Sheet discharging device and image forming apparatus

Abstract

To provide a paper delivery device capable of increasing a loading amount of paper.SOLUTION: The paper delivery device includes a paper delivery roller 40 for delivering paper from a delivery port, a paper delivery tray 15 for loading the delivered paper, and a sorting part 120 for sorting the paper by moving the paper delivery roller 40 in the slide direction W orthogonal to the delivery direction of the paper. The discharge roller 40 is configured to move between two discharge positions separated from each other in the sliding direction W. The sorting unit 120 moves the paper discharge roller 40 to the two paper discharge positions when discharging paper having a width narrower than the interval between the two paper discharge positions.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a paper discharge device that stacks discharged paper on a paper discharge tray, and an image forming apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] In conventional image forming devices, after image scanning or image formation is completed, paper is discharged and stacked on a paper output tray. The paper output tray is configured to be able to hold multiple sheets of paper for user convenience, but if too many sheets are stacked, the balance is lost and the paper falls over, so there is a limit to the paper stacking capacity.

[0003] In image forming devices, a configuration is known in which the size of paper is selected according to the size of the image, and when small-sized paper is loaded, the paper output tray is not used efficiently. Therefore, an image recording device has been proposed that increases the paper load capacity by discharging paper in parallel from the paper output port (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-99214 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] A conventional image recording device has a paper feed cassette into which recording paper (paper sheets) of various sizes can be set, a recording paper set position changing means that can change the recording paper set position within the paper feed cassette, a paper feed roller that feeds the recording paper, a paper feed roller position changing means that can change the position of the paper feed roller, a paper feed cassette expansion means that can connect multiple paper feed cassettes, an image position changing means that can change the position of an electrophotographic image to be transferred onto the recording paper, a paper discharge outlet for loading and discharging the recording paper, and a recording paper full detection means that detects when the number of stacked and discharged recording papers exceeds a certain amount. The image recording device has a separate recording paper setting method in which recording paper that is half the width of the paper discharge outlet is set at the back and front of the recording paper cassette.

[0006] In the image recording device described above, recording papers are set in parallel in a recording paper cassette, and there is a problem in that complicated processes are required to adjust the position of the recording paper at all points up to the paper discharge outlet, such as image transfer.

[0007] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a paper discharge device and an image forming apparatus that can increase the paper load capacity with a simple configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The paper discharge device of the present disclosure is a paper discharge device comprising a paper discharge roller that discharges paper from an outlet, a paper discharge tray on which the discharged paper is loaded, and a sorting unit that moves the paper discharge roller in a sliding direction perpendicular to the paper discharge direction to sort the paper, wherein the paper discharge roller is configured to move between two paper discharge positions spaced apart in the sliding direction, and the sorting unit moves the paper discharge roller to the two paper discharge positions when discharging paper that is narrower than the distance between the two paper discharge positions.

[0009] In the paper discharge device of the present disclosure, the sorting section may be configured to discharge paper that is wider than the distance between the two paper discharge positions at an intermediate paper discharge position located between the two paper discharge positions.

[0010] In the paper discharge device according to the present disclosure, the paper discharge rollers may be configured to hold the paper and move in the sliding direction to discharge the paper.

[0011] In the paper discharge device according to the present disclosure, the sorting section may be configured to switch between the two paper discharge positions every time the number of discharged sheets exceeds a threshold value.

[0012] The paper discharge device according to the present disclosure may have a full-load detection unit that detects the paper on the paper discharge tray, and the full-load detection unit may be configured to detect full load at the two paper discharge positions.

[0013] The image forming apparatus according to the present disclosure is characterized by including the paper discharge device according to the present disclosure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present disclosure, the paper load capacity can be increased by discharging the paper at two locations spaced apart by the width of the paper and stacking the paper in two rows on the paper output tray. Also, by distributing the paper in two rows, the load capacity per row can be reduced, improving stability. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic side view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing a paper discharge tray and a paper discharge roller. [Figure 3] 10 is a schematic side view showing a discharge tray on which large-sized sheets are stacked and a discharge roller; FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] The image forming device 100 is a multifunction device having a scanner function, a copy function, a printer function, a facsimile function, etc., and transmits an image of an original document read by the image reading device 90 to the outside (corresponding to the scanner function), and forms an image of the read original document or an image received from the outside on paper in color or monochrome (corresponding to the copy function, printer function, and facsimile function).

[0019] An original document feeder 130 (ADF) is provided above the image reading device 90 and is supported so as to be able to be opened and closed relative to the image reading device 90. When the original document feeder 130 is opened, an original document table 92 above the image reading device 90 is released, allowing an original document (paper) to be placed thereon manually. The original document feeder 130 automatically transports the placed original document onto the image reading device 90. The image reading device 90 reads an original document placed on the original document table 92 or an original document transported from the original document feeder 130 to generate image data.

[0020] The image forming apparatus 100 is configured to include an exposure device 1, a developing device 2, a photosensitive drum 3, a cleaner device 4, a charger 5, an intermediate transfer belt device 6, a fixing device 7, a paper feed tray 81, a manual feed tray 82, a paper output tray 15, and a paper transport path S, and forms multi-color and monochrome images on a specified paper sheet according to image data transmitted from outside.

[0021] The image data handled by the image forming apparatus 100 corresponds to a color image using the colors black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y). Therefore, four developing devices 2, four photosensitive drums 3, four chargers 5, and four cleaner devices 4 are provided to form four types of latent images corresponding to each color, and are set to black, cyan, magenta, and yellow, respectively, and these constitute four image stations.

[0022] The photosensitive drum 3 is disposed approximately in the center of the image forming apparatus 100. The charger 5 uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 3 to a predetermined potential. The exposure device 1 exposes the surface of the photosensitive drum 3 to light to form an electrostatic latent image. The development device 2 develops the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 3 to form a toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 3. Through the series of operations described above, a toner image of each color is formed on the surface of each photosensitive drum 3. The cleaner device 4 removes and collects residual toner on the surface of the photosensitive drum 3 after development and image transfer.

[0023] The intermediate transfer belt device 6 is disposed above the photosensitive drum 3 and includes an intermediate transfer belt 61, an intermediate transfer belt drive roller 62, an intermediate transfer belt driven roller 63, an intermediate transfer roller 64, and an intermediate transfer belt cleaning device 65. Four intermediate transfer rollers 64 are provided, one for each of the image stations for YMCK colors.

[0024] The intermediate transfer belt drive roller 62, the intermediate transfer belt driven roller 63, and the intermediate transfer roller 64 are configured to stretch the intermediate transfer belt 61 and move the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 61 in a predetermined direction (the direction of the arrow D in the figure).

[0025] The intermediate transfer belt 61 rotates in the direction of arrow D, and residual toner is removed and collected by the intermediate transfer belt cleaning device 65. The toner images of each color formed on the surface of each photosensitive drum 3 are sequentially transferred and superimposed to form a color toner image on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 61.

[0026] The image forming apparatus 100 further includes a secondary transfer device 10 including a transfer roller 10a. A nip area is formed between the transfer roller 10a and the intermediate transfer belt 61, and the paper conveyed through the paper conveyance path S is sandwiched in the nip area and conveyed. As the paper passes through the nip area, the toner image on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 61 is transferred to the paper.

[0027] Paper feed tray 81 is a tray for storing paper sheets used for image formation, and is provided below exposure device 1. Manual feed tray 82 is a tray that can be opened and closed freely on the side of image forming apparatus 100, and can be opened to load paper sheets used for image formation. Paper output tray 15 is provided above image forming apparatus 100, and is a tray for loading paper sheets that have already had images formed on them.

[0028] The paper transport path S includes a main path S1 formed in an S-shape and a reversing path S2 that branches off from the main path S1 midway and then rejoins the two paths, and along the main path S1, there are arranged a pickup roller 11a, a manual pickup roller 11b, a pre-registration roller 12a, registration rollers 13, a secondary transfer device 10, a fixing device 7, and a paper discharge device 110. The reversing path S2 branches off between the fixing device 7 and the paper discharge device 110, passes through reversing transport rollers 12c and 12d, and rejoins the path between the pre-registration rollers 12a and registration rollers 13.

[0029] Pickup roller 11a is provided near the end of paper feed tray 81 and is a pickup roller that feeds paper one sheet at a time from paper feed tray 81 to paper transport path S. Registration roller 13 temporarily holds paper being transported from paper feed tray 81 and transports the paper to transfer roller 10a at a timing that aligns the leading edge of the toner image on photosensitive drum 3 with the leading edge of the paper. Pre-registration roller 12a is a small roller that assists in facilitating paper transport.

[0030] In the fixing device 7, a pressure roller 72 is pressed against a fixing roller 71, and a heating section 73 is provided to heat the fixing roller 71. The fixing device 7 receives a sheet of paper on which an unfixed toner image has been formed, and conveys the sheet by sandwiching it between the fixing roller 71 and the pressure roller 72. After fixing, the sheet is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 15 by the paper discharge device 110.

[0031] Furthermore, when forming an image on the back side of the paper as well as the front side, the paper is transported in the reverse direction from the paper discharge device 110 to the inversion path S2, the paper is inverted, the paper is guided again to the registration rollers 13, an image is formed on the back side in the same manner as on the front side, and the paper is then discharged to the paper discharge tray 15.

[0032] The paper discharge device 110 has paper discharge rollers 40 that discharge paper from the discharge port 14, and a sorting section 120 that sorts paper by moving the paper discharge rollers 40 in a slide direction W (see FIG. 2) that is perpendicular to the paper discharge direction. Next, the paper discharge device 110 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2.

[0033] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing the paper discharge tray and the paper discharge rollers.

[0034] 2 schematically shows the positional relationship between the paper discharge tray 15 and the paper discharge rollers 40, and does not show the housing of the image forming apparatus 100 or the discharge outlet 14. The discharge outlet 14 only needs to be located in a position through which the paper discharged from the paper discharge rollers 40 passes.

[0035] The paper discharge roller 40 has a pair of rotating bodies 41 and a rotating shaft 42. The rotating shaft 42 supports the corresponding rotating body 41, and the paper P is conveyed by sandwiching it between the rotating bodies 41. While FIG. 2 shows a configuration in which one rotating body 41 is attached to one rotating shaft 42, the present invention is not limited to this, and a configuration in which multiple rotating bodies 41 are attached to one rotating shaft 42 may also be used.

[0036] The paper discharge device 110 is provided with a sorting unit 120 that holds paper discharge rollers 40 and slides the paper discharge rollers 40 in a sliding direction W perpendicular to the discharge direction of the paper P to sort the paper P. When the sorting unit 120 moves the paper discharge rollers 40 in the sliding direction W (the width direction of the paper P), the discharge position of the paper P shifts in the sliding direction W, and the paper P is stacked on the paper discharge tray 15 with its position shifted in the sliding direction W. The timing for moving the sorting unit 120 can be set appropriately, and the paper discharge position may be shifted for each sheet or for multiple sheets. In other words, a threshold is set for the number of discharged sheets. By periodically switching the paper discharge position in this way, unevenness in the load amount can be suppressed.

[0037] The discharge rollers 40 are configured to move between two discharge positions spaced apart in the sliding direction W, and the discharge positions include a first discharge position H1 near one end in the sliding direction W, a second discharge position H2 near the other end in the sliding direction W, and an intermediate discharge position HT located between the first discharge position H1 and the second discharge position H2. The sorting unit 120 supports the end of the rotation shaft 42 and moves the rotor 41 together with the rotation shaft 42 in the sliding direction W. In FIG. 2, the state in which the discharge rollers 40 (particularly the rotor 41) are positioned at the first discharge position H1 is indicated by a solid line, and the states in which the discharge rollers 40 are positioned at the second discharge position H2 and the intermediate discharge position HT are indicated by dashed dotted lines.

[0038] The mechanism by which the sorting unit 120 moves the discharge rollers 40 may be appropriately selected, and may include a motor connected via a rack and pinion, a solenoid, etc. Also, the rotating shaft 42 itself may be configured to move, or an extendable rotating shaft 42 may be used.

[0039] The paper P discharged at the first paper discharge position H1 corresponds to the first stack of paper P1 on the paper discharge tray 15, and the paper P discharged at the second paper discharge position H2 corresponds to the second stack of paper P2 on the paper discharge tray 15, and the first stack of paper P1 and the second stack of paper P2 are stacked in two rows spaced apart in the sliding direction W.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 2, the sheets stacked in two rows are small-sized sheets such as postcards, and in this case the width of the sheets (first sheet width PL1) is narrower than the distance (stacking interval SL) between the first sheet discharge position H1 and the second sheet discharge position H2. In this way, by discharging the sheets at two locations spaced apart by a distance greater than the sheet width and stacking them in two rows on the sheet discharge tray 15, the sheet load capacity can be increased. Furthermore, by distributing the sheets in two rows, the load capacity per row can be reduced, improving stability.

[0041] The intermediate paper discharge position HT is located approximately in the center of the paper being transported on the paper transport path S in the sliding direction W, and is a position that accepts paper transported from the fixing device 7. In the paper discharge device 110, the paper discharge rollers 40 wait at the intermediate paper discharge position HT to receive the paper. When stacking the paper in two rows, the paper discharge rollers 40 are moved to the first paper discharge position H1 or the second paper discharge position H2 to discharge the paper. At this time, the paper discharge rollers 40 may discharge the paper while clamping the paper and moving in the sliding direction W, which allows for paper sorting and discharge to be performed in parallel, thereby improving processing speed.

[0042] In this embodiment, the position of the paper is shifted by sliding the paper discharge roller 40 located just before the paper discharge tray 15, so there is no need to change the position of the paper in upstream areas such as the paper feed tray 81 or the fixing device 7, and paper can be easily set in the paper feed tray 81.

[0043] The paper discharge device 110 has a full-load detector 16 that detects the paper on the paper discharge tray 15, and the full-load detector 16 detects full load at the two paper discharge positions. The full-load detector 16 is, for example, a sensor or actuator that detects the presence or absence of paper, and may be provided at a position corresponding to the first paper discharge position H1 and the second paper discharge position H2. In this way, it is possible to detect full load for each of the two rows of paper stacked, thereby preventing overloading.

[0044] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view showing the discharge tray on which large-sized sheets are stacked and the discharge rollers.

[0045] 3, when ejecting paper sheets wider than the stacking interval SL (corresponding to the second paper width PL2), the paper sheets are ejected at the intermediate paper ejection position HT. The paper sheets P ejected at the intermediate paper ejection position HT correspond to the third stack of paper sheets P3 on the paper ejection tray 15 and are stacked approximately in the center in the sliding direction W. In this way, by ejecting the paper sheets from a position close to the center in the sliding direction W, it is possible to stack wide paper sheets so that they do not fall off the paper ejection tray 15.

[0046] In this embodiment, a configuration in which the paper discharge device 110 is provided in the image forming apparatus 100 itself has been shown, but this is not limited to this. For example, if a configuration is used in which paper passes through multiple devices, the paper discharge device 110 may be provided at the part where the paper is discharged.

[0047] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not intended to be limiting. Therefore, the technical scope of the present disclosure should not be interpreted solely by the above-described embodiments, but should be defined based on the claims. Furthermore, all modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the claims are included. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 14 Outlet 15 Paper output tray 16 Full load detector 40 Paper ejection roller 100 Image forming device 110 Paper ejection device 120 Sorting Department W Slide direction

Claims

1. a paper discharge roller that discharges the paper from a discharge port; a paper output tray on which the ejected paper is stacked; a sorting unit that sorts the paper by moving the paper discharge roller in a slide direction perpendicular to the paper discharge direction, The paper discharge roller is configured to move between two paper discharge positions spaced apart in the sliding direction, When discharging a sheet whose width is narrower than the distance between the two sheet discharge positions, the sorting unit moves the sheet discharge rollers to the two sheet discharge positions. A paper discharge device characterized by:

2. 2. The paper delivery device according to claim 1, When discharging a sheet of paper that is wider than the distance between the two paper discharge positions, the sorting unit discharges the sheet at an intermediate paper discharge position provided between the two paper discharge positions. A paper discharge device characterized by:

3. 2. The paper delivery device according to claim 1, The paper discharge rollers hold the paper and move in the slide direction to discharge the paper. A paper discharge device characterized by:

4. 2. The paper delivery device according to claim 1, The sorting unit switches between the two paper discharge positions every time the number of discharged sheets exceeds a threshold value. A paper discharge device characterized by:

5. 2. The paper delivery device according to claim 1, a full-load detection unit that detects the sheets on the paper discharge tray; The full-load detection unit detects full loads at the two paper discharge positions. A paper discharge device characterized by:

6. An image forming apparatus comprising the paper discharge device according to claim 1.

Images