Image forming apparatus with manual sheet feeder tray or discharged-sheet tray

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6470160
  • Patent Number
    6,470,160
  • Date Filed
    Friday, March 9, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, October 22, 2002
    22 years ago
Abstract
An image-forming apparatus employs a manual sheet feeder tray that overlaps a part of a side wall of an upper main body portion to be in contact therewith in a non-working mode irrespective of an opener assembly being open or closed. A guide member can be provided to prevent contact of the manual sheet feeder tray with the upper main body portion. Further, an image-forming apparatus employs a discharged-sheet selectively positionable for a working mode or a non-working mode, where the discharged-sheet tray overlaps a part of a side wall of the upper main body when in the non-working mode, irrespective of an opener assembly being opened or closed. A guide member can be provided to prevent contact of the discharged-sheet tray with the upper main body portion.
Description




TECHNICAL FIELD




The present invention relates to an image-forming apparatus such as copying machines, printers, and plotters.




BACKGROUND TECHNIQUE




As an output apparatus for computers and workstations, there are known ink-jet type image-forming apparatuses which form an image by ejecting an ink on a recording sheet, and electrophotography type image-forming apparatuses which form an image with a developer on a recording sheet. Such an image-forming apparatus has an image formation unit for forming an image. Usually, the image-forming apparatus has a sheet feeder unit which feeds a recording sheet to the image formation unit, and a sheet discharge unit equipped opposite to the sheet feed unit with interposition of the image formation unit. Thereby, a recording sheet delivery path is formed for delivering the recording sheet from the sheet feed unit to the sheet discharge unit.




Some image-forming apparatuses are of a two-separation type (so-called clamshell type) which is separable into an upper main body portion and a lower main body portion around a turning axis at the one end side (rear side of the main body) across the recording sheet delivery path to be openable from the side opposite to the turning axis (front side of the main body). The clamshell type image-forming apparatus is designed to be openable widely to expose the recording sheet delivery path, whereby the user can readily deal with sheet clogging (jamming).




Of the above clamshell type of image-forming apparatuses, an electrophotography type one has an optical system and a photosensitive drum in the upper main body portion, and has a cassette tray and a fixation unit in the lower main body portion. The lower main body portion is set unmovably, and the openable upper main body portion is constituted to be capable of being pushed up from the front side by a damper charged with air or a like matter.




Some of the aforementioned type of the image-forming apparatuses have a manual sheet feeding unit having a manual feeder tray in the lower main body portion. The manual feeder tray, which is usually rectangular in shape, is hinged turnably at a first side edge to the side wall of the lower main body, and a second side edge opposite thereto is turnable around the first side edge as the tuning axis. The manual feeder tray is foldable to come to be in close contact with the side walls of both the lower main body and the upper main body. The folded manual feeder tray is energized inward to the side wall by a spring or the like not to leave the side walls by its own gravity when it is not used. The manual feeder tray, when it is used, is opened by pulling out the second side edge around the first side edge as the turning axis.




The sheet discharge unit has usually a discharged-sheet tray for holding image-carrying discharged sheets. This discharged-sheet tray can holds various size of recording sheets, from a small size sheet to a large size sheet. The large sheet size herein means an A3 size or a B4 size, and the small size means a calling card size or a postcard size. A discharged-sheet tray is known which is folded up into the main body wall when the image is formed on a recording sheet of a small size or the image forming-apparatus is not used.




Many image-forming apparatuses have a flat side face having a depression formed on a part of the side walls of the upper and lower main bodies for fitting the manual feeder tray. The depth of the depression is approximate to the thickness of the manual feeder tray for compactness of the image-forming apparatus.




However, with such an insufficient depth of the depression, a part of the folded manual feeder tray may come to be inclined into the main body when the upper main body portion is opened. In this state, if the upper main body portion is brought down to close, the part of the manual feeder tray can be broken by collision against the upper main body portion owing to dimensional variations of the manual feeder tray or variation in the assemblage thereof. Such a damage may occur with the discharged-sheet tray.




DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION




Under the aforementioned circumstances, the object of the present invention is to provide an image-forming apparatus which does not cause damage of a manual feeder tray or a discharged-sheet tray regardless of a dimensional variation in parts of the manual feeder tray or of the discharged-sheet tray or in assemblage thereof, when the upper main body portion is opened or closed.




A first embodiment of the image-forming apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above object has a recording sheet-delivery path for delivering a recording sheet from a sheet feed unit to a sheet discharge unit in an opposite side; and is separable into two portions of an upper main body portion and a lower main body portion by opening an opener assembly from one side edge of the upper main body portion around a turning axis provided at the other side edge thereof across the recording sheet delivery path,




the image-forming apparatus comprising:




a nearly rectangular manual sheet feeder tray having




(1) a first edge portion extending in a direction crossing the recording sheet delivery path, and being hinged turnably to the lower main body portion at the side of the sheet feed unit, and




(2) a second edge portion being positioned near a space between the upper main body portion pushed up by the opener assembly and the lower main body portion on a sheet feed unit side and extending at the side opposite to the first edge portion and in the crossing direction,




(3) the manual sheet feeder tray being positioned selectively for a working mode by bringing down the second edge portion by turning around the first edge portion, or for a non-working mode by turning up the second edge portion around the first edge portion as the turning axis to be fixed; and




(4) the manual sheet feeder tray overlapping a part of a side wall of the upper main body portion to be in contact therewith in the non-working mode irrespective of the opener assembly being open or close.




A second embodiment of the image-forming apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above object has a recording sheet-delivery path for delivering a recording sheet from a sheet feed unit to a sheet discharge unit in an opposite side; and is separable into two portions of an upper main body portion and a lower main body portion by opening an opener assembly from one side edge of the upper main body portion around a turning axis provided at the other side edge thereof across the recording sheet delivery path,




the image-forming apparatus comprising:




a nearly rectangular manual sheet feeder tray having




(5) a first edge portion extending in a direction crossing to the recording sheet delivery path, and being hinged turnably to the lower main body portion at the side of the sheet feed unit, and




(6) a second edge portion being positioned near a space between the upper main body portion pushed up by the opener assembly and the lower main body portion on a sheet feed unit side and extending at the side opposite to the first edge portion and in the crossing direction,




(7) the manual sheet feeder tray being positioned selectively for a working mode by bringing down the second edge portion by turning around the first edge portion, or for a non-working mode by turning up the second edge portion around the first edge portion as the turning axis to be fixed; and




(8) comprising a guide member for guiding the manual sheet feeder tray temporarily outside the upper main body portion in dosing the upper main body portion from an open state to prevent contact of the manual sheet feeder tray with the upper main body portion.




A third embodiment of the image-forming apparatus of the present invention for achieving the object of the present invention has a recording sheet-delivery path for delivering a recording sheet from a sheet feed unit to a sheet discharge unit in an opposite side; and is separable into two portions of an upper main body portion and a lower main body portion by opening an opener assembly from one side edge of the upper main body portion around a turning axis provided at the other side edge thereof across the recording sheet delivery path,




the image-forming apparatus comprising:




a discharged-sheet tray having




(9) a first edge portion extending in a direction crossing the recording sheet delivery path, and being hinged turnably to the lower main body portion at the side of the sheet discharge unit, and




(10) a second edge portion being positioned near a space between the upper main body portion pushed up by the opener assembly and the lower main body portion on a sheet feed unit side and extending at the side opposite to the first edge portion and in the crossing direction,




(11) the discharged-sheet tray being positioned selectively for a working mode by bringing down the second edge portion by turning around the first edge portion, or for a non-working mode by turning up the second edge portion around the first edge portion as the turning axis to be fixed, and




(12) the discharged-sheet tray overlapping a part of a side wall of the upper main body portion to be in contact therewith in the non-working mode irrespective of the opener assembly being open or close.




A fourth embodiment of the image-forming apparatus of the present invention for achieving the object of the present invention has a recording sheet-delivery path for delivering a recording sheet from a sheet feed unit to a sheet discharge unit in an opposite side; and is separable into two portions of an upper main body portion and a lower main body portion by opening an opening assembly from one side edge of the upper main body portion around a turning axis provided at the other side edge thereof across the recording sheet delivery path,




the image-forming apparatus comprising:




a discharged-sheet tray having




(13) a first edge portion extending in a direction crossing the recording sheet delivery path, and being hinged turnably to the lower main body portion at the side of the sheet discharge unit, and




(14) a second edge portion being positioned near a space between the upper main body portion pushed up by the opener assembly and the lower main body portion on a sheet feed unit side and extending at the side opposite to the first edge portion and in the crossing direction,




(15) the discharged-sheet tray being positioned selectively for a working mode by bringing down the second edge portion by turning around the first edge portion, or for a non-working mode by turning up the second edge portion around the first edge portion as the turning axis to be fixed; and




(16) comprising a guide member for guiding the discharged-sheet tray temporarily outside the upper main body portion in closing the upper main body portion from an open state to prevent contact of the discharged-sheet tray with the upper main body portion.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view showing external appearance of a copying machine of an embodiment of the image-forming apparatus of the present invention.





FIG. 2

illustrates schematically a structure of the inside of the copying machine of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

is a perspective view of a copying machine with the front door opened.





FIG. 4

is a perspective view of a copying machine having the front door opened and the upper main body portion pushed up.





FIG. 5

is an enlarged side view of a part of the opened upper main body portion and the manual feeder tray in a non-working mode.





FIG. 6

is a side view of a guide member.











BEST MODE FOR PRACTICING THE INVENTION




An embodiment of the image-forming apparatus of the present invention is explained by reference to drawings.





FIG. 1

is a perspective view showing external appearance of a copying machine of an embodiment of the image-forming apparatus of the present invention.




On the top face of the copying machine


10


(an example of the image-forming apparatus of the present invention), there is placed an openable document-pressing plate


12


. An operation panel display


14


is placed at the front side of the top face for inputting a reproduction copy number, and other operation conditions. The copying machine


10


is provided with a universal cassette


16


demountable from the front face side of the copying machine


10


. On the right wall of the copying machine


10


, there is provided a rectangular manual feeder tray


18


(see

FIG. 2

) for feeding a small-sized recording sheet like a postcard. This manual feeder tray


18


can be turned outside around the lower side edge portion (a first side edge portion)


18




a


as the turning axis in the arrow-C direction to be opened for loading a recording sheet (the position indicated by the two-dot chain line). The state of the opened manual tray


18


is a working mode. On the other hand, the state of the tray with the second side edge portion opposite to the first edge portion


18




a


turned upward is a non-working mode. On the left wall of the copying machine


10


, a discharged-sheet tray


20


is provided for receiving the recording sheets.




The copying machine


10


has a rectangular front door


22


on the front side to be openable frontward around the lower side edge portion


22




a


as the turning axis. The interior of the copying machine


10


can be observed by opening this front door


22


. With this front door


22


opened, the front side portion of the upper main body portion (portion housing an optical system


28


, a photosensitive drum


32


, etc. as shown in

FIG. 2

) of the copying machine


10


can be pushed up by a repulsion force of a pair of dampers


60


,


62


(

FIGS. 3

, and


4


) when a pair of hooks


50


,


52


(

FIGS. 3 and 4

) disposed near the front door


22


are disengaged. Thereby the copying machine


10


is separated into two portions of the upper main body portion and the lower main body portion (the lower portion incorporating the universal cassette


16


, etc.).




The process for forming an image with the copying machine


10


of

FIG. 1

is explained by reference to FIG.


2


.





FIG. 2

illustrates schematically a structure of the interior of the copying machine


10


. In

FIG. 2

, the same reference numbers are used for corresponding elements as in FIG.


1


.




Under the document-pressing plate


12


, a document-supporting glass plate


26


is provided for supporting an original document


24


. The original document


24


is placed with the image face directed downward on the document-supporting glass plate


26


, and is fixed by pressing by the document-pressing plate


12


. The image recorded on the original document


24


is read by an optical system


28


, and the light introduced is modulated (broken line A) to carry the information of the image recorded on the original document. This light is projected to a photosensitive drum


32


having been uniformly electrified by an electrifier


30


to form an electrostatic latent image. This electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing agent (toner) supplied from development unit


34


. Separately, a recording sheet like recording paper sheet is sent out from the universal cassette


16


, and is delivered in an arrow-B direction. The developed image is transferred by an image transfer unit


36


onto the recording sheet.




The recording sheet having received a transferred developed image is delivered by a delivery unit


38


to the fixation unit


40


. The fixation unit


40


comprises a heat roller


42


and a pressure roller


44


. The recording sheet is nipped and delivered by the two rollers


42


,


44


, thereby the developed image being fixed on the recording sheet. The recording sheet having the developed image fixed thereon is discharged and is place on the discharged-sheet tray


20


. Incidentally, the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum


32


after the image transfer is scraped by a cleaning unit


46


. Otherwise, the recording sheet can be fed from the manual feeder tray


18


, and the image formation can be conducted in the same manner as above onto the recording sheet fed from the manual feeder tray


18


.




The copying machine can be separated into two portions of the upper main body and the lower main body by pushing up the upper main body portion of the copying machine. This separation is explained by reference to

FIGS. 3 and 4

.





FIG. 3

is a perspective view of a copying machine with the front door opened

FIG. 4

is a perspective view of a copying machine with the front door opened and with the upper main body portion pushed up. In these drawings, the same reference numbers are used for the corresponding constitutional element as in

FIGS. 1 and 2

.




In a copying machine


10


, the recording sheet sent out from the universal cassette


16


is delivered through a sheet feeder unit


70


at the right side as shown in

FIGS. 3 and 4

to the inside of the copying machine


10


. The recording sheet having received the formed image in the copying machine


10


is discharged through a discharge unit


72


onto the discharged-sheet tray


20


. Thus, a recording sheet delivery path is constituted for delivering the recording sheet from the sheet feeder unit


70


to the sheet discharge unit


72


in the copying machine


10


.




The copying machine


10


is separable into two portions of the upper main body portion


100


(the portion incorporating an optical system


28


, a photosensitive drum


32


, etc. as shown in

FIG. 2

) and the lower main body portion


200


(the portion incorporating a universal cassette


16


, etc.). The opener assembly


74


opens the copying machine


10


from the front side by pushing the front portion of the upper main body portion


100


by a pair of dampers


60


,


62


. The damper


60


is placed near the sheet feed unit


70


in the front side of the copying machine


10


. The damper


62


is placed near the sheet discharge unit


72


in the front side of the copying machine


10


.




The opener assembly


74


conducts opening and closing around a turning axis


76


as the turning center provided at a rear wall (not shown in the drawing) of the main body of the copying machine


10


. The opener assembly


74


and the turning axis


76


are located at the side across the aforementioned recording sheet delivery path. A pair of dampers


60


,


62


are fixed at predetermined positions. The manual feeder tray


18


is rectangular in shape as shown in

FIGS. 3 and 4

. The one side edge


18




a


extends nearly perpendicularly to the recording medium delivery path, and is fixed rotatably at the side wall on the side of the sheet feed unit


70


in the lower main body portion


200


. The other side edge


18




b


opposite to the side edge


18




a


of the manual feeder tray


18


also extends nearly perpendicularly to the recording sheet delivery path.




The side walls of the upper main body portion


100


and of the lower main body portion have a depression


102


for fitting the manual feeder tray


18


therein. When the upper main body portion


100


is opened fully, a part


102




a


of the side wall (corresponding to the bottom wall of the depression


102


) overlaps the manual feeder tray


18


. Thereby, the manual feeder tray


18


is prevented from inclining into the inside of the upper main body portion


100


. Therefore, in closing the upper main body


100


, the second side edge


18




b


of the manual feeder tray


18


is prevented from colliding against the upper main body portion


100


, whereby breakdown of the manual feeder tray can be prevented and the upper main body portion


100


can be closed smoothly.




The discharged-sheet tray


20


is also rectangular in shape as shown in

FIGS. 3 and 4

. The one edge


20




a


thereof extends nearly perpendicularly to the recording sheet delivery path, and is fixed turnably to the side wall of the side of the discharge unit


72


of the lower main body portion


200


. The other edge


20




b


of the discharged-sheet tray opposite to the edge


20




a


also extends nearly perpendicularly to the recording sheet delivery path.




The discharged-sheet tray


20


is fold up, when the upper main body portion


100


is opened fully, when a small-sized recording sheets are discharged and stored on the discharged-sheet tray


20


, or when the discharged-sheet tray


20


is not used (examples of the non-working mode), a part of the side wall (outside wall) of the discharge unit


72


overlaps the discharged-sheet tray


20


. Therefore, in closing the upper main body


100


, the other edge


20




b


of the discharged-sheet tray


20


is prevented from inclining into the inside of the upper main body portion


100


, and is prevented from colliding against the upper main body portion


100


, whereby breakdown of the discharge-sheet tray


20


can be prevented and the upper main body portion can be closed smoothly.




Another example is explained of prevention of the breakdown of the manual feeder tray in dosing the upper main body portion


100


by reference to

FIGS. 5 and 6

. In this example, being different from

FIG. 4

, a part


102




a


of the fully opened upper main body portion


100


does not overlap partially a manual feeder tray


18


. Therefore the manual feeder tray


18


can incline into the inside of the upper main body portion


100


.





FIG. 5

is an enlarged side view of a part of the opened upper main body portion and the manual feeder tray in a non-working mode.

FIG. 6

is a side view of a guide member.




To a turning axis


76


of the upper main body


100


, a guide arm


104


extending in the direction perpendicular to the turning axis


76


toward the manual feeder tray


18


is fixed at one end


104




a


. On the other hand, a guide rib


18




c


is formed at the end portion of the manual feeder tray


18


in the breadth direction so as to protrude toward the inside of the main body. The guide arm


104


and the guide rib


18




c


constitute a guide member of the present invention.




When the upper main body portion


100


is open, the other end


104




b


of the guide arm


104


is positioned above the guide rib


18




c


of the manual feeder tray


18


. Therefore, the end


104




b


and the guide rib


18




c


do not interfere with each other. When the upper main body portion


100


is closed, if the manual feeder tray


18


is inclined into the inside of the upper main body portion


100


, a part


106


of the upper main body portion


100


can collide against the second edge


18




b


of the manual feeder tray


18


to damage the manual feeder tray


18


.




In this example, however, as shown in

FIG. 6

, when the upper main body portion is closed, the second edge


104




b


of the guide arm


104


pushes out the guide rib


18




c


of the manual feeder tray


18


to shift temporarily the second edge


18




b


of the manual feeder tray


18


outside to the position shown by two-dot chain line. The shift (distance) is designed not to cause contact of a part


106


of the upper main body


100


with the second edge


18




b


of the manual feeder tray


18


. With the guide rib


18




c


pushed outside, the part


106


of the upper main body portion


100


will not be brought into contact with the second edge


18




b


of the manual feeder tray


18


in the operation of dosing the upper main body portion


100


. Consequently, the upper main body portion can be closed smoothly without damaging the manual feeder tray


18


. When the part


106


of the upper main body portion


100


has been dosed, the second end


104




b


of the guide arm


104


leaves the guide rib


18




c


of the manual feeder tray


18


to restore the manual feeder tray


18


to the original position.




A discharged-sheet tray


20


provided with a similar guide rib and a guide arm attains the object of the present invention.




INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY




As explained above, in the first embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the manual feeder tray comes into contact with the side wall of the upper main body portion when the upper main portion is opened, so that the manual feeder tray is prevented from entering the inside of the upper main body portion. Therefore, even with small dimensional variation of the manual feeder tray parts or in assemblage, the manual feeder tray will not be damaged by collision against the upper main body portion in the operation of dosing the upper main body portion.




In the second embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the manual feeder tray is temporarily guided outside the upper main body portion by the guide member during operation of dosing the upper main body portion to prevent the manual feeder tray from entering the inside of the upper main body portion. Therefore, even with a small dimensional variation of the manual feeder tray parts or variation in assemblage, the manual feeder tray will not be damaged by collision against the upper main body portion in the operation of closing the upper main body portion.




In the third embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the discharged-sheet tray overlaps the side wall of the upper main body portion when the upper main portion is opened, so that the discharged feeder tray is prevented from entering the inside of the upper main body portion. Therefore, even with a small dimensional variation of the discharged-sheet tray parts or variation in assemblage, the discharged-sheet tray will not be damaged by collision against the upper main body portion in the operation of closing the upper main body portion.




In the fourth embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the discharged-sheet tray is temporarily guided outside the upper main body portion by the guide member during operation of dosing the upper main body portion to prevent the discharged-sheet tray from entering the inside of the upper main body portion. Therefore, even with dimensional variation of the discharged-sheet tray parts or variation in assemblage, the discharged-sheet tray will not be damaged by collision against the upper main body portion in the operation of dosing the upper main body portion.



Claims
  • 1. An image-forming apparatus having a recording sheet-delivery path for delivering a recording sheet from a sheet feed unit to a sheet discharge unit in an opposite side; and being separable into two portions of an upper main body portion and a lower main body portion by opening an opener assembly from one side edge of the upper main body portion around a turning axis provided at the other side edge thereof across the recording sheet delivery path,said image-forming apparatus comprising: a nearly rectangular manual sheet feeder tray having a first edge portion extending in a direction crossing the recording sheet delivery path, and being hinged turnably to the lower main body portion at the side of the sheet feed unit, and a second edge portion being positioned near a space between the upper main body portion pushed up by the opener assembly and the lower main body portion on a sheet feed unit side and extending at the side opposite to the first edge portion and in the crossing direction, the manual sheet feeder tray being positioned selectively for a working mode by bringing down the second edge portion by turning around the first edge portion, or for a non-working mode by turning up the second edge portion around the first edge portion as the turning axis to be fixed; and the manual sheet feeder tray overlapping a part of a side wall of the upper main body portion to be in contact therewith in the non-working mode irrespective of the opener assembly being open or close.
  • 2. An image-forming apparatus having a recording sheet-delivery path for delivering a recording sheet from a sheet feed unit to a sheet discharge unit in an opposite side; and being separable into two portions of an upper main body portion and a lower main body portion by opening an opener assembly from one side edge of the upper main body portion around a turning axis provided at the other side edge thereof across to the recording sheet delivery path,said image-forming apparatus comprising: a nearly rectangular manual sheet feeder tray having a first edge portion extending in a direction crossing the recording sheet delivery path, and being hinged turnably to the lower main body portion at the side of the sheet feed unit, and a second edge portion being positioned near a space between the upper main body portion pushed up by the opener assembly and the lower main body portion on a sheet feed unit side and extending at the side opposite to the first edge portion and in the crossing direction, the manual sheet feeder tray being positioned selectively for a working mode by bringing down the second edge portion by turning around the first edge portion, or for a non-working mode by turning up the second edge portion around the first edge portion as the turning axis to be fixed; and comprising a guide member for guiding the manual sheet feeder tray temporarily outside the upper main body portion in losing the upper main body portion from an open state to prevent contact of the manual sheet feeder tray with the upper main body portion.
  • 3. An image-forming apparatus having a recording sheet-delivery path for delivering a recording sheet from a sheet feed unit to a sheet discharge unit in an opposite side; and being separable into two portions of an upper main body portion and a lower main body portion by opening an opener assembly from one side edge of the upper main body portion around a turning axis provided at the other side edge thereof across the recording sheet delivery path,said image-forming apparatus comprising: a discharged-sheet tray having a first edge portion extending in a direction crossing to the recording sheet delivery path, and being hinged turnably to the lower main body portion at the side of the sheet discharge unit, and a second edge portion being positioned near a space between the upper main body portion pushed up by the opener assembly and the lower main body portion on a sheet feed unit side and extending at the side opposite to the first edge portion and in the crossing direction; the discharged-sheet tray being positioned selectively for a working mode by bringing down the second edge portion by turning around the first edge portion, or for a non-working mode by turning up the second edge portion around the first edge portion as the turning axis to be fixed; and the discharged-sheet tray overlapping a part of a side wall of the upper main body portion to be in contact therewith in the non-working mode irrespective of the opener assembly being open or close.
  • 4. An image-forming apparatus having a recording sheet-delivery path for delivering a recording sheet from a sheet feed unit to a sheet discharge unit in an opposite side; and being separable into two portions of an upper main body portion and a lower main body portion by opening n opener assembly from one side edge of the upper main body portion around a turning axis provided at the other side edge thereof across the recording sheet delivery path,said image-forming apparatus comprising: a discharged-sheet tray having a first edge portion extending in a direction crossing the recording sheet delivery path, and being hinged turnably to the lower main body portion at the side of the sheet discharge unit, and a second edge portion being positioned near a space between the upper main body portion pushed up by the opener assembly and the lower main body portion on a sheet feed unit side and extending at the side opposite to the first edge portion and in the crossing direction; the discharged-sheet tray being positioned selectively for a working mode by bringing down the second edge portion by turning around the first edge portion, or for a non-working mode by turning up the second edge portion around the first edge portion as the turning axis to be fixed; and comprising a guide member for guiding the discharged-sheet tray temporarily outside the upper main body portion in closing the upper main body portion from an open state to prevent contact of the discharged-sheet tray with the upper main body portion.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
10-205525 Jul 1998 JP
PCT Information
Filing Document Filing Date Country Kind
PCT/JP99/03893 WO 00
Publishing Document Publishing Date Country Kind
WO00/05627 2/3/2000 WO A
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number Name Date Kind
4583844 Honda Apr 1986 A
4835567 Ogata May 1989 A
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number Date Country
60-149052 Aug 1985 JP
1-140551 Sep 1989 JP
3-38859 Apr 1991 JP
7-44082 Feb 1995 JP