IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS

Abstract

An image recording apparatus includes a sheet-supply tray device, a sheet-supply roller and an image recording device. The sheet-supply tray device includes a first tray which accommodates a plurality of first recording media on a first tray surface thereof such that the first recording media are stacked on each other and a second tray which is placed on the first tray and which accommodates a plurality of second recording media on a second tray surface thereof such that the second recording media are stacked on each other. The second tray includes a base portion which is supported on the first tray and which constitutes a downstream tray surface that is a downstream side portion of the second tray surface in the sheet-supply direction, and a pivotable portion whose state is changeable between a stacked state in which the pivotable portion is supported on the first tray and an opening state in which the pivotable portion is pivoted relative to the base portion so as to open a space above the first tray and which constitutes an upstream tray surface that is an upstream side portion of the second tray surface in the sheet-supply direction. The pivotable portion includes a nip portion which constitutes a part of the upstream tray surface and which the sheet-supply roller advances toward and retracts from. In a state in which the pivotable portion is in the stacked state, at least one of (a) the nip portion and (b) a portion of the pivotable portion adjacent to the nip portion is supported by the base portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and optional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-function device (MED) including an image recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view in cross section showing an internal structure of the MFD;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of a printer portion of the MFD;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a basic structure of the printer portion of the MFD;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a sheet-supply tray device whose second tray is in a stacked state;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the sheet-supply tray device whose first tray is in use;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, perspective view showing a structure around side walls of the sheet-supply tray device;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the sheet-supply tray device whose second tray is in use;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the sheet-supply tray device whose second tray is in an opening state;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the sheet-supply tray device whose second tray is in the opening state;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view showing a structure around a nip portion of the second tray in the opening state;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 12-12 in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 13 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view showing the structure around the nip portion shown in FIG. 12.

Claims

1. An image recording apparatus, comprising: a sheet-supply tray device which accommodates a plurality of recording media;a sheet-supply roller which supplies the recording media one by one in a sheet-supply direction; andan image recording device which records an image on each of the supplied recording media,wherein the sheet-supply tray device includes a first tray which accommodates a plurality of first recording media on a first tray surface thereof such that the first recording media are stacked on each other and a second tray which is placed on the first tray and which accommodates a plurality of second recording media on a second tray surface thereof such that the second recording media are stacked on each other, the second tray including:a base portion which is supported on the first tray and which constitutes a downstream tray surface that is a downstream side portion of the second tray surface in the sheet-supply direction; anda pivotable portion whose state is changeable between a stacked state in which the pivotable portion is supported on the first tray and an opening state in which the pivotable portion is pivoted relative to the base portion so as to open a space above the first tray and which constitutes an upstream tray surface that is an upstream side portion of the second tray surface in the sheet-supply direction,wherein the pivotable portion includes a nip portion which constitutes a part of the upstream tray surface and which the sheet-supply roller advances toward and retracts from, andwherein in a state in which the pivotable portion is in the stacked state, at least one of (a) the nip portion and (b) a portion of the pivotable portion adjacent to the nip portion is supported by the base portion.

2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the state in which the pivotable portion is in the stacked state, the nip portion is placed on a support surface of a support portion which constitutes a part of the base portion.

3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the nip portion is placed on the support surface of the support portion when the pivotable portion is pivoted from the opening state to the stacked state.

4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the pivotable portion is supported by the base portion pivotably about a pivot axis perpendicular to the sheet-supply direction, and wherein a relative position between (a) the pivot axis and (b) the nip portion and the support portion is determined such that a distance between a downstream end of the nip portion and the support surface of the support portion as measured in a direction perpendicular to the support surface decreases monotonously when the pivotable portion is pivoted from the opening state to the stacked state.

5. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the state in which the pivotable portion is in the stacked state, a substantially middle portion of the pivotable portion in a direction perpendicular to the sheet-supply direction engages a corresponding portion of the base portion such that at least the middle portion of the pivotable portion is prevented from moving away from the corresponding portion of the base portion in a direction parallel to the downstream tray surface.

6. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in the state in which the pivotable portion is in the stacked state, a substantially middle portion of the pivotable portion in a direction perpendicular to the sheet-supply direction engages a corresponding portion of the base portion such that at least the middle portion of the pivotable portion is prevented from moving away from the corresponding portion of the base portion in a direction parallel to the downstream tray surface.

7. The image recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the middle portion of the pivotable portion constitutes the nip portion and the corresponding portion of the base portion constitutes the support portion, wherein one of the nip portion and the support portion includes a recessed portion while an other of the nip portion and the support portion includes a projection, andwherein the recessed portion and the projection engage each other so that the nip portion is prevented from moving away from the support portion in the direction parallel to the downstream tray surface.

8. The image recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the projection has a cross-sectional shape which is taken along a plane perpendicular to the downstream tray surface and parallel to the sheet-supply direction and whose dimension as measured in the sheet-supply direction decreases in a direction from a bottom portion of the projection to a top portion thereof

9. The image recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the recessed portion has a shape assuring that the recessed portion engages the projection such that a clearance is left therebetween in a direction parallel to the downstream tray surface and perpendicular to the sheet-supply direction.

10. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an end portion of the pivotable portion which is adjacent to the base portion in the state in which the pivotable portion is in the stacked state comprises the nip portion.

11. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the support surface of the support portion facing upward is located at a lower position in a vertical direction than the downstream tray surface facing upward, and wherein an upper surface of the nip portion is substantially flush with the downstream tray surface in a state in which a lower surface of the nip portion is supported on the support surface.

12. The image recording apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a projection is provided on the support surface while a recessed portion engageable with the projection is provided in the lower surface of the nip portion, and wherein the projection engages the recessed portion in a state in which the lower surface of the nip portion is supported on the support surface so that the nip portion is prevented from moving away from the support portion in a direction parallel to the downstream tray surface.

13. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nip portion is provided by a substantially middle portion of the pivotable portion with respect to a direction parallel to the upstream tray surface and perpendicular to the sheet-supply direction.

14. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first tray includes a plurality of side walls standing upright from a periphery of the first tray surface on which the first recording media are stacked, and wherein the base portion of the second tray and the pivotable portion thereof in the stacked state are supported by the side walls.

15. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet-supply roller is selectively contactable with either one of the first tray surface of the first tray and the second tray surface of the second tray.

16. The image recording apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the base portion and the pivotable portion of the second tray are slidable between an advanced position and a retracted position in the sheet-supply direction relative to the first tray, and wherein the sheet-supply roller is contactable with the first tray surface of the first tray in a state in which the second tray is in the retracted position and the sheet-supply roller is contactable with the second tray surface of the second tray in a state in which the second tray is in the advanced position.