be able to open and close. The tray body 51 rotates around its front end connected to the device body 11. When the manual feed tray 30 is not in use, the tray body 51 is closed and becomes part of the side of the device body 11.

[0032] 2, when tray body 51 is open, manual tray 30 is disposed so that its rear end is positioned higher than the center of rotation of its front end and is inclined at a predetermined angle downstream in paper feed direction A. Rotating plate 52 is disposed facing diagonally upward. When a sheet is placed on rotating plate 52 of manual tray 30, the sheet can move downstream in paper feed direction A under its own weight.

[0033] The rotating plate 52 is disposed on the upper surface of the tray body 51. As shown in FIG. 2, the rotating plate 52 is rotatable about a shaft 521 provided on the upstream side in the paper feed direction A. A biasing member 54 is disposed between the tray body 51 and the rotating plate 52, and biases the rotating plate 52 upward. As shown in FIG. 4, the rotating plate 52 disposed on top of the tray body 51 rotates due to the biasing force of the biasing member 54 when feeding a sheet, and as shown in FIG. 5, the downstream end of the rotating plate 52 in the paper feed direction A is separated from the tray body 51 and disposed close to the paper feed roller 31.

[0034] The regulating members 53 are arranged in pairs near the downstream side of the tray main body 51 in the paper feed direction A. The pair of regulating members 53 are arranged facing each other in a direction perpendicular to the paper feed direction A and regulate the sheet position. The extension tray 55 is provided openably and closably at the upstream end of the tray main body 51 in the paper feed direction A, and can expand the sheet placement surface.

[0035] The sheet feed roller 31 and a part of the roller shaft 33, which is the rotation shaft of the sheet feed roller 31, are housed in the frame 50. The sheet feed roller 31 is configured to pull in the uppermost sheet from the sheet stack placed on the rotary plate 52 in the conveying direction B.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 3, the paper feed roller 31 and the separation roller 32 are arranged opposite to each other. Fig. 3 shows the paper feed roller 31 and the separation roller 32 as viewed from the upstream side in the conveying direction B. While the paper feed roller 31 rotates to pull the sheet in the conveying direction B, the separation roller 32 applies a conveying force to the sheet in the opposite direction to that of the paper feed roller 31.

[0037] As the rotating plate 52 rotates and pushes up the sheet placed on the rotating plate 52 in the direction of arrow C in Figure 5, the leading edge of the sheet comes into contact with the paper feed roller 31, and the rotating paper feed roller 31 feeds the sheet in the conveying direction B. When multiple sheets on the rotating plate 52 are pulled in by the paper feed roller 31, the separation roller 32 pushes the lower sheet of the multiple sheets back toward the rotating plate 52, preventing double feeding of sheets. The sheets are separated one by one from the rotating plate 52 and sent in the conveying direction B.

[0038] The sheet feeding device 10 further includes a locking member 60 that holds the rotating plate 52 in a locked state where it cannot rotate, and an unlocking member 70 that unlocks the locked state of the rotating plate 52. The unlocking member 70 unlocks the locked state of the rotating plate 52 to place the rotating plate 52 in an unlocked state where it can rotate. Note that the rotating plate 52 is in the locked state in FIG. 4, and in FIG. 5, the rotating plate 52 is in the unlocked state.

[0039] Fig. 6 is a plan view showing tray main body 51 of manual tray 30, and Fig. 7 is a plan view showing tray main body 51 shown in Fig. 6 with rotating plate 52 removed. In Figs. 6 and 7, rotating plate 52 is in a locked state, similar to rotating plate 52 shown in Fig. 5.

[0040] A locking member 60 engages with the rotating plate 52 on the tray main body 51 to prevent it from rotating. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the locking member 60 is integrally provided on the tray main body 51 and is disposed on the back surface side of the rotating plate 52. For example, the locking member 60 has a hook-shaped tip portion that can be engaged with the rotating plate 52. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the locking member 60 engages with a receiving portion 722 to prevent the rotating plate 52 from rotating. In addition, the pair of restricting members 53 are provided slidably in the left-right direction D in the figure along a slide groove 531 formed in the rotating plate 52.

[0041] The unlocking member 70 has interlocking members (first interlocking member 71, second interlocking member 72), a release lever 73, and a cam 80. As shown in FIG. 7, the interlocking members include a first interlocking member 71 and a second interlocking member 72 that are connected to each other. Both the first interlocking member 71 and the second interlocking member 72 are disposed on the rear surface side (tray body 51 side) of the rotating plate 52 and are supported by the rotating plate 52. As shown in FIG. 5, when the rotating plate 52 rotates, the first interlocking member 71, the second interlocking member 72, and the restricting member 53 can rise together with the rotating plate 52 in the direction of arrow C.

[0042] The first interlocking member 71 is disposed on the downstream end side of the tray main body 51 in the paper feed direction A. The first interlocking member 71 is attached to the rear surface of the rotating plate 52 via a connecting portion 711. The first interlocking member 71 is provided on the rear surface of the rotating plate 52 so as to be rotatable around the connecting portion 711 as the center of rotation. The first interlocking member 71 has a rib-shaped pressed portion 712 protruding from an edge portion on the downstream end side in the paper feed direction A. As shown in FIG. 6 , the rotating plate 52 has a cutout in a portion that overlaps with the pressed portion 712, and is provided so that the pressed portion 712 is exposed from the rotating plate 52.

[0043] The second interlocking member 72 is connected to the first interlocking member 71 and is a strip-shaped member extending in the left-right direction D perpendicular to the paper feed direction A. The second interlocking member 72 is provided so as to be movable in the left-right direction D. The second interlocking member 72 is connected to the first interlocking member 71 at one D2 side end in the left-right direction D, and has a biasing member 74 provided at the other D1 side end. The second interlocking member 72 is movable in the D1 direction in conjunction with the rotating first interlocking member 71, and is biased in the D2 direction by the biasing member 74.

[0044] The second interlocking member 72 has an opening 721 that penetrates both the front and back surfaces and corresponds to the locking member 60. The locking member 60, which is erected on the tray main body 51, can enter the opening 721, and the opening 721 is larger than the locking member 60. A step is provided on the inside of the opening 721, and serves as a receiving portion 722 with which the locking member 60 engages. When the locking member 60 engages with the receiving portion 722, the rotating plate 52 to which the second interlocking member 72 is attached and the tray main body 51 cannot be separated, and the rotating plate 52 is held in a state in which it cannot rotate (locked state).

[0045] Referring to FIG. 7, when the first interlocking member 71 rotates in the direction of arrow E, the second interlocking member 72 moves in the direction D1 in conjunction with this. When the second interlocking member 72 moves in the direction D1, the engagement between the receiving portion 722 and the locking member 60 is released. When the locking member 60 is released from the receiving portion 722 of the second interlocking member 72, the biasing force of the biasing member 54 arranged between the rotating plate 52 and the tray main body 51 allows the rotating plate 52 to rotate together with the second interlocking member 72 (unlocked state, see FIG. 5). For the second interlocking member 72, the D1 direction corresponds to the unlocking direction in which the locked state of the rotating plate 52 is released. In this way, the second interlocking member 72 is provided so as to be movable in the unlocking direction in which it acts on the locking member 60 to unlock the locked state of the rotating plate 52.

[0046] In paper feeding device 10, the locked state of rotating plate 52 is released at the timing when a sheet on rotating plate 52 is to be fed, thereby allowing paper feeding to begin. That is, the movement of second interlocking member 72, which releases the locked state of rotating plate 52, in direction D1 is configured to be interlocked with the rotation of paper feed roller 31. Also, first interlocking member 71 is configured to rotate in the direction of arrow E about connecting portion 711 when pressed portion 712, which protrudes from the downstream end in paper feed direction A, is pressed in the direction of arrow F.

[0047] 8 to 11 are perspective views sequentially showing the configuration and operation of the release lever 73 and cam 80 that press the first interlocking member 71 in the direction of the arrow F.

[0048] As the lock release member 70, the cam 80 has protrusions 81 that protrude in the radial direction of the roller shaft 33. In the example shown in Fig. 8, the cam 80 has four protrusions 81 evenly spaced apart. These four protrusions 81 are arranged to protrude smoothly and continuously around the roller shaft 33 in a curved surface shape.

[0049] A release lever 73 is further provided below the roller shaft 33 as the lock release member 70. The release lever 73 is rotatably attached to the side surface of the guide portion 56 below the cam 80. In the illustrated embodiment, the release lever 73 is provided so as to be swingable around an attachment portion 731.

[0050] The release lever 73 has a contact portion 732 that protrudes upward from the attachment portion 731, and a pressing portion 733 that is provided on the opposite side of the attachment portion 731 from the contact portion 732. The attachment portion 731 is provided near the upper end of the release lever 73. The pressing portion 733 is provided below the attachment portion 731 and extends in a protruding manner toward the tray main body 51.

[0051] 8 shows the state of the cam 80 and the release lever 73 when a sheet is set on the rotating plate 52, and the paper feed roller 31 and the roller shaft 33 do not rotate and are stationary. When no paper is being fed, as shown in FIG. 4, the rotating plate 52 is pushed down and the locking member 60 erected on the tray body 51 engages with the receiving portion 722 of the second interlocking member 72, preventing the rotating plate 52 from rotating. At this time, the rotating plate 52 is in a locked state and is positioned away from the paper feed roller 31.

[0052] 8, when no external force is acting on the release lever 73, the weight of the release lever 73 causes the abutment portion 732 to be positioned above the attachment portion 731 and the pressing portion 733 to be positioned below the attachment portion 731, resulting in a generally L-shaped outer shape extending toward the first interlocking member 71. The pressed portion 712 of the first interlocking member 71 is exposed on the tray main body 51 located below the roller shaft 33.

[0053] The release lever 73 is actuated by a cam 80 provided on the roller shaft 33 of the rotating paper feed roller 31. That is, the release lever 73 is arranged to rotate when the contact portion 732 comes into contact with the protrusion 81 of the rotating cam 80.

[0054] 9, when the roller shaft 33 rotates during sheet feeding, the protrusion 81 of the rotating cam 80 abuts against the abutment portion 732 of the release lever 73. This causes the release lever 73 to rotate around the mounting portion 731. The rotation of the release lever 73 moves the pressing portion 733 in the direction of arrow G, which is the direction toward the tray main body 51.

[0055] As cam 80 rotates while protrusion 81 abuts against abutment portion 732 of release lever 73, as shown in Fig. 10, pressing portion 733 of release lever 73 further rotates in the direction of arrow G and presses pressed portion 712 of first interlocking member 71 exposed on tray main body 51 in the direction of arrow F. Referring to Fig. 7, as pressed portion 712 is pressed in the direction of arrow F, first interlocking member 71 rotates in the direction of arrow E around connecting portion 711, and in conjunction with this, second interlocking member 72 slides in the release direction D1. As a result, receiving portion 722 and locking member 60 are disengaged, resulting in an unlocked state.

[0056] When the locking member 60 is released from the receiving portion 722 of the second interlocking member 72, the rotating plate 52 receives the biasing force of the biasing member 54 arranged between the rotating plate 52 and the tray main body 51 and rotates. As shown in FIG. 11 , the rotating plate 52 moves away from the tray main body 51 and moves close to the roller shaft 33. The sheet on the rotating plate 52 comes into contact with the paper feed roller 31, and sheet conveyance begins. The release lever 73 returns to its original position by its own weight.

[0057] In this way, in paper feed device 10, as paper feed roller 31 rotates, release lever 73 abuts against cam 80, moving first interlocking member 71 and second interlocking member 72 in the direction of unlocking, thereby unlocking rotating plate 52. Cam 80, which has multiple protrusions 81 provided on roller shaft 33 of paper feed roller 31, is configured to operate release lever 73, making it possible to unlock with a simple configuration without requiring multiple gears or the like, and significantly reducing the number of parts compared to conventional structures.

[0058] 9 and 10, the release lever 73 can be rotated with a slight rotation of the roller shaft 33, and the lock can be released via the first interlocking member 71 and the second interlocking member 72. This reduces the time required from the rotation of the roller shaft 33 of the paper feed roller 31 to the start of sheet transport, allowing paper feeding to start smoothly without causing paper feeding delays. The cam 80 has multiple protrusions 81 that are smoothly connected, which also reduces the operating noise caused by contact with the release lever 73.

[0059] The cam 80 is not limited to having four protrusions 81, but may have at least two or more protrusions 81, for example, five protrusions 81. The release lever 73 is also not limited to the shape shown in the example, but may have any configuration as long as it comes into contact with the protrusions 81 of the rotating cam 80, swings, and presses the first interlocking member 71. For example, the release lever 73 may be configured as shown in FIG. 12.

[0060] 12 is a perspective view showing the periphery of the unlocking member 70 in the sheet feeding device 10 according to another embodiment. In this embodiment, the release lever 73 has a contact portion 732 and a pressing portion 733, and further includes a biasing spring 735 as a biasing member and a locking portion 734 that locks the biasing spring 735. The release lever 73 is biased by the biasing spring 735 in the direction opposite to the release direction in which the pressing portion 733 extends.

[0061] In this case, too, the release lever 73, which is in contact with the cam 80, rotates in accordance with the rotation of the paper feed roller 31, and the pressing portion 733 presses the pressed portion 712 of the first interlocking member 71, moving the second interlocking member 72 in the unlocking direction and unlocking the rotary plate 52. After that, when the protrusion 81 of the cam 80 moves away from the contact portion 732, the biasing force of the biasing spring 735 allows the release lever 73 to easily return to its original position, as shown in FIG.

[0062] As described above, the sheet feeding device 10 and the image forming apparatus 1 equipped with this sheet feeding device 10 can achieve smooth sheet feeding with a compact configuration by significantly reducing the number of parts.

[0063] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the sheet feeding device 10 is provided on the manual feed tray 30 of the image forming apparatus 1, but the present disclosure is not limited to this and can be applied to any device that feeds sheets, etc. The image forming apparatus 1 equipped with such a sheet feeding device 10 may be a monochrome image forming apparatus or a color image forming apparatus (for example, a tandem color image forming apparatus). The image forming apparatus 1 may also be a multifunction device that has a printer function, a scanner function, a facsimile function, etc. in addition to a copying function.

[0064] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible. In other words, embodiments obtained by combining appropriately modified technical means within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 1. Image forming device 10 Paper feeder 11 Device body 29 Paper cassette 30 Manual feed tray 31 Paper feed roller 32 Separation roller 33 Roller shaft (rotating shaft) 51 Tray body 52 Rotating Plate 53 Regulatory components 60 Locking member 70 Unlocking member 71 First interlocking member (interlocking member) 72 Second interlocking member (interlocking member) 73 Release lever 732 Contact part 733 Pressing part 735 bias spring 80 Cam 81 protrusion

Claims

1. a paper feed roller that draws the sheet in the conveying direction; a rotating plate on which a sheet is placed and which rotates around the upstream side in the conveying direction as a rotation center; a locking member that holds the rotary plate in a locked state so that it cannot rotate; A paper feeding device including an unlocking member that unlocks the locked state of the rotary plate, The unlocking member is an interlocking member movable in a release direction to act on the locking member and release the locked state; a release lever that moves the interlocking member in a release direction; a cam provided on a rotation shaft of the paper feed roller and capable of contacting the release lever, A paper feeding device characterized in that as the paper feed roller rotates, the release lever abutting the cam moves the interlocking member in the release direction, releasing the locked state of the rotating plate and rotating the rotating plate so that the sheet comes into contact with the paper feed roller.

2. 2. The paper feeder according to claim 1, The cam includes a protrusion that protrudes in a radial direction of the rotation shaft, The paper feeder is characterized in that the release lever swings by contacting the protrusion of the rotating cam.

3. 3. The paper feeder according to claim 2, The release lever is A paper feeding device comprising: a contact portion that contacts the protrusion; and a pressing portion that extends in the direction of the interlocking member.

4. 3. The paper feeder according to claim 2, The paper feeder is characterized in that the cam has at least two or more of the protrusions.

5. 2. The paper feeder according to claim 1, The paper feeder is characterized in that the release lever is biased in a direction opposite to the release direction.

6. 2. The paper feeder according to claim 1, The interlocking member is a first interlocking member that rotates when pressed by the release lever; a second interlocking member connected to the first interlocking member and moving in a release direction in association with the first interlocking member rotating, The paper feeding device, wherein the first interlocking member and the second interlocking member are provided on the rotary plate.

7. An image forming apparatus comprising the paper feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

Images