Image forming apparatus including switching member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9399359-B2
Application number	US-201514926945-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2015
Priority date	Nov 4, 2014
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a paper feeding unit; an image formation unit; a conveyance unit configured to clamp and convey a recording medium; a paper ejection unit; a manual paper feeding unit configured to receive another recording medium inserted manually and feed the other recording medium from the paper ejection unit; and a switching member fixed on an axle and configured to move between a retracted position, which is retracted from a conveyance path in a case where the image formation unit forms an image, and an abutting position entering the conveyance path by rotating with a rotation of the axle. In a case of feeding the other recording medium manually inserted, the switching member is arranged at the abutting position, clamping by the conveyance unit is released, the other recording medium arrives at an abutment position, and the conveyance unit clamps the other recording medium.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a paper feeding unit configured to store and feed a recording medium;
an image formation unit configured to form an image on the recording medium;
a conveyance unit configured to clamp and convey the recording medium fed from the paper feeding unit along a conveyance path to the image formation unit;
a driving source configured to supply a driving force to the conveyance unit;
a paper ejection and feeding unit configured to (a) eject the recording medium and (b) receive an other recording medium that is manually inserted into the paper ejection and feeding unit; and
a switching member having a claw and fixed on an axle and configured to move between a retracted position in which the switching member is retracted from the conveyance path and an abutting position in which the switching member abuts a leading end of said other recording medium to prevent bending in said other recording medium,
wherein when said other recording medium is manually inserted into the paper ejection and feeding unit, (i) the conveyance unit releases the clamping of the recording medium, (ii) the switching member moves to the abutting position, (iii) the conveyance unit clamps the other recording medium when the leading end of said other recording medium abuts the switch member, and (iv) the switching member moves to the retracted position when the image formation unit forms an image on the recording medium or the other recording medium.

2. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a back end of the other recording medium is detected by a photo sensor while the other recording medium is conveyed from the abutment position to a print start position, and a length of the other recording medium is automatically detected.

3. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein when a manual feeding sensor detects the other recording medium butting against the switching member, the other recording medium is held there by a suction unit.

4. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the manual feeding sensor is a filler type sensor, which moves to the retracted position along with the switching member.

5. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a paper feeding unit configured to store and feed a recording medium;
an image formation unit configured to form an image on the recording medium;
a conveyance unit configured to clamp and convey the recording medium fed from the paper feeding unit along a conveyance path to the image formation unit;
a driving source configured to supply a driving force to the conveyance unit;
a paper ejection unit configured to eject the recording medium;
a manual paper feeding unit configured to receive another recording medium inserted manually and feed the other recording medium from the paper ejection unit; and
a switching member having a claw and fixed on an axle and configured to move between a retracted position retracted from the conveyance path and an abutting position entering the conveyance path by rotating with a rotation of the axle,
wherein when the another recording medium is manually inserted into the manual paper feeding unit, the switching member is arranged at the abutting position, clamping of the recording medium by the conveyance unit is released, the other recording medium fed by the manual paper feeding unit from the paper ejection unit arrives at an abutment position where a leading end of the other recording medium abuts the switching member, and the conveyance unit clamps the other recording medium, and the switching member is arranged at the retracted position when the image formation unit forms an image on the recording medium or the other recording medium,
wherein the switching member is arranged at a switching position for guiding the other recording medium to a manual feeding conveyance path when the conveyance unit clamps and conveys the other recording medium.

6. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein switching among the abutting position, the switching position and the retracted position of the switching member is performed by rotating the axle on which the switching member is fixed, and the axle is rotated by the driving force supplied from the driving source.

7. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the axle is linked to the conveyance unit via a clutch and a slip rotation unit linked to the clutch, the clutch being linked on a side of the conveyance unit, when engaging the clutch, the axle is configured to be driven by the driving force from the driving source, and when releasing the clutch, according to a rotational load applied by the slip rotation unit, the abutting position, the switching position and the retracted position of the switching member are retained.

8. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the slip rotation unit includes a gear, a spring and a circular plate, and is configured to transmit the driving force from the driving source to the axle.

9. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising:
a first rotation restricting member for restricting a rotation of the switching member provided on a side plate;
a second rotation restricting member for restricting a rotation of the switching member provided on the axle; and
a slip rotation unit in which, when an excessive load is applied, a slip occurs and transmission of torque to the axle is automatically blocked.

10. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein when the first rotation restricting member abuts the second rotation restricting member, the switching member is positioned at the abutting position or the retracted position, and the switching member is configured to move by rotating using the abutting position or the retracted position as an initial position.

11. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the second rotation restricting member is a disk-shaped member having a notch in a part in a circumferential direction.

12. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first rotation restricting member is two screws fixed to the side plate, and the second rotation restricting member is a spring pin fixed to the axle and extending between the two screws.

13. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein any one of the abutting position, the switching position and the retracted position of the switching member is detected as an initial position by a filler fixed to the axle and a sensor for detecting the filler, and the switching member is configured to move by rotating from the initial position.

14. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein when inverting a conveyance direction of the conveyance unit to guide the other recording medium to the manual feeding conveyance path, a position at which the switching member is arranged is switched to the abutting position, the switching position and the retracted position in this order, and a moving speed of a part of the switching member, which abuts the leading end of the other recording medium, the switching member being at the abutting position, is greater than a conveyance speed of the other recording medium by the conveyance unit.

15. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein while the switching member moves from the abutting position to the switching position, the leading end of the other recording medium enters the manual feeding conveyance path.

Assignees

• Masunaga Suguru
• Nakada Kikuya
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Masunaga Suguru
• Nakada Kikuya

Classifications

• B65H2511/224

  Nip between rollers, between belts or between rollers and belts · CPC title

• B65H2403/21

  Timing belts · CPC title

• B65H2403/731

  Slip couplings · CPC title

• B65H2403/724

  electromagnetic clutches · CPC title

• B65H2407/21

  Manual feeding · CPC title