JP2002020021A - Paper delivery unit, image forming device and journaling structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To use members effectively and contribute well to the solution of environmental problems in an image forming device selectively mountable with a paper output unit by improving the function of the paper output unit by means of a removable member removed from a component part of the image forming device body. SOLUTION: Paper outputted from an output means 50 of the paper output unit 100 is stacked on a receiving tray T of the paper output unit 100. The receiving tray T has a paper stopper 351 for limiting the movement of the paper in the output direction. The paper stopper 351 is detachably integrally molded on a cover that is dislodged in advance from the image forming device body when the paper output unit 100 is mounted, and after detachment, is attached to the receiving tray T.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, etc., a paper discharge unit as an optional unit detachable from the image forming apparatus,
The present invention relates to a shaft support structure for supporting a shaft of a rotating body or a rocking body for conveying or discharging a sheet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in addition to a function as a digital copying machine for scanning and reading an original and copying it on paper, a facsimile function for transmitting / receiving image information of the original to / from a remote place by a control device, and a computer have been developed. 2. Description of the Related Art A multifunctional image forming apparatus having a printer function for printing image information to be handled on paper is widely used. In such a multi-function image forming apparatus, if the discharge / storage unit for copy / printed matter is located at one place, for example, a printed matter by an emergency facsimile may be mixed into another copy / printed matter or used by many people. Then, another person may take away the copy / print. In order to solve such a problem, a second paper discharge storage unit (paper discharge unit) is added as an option.

[0003] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2691449 discloses a paper stacking device in which a mounting base of a paper stopper can be detachably and slidably housed on the top (discharge part) of an image forming apparatus in both front and back states. Have been. JP-A-10-
No. 133443 discloses that a cutout portion is provided on an exterior cover previously covering a mounting portion of an optional device, a shape forming a hook or a pen tray is formed on an inner surface of the cutout portion, and after the optional device is mounted, a cutout is formed. A technique for reusing parts for independent use is disclosed. JP-A-9-166
In Japanese Patent Publication No. 899, a cutout portion for obtaining a mounting opening is provided in an exterior cover previously covering the mounting portion of the optional device, and the cover side of the cutout portion remaining in the device main body is made thin, so that no cut marks remain. Thus, an exterior cover that is easy to cut is described.

In an image forming apparatus, a paper discharge unit, or the like, a large number of rotating or swinging members for transporting or discharging paper, such as a discharge roller or a transport roller, or a switching guide for switching the direction of the transported paper are used. Have been. Therefore, the ease of assembling the shaft supporting structure of the rotating body or the swinging body has a great influence on the manufacturing cost of the image forming apparatus or the paper discharging unit.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-151141 discloses a shaft support structure for rotatably supporting shaft portions on both sides of a rod-shaped roller. In this method, a shaft hole and a claw portion are formed in a bearing member, a shaft portion is inserted into the shaft hole, and the claw portion is engaged with and fixed to the apparatus main body by a snap fit method.

[0006]

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Patent Publication No. 26914
In the technology described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 49, there is a problem that since the paper stoppers need to be individually formed, a mold cost and a parts management cost (transportation, storage, etc.) are required.
The technique described in JP-A-10-133443 has an advantage that the cutout can be reused independently.
When the optional device is removed from the image forming apparatus main body for some reason, there is no longer any cover that can close the opening of the mounting portion. For this reason, an electrical connection portion for connecting the optional device is exposed, which is not preferable for safety. Since the cut portions cannot be connected, the economic burden increases if a large exterior cover is to be obtained again. The technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-166899 has a problem in that it takes a long time to eliminate the cut marks. In addition, when the outer cover has a large shape or cannot be easily removed, it is necessary to remove the cuts with the outer cover attached to the image forming apparatus main body. Inside the machine, which easily causes contamination inside the machine and failure of the apparatus.

[0007] In the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-151141, since a bearing member has no portion for positioning with respect to a mating member (apparatus main body) and is simply fixed with a pair of claws, a roller is used. There is a possibility that a rotating body such as the above is attached to the apparatus main body at an angle. In addition, since the fixing is performed only with the claw portion, when the thickness of the mating member or the shape of the claw portion is uneven, the assembly cannot be performed or the bearing member floats. In particular, when a part that reciprocates while the bearing member is floating is supported, there is a problem that vibration is generated and noise is generated. Further, when it is necessary to disassemble the bearing member, it is very difficult to remove the claw portion because the toe enters the inside of the apparatus main body even if the claw portion is to be removed.
If it is forcibly removed, the bearing member will be damaged, cannot be used again, and parts will be wasted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a main object of the present invention to provide a paper discharge unit capable of reducing the cost of parts and to provide an image forming apparatus capable of reducing waste components when the paper discharge unit is mounted. Another object of the present invention is to provide a shaft support structure that can increase the positional accuracy of a bearing member, suppress generation of vibration and noise, and can easily perform an assembling operation.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paper discharge unit having a discharge means and a paper discharge tray, which can be selectively mounted on an image forming apparatus main body. The function is assisted by a removable member that is removed from a component part of the image forming apparatus main body.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the paper discharging unit according to the first aspect, the removable member is attached to the paper discharging tray to restrict movement of the paper discharged to the paper discharging tray in the discharging direction. Paper stopper.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the paper discharge unit of the second aspect, the paper discharge tray has a mounting recess for mounting the paper stopper, and the mounting recess has a locking hole, The paper stopper has a locking projection that engages with the locking hole.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the paper discharging unit according to the third aspect, a slit is formed on both sides of the locking projection.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the paper discharge unit according to the first aspect, the removable member is a support member that receives a load of the paper discharge tray in a direction in which sheets are stacked on the paper discharge tray. There is a configuration that there is.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the discharge unit of the fifth aspect, the discharge tray has a locking recess for inserting and locking one end of the support member. It has a configuration.

According to the invention of claim 7, in claim 5 or 6,
In the discharge unit described above, the discharge tray has a storage section for storing the support member.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paper discharge unit having a discharge means and a paper discharge tray, which can be selectively mounted on the image forming apparatus main body. The function is assisted by a removable member removed from the component.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus of the eighth aspect, the removable member is attached to the paper discharge tray and restricts movement of the paper discharged to the paper discharge tray in the discharge direction. Paper stopper.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus of the ninth aspect, the discharge tray has a mounting recess for mounting the paper stopper, and the mounting recess has a locking hole; The paper stopper has a locking projection that engages with the locking hole.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus of the tenth aspect, a slit is formed on both sides of the locking projection.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the eighth aspect, the removable member is a support member that receives a load of the paper discharge tray in a direction in which sheets are stacked on the paper discharge tray. There is a configuration that there is.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus of the twelfth aspect, the discharge tray has a locking recess for inserting and locking one end of the support member. It has a configuration.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the paper discharge unit according to the twelfth or thirteenth aspect, the discharge tray has a storage portion for storing the support member.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to any one of the eighth to fifteenth aspects, the component is a member that covers a mounting portion of the paper discharge unit. A configuration is employed in which the removable member is integrally formed so as to be resectable.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus of the twelfth aspect, the support member is formed integrally with the component via cutouts at upper and lower ends.
The configuration is adopted.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the sixteenth aspect, there is provided a main body discharge storage portion provided below the discharge unit so that the cutout portion of the support member is not exposed. A concave portion is provided on the lower surface of the paper discharge tray and the upper surface of the paper discharge storage portion of the main body.

In the image forming apparatus according to the eighteenth aspect, in the image forming apparatus according to the fifteenth aspect, the member that covers the mounting portion of the paper discharge unit is an original member of the image forming apparatus main body even after the removable member is removed. It can be attached to the attachment part,
The configuration is adopted.

According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus of the fifteenth aspect, the member for covering the mounting portion of the paper discharge unit is detachable or openable from the operation surface side of the image forming apparatus main body. The configuration is adopted.

According to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the eighth aspect, the image forming apparatus further comprises a permanent main body discharge storage section for discharging a sheet on which an image has been formed, above the image forming section. Can be mounted in the upper space of the main body discharge storage section.

According to a twenty-first aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus of one of the eighth to twentieth aspects, the removable member and the discharge tray are formed of the same resin material. It has a configuration.

According to a twenty-second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the twenty-first aspect, a configuration is adopted in which information indicating the material of the removable member is formed so as to be visible.

According to a twenty-third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the twenty-second aspect, the information indicating the material is formed in a place where the removable member is visible in a state in which the removable member is stored in the paper discharge tray. Has been adopted.

According to a twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention, in the shaft support structure for supporting the shaft of the rotating body or the rocking body, a bearing member for supporting the shaft of the rotating body or the rocking body, and a frame for mounting the bearing member. The bearing member has a shaft hole through which the shaft portion is inserted, a positioning portion provided on an outer peripheral portion of the shaft hole, and a claw portion extending from the positioning portion. A receiving portion, and a pressing portion that acts to press the bearing member in the mounting direction.
In a state where the shaft of the rotating body or the rocking body is inserted into the shaft hole, the positioning part is engaged with the receiving part of the frame, and the claw part is engaged with the pressing part to be fixed. I have.

According to a twenty-fifth aspect of the present invention, in the shaft support structure of the twenty-fourth aspect, a structure is adopted in which a separate bearing is provided in the shaft hole.

According to a twenty-sixth aspect of the present invention, in the shaft support structure according to the twenty-fourth aspect, the mounting direction of the bearing member to the frame is a direction substantially orthogonal to the axial direction of the rotating body or the rocking body. It has a configuration.

According to a twenty-seventh aspect of the present invention, in the shaft support structure according to the twenty-fourth aspect, the receiving portion has a shape in which an entry side in the mounting direction of the bearing member is open.

According to a twenty-eighth aspect of the present invention, in the shaft support structure of the twenty-fourth aspect, the tip of the claw portion is exposed outside the frame when the bearing member is mounted on the frame. I am taking it.

According to a twenty-ninth aspect of the present invention, in the shaft support structure according to the twenty-fourth aspect, the bearing member is formed of a synthetic resin.

According to a thirtieth aspect of the present invention, in the shaft support structure according to the twenty-fourth aspect, the pressing portion is formed integrally with the receiving portion.

According to a thirty-first aspect of the present invention, in the shaft support structure according to the twenty-fourth aspect, the frame is formed of a synthetic resin.

According to a thirty-second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sheet discharging unit having a shaft supporting structure for supporting a shaft portion of a rotating body or a swinging body for conveying or discharging a sheet, wherein the shaft supporting structure is the same as the above. 31 is adopted.

According to a thirty-third aspect of the present invention, in the paper discharge unit according to the thirty-second aspect, the rotating body or the rocking body is a switching guide for switching the direction of the conveyed sheet.

According to a thirty-fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus having a shaft support structure for supporting a shaft of a rotating body or a rocking body for conveying or discharging a sheet, the shaft support structure may be any one of claims 24 to 31 is adopted.

According to a thirty-fifth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the thirty-fourth aspect, the rotating member or the rocking member is a switching guide for switching the direction of a sheet to be conveyed.

[0044]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view, and FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view from a different angle. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an image reading section 3 for reading an image of a document is disposed at an upper portion, and an image forming section 1 is disposed substantially below the image reading section 3 at a center of the apparatus with a space S therebetween. Have been. Below the image forming unit 1, a paper feeding unit 2 is provided. An operation panel 45 is disposed on the front side (hereinafter, also referred to as the front side as appropriate) of the image forming apparatus, and is on the operation surface side.

The space S is closed at the rear and right sides of the image forming apparatus, and is open at the front and left sides of the apparatus. Therefore, the operator can put his / her hand into the space S from the front of the apparatus to take out a copy / print, and can operate the paper feed unit 2 at the time of paper supply from the front of the apparatus. As shown in FIG. 1, a paper feed inlet 40 for paper 42 as a recording medium fed from an additional paper feed unit is formed beside the paper feed unit 2. On the right side of the image forming apparatus, a manual paper feed table 47 for performing manual paper feed is provided to be freely opened and closed. The manual paper feed table 47 is usually housed in the image forming apparatus, and is used in a state where it is turned around the fulcrum 47J and tilted as necessary. An auxiliary table 47a stored in the manual paper feed table 47 can be pulled out from the tip side of the manual paper feed table 47.

In the image forming section 1, a charging device 6 for charging the surface of the photosensitive member 5 around the drum-shaped photosensitive member 5 as an image carrier, and image information is applied to the surface of the photosensitive member 5 by laser light. Exposure device 7 for irradiating, developing device 8 for visualizing an electrostatic latent image formed by exposing the surface of photoconductor 5, photoconductor 5
A transfer device 9 for transferring the toner image developed above to the sheet 42, a cleaning device 10 for removing and collecting toner remaining on the surface of the photoconductor 5 after transfer, and the like are arranged. A fixing device 11 for fixing the toner transferred to the paper 42 is disposed on a discharge direction (hereinafter, referred to as a “discharge direction a”) side of a transfer portion where the toner image is transferred to the paper 42 as indicated by an arrow a. I have.

The paper supply section 2 has a paper supply cassette 21 for stacking and storing papers 42. The paper supply cassette 21 is detachable from the image forming apparatus from the front side of the apparatus. Bottom plate 22 rotatably supported by paper feed cassette 21
Are loaded with paper 42, and are pressed by the spring 24 so as to press the uppermost paper 42 against the paper feed roller 23. When the image forming command is issued, the sheet feeding unit 2 sends out the uppermost sheet 42 from the sheet feeding cassette 21 by the rotation of the sheet feeding roller 23 and conveys the sheet 42 to the registration roller pair 14 provided in front of the transfer unit. . The transported paper 42 is temporarily stopped by the pair of registration rollers 14, and is fed at a timing such that the positional relationship between the toner image on the surface of the photoconductor 5 and the leading end of the paper 42 is at a predetermined position. Paper and
The toner image is transferred when passing through the transfer section. After the transfer, the sheet 42 is fixed with the toner image while passing through the fixing device 11.

The image reading section 3 includes a light source 43 for document illumination and a plurality of mirrors 4 for reading an image of a document (not shown) placed on the contact glass 32.
The reading traveling body 31 of 4M reciprocates. Image information scanned by the reading traveling body 31 is read as an image signal by a photoelectric conversion element 44 such as a CCD installed behind the lens 31a. The read image signal is digitized and processed. The image reading unit 3 forms an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductor 5 by emitting light from a laser diode (not shown) of the exposure device 7 based on the image-processed signal. That is, the optical signal from the laser diode reaches the photoconductor 5 via a known polygon mirror or lens, and forms an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductor 5. The electrostatic latent image moves with the rotation of the photoconductor 5, is visualized by the toner supplied from the developing device 8, and further moves toward the transfer device 9. Although not shown, an automatic document feeder that automatically feeds the document onto the contact glass 32 is attached above the image reading unit 3. The automatic document feeder can be arbitrarily attached and detached, and may not necessarily be provided in the image forming apparatus.

In the space S, a sheet discharging unit 100 provided with a discharging means 50 for discharging the sheet 42 on which an image has been formed to the space S and a receiving tray T as a sheet discharging tray.
And a paper discharge device 300 including a paper discharge roller 12 and the like as discharge means for discharging the paper sheet 42 on which an image has been formed to the space S.
Are provided downstream of the fixing device 11 in the discharge direction a. The paper discharge unit 100 includes the paper discharge device 30.
0. Among the paper ejection unit 100 and the paper ejection device 300, the paper ejection device 30
Reference numeral 0 is permanently provided in the image forming apparatus.

The sheet discharging device 300 includes a pair of guide members 301 and 302 fixed to a frame or the like of a device (not shown).
Constitute the transport path 303. The transport path 303 connects between the paper discharge roller 12 and the fixing device 11, and guides the transferred paper 42 to the paper discharge roller 12. The paper discharge roller 12 is driven to rotate by a drive motor (not shown), and discharges the paper 42 to the space S. In the space S, there is provided a main body discharge storage section 4 in which the sheets 42 discharged by the discharge rollers 12 can be stacked and stored, and a receiving section in which the sheets 42 discharged from the discharge means 50 can be stacked and stored. A tray T is provided. The main body discharge storage unit 4 is configured by the bottom of the space S, that is, the upper surface of the image forming unit 1.

The image forming apparatus according to this embodiment scans an original, reads it, digitizes it, and copies it on paper 42. In addition to the function as a so-called digital copying machine, a control device (not shown) A so-called printer, which functions as a facsimile for exchanging image information of an original, image information handled by an information processing device represented by a computer with a remote place, and image information handled by the information processing device on a paper 42, Is a multi-function composite type image forming apparatus having the functions of:
, And are selectively discharged and loaded. In the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, the respective components in the image forming apparatus are laid out such that the sheet 42 discharged to the main body discharge storage unit 4 or the receiving tray T is discharged with the image surface facing downward. Even if the processing order of the originals handled by the copier, facsimile, and printer functions is performed from one page and printed, when the originals are taken out from the main body discharge storage unit 4 or the receiving tray T, the first page is processed. Is at the top of the list, freeing you from having to realign the pages.

As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus is provided with a cover C for covering the vicinity of the mounting position where the sheet discharging unit 100 is mounted so as not to be seen from the front side of the apparatus. It is provided detachably. The cover C includes a main body discharge storage unit 4 and a receiving tray T.
Display section L that indicates that sheets 42 are loaded on
1 and L2 are provided. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 35 denotes a main switch for starting the image forming apparatus. When the main switch 35 is pressed and turned on, the image forming apparatus puts each component into a standby state. When a start key (not shown) on the operation panel 45 or an information processing device connected to the image forming apparatus is operated after the main switch 35 is turned on and an image forming command is issued, an image forming operation is performed. ing.

In such a multi-function composite type image forming apparatus, inconvenience may occur if the discharge section for discharging the paper 42 or the portion where the discharged paper 42 is stacked is one place. For example, a sheet on which information received by the facsimile function is printed may be mixed into another copy / print, or when the image forming apparatus is used by many people, another person may carry away the copy / print. In view of such a problem, the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a paper ejection unit 100 separately from the main body paper ejection storage unit 4 as shown in FIG. The paper discharging unit 100 is optionally mounted according to a user's request of the image forming apparatus, and is detachably provided to the image forming apparatus. The reason why the paper ejection unit 100 is not provided from the beginning is to prevent unnecessary financial burden on the unnecessary user. FIG. 4 shows the paper ejection unit 100.
1 illustrates an image forming apparatus in a state where the image forming apparatus is not provided.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the paper discharging unit 100 and the components related thereto will be described. In the paper discharging unit 100, as shown in FIG. 1, a transport path 103 for transporting the paper 42 to the discharging unit 50 includes a pair of guide members 101, 1.
02. The transport path 103 includes the discharge roller 1
The connection between the switching guide G and the discharge means 50 disposed in the vicinity of the two is connected. The switching guide G is disposed downstream of the discharge roller 12 in the discharge direction a, and closes the conveyance path 103 and passes the sheet 42 passing through the fixing device 11 from the discharge roller 12 to the main discharge storage unit 4. Are rotatably provided so as to occupy a shielding position for guiding the sheet 42 and a leading position for guiding the sheet 42 that has retreated from the conveyance path 103 and passed through the fixing device 11 to the conveyance path 103. Switching guide G
Are connected to an electromagnetic solenoid 25 as a drive source and the connecting member 14.
0, and is configured to be appropriately switched between a shielding position and an introduction position according to the driving state of the electromagnetic solenoid 25. The electromagnetic solenoid 25 as an electrical component is provided so as not to be located directly above the fixing device 11. The switching operation of the switching guide G is executed when the apparatus operator specifies a preset mode. For example, when the apparatus operator selects the first mode in which the image forming apparatus is used as a copying machine, the switching guide G occupies the shielding position, and when the second mode in which the image forming apparatus is used as a facsimile is selected, the switching guide G is used. G is now occupying the introduction position. When a mode for guiding the sheet 42 to the sheet discharging unit 100 is set, a signal when the sheet 42 passes over a sensor (not shown) for controlling stop and rotation of the registration roller 14 is received, and an electromagnetic solenoid is received. 25 is operated so that the switching guide G occupies the introduction position. The electromagnetic solenoid 25 is of a pull type that pulls in a plunger when a drive signal is input. The electromagnetic solenoid 25 shown in FIG. 1 shows an operating (suction) state. For this reason, the paper 42 passes through the conveyance path 103, and the driving roller 120 and the driven roller 13
2, the paper is discharged with the image surface facing downward, and is stacked over the receiving tray T and the transport guide member 102. When the electromagnetic solenoid 25 is not operated, the tension spring 143 shown in FIG.
As a result, the switching guide G rotates counterclockwise from the state shown in FIG. 1 around the axis G2 to occupy the shielding position, and the paper 42 is discharged from the paper discharge roller 12 onto the main body paper discharge storage unit 4. It is to be loaded.

As shown in FIG. 5, the receiving tray T has an engaging portion T1 formed integrally with a side edge located on the back side of the apparatus. The main body frame 57 located on the inner side of the device in the space S has a mounting portion 5 having a shape fitted to the engagement portion T1.
9 are formed. The mounting portion 59 cantileverly supports the receiving tray T on the main body frame 57 and can be detachably attached from the front side of the apparatus. A cover 350 as a component of the image forming apparatus main body is attached to the main body frame 57.
When the cover is mounted, the cover 350 is removed in advance. As shown in FIG. 1, a tray detection sensor TS as a tray detection unit is disposed above the receiving tray T on the image forming apparatus side, that is, on the apparatus main body side, and whether or not the receiving tray T is set. Is detected. In the present embodiment, the detachment state in which the receiving tray T is not set is detected, and a notifying unit (not shown) provided on the operation panel 45 or the information processing device side alerts the device operator or a person near the device. Has become. Therefore, the receiving tray T
The paper 42 discharged from the paper discharge unit 100 in a state where the user has forgotten to set is dropped into the main paper discharge storage unit 4 and mixed with the paper 42 discharged and stacked in the main paper discharge storage unit 4. can avoid.

The guide members 101 and 102, which are the main parts of the paper discharging unit 100, are members having a length in the paper discharging direction a when the paper discharging unit 100 is mounted on the image forming apparatus. Of the guide members 101 and 102, the guide member 101 forms an upper fixed side, and the guide member 102
Represents a lower movable side that is movable with respect to the guide member 101, and can open and close the transport path 103. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the guide member 102 has a pair of shaft support portions 125 formed above and below a rear end located on the rear side of the apparatus. Side plate 1 of guide member 101 located on the back side of the device
As shown in FIG. 6, a pair of shaft support portions 114 that are narrower than the space between the shaft support portions 125 are formed in upper and lower portions 01a. The guide members 101 and 102 are integrated and the guide member 102 is supported by the shaft support 114 and the shaft support 125 being overlapped with each other to allow the shaft 104 to pass through holes formed in each shaft support. It becomes rotatable. In the present embodiment, the pivot side of the guide member 102 is the back side of the apparatus.

On the front side of the guide member 102 located on the front side of the apparatus, an engaging pin 128 and a flexible hook portion 12 are provided.
9 protrudes toward the guide member 101. The guide member 101 has a pin insertion portion 122 and a hook opening 12 for locking the engagement pin 128 and the hook portion 129.
3 are formed. These members are a guide member 101
When the transport path 103 is closed by rotating the guide path 102 and the guide member 102 around the shaft 104, the transport path 103 is closed while guiding the guide members 101 and 102 to each other. Hold in state. This holding state corresponds to the finger hook 1 provided on the open side of the guide member 102.
The hook 33 is released by being pinched and pulled away from the guide member 101 (to the left), and the hook portion 129 is deflected and detached from the hook opening portion 123, thereby opening the re-conveying path 103. Two guide pins 111 are provided on the substantially box-shaped side plate 101a as an electrical component storage portion of the guide member 101, and the side plate 1 of the guide member 101 on the front side of the apparatus is provided.
01b is formed with two guide pins 112 and holes 113, respectively. Each of the guide pins 111 and 112 is protruded toward the inner side of the apparatus. A metal conductive bracket 57A mounted on the main body frame 57 is arranged on the back side of the apparatus. This bracket 57
A is provided with a hole 111A for receiving the guide pin 111 and a connector 116A. As shown in FIG. 8, a bracket 58 having a positioning hole (not shown) for receiving each guide pin 112 and a female screw for fixing is provided on the front side of the apparatus. A cover 350 is attached to the bracket 57A via a screw hole 282. As shown in FIG. 5, the cover 350 is
0, which is attached to the bracket 57A by screws (not shown). To remove the cover 350, remove the screw from the front side of the image forming apparatus with a screwdriver and remove. When the cover 350 is removed, the bracket 57A is removed, and when the cover C is removed, the bracket 58 is exposed, and the paper discharge unit 100 can be received.

In order to mount the paper discharging unit 100 on the image forming apparatus, the guide members 101 and 102 are united to close the transport path 103, and set from the front side of the apparatus toward the back side of the apparatus. At this time, the cover C shown in FIG.
Then, the cover 350 is removed from the apparatus, and inserted into the hole 111A from the guide pin 111 side as shown in FIG. Then, the guide pin 112 is inserted into a hole (not shown) formed in the bracket 58, and a fixing screw (not shown) is inserted through the hole 113 and fastened to the bracket 58 to be fixedly set in the image forming apparatus. Guide pins 111 and 112
First, guide pin 1
11 enters the hole 111A, and then the guide pin 1
The length of the pin is set so that 12 enters the hole of the bracket 58. When the pins are slightly inserted into the respective holes, the connector is not yet connected, but it is desirable that the conductive leaf spring 115 for grounding comes into contact with the bracket 57A. Since the paper ejection unit 100 is supported,
You may let go of the hand you supported at this stage. Next, when the paper ejection unit 100 is pushed in, the connectors 116 and 116A
Electrical connection is made. If the grounding is made before the electrical connection is made, the generation of electrical noise can be suppressed even if a spark occurs.

In FIG. 6, mounting portions 180 and 19 for holding the charge removing member 200 are provided on the upper surface of the guide member 101.
0 is formed. The charge removing member 200 is mounted on the substrate 20.
1 is a well-known one holding a brush-like or thin-plate-like conductive member 202. At both upper ends of the substrate 201, holes 20 are provided.
The static elimination member 200 is mounted on the guide member 101 by engaging the holes 203 and 204 with the distal ends 191 and 181 of the mounting portions 190 and 180. When the charge removing member 200 is mounted on the guide member 101, the conductive member 202 is located below the nip portion between the driving roller 120 and the driven roller 132, that is, the sheet discharging portion 5.
It is located below 0 and is provided so as to be able to contact the paper 42 discharged through the paper discharge unit 50. Mounting part 19
At 0, a conductive elastic member 210 for preventing the static elimination member 200 from coming off and for conducting to a metal bracket 150 that supports an electric component and a driving motor MO as a driving member for conveying a sheet is attached. . The motor MO is also provided so as not to be located directly above the fixing device 11. The conductive elastic member 210 is a plate-like member mounted in the concave portion 105 formed on the upper edge of the side plate 101a. The conductive elastic member 2 located on the front side of the apparatus with respect to the side plate 101a
10 has an opening 2 into which the tip 191 is inserted.
A notch 215 that engages with the end of the conductive metal shaft 151 supported by the metal bracket 150 is formed on the bending surface of the conductive elastic member 210 that is formed on the inner side of the apparatus with respect to the side plate 101a. Is formed. Conductive elastic member 2
10 is to mount the main body horizontally in the concave portion 105,
01, the opening 211 is inserted into the distal end portion 191 so that the static elimination member 200 is pressed so as not to come off from the distal end portion 191, and the notch 215 is engaged with the metal shaft 151, so that the metal bracket 150 is While conducting, the conductive elastic member 210 itself is prevented from coming off.

A conductive leaf spring 155 is fixed to the metal bracket 150 by a known fastening method such as screwing or caulking (not shown). The leaf spring 155 comes into contact with the bracket 57A when the sheet discharging unit 100 is attached to the image forming apparatus, and the neutralizing member 200 and the bracket 57A
Is made conductive. Accordingly, the sheet 42 discharged from the sheet discharging unit 100 is discharged from the discharging unit 100 and is stacked on the receiving tray T. The metal bracket 150 is provided with a connector 116 for transmitting and receiving an electric signal and the like to and from the apparatus side. The connector 116A is connected to the connection connector 116 when the paper discharge unit 100 is attached to the image forming apparatus.

On the guide member 101, a plurality of rib-like guides 110 which come into direct contact with the paper 42 and guide the upper side of the paper 42 are arranged in the direction indicated by the arrow b (hereinafter referred to as "paper width direction b"). ing. The guide 110 is formed integrally with the guide member 101. The drive roller 120 constituting one of the discharge means 50 is provided so as to be integrally rotatable with a shaft 120a rotatably supported by a side plate 101a and a bearing (not shown). In the present embodiment, two drive rollers 120 are provided at an interval in the paper width direction b.
The paper 42 is arranged so as to come into contact with the vicinity of the center thereof.
A gear 119 is mounted on an end of the shaft 120a on the side plate 101a side. The gear 119 is connected to a drive gear 117 mounted on an output shaft of the drive motor MO via an idle gear 118 mounted on a metal shaft 151, and transmits the driving force of the drive motor MO to the drive roller 120. The drive motor MO is connected to the connection connector 116 via the control board 115.

Above the side surface 101b of the guide member 101;
That is, the upper side of the guide member 101 on the apparatus front side, which is a side separated from the rotation side of the guide member 102, has a transport path 1
An open / close detection sensor 121 is provided as open / close detection means for detecting the open / close state of the switch 03. The opening / closing detection sensor 121 includes a detection piece 127 formed on the guide member 102.
When the guide member 102 is opened, the guide member 102 is separated from the detection piece 127, and the internal circuit of the open / close detection sensor 121 is opened to detect the open state of the transport path 103. In the present embodiment, when the open state is detected, the operation of the electric components such as the drive motor MO is prohibited, and the operation panel 45 is appropriately operated.
And an open state is displayed on the information processing device.

A cover 250 serving as a base is fixed to the upper surface of the guide member 101 by inserting a screw (not shown) through a hole 251 formed in the upper surface and fastening the screw to a screw hole (not shown) of the guide member 101. . Cover 250
Covers the upper and adjacent portions of the guide member 101 and the guide member 102 so that the configuration is not visible from the outside to improve the aesthetic appearance, suppresses intrusion of dust and dirt from the outside, and reduces the rotation of the guide member 102. And the sliding of the drive roller 120 and the driven roller 132, the malfunction of the open / close detection sensor 121, and the malfunction of the connecting member 140 and the electromagnetic solenoid 25 are reduced. As shown mainly in FIG. 7, the guide member 102 is integrally formed with a plurality of rib-shaped guides 126 (hereinafter, referred to as “guide ribs 126”) that guide the paper 42 from below. Upper surface 126 of guide rib 126
“a” extends from the inner side in the discharge direction “a” than the driven roller 132 to the vicinity of the driven roller 132, and reliably guides the sheet 42 to the nip portion between the driven roller 132 and the driving roller 120. The upper surface 126a is driven from the driven roller 132
It is formed so as to gradually increase as it approaches the vicinity.

The driven roller 132 is rotatably held by the holder 56 functioning as a leaf spring, and
And is provided so as to be pressed against the drive roller 120 from below. Guide member 10
A storage section 131 is formed at the rear end of the apparatus 2.
As shown in FIG. 6, an electromagnetic solenoid 25 is attached to the storage section 131. The connecting member 140 is pin-connected to the plunger 160 of the electromagnetic solenoid 25. One end 142 of the connecting member 140 is engaged with a pin G3 at one end of the switching guide G. Both ends of the tension spring 143 are locked by the storage portion 131 and a stopper 141 formed on the connecting member 140, respectively, and urge the connecting member 140 in a direction in which the plunger 160 is pulled out. As shown in FIG. 7, the switching guide G has a plurality of claw portions G1 for guiding the paper 42,
Both ends G <b> 2 are supported at the lower part of the guide member 102. With such a configuration, the pin G3 is connected to the connecting member 140.
At the same time, in conjunction with the reciprocation of the plunger 160 of the electromagnetic solenoid 25, the switching guide G is rotationally displaced between the shielding position and the introduction position.

FIG. 8 shows a state in which the sheet discharging unit 100 is set in the apparatus main body, and FIG.
2 is open. In FIG.
A indicates a sheet of the maximum size stacked on the receiving tray T, and reference numeral 42B indicates a sheet of the minimum size. At the center of the guide member 102, a paper sensor 130 is provided as a paper detection unit for detecting that the paper 42 is discharged and stacked on the regiving tray T. When the paper sensor 130 detects discharge / stacking of the paper 42, the display section L2 is turned on or blinks to display the state of the recording tray T. The display unit corresponding to the discharge unit (the receiving tray T or the main unit discharge storage unit 4) which is set to discharge and stack the sheets of the facsimile function is turned on while the facsimile function is operating. I have. This is because the facsimile reception is performed even if the main power-off mode is normally set for energy saving, so when the facsimile function is working, it is displayed whether there is paper in the paper output unit Is necessary.

As shown in FIG. 5, the cover 350 includes a paper stopper 351 as a removable member and a cover body 35.
2 and are integrally formed of the same resin. The paper stopper 351 and the cover main body 352 are formed integrally via a cutout 353. A locking projection 356 is formed on the paper stopper 351, and the locking projection 35
6, slits 357 are formed on both sides. on the other hand,
The receiving tray T has a mounting recess T2 for mounting the paper stopper 351. The mounting recess T2 has a locking hole T3 with which the locking projection 356 is engaged. FIG.
5 shows a state in which a paper stopper 351 is mounted in the mounting recessed portion T2 of the receiving tray T and is fixed at a position capable of supporting a maximum size paper.

As shown in FIG. 10, there are two portions connecting the paper stopper 351 and the cover body 352 in the cutout portion 353, and the portions having the narrowest widths (portions a and b).
Is thinner than other parts, and can be easily cut off with tools such as nippers. When the paper stopper 351 is to be cut off, the portion a is cut off as shown in FIG. Although FIG. 11 shows a case where the uncut portion 354 is cut so as to be maximized, the sheet stopper 351 is still used.
The remaining cutting portion 354 is retracted from the main contour line LN, so that sliding of the paper stopper 351 is not hindered. When the paper stopper 351 is separated and inserted into the mounting recess T2 of the receiving tray T, the locking protrusion 35
6 enters the locking hole T3, and the sliding of the paper stopper 351 is restricted. Although the sliding at the time of insertion is difficult due to the thickness of the locking projection 356, the width of the portion where the locking projection 356 is provided is small due to the slit 357, and it is easy to bend. The difficulty of sliding due to the presence of the object is alleviated.

In FIG. 10 and FIG.
Is information indicating a material molded on the back side of the paper stopper 351 and the cover main body 352, and is formed to be visible. For example, ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene
Styrene), PS (polystyrene) letters and symbols,
A picture or the like is integrally formed. From a similar viewpoint, as shown in FIG. 8, information T4 indicating the material is integrally formed on the back side of the receiving tray T. It is desirable that the receiving tray T and the paper stopper 351 (also the cover main body 352) be formed of the same resin. The reason is that the toning and procurement of the resin material can be performed at the same time, the colors of both parts match, and when the receiving tray T becomes unnecessary, recycling processing such as pulverization without disassembly or separation becomes possible. Because.

The remaining cover body 352 from which the paper stopper 351 has been cut off is stored in a concave portion 400 formed in the side cover CA shown in FIG. Two screw holes 401 are formed in the concave portion 400 so that the cover main body 352 can be screwed. When the paper discharge unit 100 is removed from the image forming apparatus main body (it becomes unnecessary or for repair), the stored cover main body 3
52 is removed from the concave portion 400 and attached to a predetermined position in the space S of the image forming apparatus main body. In this case, although the area of the cover 350 is smaller than the initial area of the entire cover 350, the connector 116A and the opening 183 can be sufficiently closed, and safety can be ensured and appearance can be prevented from lowering.

A cover C as a component of the image forming apparatus main body shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is supported so as to be openable and closable.
It is opened when the paper discharge unit 100 is attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body. In FIG. 8, a solid line indicates a closed state of the cover C, and a broken line indicates an opened state. FIG. 8 shows a state in which the sheet discharging unit 100 is incorporated in the image forming apparatus main body, and FIG. 12 shows a state in which the sheet discharging unit 100 is not incorporated. Although not shown, the bracket 58 is provided with a support shaft for opening and closing the cover C to support the shaft hole C1, and a latch member (not shown) keeps the cover C closed. As the latch member, a magnet catch, a claw-shaped snap fit provided on the cover C, or the like is employed.

As shown in FIG. 13, a support member C2 as a removable member is provided on the cover C so as to be releasable. Next to the resin cover C, a support member C2
At the cutout portion C3 at the location, the cutout portion is connected integrally so as to be cuttable. Information C4 indicating the material is integrally formed on the cover C and the support member C2. These are the same as the information 359 and T4 indicating the material provided on the paper stopper 351 and the receiving tray T, and facilitate the material identification at the time of disposal. The lateral portion of the cover C on which the support member C2 is formed covers the bracket 58 as a mounting portion when the paper discharging unit 100 is not mounted, but when the paper discharging unit 100 is mounted, the paper discharging unit 10
Interacts with zero.

Therefore, when the sheet discharging unit 100 is mounted, the supporting member C2 is cut off. Cut-off support member C2
Is used as a support for the receiving tray T without being discarded. Reducing waste is advantageous due to environmental concerns. The necessary length L is secured as a support, and the necessary height h is secured as a clearance for the interference. h
The length 1 is slightly larger than the height h of the cover 250 shown in FIG.

The use of the support member C2 (see FIG. 14) in which the cut portion C3 has been cut using a nipper or the like will be described below. After the receiving tray T is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body, the receiving tray T is slightly lifted, and
One of the three (lower) is inserted into a locking recess 4-1 provided in the main body discharge storage unit 4, and the other (upper) is inserted into a locking recess T5 provided on the lower surface of the receiving tray T. This supports the load on the receiving tray T in the paper loading direction (see FIG. 3). Even if a large number of sheets are stacked on the receiving tray T, the supporting function of the support member C2 prevents the receiving tray T from tilting or disturbing the sheet stacking state. Locking recess 4-
1, T5 has a depth that completely covers the cuts of the upper and lower cutouts C3, and even if a rough portion at the time of cutout remains in the cut, it does not touch the operator's hand, Safe, no discomfort. When the cutout portion C3 is located in the middle of the support member C2, it is difficult to cover the cutout portion C3, and it is easy to touch a rough cut portion, which causes a problem for the operator. Therefore, it is desirable that the excision part C3 has two dendrites.

When the paper discharging unit 100 is removed from the main body of the image forming apparatus, the supporting member C2 is stored and stored in the storing recess T6 formed in the receiving tray T shown in FIGS. Thereby, loss of the support member C2, which is a small component, can be prevented. As shown in FIG. 8, a hole T7 is provided at the bottom of the storage recess T6.
Since the support member C2 is a small part, it is difficult to remove the support member C2 from the upper surface side. However, the support member C2 can be easily removed by pushing up the hole T7. Depending on the storage state of the support member C2, the information C4 indicating the material may not be recognized from the upper surface of the receiving tray T, but can be visually recognized from the hole T7 when the receiving tray T is turned upside down. At this time, information 359 indicating the material of the paper stopper 351 can also be visually recognized at the same time, and it can be easily recognized that processing can be performed without disassembling at the time of disposal, and the efficiency of disposal processing is high.

FIG. 15 shows another embodiment of the support member C2. A slit C5 is provided at the center of the cut portion C3, and slits C6 are provided on both sides of the cut portion C3. The bifurcated cutout C3 can be slightly bent in the direction in which the slit C5 is narrowed. The supporting member C2 according to the present embodiment is connected to the receiving tray T.
Of the forked portion C3 is slightly bent in the direction in which the slit C5 is narrowed, so that the cut portion C3 is firmly held on the receiving tray T.

In the above-described embodiment, the removable members necessary for the paper discharge unit 100 are previously formed integrally with the cover 350 and the cover C which are removed when the paper discharge unit 100 is mounted. It may be formed integrally with the component.

Next, the shaft support structure of the switching guide G, which is a rotating body (including the concept of a rotating body) or a swinging body, of the paper discharging unit 100 in the above embodiment will be described in detail.
As shown in FIG. 16, a shaft G2 of the switching guide G is inserted into a bearing member 230, and the bearing member 230 is engaged with a frame F integrally formed on the lower surfaces at both ends of the transport guide member 102. I have. As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the bearing member 230 is formed in the shaft hole 2 through which the shaft G2 is inserted.
30A, a semicircular positioning portion 230B provided on the outer periphery of the shaft hole 230A, a pair of claws 230C and 230C extending from the positioning portion 230B, and a stopper 230D. The bearing member 230 is formed by injection molding of a synthetic resin. As a material of the synthetic resin, a material for a sliding bearing such as PA (polyamide) and POM (acetal resin) which are generally used can be adopted. Oil-impregnated materials are also good materials because of their good slidability.

On the other hand, the mounting portion 102A and the positioning portion 2
A receiving portion 102B into which the lower portion 30B enters, and a pressing portion 102C which acts to press the bearing member 230 in the mounting direction.
Is provided. FIG. 17 shows the frame F in FIG.
Is shown in an inverted state. Pressing part 102C
Has elasticity (spring properties) so that it is deformed when pressed.
The receiving portion 102B has a substantially U-shape with the insertion side of the bearing member 230 opened. It is not necessary to be U-shaped, but may be V-shaped. In short, it suffices if the positioning portion 230B of the bearing member 230 is fitted and positioned.

FIGS. 19 and 20 show a state in which the bearing member 230 is mounted on the frame F, and partially show the axis G2 of the switching guide G. FIG. Shaft G larger in diameter than shaft G2
4 and the stopper 230D function, the bearing member 23
0 can be fixed in its axial direction. That is, since a retainer or the like is not particularly used, the assembling is easy.

With the above configuration, when assembling the switching guide G, first, the switching guide G
The shaft hole 230A of the bearing member 230 is inserted into the shaft G2.
The claw portions 230C, 230 of the bearing member 230 in that state.
First, the positioning portion 230B is pushed into the receiving portion 102B of the frame F with C first. The claw portions 230C, 230C are guided outward by the mounting portion 102A and bend outward, and then the pressing portion 1
02C is reached. At this time, the pressing portion 102C is
When slightly bent to fit into 30C and 230C, claw 2
30C and 230C completely fit into the pressing portion 102C.
The claw portions 230C, 230C return to their original positions so as to close with elasticity, and are caught on the rear surface of the pressing portion 102C. Pressing part 102
Due to its elasticity, C acts to further push in the direction in which the bearing member 230 is pushed. As a result, the frame F and the bearing member 230 are fixed without looseness, and the switching guide G is securely positioned without falling off.

When the bearing member 230 is disassembled, it can be easily removed by slightly expanding the pawl portions 230C and 230C. This is because the claw portions 230C, 230C are configured to be exposed to the outside of the frame F, so that the visual check after assembly is also easy. In the present embodiment, the shaft supporting structure in which the swing of the switching guide G for switching the sheet conveying direction is supported is shown. However, the rotation of the roller for conveying the sheet, such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile, is supported. The same applies to the case. Although not specified, the above-described shaft support structure is also applied to the shaft support of the discharge roller 12 and the like shown in FIG.

FIG. 21 shows another embodiment. In the bearing member 230 of the present embodiment, the shaft hole 230A
A bearing 240 as a separate member is fitted in the second member. This is an example in which the shaft G2 of the switching guide G is not directly inserted into the shaft hole 230A, and the bearing member 230 can be regarded as a holder of the bearing 240. Bearing 24
As 0, a ball bearing, a bush made of a metal ring to which a diluent molybdenum as a solid lubricant is adhered, an oil-impregnated sintered bearing, or the like can be adopted, and can be selected according to conditions such as cost, life, and load.

[0083]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the function of the selectively mounted paper discharge unit is assisted by the removable member removed from the components of the image forming apparatus main body. To improve environmental problems by effectively using the components of the image forming apparatus to be removed, reducing the cost of parts and the cost of the mold, and reducing the number of discarded parts when installing the paper ejection unit. Can be.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the removable member is a paper stopper attached to the paper discharge tray to limit the movement of the paper discharged to the paper discharge tray in the discharge direction. It is cut off from the components of the image forming apparatus main body. In other words, it is possible to prevent the sheet from dropping and the page order from being out of order by the conventionally discarded parts, and to achieve effective utilization. .

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the discharge tray has a mounting recess for mounting a paper stopper, the mounting recess has a locking hole, and the paper stopper is engaged with the locking hole. Since the locking projections are provided, the cut sheet stopper can be easily attached to the sheet discharge tray.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the slits are formed on both sides of the locking projection, so that the portion where the locking projection exists can be easily bent, and the paper can be discharged. The sliding resistance of the paper stopper with respect to the tray can be reduced.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the removable member is a support member for receiving the load of the paper discharge tray in the direction in which the paper is stacked on the paper discharge tray, the main body of the image forming apparatus. In other words, it is a component that is conventionally discarded and can be prevented from being bent by the stacked sheets of the sheet discharge tray, and effective use can be achieved.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, since the discharge tray has a locking recess for inserting and locking one end of the support member, the cut-out support member can be easily attached. be able to.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, since the paper discharge tray has a storage portion for storing the support member, even if the paper discharge unit is detached from the image forming apparatus main body, the support member is small. Can be stored without loss.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, since the function of the discharge unit is assisted by the removable member removed from the component of the image forming apparatus main body, the component of the image forming apparatus main body to be removed is provided. Can be effectively used, the cost of parts and the cost of the mold can be reduced, and the number of discarded parts at the time of mounting the paper discharge unit can be reduced, whereby environmental problems can be improved.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, since the removable member is configured to be a paper stopper which is attached to the paper discharge tray and restricts the movement of the paper discharged to the paper discharge tray in the discharge direction, the image is removed. It is cut off from the components of the main body of the forming apparatus. In other words, it is possible to prevent the sheet from dropping and the page order from being disturbed by the conventionally discarded components, and to achieve effective utilization.

According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, the paper discharge tray has a mounting recess for mounting a paper stopper, the mounting recess has a locking hole, and the paper stopper is engaged with the locking hole. Since the locking projections are provided, the cut sheet stopper can be easily attached to the sheet discharge tray.

According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, since the slits are formed on both sides of the locking projection, the portion where the locking projection exists can be easily bent, and the paper can be discharged. The sliding resistance of the paper stopper with respect to the tray can be reduced.

According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, the removable member is a support member for receiving the load of the paper discharge tray in the direction in which the paper is stacked on the paper discharge tray. It is cut off from the component parts, in other words, it is a part that is conventionally discarded, and can prevent the discharge tray from bending due to the stacked sheets, thereby achieving effective use.

According to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, since the discharge tray has the locking recess for inserting and locking one end of the support member, the cut-out support member can be easily attached. be able to.

According to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, since the paper discharge tray has a storage portion for storing the support member, even if the paper discharge unit is detached from the image forming apparatus main body, a small support member is provided. Can be stored without loss.

According to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, the component is a member for covering the mounting portion of the paper discharging unit, and the removable member is integrally formed so as to be cuttable. When the paper unit is mounted, the cutting operation is performed from a member that is previously removed or opened, and the cutting operation can be performed efficiently.

According to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention, the support member is formed integrally with the component via the cutouts at the upper and lower ends, so that the remaining cutout is covered when the support member is attached. Thus, it is possible to prevent the operator from feeling uncomfortable by touching the remaining part of the resection, and to prevent a reduction in appearance during use.

According to the seventeenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a main body discharge storage section provided permanently below the discharge unit, and the locking recess which does not expose the cutout portion of the support member is formed on the lower surface of the discharge tray and the lower side of the discharge tray. The structure is provided on the upper surface of the main body discharge storage section, so that the support member can be easily attached, and the cutout portion of the support member can be completely covered up and down. Pleasant feeling can be prevented, and the appearance during use can be prevented from lowering.

According to the eighteenth aspect of the present invention, the member for covering the mounting portion of the paper discharge unit can be mounted on the original mounting portion of the image forming apparatus main body even after the removable member is removed. Therefore, since it is not necessary to separately manufacture a cover member for ensuring safety and appearance, it is possible to avoid an increase in cost therefor.

According to the nineteenth aspect, the member for covering the mounting portion of the paper discharge unit is configured to be detachable or openable from the operation surface side of the image forming apparatus main body.
The removal operation of the removable member is facilitated.

According to the twentieth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a permanent main body discharge storage section for discharging a sheet on which an image has been formed, above the image forming section, and the paper discharge unit is located above the main body discharge storage section. Since the paper discharge unit can be mounted in the space, the height of the image forming apparatus main body does not increase even if the paper discharge unit is mounted, and the paper discharge stack can be diversified in a low space. .

According to the twenty-first aspect of the present invention, the removable member and the paper discharge tray are formed of the same resin material. The paper stopper and the supporting member can be processed as similar materials without disassembling, and the efficiency of the processing operation can be increased.

According to the twenty-second aspect of the present invention, since the information indicating the material is formed on the removable member so as to be visible, each material can be clearly recognized even if cut.
It is possible to increase the efficiency of the processing operation when performing disposal or reuse processing.

According to the twenty-third aspect of the present invention, the information indicating the material is formed at a place where the removable member is visible in a state where the removable member is stored in the discharge tray. When discarded or reused, the paper stoppers and supporting members attached thereto can be treated as similar materials without disassembling, and the efficiency of the processing operation can be increased.

According to the invention described in claims 24, 32, 33, 34, and 35, there is provided a bearing member for supporting a shaft portion of a rotating body or a rocking body, and a frame for mounting the bearing member.
The bearing member includes a shaft hole into which the shaft portion is inserted, a positioning portion provided on an outer peripheral portion of the shaft hole, and a claw portion extending from the positioning portion. A pressing portion for pressing the bearing member in the mounting direction is provided, and the positioning portion is provided in the receiving portion of the frame while the shaft portion of the rotating body or the rocking body is inserted through the shaft hole. Since the claw portion is engaged with and fixed to the pressing portion, the positional accuracy of the bearing member can be improved, and vibration and rattling can be prevented.
The assembly and disassembly work can be facilitated.

According to the inventions described in claims 25, 32, 33, 34, and 35, since a separate member bearing is provided in the shaft hole, a required optimum bearing can be realized.

According to the twenty-sixth, thirty-seventh, thirty-third and thirty-fifth aspects, the mounting direction of the bearing member to the frame is a direction substantially orthogonal to the axial direction of the rotating body or the rocking body. The bearing member can be inserted and fixed in one direction with respect to the mounting partner, and the mounting operation can be performed without changing the working direction of the partner member. In the case where the mating member is large and heavy, changing the working direction (posture) lowers the working efficiency, but can be easily assembled without such a problem.

According to the twenty-seventh, thirty-third, thirty-third, and thirty-fifth aspects of the present invention, the receiving portion has a configuration in which the entry side in the mounting direction of the bearing member is open. Positioning can be performed, and assembling work before fixing becomes easy.

According to the present invention, when the bearing member is mounted on the frame, the tip of the claw is exposed to the outside of the frame. Is easy to visually recognize. Therefore, it is easy to confirm after assembly, there is no assembly error, and reliability can be secured. Further, the exposed nails can be disassembled simply by deforming them so as to expand, and the disassembling operation becomes easy.

According to the invention described in claims 29, 32, 33, 34 and 35, the bearing member is made of synthetic resin, so that the positioning portion and the claw portion can be integrally formed with high precision, and Mass production can be achieved by injection molding, and manufacturing costs can be reduced.

According to the inventions described in claims 30, 32, 33, 34, and 35, since the pressing portion is formed integrally with the receiving portion, the positional relationship can be accurately and uniformly. Can be obtained. Therefore, the mounting accuracy of the fitted bearing member can be improved, and the assembling accuracy of the rotating body or the rocking body can be secured.

According to the invention described in claim 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, since the frame is made of synthetic resin, the receiving portion and the pressing portion can be integrally formed by injection molding or the like, and Since mass production is possible, manufacturing costs can be reduced. In addition, since the pressing portion is appropriately elastically deformed, play when the bearing member is fixed can be eliminated, and generation of vibration can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic overall perspective view of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a schematic overall perspective view of the image forming apparatus viewed from different angles.

FIG. 4 is a schematic front view of the image forming apparatus in a state in which a paper discharge unit is not mounted.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a mounting relationship between a sheet discharge tray of the sheet discharge unit and a main body of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the paper discharge unit.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a lower conveyance guide in the paper discharge unit.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the paper discharge unit in a mounted state.

FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating a state in which a conveyance guide of the sheet discharging unit is opened.

FIG. 10 is a front view showing a state in which the sheet stopper is integrally formed with the cover so as to be cuttable.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a paper stopper is cut off from a cover.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a cover in which a support member is integrally formed so as to be cuttable.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a cover in which a support member is integrally formed so as to be cuttable.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the support member cut away.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a support member cut away in another embodiment.

FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view showing a shaft support structure of the switching guide.

FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view showing an assembling relationship between a frame and a bearing member.

FIG. 18 is a view showing a bearing member, (a) is a plan view,
(B) is a side view, and (c) is a bottom view.

FIG. 19 is a plan view showing a state where the bearing member is assembled to the frame.

FIG. 20 is a side view of a state where the bearing member is assembled to the frame.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a bearing member according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Main body paper discharge storage section 4-1 Locking recess 50 Discharge means 100 Paper discharge unit 102B Receiving part 102C Pressing part 230 Bearing member 230A Shaft hole 230B Positioning part 230C Claw part 350 Cover as a component 351 Paper as a removable member Stopper 356 Locking protrusion 357 Slit C2 Support member F Frame G Switching guide G2 Shaft as shaft T Receiving tray as discharge tray T2 Mounting recess T3 Locking hole T6 Storage recess

Claims (35)

[Claims] A discharge unit having a discharge means and a discharge tray selectively mountable to an image forming apparatus main body, the function being a removable member removed from a component of the image forming apparatus main body; A paper discharge unit characterized in that the paper discharge unit is assisted. 2. The paper discharging unit according to claim 1, wherein said removable member is a paper stopper attached to said paper discharging tray to limit movement of paper discharged to said paper discharging tray in a discharging direction. A paper discharge unit characterized by the above-mentioned. 3. The paper discharge unit according to claim 2, wherein said paper discharge tray has a mounting recess for mounting said paper stopper, said mounting recess has a locking hole, and said paper stopper is provided with said engaging member. A sheet discharging unit having a locking projection engaged with a stop hole. 4. The paper discharging unit according to claim 3, wherein slits are formed on both sides of the locking projection. 5. The sheet discharging unit according to claim 1, wherein said removable member is a supporting member for receiving a load of said sheet discharging tray in a direction in which sheets are stacked on said sheet discharging tray. Paper ejection unit. 6. The paper discharging unit according to claim 5, wherein said paper discharging tray has a locking recess for inserting and locking one end of said support member. . 7. The paper discharge unit according to claim 5, wherein said paper discharge tray has a storage portion for storing said support member. 8. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a discharge unit having a discharge unit and a discharge tray, which can be selectively mounted on an image forming apparatus main body;
The image forming apparatus, wherein the function of the discharge unit is assisted by a removable member that is removed from a component of the image forming apparatus main body. 9. An image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said removable member is a paper stopper attached to said paper discharge tray to limit movement of paper discharged to said paper discharge tray in a discharge direction. An image forming apparatus comprising: 10. An image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said discharge tray has a mounting recess for mounting said paper stopper, said mounting recess has a locking hole, and said paper stopper is provided with said engaging member. An image forming apparatus having a locking projection engaging with a stop hole. 11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein slits are formed on both sides of the locking projection. 12. An image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said removable member is a support member for receiving a load of said discharge tray in a direction in which sheets are stacked on said discharge tray. Image forming device. 13. An image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said discharge tray has a locking recess for inserting and locking one end of said support member. . 14. An image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said discharge tray has a storage section for storing said support member. 15. An image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said component is a member for covering a mounting portion of said paper discharge unit, and said removable member is releasable. An image forming apparatus formed integrally with the image forming apparatus. 16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said support member is formed integrally with said component via cutouts at upper and lower ends. 17. An image forming apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a main body discharge storage section provided below said discharge unit, wherein said locking recess not exposing a cut-out portion of said support member. An image forming apparatus, which is provided on a lower surface of a tray and an upper surface of a paper discharge storage section of the main body. 18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the member that covers the mounting portion of the paper discharge unit is attachable to the original mounting portion of the image forming apparatus main body even after the removable member is removed. An image forming apparatus, comprising: 19. An image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said member for covering said mounting portion of said paper discharge unit is detachable or openable from the operation surface side of said image forming apparatus main body. apparatus. 20. An image forming apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a permanent main body discharge storage section for discharging a sheet on which an image has been formed, above said image forming section, wherein said discharge unit includes said main body discharge storage section. An image forming apparatus capable of being mounted in a space above a unit. 21. An image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said removable member and said discharge tray are formed of the same resin material. . 22. The image forming apparatus according to claim 21, wherein information indicating a material of the removable member is formed so as to be visible. 23. The image forming apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the information indicating the material is formed at a place where the removable member can be viewed in a state where the removable member is stored in the discharge tray. Image forming apparatus. 24. A shaft supporting structure for supporting a shaft of a rotating body or a rocking body, a bearing member for supporting the shaft of the rotating body or the rocking body,
The bearing member is provided with a frame, and the bearing member includes a shaft hole through which the shaft portion is inserted, a positioning portion provided on an outer peripheral portion of the shaft hole, and a claw portion extending from the positioning portion. The frame is provided with a receiving portion and a pressing portion that acts to press the bearing member in the mounting direction, and the frame is inserted with the shaft portion of the rotating body or the rocking body inserted into the shaft hole. A shaft supporting structure, wherein the positioning portion is engaged with the receiving portion and the claw portion is engaged with the pressing portion. 25. The shaft support structure according to claim 24, wherein a separate member bearing is provided in said shaft hole. 26. The shaft support structure according to claim 24, wherein a mounting direction of said bearing member to said frame is a direction substantially orthogonal to an axial direction of said rotating body or rocking body. . 27. The shaft support structure according to claim 24, wherein the receiving portion has a shape in which an entry side in a mounting direction of the bearing member is open. 28. The shaft support structure according to claim 24, wherein when the bearing member is attached to the frame, a tip of the claw portion is exposed outside the frame. 29. The shaft support structure according to claim 24, wherein said bearing member is formed of a synthetic resin. 30. The shaft support structure according to claim 24, wherein said pressing portion is formed integrally with said receiving portion. 31. The shaft support structure according to claim 24, wherein the frame is formed of a synthetic resin. 32. A sheet discharging unit having a shaft supporting structure for supporting a shaft of a rotating or swinging member for conveying or discharging a sheet, wherein the shaft supporting structure is one of claims 24 to 31. 2. A paper discharge unit according to claim 1. 33. A sheet discharging unit according to claim 32, wherein said rotating member or swinging member is a switching guide for switching a direction of a sheet to be conveyed. 34. An image forming apparatus having a shaft supporting structure for supporting a shaft of a rotating or swinging member for conveying or discharging a sheet, wherein the shaft supporting structure is one of claims 24 to 31. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1. 35. An image forming apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said rotating member or swinging member is a switching guide for switching a direction of a sheet to be conveyed.