JPH0641951Y2 - Paper feeding device of image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial field of application) The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or the like, which is provided with a function of multiplex copying or double-sided copying integrally in the apparatus main body, and a paper tray or the like. The present invention relates to an apparatus having a plurality of accommodating means, and more particularly, to an apparatus configured so that a sheet conveying path provided between an image transfer section such as a photosensitive drum and a sheet feeding section can be easily opened and closed.

(Prior Art) In an image forming apparatus that transfers an image onto a sheet according to image information, such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a printer, etc., a printing unit, an image transfer unit, etc. , Feed the paper from the paper feed section through the paper transport path,
The paper can be positioned in accordance with the image information in the image transfer section, and the image can be transferred in accordance with the set image mode. In the image forming apparatus, for example, in the case of an apparatus such as a transfer machine, a paper feeding unit is equipped with a plurality of types of paper trays and paper accommodating means such as a paper feeding cassette, and the paper trays and the like can be arbitrarily selected. A unit that can take out a sheet of paper of the size and feed the sheet toward the image transfer portion is used.

In addition to recent copying machines, which are capable of making color copies using four color toners, large-scale high-speed copying machines, and the like, as well as relatively small copying machines, It is planned to provide high-speed copying performance similar to that of large-scale copying machines. In other words, in addition to using a small copying machine as a device that can only make a normal single-sided copy, it is also configured as a device having functions such as double-sided copying and multiplex copying, and it is possible to create multiplex copies using two color toners. In some cases, it has a function that can be performed. In order to satisfy many of the above-mentioned functions, it is necessary to provide a sheet accommodating means such as a plurality of sheet trays for the main body of the copying machine and a means for providing an intermediate tray inside the apparatus main body. Has been done.

Therefore, by providing the above-described many functions inside the main body, the configuration of the device becomes large, and there is a problem that a large device has to be configured as a so-called console type device. To do. In addition to the above-mentioned problems, in the conventional apparatus such as a copying machine, there is a problem that the structure of the paper conveying device becomes complicated in addition to the mechanism of the paper conveying device becoming complicated. As a result, problems such as an increase in the frequency of occurrence of jams in the paper conveyance path and the inability to easily perform processing for jammed paper occur.

Therefore, many proposals have been made to reduce the size of the copying machine body by coping with the problems such as the enlargement of the apparatus in the conventional image forming apparatus such as the copying machine and the complication of the configuration of the sheet conveying path. Has been done. For example, as shown in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 61-56512, the sheet accommodating means is provided so as to project to the side portion of the copying machine main body, and the intermediate tray is protruded to the side portion of the main body similarly to the sheet accommodating means. Means such as provision may be used. Further, in contrast to this, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-
As shown in Japanese Patent No. 57437, etc., the copying machine main body is configured compactly, and a plurality of paper trays are provided inside the main body.
It contains an intermediate tray. An apparatus has also been proposed which can cope with an arbitrary copy mode by switching the driving direction of the transporting means constituting the paper transporting path at the time of making a multiple copy and making a double-sided copy. .

Further, in the conventional copying machine as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-8963, the paper feeding device of the copying machine main body can be provided with a plurality of paper trays and a double-sided copying function. There is. In the apparatus such as the copying machine of the conventional example as described above, in which the paper housing means such as a plurality of paper trays is provided inside the body of the copying machine, the paper housing means can be pulled out to the front part of the body. Therefore, by pulling out the sheet accommodating means to the front side of the main body, the operation of replenishing sheets can be easily performed.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the conventional apparatus as described above, when it is possible to provide a plurality of paper trays and an intermediate tray inside the main body of the copying machine, the intermediate tray There is a limit to downsizing the main body because it is necessary to provide a paper transport path for the front and rear portions of the tray.
Further, applying the paper feeding means and the paper transporting device to a relatively small-sized copier or the like means that a large number of transporting roller devices are provided in a narrow space or a guide plate or the like is provided so as to be openable and closable. It is required to perform a jam clear.

However, when each of these devices is combined intricately, there is little room for opening and closing the guide plate and inserting the operator's hand, so it is difficult to perform operations such as removing jammed paper. Problem occurs. In particular, the paper transport path provided between the photoconductor drum and the paper feeder is often arranged in a very narrow space with the guide plates on both sides facing each other. When it does occur, it is often very difficult to remove the jammed paper.

Therefore, in the conventional image forming apparatus, one of the guide plates on both sides of the paper conveyance path is divided into small sections, a predetermined guide plate is opened according to the position where the jam occurs, and the jammed paper is pulled out from that portion. And so on. However, in many cases, the paper jammed in the paper transport path is in a state of being nipped by the transport roller device provided in the paper transport path, so that the jammed paper can be reused by the operation of pulling out the jammed paper. There is a problem that it is often damaged in an impossible state, and there is a drawback that the operation of pulling out the jammed paper is very troublesome.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventionally used apparatus, in which the guide member that constitutes the paper transport path is different from the fixed guide member disposed on the paper accommodating means side. The inner chute and the outer chute forming the paper conveyance path can be opened and closed, and when a jam occurs in the paper conveyance path, the chute as a guide member forming the paper conveyance path can be easily opened and closed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device capable of easily performing the operation of removing jammed paper by such a configuration.

(Means and Actions for Solving Problems) In the present invention, a plurality of paper trays and other paper accommodating means are arranged in multiple stages, and the paper sent out from the paper accommodating means is passed through a paper conveyance path to a photosensitive drum. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus provided with a means for conveying the image carrying member toward an image transfer portion. In the present invention, a sheet conveying path for conveying the sheets sent from the plurality of sheet accommodating means toward the image transfer portion is fixed to the sheet accommodating means side, and is opened / closed with respect to the fixed guide member. It is composed of a possible inner chute and an outer chute, and the inner chute is integrally provided with a part of a guide plate forming a discharge path from the sheet accommodating means so as to project toward the sheet accommodating means. A sheet guiding means is formed between the outer chutes, and a sheet conveying means is formed between the fixed guide member and the roller member provided on the outer chute. It constitutes means for opening and closing each chute member.

Further, in the present invention, the middle chute and the outer chute that form the sheet conveying path are integrally provided with means for rocking from a fixed guide member, and the middle chute is rockably provided with respect to the outer chute. A paper feed path from the intermediate tray can be connected to the paper feed path to configure a path for feeding the single-sided copied paper corresponding to multiplex / double-sided copy toward the image transfer unit. Further, in the present invention, the upper frame of the main body of the image forming apparatus is swingably provided with respect to the lower frame, and the paper transport path from the manual feed tray is formed between the upper and lower frames, and the uppermost part of the paper tray is provided. A guide member that regulates the carry-out path and the paper transport path from the manual feed tray is integrally provided, and the guide member is configured to be swingable in conjunction with opening and closing of the frame, which corresponds to the operation of opening the frame. It is also possible to configure a chute that opens the carry-out path from the uppermost paper tray.

Therefore, in the sheet feeding device of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, especially when a jam occurs in the sheet conveying path,
An arbitrary guide member can be easily opened according to the location of the jam, and the jammed paper can be easily taken out. Further, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to easily perform the operation of taking out the jammed paper, so that it is possible to reduce the burden on the operator, and even when pulling out the jammed paper, Since an unreasonable pulling force is not applied, the paper is not damaged and the jammed paper can be easily taken out.

(Embodiment) The configuration of the sheet feeding device of the image forming apparatus of the present invention will be described according to the illustrated example. The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is applied to a copying machine as an image forming apparatus, and a plurality of sheet accommodating means are provided for the sheet feeding section 70 of the copying machine 1 to serve as the sheet accommodating means. From the paper trays 71 to 74, the paper is conveyed via the paper conveyance path toward the image transfer portion of the photoconductor drum 10, and the toner image formed on the photoconductor drum 10 is configured to be transferred to the paper. There is. The paper transport path of the copying machine described above is provided with a guide plate that regulates both sides of the paper and a transport roller device, as in the case of the paper transport path of a normal copying machine. On the other hand, carry-out paths 81 to 84 are connected between the four paper trays 71 to 74, respectively.

The paper trays 71 to 74 provided in the paper feed unit 70 are provided with paper feed means by paper feed rollers 71a to 74a and a paper separation mechanism such as a retard pad at each paper feed portion. Then, the paper stored in the paper feeding member is taken out by the paper feeding roller, and the paper is separated by the retard pad to separate the paper one by one.
The sheet is conveyed toward the sheet conveyance path via the connection path. Further, each sheet feeding roller is provided with a driving solenoid, and when the solenoid is energized, the sheet feeding roller is connected to a driving mechanism to be rotated, and the sheet feeding roller is rotated by the sheet feeding roller. Paper from the desired paper tray,
The sheet can be conveyed toward the sheet conveying path via 81 to 84.

The sheet conveying path in the device of the present invention is arranged such that a pair of guide plates on both sides for guiding the sheet are arranged and the sheet is conveyed by the conveying roller device between the guide plates. , A driving roller provided on the fixed guide member and a pinch roller provided on the outer chute 130. Further, the guide plate forming the sheet conveying path may be a guide plate provided on the outer chute made of a single plate-shaped member, but an inner guide plate facing the guide plate provided on the outer chute. Is
The center chute 120 and the fixed guide member 101 are provided separately.

Then, as the guide plate constituting the paper transport path, for example, taking the case of the carry-out path 83 as an example, the carry-out path 83 provided on the fixed guide member 101 side includes an upper guide plate 105 and a lower guide plate 106. Composed of. Also, for the medium shoot,
Corresponding to the upper and lower guide plates 105 and 106, the upper and lower guide plates 123 and 124 are arranged so as to project toward the fixed guide member, and the upper guide plates 105 and 124 and the lower guide plate 106 are arranged. And 123 are connected to form an unloading path 83 connected to the paper carrying path.

The upper and lower guide plates 123 and 124 projecting toward the fixed guide member side of the middle chute 120 described above are vertically configured guide plates 12.
In these guide plates, the vertical guide plates provided between the respective paper trays and the carry-out path and the guide plates protruding above and below the respective paper trays are integrally configured. Can be done. In the device of the present invention, the other carry-out path 84 arranged at the lower part of the carry-out path 83 described above corresponds to the upper and lower fixed guide plates, and the upper and lower guides that regulate the carry-out path to the middle chute. The plates are arranged, and the carrying-out paths are formed by connecting the guide plates arranged so as to face each other. Further, since the carry-out path 82 provided above the carry-out path 83 does not have an upper guide plate protruding from the middle chute, the upper guide plate projecting from the fixed guide member of the carry-out path 82 directly conveys the paper. The lower guide plate 123a is adapted to be connected to the road, and is projected from the middle chute so as to be connected to the lower guide plate from the fixed guide member.

In the middle chute 120, a plurality of vertical guide plates are provided as shown in the drawing corresponding to the carry-out paths from the paper trays, but the respective guide plate means are not shown. The inner chute 120 is configured as a unit via a connecting means, and the inner chute 120 is swingable with respect to the outer chute 130 to form a guide member for the sheet conveyance path. further,
In the copying machine 1 of the present invention, the upper frame 1a is hinged to the lower frame of the copying machine body including the paper feeding device.
A sheet conveyance path from the manual feed tray 90 is provided at the connecting portion between the upper and lower frames. The manual feed tray 90 is swingably provided via a hinge 95, and by driving a conveying roller device 93 with respect to a sheet inserted from the manual feed tray, the manual feed tray 90 is directed toward the registration roller 20. It is designed to feed paper.

A guide member 110 is used for the lower guide plate of the registration roller side end of the paper feed path from the manual feed tray 90 and the upper guide plate of the carry-out path 81 from the uppermost paper tray of the paper feed unit 70. The guide member 110 is swingably provided via a hinge 111. Further, the guide member 110 is provided with a pin 112 projecting at a predetermined position on its side portion, and the pin 112 engages with an elongated hole 114 of the arm 113 provided on the upper frame 1a. Are combined. The arm 113 is swingably supported with respect to the upper frame 1a via a fulcrum 115, and when the upper frame 1a is opened, the guide member 110 is swung via the arm 113 so that the uppermost portion is The carry-out path 81 of can be opened.

[Opening / Closing Mechanism of Guide Plate] As shown in FIG. 2, the paper transport path from the paper tray configured as described above is provided with respect to the fixed guide member 101 via the hinge 135 and the outer chute 130. Medium shoot 12
0 and is supported. A drive roller 102 and a pinch roller 132, which are arranged on both sides of the sheet conveyance path 100, are arranged to face each other, and the sheet is carried out from the sheet tray with the sheet being sandwiched between the rollers. Paper that is used. Further, in the chute members on both sides constituting the paper transport path 100 of the present invention, with respect to the fixed guide member 101,
At the back of the device, the outer chute 130 and the middle chute 120
Since and are swingably provided via the hinge 135,
When the outer chute is opened with respect to the fixed guide member, the outer chute 130 can open the paper conveyance path 100 in the state shown by the phantom line in the figure.

Further, since the medium chute 120 can be opened with respect to the outer chute 130, when a jam occurs in the paper conveyance path, the medium chute is opened after the outer chute is opened. Paper that is open and jammed between both guide plates can be easily taken out. On the other hand, when the paper is jammed at the exit path from the paper tray, the outer chute 130 is released from the fixed guide member 101 while the inner chute 120 remains integrated, It is possible to remove the sheet that is stopped across the transport path 100 and the carry-out path.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 3a, each of the chute members constituting the paper feeding path 100 of the present invention is provided with locking means at a predetermined position of the end portion on the opening / closing side thereof. As the locking means, a fixing member 140 is provided so as to protrude from the outer chute 130, the fixing member is provided with a collar 142 with respect to a pin 141, and an end portion thereof is locked by a stop ring 143. Further, a locking member 145 is provided on the middle chute 120, and a locking member 146 is provided on the main body frame 116 corresponding to the fixed guide member so as to project therefrom, and the locking member 146 is provided at the center of these locking members. By inserting the fixing member of the outer chute into the recess, the three chutes can be integrally connected.
In addition, in the locking means as described above, the outer chute 13
When the 0 and the middle chute 120 are swung via the hinge, the rigidity of the frame thereof is insufficient, so that an inconvenient situation such as hanging down to the opening / closing side is likely to occur. Therefore, in each of the locking members 145 and 146 of the present invention, the opening of the pin accommodating portion is formed in a trumpet shape so that the fixing member can be easily inserted, and the respective frames are easily engaged. It is configured to be able to.

[Connection of Paper Conveying Path and Conveying Path from Intermediate Tray] The example shown in FIG. 4 shows an example in which a guide plate for the conveying path from the intermediate tray is connected to the lower portion of the outer chute. In this embodiment, the paper feed path from the intermediate tray is connected to the lower side of the outer chute 130, which is supported by the hinge 135 on the back side of the paper transport path, and the front side thereof. . A guide plate 66 is swingably supported via hinges 68 and 68a on the front side of the outer chute 130, and is connected to the upper guide plate 63 of the paper feed path on the back side. A projecting portion 65 is provided. In this embodiment, the guide plate 66 is provided so as to be swingable, but the guide plate 66 may be provided under the outer chute 130 in a non-swingable state. The protruding portion 65 is
The guide plate is connected to the curved end of the upper guide plate 63 of the paper feed path from the intermediate tray in a state of being engaged from the outside, and swings the outer chute 130. When this is done, the paper transport path can be opened apart from the guide plate 63.

Further, even if the guide plate 66 provided in the lower part of the front side of the fixed guide member 130 is provided in a fixed state, the guide plate 66 is shown in FIG. 1 by the swing of the fixed guide member 130. As described above, the jammed paper is removed from the end portion of the paper conveyance path, so that the jammed paper can be removed. As described above, the guide plate 6 is inserted through the hinges 68 and 68a.
In the case where 6 is provided so as to be swingable, after swinging the outer chute 130, the guide plate 66 is opened to largely open the connection portion of the paper transport path, and the jammed paper can be easily taken out from that portion. You can do it.

The carry-out path from the paper tray to the paper transport path covers approximately half behind the paper transport path,
The upper guide plate 63 is arranged, and the paper P is conveyed while a part of the paper P is separated from the upper guide plate 63. And
At the connecting portion between the carry-out path and the paper carrying path, the upper guide member 6
The sheet P can be introduced into the sheet conveying path while the sheet P is guided by the 5, 66. The above-described mechanism of the transport path from the paper tray and the connecting portion of the paper transport path is one embodiment of the mechanism that can be adopted in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, and other arbitrary mechanism, It goes without saying that it is possible to use a guide means for paper of any shape.

[Structure of Copying Machine] A copying machine 1 shown in FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a copying machine provided with the above-mentioned jam clear mechanism. In this copying machine 1, an automatic document feeder 5 is provided above the platen 2 provided at the top of the main body of the copying machine so that the automatic document feeding operation can be performed. Then, the original set on the original tray 6 is carried in by the paper feed roller 7 and set at a predetermined position on the platen 2 by the conveyor belt 8 so that it can be scanned by the image forming apparatus arranged below the platen. To configure.

An optical system 3 as an image reading device is movably provided on the upper portion of the main body of the copying machine. The optical system 3 is provided with a lamp 3a, a plurality of mirrors 3c ... , And the lens 3b.
Then, the reflected light of the original obtained by the optical system 3 is
The exposure unit 12 irradiates the photoconductor drum 10 to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor drum.

Around the photosensitive drum 10, the charging corotron 11, the developing devices 13 and 13a, the transfer corotron 14, the peeling corotron 15, and the peeling means 1 are provided around the photosensitive drum 10, as in the case of a normal copying machine.
6, cleaning device 17 and the like are arranged. And
After the image of the original is irradiated by the exposure unit 12 to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum, toner is supplied from the developing device to the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image. The toner image is transferred onto the paper by discharge by the transfer corotron 14. After the toner image is transferred onto the paper, the toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum is cleaned by the cleaning device 17 so that it can be ready for the next copying operation. Further, the sheet is sent out from the sheet feeding section 70, passes through the sheet conveying path 100, and passes through the registration roller 20 at the portion in front of the photosensitive drum, and the conveying timing of the dyed end portion of the sheet matches the toner image. In that state, the toner image is transferred to the image transfer portion, and after the toner image is transferred from the photoconductor drum, it is introduced into the fixing device 23 by the conveying device 22 and is heated and pressed to make a copy. Created.

In the copying machine 1 of the present invention, a branch claw 31 is provided at a part in the middle of the paper transport path from the copy discharge portion of the fixing device 23 toward the discharge tray or the like. When the copy mode set in the copying machine is double-sided copy or multiplex copy, the branch claw 31 is swung to close the discharge path, and the copy formed as a single-sided copied sheet is returned to the return path 30. Introduced,
The reversing device 40 provided in the return path and the intermediate paper feeding unit 50
It will be supplied to the area where single-sided copied paper is handled. A transport roller device 32 is provided at a predetermined interval in the return path 30.
Is arranged, and the sheet is conveyed by the conveying roller device 32, and the one-side copied sheet is fed through the discharge section 33 to the intermediate sheet feeding section.
It is configured to feed 50 intermediate trays 51. At the same time, a branch claw 41 is provided in the middle of the return path 30, and the reversing device 40 is connected via the branch section. The reversing device 40 is composed of upper and lower guide plates and a reversing roller device 42, and the tray 43 is arranged at the leading end of the paper guiding portion by the guide plates so that it can support long paper. It

The intermediate paper feed unit 50 has a mechanism that performs the same function as that of an intermediate tray that has been conventionally used, and is a tray of the intermediate paper feed unit 50 for copying single-sided copied paper carried in through the return path 30. The sheets are temporarily stored in a sheet 51, and the single-sided copied sheets are aligned, and then the single-sided copied sheets are sent out one by one through a feed roller 53 and a sheet feeding means 52 composed of a sheet separating mechanism or the like. Is composed of.

Then, the single-sided copied sheet sent from the intermediate sheet feeding section 50 is conveyed toward the sheet conveying path 100 via the conveying path 60, and is transferred to the image transfer section by the photosensitive drum 10 according to the sheet conveying mode. Sent in. In the above-described transport path 60, it is necessary to perform side registration of the paper before the paper is delivered to the paper transport path 100. Therefore, an oblique feeding roller is provided as the conveying roller device 61 provided in the conveying path 60, and the oblique feeding roller conveys the sheet and moves the sheet in an oblique direction to move the sheet in the inner part of the conveying path. It is configured so that the sheet can be fed to the sheet conveying path 100 in a state where the sheet is positioned by sliding it on the guide means for setting the reference position arranged on the side.

In the copying machine 1 of the present invention, the pair of chutes on both sides forming the paper transport path 100 are, as shown in FIG.
It is configured so that the paper transport path can be opened.
When a jam occurs inside the paper transport path 100, the guide plates on both sides of the paper transport path are oscillated in a combined state, and the middle chute is separated from the outer chute. It opens up to.

[Operation of Copying Machine] In the copying machine of the present invention configured as described above, when carrying out multiple copying, the paper carried out from the paper feeding member is treated as a single-sided copied paper in a normal copying mode. The prepared sheet, which has been copied on one side, is introduced into the return path 30 via the branch claw 31 and further introduced into the reversing device 40 via the branch claw 41 in the return path 30. In the reversing device 40, when the trailing end of the one-sided copied sheet exceeds the position of the branch claw, the driving direction of the reversing roller device 42 is switched to move the sheet in the returning direction, and the lower part of the branch claw 41 is moved. Through the lower part of the return path 30 through the discharge part 33,
Eject the single-sided copied paper with the image side facing up at 50. Then, the single-sided copied sheets stored in the tray 51 of the intermediate sheet feeding unit, the conveyance path through the sheet feeding unit 52 of the tray.
To the photoconductor drum 1 via the paper transport path 100.
The image is transferred to the image transfer unit by 0, another image is transferred in a state of being formed in advance and superimposed on the image, is fixed through the fixing device 23, and is discharged to the discharge tray.

When making a double-sided copy, the sheet made as a single-sided copied sheet is conveyed from the branching claw 31 through the return path 30 directly toward the discharge section 33, and the image side is turned down to the middle. Store in tray 51. Then, the paper is fed by the paper feed roller device of the intermediate paper feed unit 50, conveyed to the image transfer unit of the photoconductor drum 10 via the conveyance path 60 and the paper conveyance path 100, and is transferred to the back surface of the one-side copied sheet to another side. The image is transferred and passed through the fixing device 23 to complete a double-sided copy.

Therefore, in the device of the present invention, by connecting the reversing device 40 and the intermediate paper feeding unit 50 to the return path, it becomes possible to arbitrarily make multiple copies and double-sided copies. As described above, by setting the sheet conveyance state on the sheet conveyance path, the speed of making a copy can be increased, and the performance of the copying machine can be improved.

[Relationship between Paper Out Path and Paper Conveying Path] In the above-described copying machine as the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the paper fed from the paper tray through the outgoing path is
The sheet is fed by the sheet feeding roller until it is nipped by the sheet feeding roller device in the sheet feeding path. However, in the conventionally-used paper transporting apparatus, as shown in FIG. 6a, the paper stored in the paper tray 72 is carried out by the paper feeding roller 72a, and the paper is carried out from the carry-out path 82 to the paper carrying path 100. At the time of merging, the carry-out path 82 has a driving roller 102 and a pinch roller 132.
It is designed to be inserted between and.

However, in the above-described conventional conveying roller device shown in FIG. 6a, since both rollers are composed of rubber rollers, the leading end of the paper contacting the pinch roller is
It will be in a state of being scraped by the rubber roller. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6b, an inconvenient state may occur in which the leading end of the paper is scratched by the roller. Then, the scratches formed on the leading end of the paper as described above cause an error in the positioning of the leading end of the paper when the paper is stopped by the registration gate at the registration roller portion. Cause In addition, when a bent portion or the like is formed at the leading end of the paper, when the paper is conveyed in the paper conveyance path, the bent portion is often caught and a jam is often generated. .

Therefore, in the device of the present invention shown in FIG. 6, the driving roller 102 is made of rubber, but the pinch roller 132 is made of a plastic roller, and the friction coefficient of both roller members is small. is doing. further,
The connection portion between the paper transport path and the carry-out path is configured in a state of being separated so that the paper does not come into direct contact with the transport roller device, and the paper delivered from the carry-out path 82 is temporarily transferred to the guide plate 131 in the paper transport path 100. The connecting portion of the carry-out path is configured so that it is nipped between the two rollers of the transport roller device after the contact.

Further, in the copying machine shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5 of the present invention, the carry-out paths from the plurality of paper trays constituting the paper feed unit 70 are respectively configured to have the above-described shapes, and the transport rollers are provided. The roller member of the device can be configured with a combination of rubber and plastic rollers. Therefore, in the paper transporting path of the present invention, the paper carried out from the paper tray comes into contact with one guide plate of the paper transporting path and is moved upward along the guide plate, and the leading end of the paper is the first plastic. The sheet is brought into contact with a roller made of paper and smoothly nipped between the rollers, and the sheet is conveyed while being nipped between the rollers.

By arranging the above-described conveying roller device along the paper conveying path, even if the paper is a one-side copied sheet, even if some curl occurs, the conveyance in the paper conveying path is hindered. It is possible to carry out the paper transporting operation in a good condition. Although the above-described embodiment of the present invention is shown as an example of the case of being applied to a sheet feeding device in a copying machine among image forming apparatuses, the configuration of the sheet feeding device of the present invention and its sheet conveying path is It can also be applied to printers such as general laser printers, which can accommodate a large number of papers of different sizes, and can send papers of any size according to image information, and devices such as facsimiles. It is something. Furthermore, the jam clear mechanism of the present invention can be applied to any position of the paper transport path in a device such as a copying machine, and in particular,
When it is applied to a sheet conveying path from a sheet feeding device as shown in the figure, it can be effectively operated.

(Advantages of the Invention) Since the paper feeding device of the image forming apparatus of the present invention has the above-described configuration, the chute member forming the paper transport path can be easily opened and closed. Then, since the guide plate constituting the paper transport path is swung via the hinge arranged on the rear side, the guide plate is largely opened on the front side of the apparatus, and the jammed paper generated in the paper transport path is generated. Can be easily removed. Further, in the sheet feeding device of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the open state of the chute member is made different depending on whether the jam occurs at the carry-out path portion from the paper tray and the jam inside the paper transport path. In any case, it is possible to carry out an appropriate jam paper treatment. Further, in the paper feeding device of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, even when the discharge path from the paper tray is connected to the paper transport path, the connecting member to the paper transport path can be rocked together with the outer chute. Therefore, even if a jam occurs at the connecting portion of the two paper transport paths, the jammed paper can be processed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing the construction of a sheet feeding device of an image forming apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the open / closed state of a chute member of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a fixing means at the end of the chute member. Fig. 3a is a perspective view showing the constitution of the fixing member, Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the constitution of the outer chute of the present invention,
FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing the structure of a copying machine to which the paper feeding device of the image forming apparatus of the present invention can be applied, and FIG. 6 shows the structure of the connecting portion between the paper conveying path and the paper tray discharging path of the present invention. 6A is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of the conventional example corresponding to FIG. 6, and FIG. 6b is an explanatory diagram showing the state of scratches on the leading edge of the paper in the conventional apparatus. Reference numeral 1 in the figure: 1) copying machine, 1a: upper frame, 10: photoconductor drum, 20: registration roller, 30: return path,
40 ... Reversing device, 50 ... Intermediate paper feeding section, 60 ... Conveying path, 70
…… Paper feed section, 71 to 74 …… Paper tray, 71a to 74a …… Paper feed roller, 81 to 84 …… Eject path, 90 …… Bypass tray, 100
…… Paper transport path, 101 …… Fixed guide member, 120 …… Medium chute, 122 …… Guide plate, 130 …… Outer chute, 131 ……
Guide plate, 140 …… Fixing member, 145/146 …… Locking member.

Claims (3)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A plurality of paper accommodating means such as a plurality of paper trays are arranged in multiple stages, and the paper sent out from the paper accommodating means is directed to an image transfer portion of an image carrier such as a photosensitive drum via a paper conveyance path. In the image forming apparatus provided with a means for conveying the sheet, a fixed guide member for arranging a sheet conveying path for conveying the sheet sent out from the plurality of sheet accommodating means toward the image transfer section on the sheet accommodating means side, The fixed guide member includes an inner chute that can be opened and closed, and an outer chute. The inner chute is integrally formed with a part of a guide plate that constitutes a carry-out path from the paper accommodating means so as to project toward the paper accommodating means. And a means for guiding the paper between the middle chute and the outer chute, and means for carrying the paper between the fixed guide member and the roller member provided on the outer chute. A sheet feeding device of an image forming apparatus, which comprises means for opening and closing each of the chute members during a jam process in a sheet conveying path. 2. A medium chute and an outer chute that constitute the sheet conveying path are integrally provided with means for rocking from a fixed guide member, and the middle chute is rockably provided with respect to the outer chute. Connect the paper feed path from the intermediate tray to the transport path,
The sheet feeding device of the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a path for conveying a single-sided copied sheet corresponding to multiplex / double-sided copying toward an image transfer portion is formed. 3. An upper frame of an image forming apparatus main body is provided so as to be swingable with respect to a lower frame, and a paper transport path from a manual feed tray is formed between the upper and lower frames, and the uppermost part of the paper tray is carried out. A guide member that regulates the path and the sheet conveyance path from the manual feed tray is integrally provided, and the guide member is configured to be swingable in conjunction with opening and closing of the frame so as to correspond to the operation of opening the upper frame. The sheet feeding device of the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising means for opening a delivery path from the uppermost sheet tray.