Feeding device and image forming apparatus

Abstract

To provide a feeding device capable of suppressing bending deformation of an extension sheet loading part.SOLUTION: A feeding device 200 includes a housing 200a, a sheet loading part such as a sheet loading base that is provided in the housing and allows a sheet to be loaded thereon, and lifting means for lifting the sheet loading part. The feeding device 200 includes an extension sheet loading part such as an extension sheet loading base 203 mounted on the sheet loading part, and a supporting member 204 for supporting the extension sheet loading part. The extension sheet loading part is provided so as to extend to the outside of the housing 200a. When the supporting member 204 is viewed from a sheet width direction, the supporting member 204 has an inclination part such as an inclination surface part 204d extending obliquely to a sheet feeding direction to the housing 200a from an upstream side in the sheet feeding direction of a center in the sheet feeding direction of the extension sheet loading part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, a feeding device is known that includes a housing, a sheet stacking section provided within the housing on which sheets are stacked, a lifting means for raising and lowering the sheet stacking section, an extended sheet stacking section attached to the sheet stacking section, and a support member that supports the extended sheet stacking section.

[0003] Patent document 1 describes a feeding device in which a connecting shaft serving as a support member is inserted into a through hole provided in an extended sheet stacking section, and a screw portion at the tip of the connecting shaft is screwed into a screw hole on the side of the sheet stacking section to connect the extended sheet stacking section to the sheet stacking section. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when a vertically downward load is applied to the extended sheet stacking portion, there is a risk that the support member will be deformed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a feeding device including a housing, a sheet stacking section provided in the housing and on which sheets are stacked, a lifting means for lifting and lowering the sheet stacking section, an extended sheet stacking section attached to the sheet stacking section, and a support member for supporting the extended sheet stacking section, the extended sheet stacking section being provided so as to extend outside the housing, and when the support member is viewed from the width direction of the sheets, the support member has an inclined section that extends obliquely with respect to the sheet feeding direction from an upstream side in the sheet feeding direction of the center of the extended sheet stacking section to the housing. The support member is configured to be detachable from the extension sheet stacking portion. It is characterized by the above. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, bending deformation of the extension sheet stacking portion can be suppressed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an example of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] 4 is a perspective view showing a sheet stacking table and an extension sheet stacking table serving as an extension sheet stacking section; FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a reference example of a feeding device. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an extension sheet stacking table and its surroundings of the feeding device of the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. [Figure 9] 11 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a vertically downward load is applied to the extension sheet stacking table in the feeding device of the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 10] 5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining the lifting and lowering of the extension sheet loading platform. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a support member in the first modified example. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which the support member in the first modified example is attached to the extension sheet loading table. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a support member according to a second modified example. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram of an extension sheet stacking table and its surroundings of a feeding device in a second modified example. [Figure 15] 13A is a perspective view of a support member in Modification 3, and FIG. 13B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vicinity of an extension sheet stacking table of a feeding device in Modification 3. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] An embodiment of a feeding device to which the present invention is applied will be described below. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming system 1 according to the present embodiment. 1, the image forming system 1 includes an image forming apparatus 100 as an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet, and two feeding apparatuses 200 for feeding sheets to the image forming apparatus. One feeding apparatus 200 is connected to a side surface of the main body of the image forming apparatus 100, and the other feeding apparatus 200 is connected to a side surface of the one feeding apparatus.

[0009] Each feeding device 200 has the same configuration, and a feeding device of the same configuration can be connected upstream in the sheet feeding direction. Each of the two feeding devices 200 has two feeding trays 10, one above the other. Each feeding tray 10 is provided with a feeding unit 20. The feeding unit 20 has an adsorption belt 21 and a suction device 23 that separate and feed the sheets P stacked on the feeding tray 10. Each feeding tray 10 also has an air blower 17 that floats the sheets P stacked on the feeding tray 10.

[0010] Each of the two feeding devices 200 includes an exit roller pair 80 at the downstream end of the conveying path in the device, and feeds the sheet P to the next process. In addition, each feeding device 200 is provided with an upstream sheet conveying roller pair 210 that conveys a sheet fed from another feeding device arranged upstream to the gap between the top sheet placed on the feeding tray 10 and the suction belt 21.

[0011] The sheets include paper, coated paper, label paper, OHP sheets, films, prepregs, etc. Prepregs are mainly used as materials for laminates and multilayer printed wiring boards. For example, they are processed into sheets by continuously impregnating a long substrate such as glass cloth, paper, nonwoven fabric, aramid cloth, etc. with a resin varnish mainly made of a thermosetting resin such as epoxy resin or polyimide resin, heating and drying, and then cutting. Furthermore, the sheets include bag-shaped items such as envelopes and packaging materials.

[0012] There are no particular limitations on the recording method of the image forming apparatus 100 to which the sheet feeding device of this embodiment can be applied, and any method such as an electrophotographic method or an inkjet method can be adopted.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment. The image forming apparatus 100 is a full-color printer using four toner colors, yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K), and a full-color copier having an equivalent image forming function. As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 100 has four image forming units 101Y, 101M, 101C, and 101K arranged side by side at the top of the main body of the apparatus, each of which forms an image with a toner of each color. Since the configuration and operation of each of the image forming units 101Y, 101M, 101C, and 101K are substantially the same, the symbols (Y, M, C, and K) indicating colors will be omitted here and the image forming units will be described. In the image forming unit 101, a charger 103, a developing device 104, a cleaning device 105, and the like are arranged around a photosensitive drum 102 as an image carrier. In addition, an exposure means 107 is arranged above the photosensitive drum 102.

[0014] An intermediate transfer belt 108 that is wound around a plurality of support rollers is disposed below the four imaging units 101Y, 101M, 101C, and 101K. The intermediate transfer belt 108 is driven to travel in the direction of arrow A by one of the support rollers being driven to rotate by a driving means. A transfer roller 106 as a primary transfer means is disposed so as to face the photoconductor drum 102 of each imaging unit across the intermediate transfer belt 108.

[0015] In each imaging unit 101, a photoconductor drum 102 is rotated counterclockwise in the figure, and the photoconductor surface 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 photoconductor drum 102. The electrostatic latent image is developed with toner applied from a developing device 104 and visualized as a toner image. The yellow, magenta, cyan, and black toner images formed in each imaging unit are transferred onto an intermediate transfer belt 108 in succession, superimposed on one another.

[0016] Meanwhile, a feed section 114 having storage trays 114a and 114b is provided at the bottom of the apparatus main body, and sheets such as transfer paper are fed from either this feed section 114 or a feed device 200 (described later) attached to the image forming apparatus 100. The fed sheet is transported toward registration rollers 111 as indicated by arrow B.

[0017] The sheet, which has been abutted against and temporarily stopped by the registration rollers 111, is sent out by the registration rollers 111 in time with the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 108, and is fed into a secondary transfer section where the secondary transfer roller 109 and the intermediate transfer belt 108 come into contact. A voltage of a polarity opposite to the charge polarity of the toner is applied to the secondary transfer roller 109, whereby the superimposed toner image (full-color image) on the intermediate transfer belt 108 is transferred onto the sheet. After the toner image has been transferred, the sheet is transported by a transport belt 112 to a fixing device 113, where the toner is fixed to the sheet by heat and pressure. After the toner image has been fixed, the sheet is discharged outside the machine as indicated by arrow C, and ejected onto a discharge tray.

[0018] When printing on one side and discharging the sheet on the back side (face down discharge), the sheet is discharged outside the machine via a sheet inverting section 115 as shown by an arrow C, thereby reversing the front and back of the sheet. When printing on both sides, the sheet after fixing is re-fed to the registration rollers 111 via a re-feeding path 117 via a two-side inverting section 116, and the toner image is transferred to the back side of the sheet by the intermediate transfer belt 108. The sheet after the toner image is fixed by a fixing device 113, and is discharged outside the machine from the fixing device 113 as shown by an arrow C, or via the sheet inverting section 115 as shown by an arrow C, in the same manner as when printing on one side, and discharged onto the paper output tray. Switching claws 118 and 119 for switching the sheet transport direction are appropriately arranged.

[0019] In the case of monochrome printing, in the image forming apparatus 100 of this example, a toner image is formed using only the black (K) imaging unit 101K, and the toner image is transferred onto a sheet via the intermediate transfer belt 108. The handling of the sheet after the toner image is fixed is the same as in the case of full-color printing.

[0020] A toner bottle setting section 120 is provided on the top surface of the apparatus main body, in which toner bottles 121 of each color containing toner to be supplied to the developing device 104 of each image forming unit are set. An operation section 124 having a display section 122 and an operation panel 123 is also provided on the top surface of the apparatus main body. Furthermore, a sheet carrying-in section D from a sheet feeding device (see FIG. 3), which will be described later, is provided on the right side surface of the apparatus main body in the drawing. The sheet carrying-in section D is provided with an opening 125 for receiving a sheet and a conveying means 126 for conveying the sheet.

[0021] Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the vicinity of the feeding tray 10. In Fig. 3, for ease of understanding, the feeding unit 20 is shown shifted in the direction of the arrow in the drawing from its original location.

[0022] The feed tray 10 includes a sheet stacking platform 11 that is a sheet stacking section for stacking a stack of sheets P. In this embodiment, the feed tray 10 can store a maximum of approximately 2500 sheets. A feed unit 20 is disposed above the feed tray 10 as a feeding means that attracts and feeds the topmost sheet of the sheet stack stacked on the feed tray 10. The feed unit 20 includes an adsorption belt 21 and a suction device 23 that are conveying members.

[0023] The suction belt 21 of the feeding unit 20 is stretched by two tension rollers 22a and 22b, and has suction holes penetrating from the front side to the back side of the belt over the entire circumferential area. In addition, a suction device 23 is provided inside the suction belt 21. The suction device 23 is connected to a suction fan that sucks air through an air duct, which is an air flow path, and generates negative pressure downward to cause the sheet P to be sucked onto the lower surface of the suction belt 21.

[0024] The feeding tray 10 is also provided with an air blowing device 17 which is an air blowing means for blowing air onto the upper sheets of the sheet stack. The air blowing device 17 has a front air blowing device 12 and a side air blowing device .

[0025] The side blowing device 14 is provided on the pair of side fences 13 and blows air to the side of the upper part of the sheet stack in the direction indicated by the arrow b in the figure. The side blowing device 14 is provided with a side floating nozzle that guides air in the direction to separate and float the sheet stack, and has a side blower 14a that sends air to this nozzle. The air blown from the side floating nozzle in the direction indicated by the arrow b in the figure is called side air. This side air is discharged from the discharge port 13a provided at the position of each side fence 13 facing the upper part of the sheet stack, and is blown onto the side of the upper part of the sheet stack. The air blown from the front blowing device 12 and the discharge port of the pair of side fences 13 causes the upper sheets of the sheet stack to float.

[0026] The feed tray 10 also has an end fence 25 that aligns the rear end of the sheet stack stacked on the sheet stacking table 11. The sheet stacking table 11 is configured to be movable up and down in the direction of arrow A in the figure by a lifting device 19 serving as a lifting means.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the feeding device 200. As shown in FIG. The housing 200a of the feeding device 200 is configured to have a box shape, and is composed of a frame and a plurality of panels 201, 202 attached to the frame. The feeding tray 10 is configured to be able to be pulled out toward the front side of the housing 200a in the figure, and the user can pull the feeding tray 10 out of the housing 200a by gripping the handle portion 10a and pulling it toward the front side in the figure. Pulling out the feeding tray 10 allows the sheets P to be loaded or removed.

[0028] At the upstream end of the housing 200a in the conveying direction, panels 201 and 202 are attached at the top and bottom. Of these, the upper panel 201 is detachably attached to the housing 200a with screws. By removing this panel 201, an extension sheet loading platform, which will be described later, can be attached.

[0029] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the sheet stacking table 11 and an extension sheet stacking table 203 serving as an extension sheet stacking section. In the feeding device 200, by attaching an extension sheet stacking table 203 to the sheet stacking table 11, the length of sheets that can be set on the feeding tray 10 can be extended, so that long sheets can be set on the feeding tray 10. An opening 11a is provided at the center of the sheet width direction of the sheet stacking table 11 so that the end fence 25 can move in the sheet conveying direction without interfering with the sheet stacking table 11. The extended sheet stacking table 203 has a recessed fitting portion 203a that fits into the opening 11a.

[0030] When extending the length of sheets that can be set on the feed tray 10, first, the upper panel 201 and the end fence 25 are removed. Next, the fitting portion 203a of the extension sheet stacking platform 203 is fitted into the opening 11a of the sheet stacking platform 11. This positions the extension sheet stacking platform 203 on the sheet stacking platform 11. Then, the extension sheet stacking platform 203 is fastened to the sheet stacking platform 11 with screws.

[0031] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a reference example of a feeding device. In the feeding device of this reference example, the extension sheet stacking platform 203 is simply screwed to the sheet stacking platform 11. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6A, the upstream end of the extension sheet stacking platform 203 in the sheet feeding direction may be bent downward due to the weight Fp of the stacked sheet stack. Also, as shown in FIG. 6B, when the user pushes the sheet stacking platform 11 downward with his / her hand, the upstream end of the extension sheet stacking platform 203 in the sheet feeding direction may be bent downward. Thus, in the feeding device of the reference example, when a load is applied to the extension sheet stacking platform 203 in the vertical downward direction, there is a risk that the upstream end of the extension sheet stacking platform 203 in the sheet feeding direction may be bent downward.

[0032] Therefore, in this embodiment, a support member is provided to support the extension sheet stacking tray 203 so that the upstream end of the extension sheet stacking tray 203 in the sheet feeding direction does not bend downward even if a vertically downward load is applied to the extension sheet stacking tray 203. Hereinafter, the characteristic features of this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0033] 7A, 7B, and 7C are schematic diagrams of the vicinity of the extended sheet stacking tray 203 of the feeding device 200 of the present embodiment, in which (a) is a schematic plan view, (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view, and (c) is a schematic diagram viewed from the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction. Also, FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of the support member 204.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 8, the support member 204 is a triangular prism having a right-angled triangular shape when viewed from the sheet width direction, and a notch is formed in the center of the lower end in the sheet width direction, and a sliding roller 205 serving as a rotating member is rotatably attached to the notch.

[0035] The triangular prism support member 204 has an upper surface portion 204a facing the extension sheet stacking platform 203 from below, an opposing surface portion 204c facing the side wall of the housing 200a, and a pair of right-angled triangular side portions 204b provided on both sides in the sheet width direction. The support member 204 also has an inclined surface portion 204d that is an inclined portion connecting the upstream end of the upper surface portion 204a in the sheet conveying direction and the lower end of the opposing surface portion 204c.

[0036] The upper surface portion 204a has the same area as the area of ​​the portion of the extension sheet stacking tray 203 extending from the housing 200a, and abuts against the entire lower surface of the extension sheet stacking tray 203. The opposing surface portion 204c extends downward from the downstream end of the upper surface portion 204a in the sheet feeding direction, and faces the side wall of the housing 200a below the extension sheet stacking tray 203.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 7(b), when the support member 204 is viewed from the sheet width direction, the support member 204 forms a right-angled triangular truss with an adjacent side in contact with the underside of the extended sheet stacking platform 203 and an opposite side facing the housing 200a.

[0038] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a state in which a vertically downward load F is applied to the extension sheet stacking table 203 in the feeding device of this embodiment. In this embodiment, the support member 204 is configured to abut against the side wall of the housing 200a below the extension sheet stacking platform 203. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 8, when a vertically downward load F is applied to the extension sheet stacking platform 203, the support member 204 abuts against the side wall of the housing 200a, and the housing 200a receives the load F via the support member 204, thereby supporting the extension sheet stacking platform 203.

[0039] In addition, the support member 204 has a truss in the shape of a right-angled triangle when viewed from the sheet width direction. Therefore, when the support member 204 receives a load F via the extension sheet stacking tray 203, most of the load acts as an axial force that pulls or compresses each surface of the support member 204. This suppresses deformation of the support member 204 due to the load, and allows the extension sheet stacking tray 203 to be well supported. This suppresses deformation of the support member 204 together with the extension sheet stacking tray 203 such that the upstream end in the sheet feeding direction is lowered.

[0040] In addition, the support member 204 abuts on the extension sheet stacking tray 203 up to the upstream side in the sheet transport direction from the center in the sheet transport direction (dash-dotted line O in the figure), and also supports the upstream side in the sheet transport direction from the center in the sheet transport direction (dash-dotted line O in the figure) of the extension sheet stacking tray 203. This makes it possible for the support member 204 to effectively suppress deformation of the upstream end of the extension sheet stacking tray 203 in the sheet feed direction when a vertically downward load is applied to the extension sheet stacking tray 203.

[0041] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the elevation and lowering of the extension sheet stacking table 203. As shown in FIG. 10, when the extension sheet stacking platform 203 rises and falls together with the sheet stacking platform 11 in the housing, the sliding rollers 205 move along the side wall surface of the housing 200a while rotating along the side wall surface. This reduces the sliding resistance between the support member 204 and the housing, and allows the extension sheet stacking platform 203 to rise and fall together with the sheet stacking platform 11 smoothly.

[0042] In this embodiment, one sliding roller 205 is provided in the center of the sheet width direction, but multiple sliding rollers 205 may be provided in the sheet width direction. By providing multiple sliding rollers 205, the contact pressure with the housing 200a is reduced, and the sliding resistance between the support member 204 and the housing can be further reduced. This allows the extension sheet stacking table 203 to be raised and lowered together with the sheet stacking table 11 more smoothly. By providing one sliding roller 205 in the center of the sheet width direction, the number of parts can be reduced compared to a configuration in which multiple sliding rollers 205 are provided in the sheet width direction, and the cost of the device can be reduced.

[0043] The support member 204 may be provided above the extension sheet stacking platform 203 and may be brought into contact with the side wall of the housing 200a above the extension sheet stacking platform 203 to support the extension sheet stacking platform 203 by lifting it up. However, in this configuration, when a load is applied vertically downward to the extension sheet stacking platform 203, the following configuration is required, for example. That is, it is necessary to provide a hook-shaped hooking portion on the side wall of the housing and provide a hooked portion on the support member that faces the hooking portion from the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction. As a result, the support structure becomes complicated.

[0044] In contrast, when the extension sheet stacking platform 203 is supported by abutting the support member 204 against the side wall of the housing 200a below the extension sheet stacking platform 203, the support member can be abutted against the side wall when a load is applied without providing the above-mentioned hooking portion or hooked portion. This makes it possible to support the extension sheet stacking platform 203 with a simple configuration.

[0045] Next, a modification of this embodiment will be described.

[0046] [Variation 1] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a support member in the first modification, and FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a state in which the support member in the first modification is attached to an extension sheet stacking table 203. As shown in FIG. In this first modification, the support member 204 has a fastening portion 206 on the upper part of the main body of the triangular prism, and the fastening portion 206 has a plurality of screw through holes 206a through which screws pass.

[0047] 12, a recess 203b into which the fastening portion 206 fits is formed in the center of the extension sheet stacking platform 203 in the sheet width direction. The support member 204 is positioned on the extension sheet stacking platform 203 by fitting the fastening portion 206 of the support member 204 into this recess 203b. Then, the screws 208 are inserted into the screw through holes 206a of the fastening portion 206 and fastened to the extension sheet stacking platform 203, so that the support member 204 can be attached to the center of the extension sheet stacking platform 203 in the sheet width direction.

[0048] In this modified example 1, the support member 204 can be attached to and detached from the extension sheet stacking table 203. As a result, for example, when the extension sheet stacking table 203 is bent and deformed due to the weight of the sheet stack placed on the extension sheet stacking table 203, the support member 204 can be attached to the extension sheet stacking table 203 to support the extension sheet stacking table 203.

[0049] Furthermore, by attaching the support member 204 to the center of the extended sheet loading platform 203 in the sheet width direction, the extended sheet loading platform 203 can be supported in a well-balanced manner in the sheet width direction.

[0050] [Variation 2] Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a support member in Modification 2. Fig. 14 is a schematic configuration diagram of the vicinity of an extended sheet stacking table 203 of a feeding device 200 in Modification 2, where (a) is a schematic plan view, (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view, and (c) is a schematic configuration diagram viewed from the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction. In this second modification, a pair of support members 204 are provided at the ends of the extension sheet stacking table 203 in the sheet width direction. When the rigidity of the extension sheet stacking tray 203 is weak, it may not be possible to provide adequate support with a configuration in which one support member 204 supports only the central portion of the extension sheet stacking tray 203 in the sheet width direction, as in Modification Example 1. In this way, when the rigidity of the extension sheet stacking tray 203 is weak, deformation of the extension sheet stacking tray 203 can be effectively suppressed by supporting the extension sheet stacking tray 203 with multiple support members 204, as shown in Modification Example 2.

[0051] Each support member is a triangular prism shaped like a right triangle when viewed from the sheet width direction, and a sliding roller 205 is rotatably attached to the outer surface in the sheet width direction. As a result, as shown in FIG. 14(c), the sliding roller 205 is positioned outside the sheet width direction end of the extended sheet stacking platform 203. As a result, the sliding roller 205 can be abutted against the side wall of the housing 200a on both sides in the sheet width direction of the opening 200b in the side wall of the housing 200a. Therefore, the support member 204 can be abutted against the housing 200a without extending below the opening 200b, and the extended sheet stacking platform 203 can be supported in a space-saving manner.

[0052] In this modified example 2, support members are provided on both ends of the extension sheet stacking tray 203 in the sheet width direction, and the multiple support members may be arranged line-symmetrically with respect to a reference line O2 that extends in the sheet conveying direction passing through the center of the extension sheet stacking tray 203 in the sheet width direction. In this way, the multiple support members are arranged line-symmetrically with respect to the reference line O2, so that the extension sheet stacking tray 203 can be stably supported.

[0053] [Variation 3] 15A is a perspective view of a support member 204 in the third modification, and FIG. 15B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vicinity of an extension sheet stacking table 203 of a feeding device 200 in the third modification. In this modified example 3, the pair of support members 204 are plate-like members, and one end is joined to the extended sheet stacking tray 203 upstream of the center in the sheet feeding direction. The support members 204 extend obliquely downward in the sheet feeding direction from the one end joined to the extended sheet stacking tray 203 to the housing. The other end of the support members 204 is provided with sliding rollers 205 that come into contact with a side wall of the housing 200a.

[0054] In the configuration of the third modified example, when a vertically downward load is applied to the extension sheet stacking tray 203, it acts as an axial force that compresses the support member 204. This suppresses deformation of the support member 204 due to the load, makes it possible to favorably support the extension sheet stacking tray 203, and suppresses downward bending deformation of the upstream end in the sheet feeding direction.

[0055] In addition, in this variant example 3, similar to variant example 2, a pair of support members are provided at both ends of the extension sheet stacking platform 203, but the extension sheet stacking platform 203 may also be supported by a single plate-shaped support member extending from one end of the extension sheet stacking platform 203 to the other end.

[0056] The above description is merely an example, and each of the following aspects provides unique effects. (Aspect 1) In the feeding device 200, which includes a housing 200a, a sheet stacking section such as a sheet stacking table 11 provided within the housing on which sheets are stacked, a lifting means such as a lifting device 19 for raising and lowering the sheet stacking section, an extended sheet stacking section such as an extended sheet stacking table 203 attached to the sheet stacking section, and a support member 204 for supporting the extended sheet stacking section, the extended sheet stacking section is provided to extend outside the housing 200a, and when the support member 204 is viewed from the sheet width direction, the support member 204 has an inclined portion such as an inclined surface portion 204d that extends obliquely with respect to the sheet feeding direction from the upstream side of the sheet feeding direction center of the extended sheet stacking section to the housing. In the configuration described in Patent Document 1 in which the extended sheet stacking section is supported by a support member such as a connecting shaft extending straight in the conveying direction, if the side surface of the sheet stacking section to which the support member is attached has sufficient strength, the support member can be regarded as a cantilever beam. Therefore, when a vertically downward load is applied to the extended sheet stacking section, only a bending moment acts on the support member. As a result, the support member is easily deformed by the load. In contrast, in the first aspect, the support member has an inclined portion that extends obliquely with respect to the sheet feeding direction from the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction of the extended sheet stacking portion relative to the center in the sheet feeding direction to the housing when viewed in the sheet width direction. As a result, when a vertically downward load is applied to the extended sheet stacking portion, the load acts on the inclined portion as an axial force that contracts or expands the inclined portion. As a result, deformation of the support member due to the load can be suppressed more than in the support member described in Patent Document 1, and the extended sheet stacking portion can be well supported.

[0057] (Aspect 2) In aspect 1, when the support member 204 is viewed from the width direction of the sheet, the support member 204 has a right-angled triangular shape consisting of an opposite side facing the housing 200a, an adjacent side contacting an extended sheet stacking section such as the extended sheet stacking tray 203, and a hypotenuse extending diagonally in the sheet feed direction from upstream of the center of the extended sheet stacking section in the sheet feed direction to the housing. According to this, as described in the embodiment, a triangular truss structure is formed in the support member 204, and when a vertically downward load is applied to an extension sheet stacking section such as the extension sheet stacking tray 203, most of the load can be applied as an axial force to the support member 204. This makes it possible to suppress deformation of the support member 204 when a vertically downward load is applied to an extension sheet stacking section such as the extension sheet stacking tray 203. As a result, the extension sheet stacking section can be well supported.

[0058] (Aspect 3) In the first or second embodiment, a rotating member such as a sliding roller 205 is provided at the contact point between the support member 204 and the housing 200a. According to this, as described in the embodiment, it is possible to suppress the sliding resistance between the support member 204 and the housing 200a when an extension sheet stacking unit such as the extension sheet stacking table 203 moves up and down together with a sheet stacking unit such as the sheet stacking table 11. This allows the extension sheet stacking unit to be smoothly moved up and down together with the sheet stacking unit.

[0059] (Aspect 4) In the third embodiment, the support member 204 has a plurality of rotating members such as sliding rollers 205 . As a result, as described in the embodiment, the contact pressure with the housing 200a can be reduced compared to when there is only one rotating member such as the sliding roller 205, and the extension sheet stacking section such as the extension sheet stacking table 203 can be raised and lowered smoothly together with the sheet stacking section such as the sheet stacking table 11.

[0060] (Aspect 5) In the third or fourth embodiment, a rotating member such as the sliding roller 205 is positioned outside the end of the extended sheet stacking portion such as the extended sheet stacking platform 203 in the sheet width direction. According to this, as described in the modified example 2, the rotating members such as the sliding rollers 205 can be brought into contact with the housing 200a on the sheet width direction outer side of the opening 200b for extending the extension sheet stacking portion such as the extension sheet stacking platform 203 of the housing 200a to the outside of the housing 200a. This makes it possible to shorten the length of the support member 204 in the lifting direction, thereby saving space.

[0061] (Aspect 6) In any one of the first to fifth embodiments, the support member 204 is provided at the center in the sheet width direction of the extended sheet loading portion such as the extended sheet loading platform 203 . According to this, as described in the first modification, the extension sheet stacking portion such as the extension sheet stacking platform 203 can be supported in a well-balanced manner in the sheet width direction.

[0062] (Aspect 7) In any of the first to sixth aspects, a plurality of support members 204 are provided. According to this, as described in the second modification, the extension sheet stacking portion such as the extension sheet stacking platform 203 can be favorably supported.

[0063] (Aspect 8) In any of the first to seventh aspects, the support member 204 is configured to be detachable from an extension sheet stacking portion such as the extension sheet stacking platform 203 . According to this, as described in variant example 1, when the extension sheet stacking section, such as the extension sheet stacking table 203, is deformed due to the weight of a stack of sheets stacked on the extension sheet stacking section, the support member 204 can be attached to the sheet stacking section to support the extension sheet stacking section.

[0064] (Aspect 9) In any of the aspects 1 to 8, the inclined portion such as the inclined surface portion 204d extends obliquely downward. With this, compared to the case where the inclined portion extends diagonally upward as described in the embodiment, the support member can be abutted against the housing with a simple configuration to support the extension sheet stacking portion of the extension sheet stacking tray 203 or the like.

[0065] (Aspect 10) In an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit for forming an image on a sheet and a feeding unit for feeding the sheet toward the image forming unit, the feeding device according to any one of the first to ninth embodiments was used as the feeding unit. According to this, as described in the embodiment, deformation of the support member can be suppressed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1: Image forming system 10: Feeding tray 11: Sheet loading platform 11a: Opening 19: Lifting device 100: Image forming apparatus 200:Feeding device 200a: Housing 200b: opening 201: Panel 202: Panel 203: Extended seat loading platform 203a: Fitting part 203b: recess 204: Support member 204a: Top part 204b: Side part 204c: Opposing surface part 204d: Inclined surface part 205: Sliding roller 206: Fastening part 206a: Screw through hole 208: Screw O2:Reference line P: Seat [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0067] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-154458 A

Claims

1. A housing and a sheet stacking section provided in the housing and on which sheets are stacked; a lifting means for lifting and lowering the sheet stacking portion; an extension sheet stacking section attached to the sheet stacking section; A sheet feeding device including a support member for supporting the extension sheet stacking portion, The extension sheet stacking section is provided so as to extend outside the housing, When the support member is viewed from the width direction of the sheet, the support member has an inclined portion that extends obliquely with respect to the sheet feeding direction from an upstream side of the center of the extended sheet stacking portion in the sheet feeding direction to the housing, A feeding device characterized in that a rotating member is provided at a contact point of the support member with the housing.

2. 2. The feeding device according to claim 1, The feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the support member includes a plurality of rotating members.

3. 3. The feeding device according to claim 1, The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the rotating member is positioned outside an end portion of the extended sheet stacking portion in a sheet width direction.

4. A housing, a sheet stacking section provided in the housing and on which sheets are stacked; a lifting means for lifting and lowering the sheet stacking portion; an extension sheet stacking section attached to the sheet stacking section; A sheet feeding device including a support member for supporting the extension sheet stacking portion, The extension sheet stacking section is provided so as to extend outside the housing, When the support member is viewed from the width direction of the sheet, the support member has an inclined portion that extends obliquely with respect to the sheet feeding direction from an upstream side of the center of the extended sheet stacking portion in the sheet feeding direction to the housing, A feeding device comprising a plurality of the support members.

5. A housing, a sheet stacking section provided in the housing and on which sheets are stacked; a lifting means for lifting and lowering the sheet stacking portion; an extension sheet stacking section attached to the sheet stacking section; A sheet feeding device including a support member for supporting the extension sheet stacking portion, The extension sheet stacking section is provided so as to extend outside the housing, When the support member is viewed from the width direction of the sheet, the support member has an inclined portion that extends obliquely with respect to the sheet feeding direction from an upstream side of the center of the extended sheet stacking portion in the sheet feeding direction to the housing, The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the support member is configured to be detachable from the extension sheet stacking portion.

6. The feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A feeding device characterized in that, when the support member is viewed from the width direction of the sheet, the support member has a right-angled triangular shape consisting of an opposite side facing the housing, an adjacent side contacting the extended sheet stacking section, and a hypotenuse extending diagonally in the sheet feed direction from upstream of the center of the extended sheet stacking section in the sheet feed direction to the housing.

7. The feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the support member is provided at a center in a sheet width direction of the extended sheet stacking portion.

8. The feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The feeding device, wherein the inclined portion extends obliquely downward.

9. an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet; a feeding means for feeding the sheet toward an image forming means, 9. An image forming apparatus, comprising the feeding device according to claim 1 as said feeding means.

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