Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Yuji Sugimoto

Kenichi Iwamoto

Masaru Tsuji

Hiranaga Yamamoto

Toyoaki Namba

Kenji Okada

Masakatsu Itoigawa

Yoshihumi Shibano

Kenzi Okada

Shoichiro Yoshiura

Tadasu Taniguchi

Motoaki Okitsu

Osamu Wakuda

Ken-ichi Iwamoto

Souichi Takata

Keizo Ito

Fujikazu Nakayama

A double-sided image forming apparatus includes a feed transport path which extends from a sheet cassette to an image forming section, a first discharge section, a second discharge section which is formed on a same side as side of the apparatus where the first discharge section is formed, a first transport path which extends from the image forming section to the first discharge section, a second transport path, which has a sheet insertion/discharge opening connected to a first discharge section side of the first transport path and which reverses a front and rear of a sheet transporting direction, a third transport path which connects the second transport path to the feed transport path, a fourth transport path which has a sheet insertion opening connected to the sheet insertion/discharge opening of the second transport path and a sheet discharge opening connected to the second discharge section, a jogger for adjusting sheets in the fourth transport path and sheets in the second transport path with a prescribed position, and a stapler for stapling the sheets in the fourth transport path. As a result, miniaturizing and lowering of costs of the apparatus can be realized in the double-sided image forming apparatus.

Image forming apparatus having double-sided image forming and post

A paper feeding device comprising a tray storing case attachable to and removable from a device housing; a rotatable tray, provided in the tray storing case, which rotates copy paper to a longitudinal and lateral feed position; and a mechanism for lifting up a paper-feed end of a paper holding plate provided in the tray when paper is to be fed. The mechanism is composed of a guide member provided in the device housing; a lift-up guide provided on a side face located on a paper-feed end of the tray; a first rotary bar provided in the tray storing case and driven by the guide member when the tray is attached thereon; and a second rotary bar, a spring and a lift plate driven by the lift-up guide when the tray is in the paper-feed position. The first and second bars are driven simultaneously, thus lifting up the paper-feed end of the paper holding plate. Alternatively, the mechanism comprises at least three springs provided between the tray and the tray storing case; a guide rib provided in the tray storing case; and a pivot pin, a wire and a slide plate provided on the paper holding plate. The guide rib causes the slide plate to rotate and the wire pulls the pivot pin downwards. A simplified and miniaturized mechanism that lifts up and lowers the paper holding plate is thus achieved.

Paper feeding device

A feeding device including a cassette removably mounted in the main body of a copying machine to which the feeding device is adapted, a pivotal paper holding plate which is disposed within the cassette and capable of being raised, a lift member for raising the pivotal paper holding plate to an inclined dispensing position, disposed under the pivotal paper holding plate so as to pivot on a vertical plane, a rotary lift-up member for allowing the lift member to pivot thereon, the lift member being secured to the rotary lift-up member, a driving device for transmitting a driving force to the rotary lift-up member, a coupling device interposed in the driving device, for effecting and suspending the transmission of the driving force for rotating the rotary lift-up member, wherein when the cassette is taken out from the main body, the lift member pivots downward due to its own weight, thereby releasing the pivotal paper holding plate from its raised condition. With such an arrangement, even if the cassette is taken out from the main body when the pivotal paper holding plate is in its raised condition, the paper feeding end of the pivotal paper holding plate can be prevented from touching with the paper feed mechanism disposed within the main body, thereby avoiding damage to the contacted parts.

Feeding device

A feeding device in accordance with the present invention includes an arm mounted such that one edge thereof is rotatably supported and is capable of moving freely in the horizontal plane, a rotating section rotatably supported by the other edge of the arm and is capable of rotating freely in the horizontal plane to at least two paper feed positions, i.e. longitudinal and lateral feed positions, and a pivotal paper holding plate that is capable of rising. A rotating device is rotatably mounted in the vicinity of a corner of the rotating section and moves back and forth in a straight line in a direction orthogonal to the paper feed direction and permits the rotating section to rotate. A flexible joint is provided which is capable of pivoting in at least two directions and supports the pivotal paper holding plate at one point located in the corner formed by a non-feeding side of the rotating section when the rotating section is set in the longitudinal feed position and the non-feeding side of the rotating section when the rotating section is set in the lateral feed position, such that the pivotal paper holding palte uses the non-feeding side of the rotating sections as fulcrums when the pivotal paper plate pivots and rises.

Feeding device having a pivotal copy material holding plate

A feeding device has a rotative threaded shaft and a rotatable paper tray. A movable joint is attached to the rotative threaded shaft, and permitted to move on the shaft. The movable joint is coupled to one corner of the rotatable paper tray. A shaft drive plate is secured to the movable joint. In the vicinity of the rotative threaded shaft, is disposed a shifting shaft extending in the direction of movable joint movements, which is permitted to freely move in the direction. An engaging member to be depressed by engaging the shaft drive plate and a spring to urge the shifting shaft to be located in a predetermined position, are attached to the shifting shaft. On the other hand, in the feeding device main body, there are installed an action plate for making a forward or backward movement in response to a movement of the shifting shaft driven by the shaft drive plate and switch for performing ON/OFF operation in response to shifting positions of the action plate. Thus, this arrangement makes it possible to reduce the number of required parts for connecting the feeding device to the feeding device main body and for detecting operating conditions of the rotatable paper tray.

A feeding device in accordance with the present invention includes an arm mounted such that one edge thereof is rotatably supported and is capable of moving freely in the horizontal plane, a rotating section rotatably supported by the other edge of the arm and is capable of rotating freely in the horizontal plane to at least two paper feed positions, i.e. longitudinal and lateral feed positions, and a pivotal paper holding plate that is capable of rising. A rotating device is rotatably mounted in the vicinity of a corner of the rotating section and moves back and forth in a straight line in a direction orthogonal to the paper feed direction and permits the rotating section to rotate. A flexible joint is provided which is capable of pivoting in at least two directions and supports the pivotal paper holding plate at one point located in the corner formed by a non-feeding side of the rotating section when the rotating section is set in the longitudinal feed position and the non-feeding side of the rotating section when the rotating section is set in the lateral feed position, such that the pivotal paper holding plate uses the non-feeding side of the rotating sections as fulcrums when the pivotal paper plate pivots and rises.

Driving device for a rotatable cassette

A paper feeding apparatus is provided with a paper feed roller supported rotatably by an image forming system body via a roller shaft, a paper feeding table which can be drawn freely in the axial direction of the roller shaft from a paper feed opening of the image forming machine body, a paper feeding hopper guided and supported by the paper feeding table so as to be movable freely to and from the paper feed roller horizontally, and in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the roller shaft, and an interlocking device which moves the paper feeding hopper freely to and from the paper feed roller in an interlocking motion with the drawing and restoring operation of the paper feeding table. Thereby, when the paper feeding table moves backward from the front, the paper feeding hopper is moved to the side of the paper feed roller along guide rails by the interlocking device. Then, the paper feed roller is rotated and the paper feeding hopper is received in a predetermined position without slacking of the paper.

Paper feeding apparatus for image forming machine

A fixing device for electrophotography has a heating roller and a compression roller compressed against each other. Copy paper with toner image on its surface is passed inbetween to have the image fixed. The heating roller is hollow and contains a heater inside. To control the heat output of the heater, a temperature detector is positioned on the surface of the heating roller near the edge of the paper passing between the rollers where no toner image is formed. The wall thickness of the heating roller is reduced to about 0.8-1.5 mm for improved heat distribution characteristics.

Fixing device for electrophotography

A pressure device for applying pressure between an upper fixing roller and a lower fixing roller, the pressure applying device being disposed at each end of the lower fixing roller and including a bearing member for supporting a rotary shaft mounted in the lower fixing roller and a biasing spring for biasing the bearing member upwards. The upper and lower fixing rollers are held in pressure contact with each other through depression of the upper fixing roller towards the lower fixing roller, under the influence of the pressure device.

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Nara, Japan

Yuji Sugimoto