Sheet storage device and image formation system including same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12410025-B2
Application number	US-202418731594-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2024
Priority date	Jun 5, 2023
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

A sheet storage device includes a regulation cursor and a hold mechanism. The hold mechanism includes a guide shaft, and a stopper having a guide hole in which the guide shaft is inserted, and being capable of reciprocating with the regulation cursor. When the stopper is inclined to one side, movement of the regulation cursor is restricted. When the stopper is raised to the other side, movement of the regulation cursor is enabled. The stopper has a contact part that contacts the regulation cursor, so as to restrict the stopper from inclining to the other side, when the regulation cursor is enabled to move.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sheet storage device comprising:
a setting plate on which a sheet is set;
a regulation cursor supported in a manner capable of reciprocating in a horizontal direction, the regulation cursor being configured to contact an edge of the sheet on the setting plate from a predetermined direction, so as to regulate positional deviation of the sheet in the predetermined direction; and
a hold mechanism configured to stationarily hold the regulation cursor, wherein
the hold mechanism includes a guide shaft extending in the predetermined direction, and a stopper linked with the regulation cursor, the stopper having a guide hole in which the guide shaft is inserted, and being capable of reciprocating with the regulation cursor along the guide shaft,
the stopper is capable of inclining to one side in the predetermined direction on a fulcrum of a hole side end part having the guide hole,
when the stopper is inclined to the one side, an inner edge of the guide hole contacts the guide shaft so as to generate frictional resistance, which restricts movement of the regulation cursor with the stopper, and when the stopper is raised to the other side opposite to the one side from the state where movement of the regulation cursor is restricted, the regulation cursor is enabled to move with the stopper,
the stopper has a contact part, and
the contact part contacts the regulation cursor, so as to restrict the stopper from inclining to the other side, when the regulation cursor is enabled to move.

2. The sheet storage device according to claim 1 , further comprising an operation mechanism for operating the stopper, wherein
the operation mechanism includes a lever configured to receive an operation, and a relay member configured to transmit the operation of the lever to the stopper,
the relay member includes an input end part for the lever to contact from the other side, an output end part for an operation side end part of the stopper on the opposite side of the hole side end part to contact from the other side, and a support part between the input end part and the output end part, the support part being supported in a rotatable manner about an axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction,
when the lever is operated, it presses the input end part to the one side, and
when the input end part is pressed to the one side, the relay member presses the operation side end part to the other side, by the output end part.

3. The sheet storage device according to claim 2 , wherein
the hold mechanism includes a biasing member, and
the biasing member biases the hole side end part to the other side.

4. The sheet storage device according to claim 3 , wherein a biasing force of the biasing member biasing the hole side end part to the other side is smaller than the frictional resistance.

5. The sheet storage device according to claim 2 , wherein
the regulation cursor includes a plate-like side surface part standing in an up and down direction, so as to contact the edge of the sheet on the setting plate from the predetermined direction, and a plate-like bottom surface part extending from a lower end of the side surface part to the one side,
the guide shaft is disposed below the bottom surface part,
the bottom surface part has a link opening penetrating the bottom surface part in the thickness direction,
the link opening has a link protrusion protruding from an inner edge of the link opening to the one side,
the stopper has a link hole between the hole side end part and the operation side end part, and
by allowing the operation side end part to protrude from the link opening above the bottom surface part, and by inserting the link protrusion in the link hole from the other side, the stopper is linked with the regulation cursor.

6. The sheet storage device according to claim 5 , wherein
the stopper has the contact part at a part protruding from the link opening so as to be positioned above the bottom surface part, and
the contact part overhangs from the inner edge of the link opening to the other side, and contacts an upper surface of the bottom surface part, so as to restrict the stopper from inclining to the other side.

7. The sheet storage device according to claim 1 , wherein
a first regulation cursor and a second regulation cursor are each linked to the hold mechanism,
the first regulation cursor is supported in a movable manner in a first direction as the predetermined direction, so as to regulate positional deviation of the sheet in the first direction, and
the second regulation cursor is supported in a movable manner in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction as the predetermined direction, so as to regulate positional deviation of the sheet in the second direction.

8. An image formation system comprising:
the sheet storage device according to claim 1 ; and
an image forming apparatus linked with the sheet storage device, wherein
the sheet storage device feeds the image forming apparatus with the sheet, and
the image forming apparatus performs printing on the sheet fed from the sheet storage device.

Assignees

• Kyocera Document Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Ando Satoshi

Classifications

• B65H2402/60

  Coupling, adapter or locking means · CPC title

• B65H2405/1142

  Projections or the like in surface contact with handled material · CPC title

• B65H1/04

  adapted to support articles substantially horizontally, e.g. for separation from top of pile · CPC title

• B65H2511/22

  Distance · CPC title

• B65H2511/20

  Location in space · CPC title