Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stacking device and an image forming apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
Some of image forming apparatuses such as a copier and a printer include a size detecting device which detects a size of a sheet stacked on a sheet feeding cassette containing a sheet on which an image is formed. As one of such size detecting devices, a configuration in which a size of a sheet in a sheet feeding tray is determined by detecting, with a sensor in a main body side, a detected plate which moves in accordance with a rear edge regulating unit configured to regulate a rear edge of the stacked sheet and be movable has been known. In the above-described conventional art, the detected plate having a length same as a moving amount of the rear edge regulating unit is required, and, since the rear edge regulating unit and the detected plate move integrally, a space in which the detected plate is able to move needs to have a size same as the moving amount of the rear edge regulating unit. Accordingly, there is a problem that a size of a device is increased in a size detecting mechanism described above. In order to solve this problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-219326 discloses a configuration in which, by including a plurality of detected plates which are configured so as to overlap with each other, a space required for a movement of the detected plates is reduced.
However, in the configuration described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-219326, a level difference is generated between the detected plates due to the configuration in which the detected plates overlap with each other, and another mechanism for correcting an influence of the level difference becomes necessary. As a result thereof, there are problems such as complication of a size detecting mechanism and an increase in a region occupied by the size detecting mechanism in a main body side.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a stacking device which stacks a sheet, the stacking device includes a stacking unit on which the sheet is configured to be stacked, a regulating member provided to be movable in a first direction and a second direction, which is a direction opposite to the first direction, and to regulate a position of the sheet stacked on the stacking unit, a moving member configured to move in a direction that is the same as a moving direction of the regulating member in accordance with the regulating member, and a restricting member configured to restrict movement of the moving member, wherein, so that the regulating member moves independently of the moving member, the restricting member restricts the movement of the moving member in a partial range of a range in which the regulating member moves.
Provided are a stacking device and an image forming apparatus in which, with a configuration in which a plate for detecting a size moves in accordance with a rear edge regulating plate, the rear edge regulating plate moves independently of the plate and thereby the size of a sheet is able to be detected without complicating the device.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Next, an image forming operation will be described. In the image forming apparatus 100 in
Next, description will be given in detail for configurations of the sheet feeding cassette 2 and a size detecting mechanism for detecting a size of the sheet material contained in the sheet feeding cassette 2, by using
The side edge regulating plates 22 and 23 have a configuration that, when one of the side edge regulating plates 22 and 23 is operated, the other one also moves accordingly. The rear edge regulating plate 24 is supported by the sheet feeding cassette 2 so as to be able to slide in a longitudinal direction of the sheet material (direction of A in the figure). A user moves the rear edge regulating plate 24 according to a size of the sheet material to use and sets the rear edge regulating plate 24 so as to abut the rear edge of the sheet material. 26 denotes a plate for detecting the size (moving member) which is movable in the direction of A, which is the same direction as a moving direction of the rear edge regulating plate 24, in accordance with the movement of the rear edge regulating plate 24. Hereinafter, the direction of A1 is referred to as a first direction, and a direction of A2 which is a direction opposite to the direction of A1 is referred to as a second direction.
27 denotes a detecting member used for size detection, which is provided in a main body side and a switch member in the present exemplary embodiment. Hereinafter, description will be given with 27 as a detection switch 27.
Next, the configuration of the size detecting mechanism will be described in detail.
Note that, in the exemplary embodiment 1, provided is the configuration in which three push buttons are included, so that the CPU 50 is able to determine 23=8 sizes of the sheet material. For example, with a configuration in which four push buttons are included, the CPU 50 is able to determine 24=16 sizes of the sheet material.
When the sheet feeding cassette 2 is inserted into the image forming main body unit 1, the plate 26 approaches the detection switch 27 from a direction of B1 in the figure, and the sheet feeding cassette 2 is fixed to a position, at which the detection switch 27 is able to be pressed, in the end. In a state where the push button (271, 272, or 273) of the detection switch 27 faces the hole part of the plate 26, the push button (271, 272, or 273) is not pressed and becomes OFF. In a state where the push button (271, 272, or 273) of the detection switch 27 faces a portion of the plate 26, in which no hole is provided, the push button (271, 272, or 273) is pressed and becomes ON.
Since the position of the plate 26 changes according to a position of the rear edge regulating plate 24, the rear edge regulating plate 24 is set in accordance with the size of the sheet material to use, so that the plate 26 moves to a specific position corresponding to the size of the sheet material.
That is, according to the exemplary embodiment 1, by setting a pattern of the hole parts provided in the plate 26 as a pattern specific to each size of the sheet material, it is possible to change a combination of push buttons (271, 272, and 273) to press. Thereby, it becomes possible to determine the size of the sheet material contained in the sheet feeding cassette 2.
Note that, in the exemplary embodiment 1, a size of a sheet set to be detected is a regular size, and sizes of sheets other than the size set to be detected are set as the same detection pattern as special sizes (irregular sizes) which are common.
Moreover, though the configuration in which the sheet feeding cassette 2 is inserted in the direction of B1 in
Next, a mechanism for detecting the special sizes will be described.
In
When the rear edge regulating plate 24 moves in a range of P1 (first range) as illustrated in
In addition, the plate stopper 282 is supported by the sheet feeding cassette 2 so as to be able to slide in the direction of A1 and the direction of A2. Moreover, the plate stopper 282 is urged in the direction of A2 by the stopper urging spring 283, and stopped in a state of abutting a positioning part not illustrated. When the rear edge regulating plate 24 moves in the direction of A1 in the figure from a state of being in the range of P1 as illustrated in
Note that, in the exemplary embodiment 1, a spring force (urging force) of the stopper urging spring 283 which urges the plate stopper 282 is set to be greater than a spring force (urging force) of the plate urging spring 281 which urges the plate 26.
As a result thereof, as illustrated in
When the rear edge regulating plate 24 further moves in the direction A1 in the figure from a state of being in the range of Q1 as illustrated in
As described above, in the exemplary embodiment 1, a range in which the rear edge regulating plate 24 moves independently of the plate 26 (Q1 in the figure) is included in a partial range of a range in which the rear edge regulating plate 24 moves, so that it is possible to set a range in which the plate 26 moves to be smaller than the range in which the rear edge regulating plate 24 is able to move. As a result thereof, it is possible to reduce a space in the moving direction of the rear edge regulating plate 24, which is required for the movement of the plate 26, thus making it possible to miniaturize the device. Further, according to the exemplary embodiment 1, in the direction of A1, the range of Q1 is provided in a downstream side of the range of P1 and in an upstream side of the range of R1, so that it is possible to detect a size of a sheet having a large size in the range of P1 and detect a size of a sheet having a small size in the range of R1. Note that, when the above-described range in which only the rear edge regulating plate 24 moves is provided in a site in which sizes of adjacent regular sheets have a greatest difference, an effect of miniaturization increases.
Next, an exemplary embodiment 2 will be described based on
In
When the rear edge regulating plate 30 moves in a range of P2 (first range) as illustrated in
When the rear edge regulating plate 30 moves in a direction of A1 in the figure from a state of being in the range of P2 as illustrated in
Thereafter, when the rear edge regulating plate 30 further moves in the direction of A1, the connecting pin 32 moves in the direction, which is same as the moving direction of the rear edge regulating plate 30, on the guiding groove 21a of the sheet feeding tray 21 again as illustrated in
As described above, in the exemplary embodiment 2, the range of Q2 in which the moving amount of the plate 31 is smaller than the moving amount of the rear edge regulating plate 30 is included, so that it is possible to set a range in which the plate 31 moves to be smaller than a range in which the rear edge regulating plate 30 is able to move. As a result thereof, it is possible to reduce a space in the moving direction of the rear edge regulating plate 30, which is required for the movement of the plate 31, thus making it possible to miniaturize the device.
Next, an exemplary embodiment 3 will be described based on
In
When the rear edge regulating plate 40 moves in a range of P3 (first range) as illustrated in
When the rear edge regulating plate 40 further moves in the direction of A1 in the figure, the boss 42a of the connecting member 42 moves along an inclined surface 21b2 of the guiding wall 21b of the sheet feeding tray 21 by the urging spring 41, and the plate 43 and the rear edge regulating plate 40 are brought in a state of being connected again as
As described above, in the exemplary embodiment 3, a range in which the rear edge regulating plate 40 moves independently of the plate 43 (Q3 in the figure) is included, so that it is possible to set a range in which the plate 43 moves to be smaller than a range in which the rear edge regulating plate 40 is able to move. As a result thereof, it is possible to reduce a space in a moving direction of the rear edge regulating plate 40, which is required for the movement of the plate 43, thus making it possible to miniaturize the device.
Note that, when the above-described range in which only the rear edge regulating plate 40 moves is provided in a site in which sizes of adjacent regular sheets have a greatest difference, an effect of miniaturization increases. Further, the number of bosses described above, which engage with the connecting member 42, may be two or more.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-074302, filed on Mar. 31, 2015, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2015-074302 | Mar 2015 | JP | national |
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Number | Date | Country |
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2000-219326 | Aug 2000 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20160289018 A1 | Oct 2016 | US |