IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

Abstract

An image forming apparatus of an intra-body paper discharge type includes: a sheet discharge port for discharging a sheet to an intra-body space; a movable tray on which the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port can be stacked, the movable tray having a guided section guided when the movable tray moves with respect to the sheet discharge port; and a guide section provided on a sidewall parallel to a sheet discharging direction from the sheet discharge port among sidewalls forming the intra-body space, the guide section being configured to guide the guided section of the movable tray such that the movable tray can move between a receiving position for receiving the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port and a retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to a floor surface of the intra-body space.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from: U.S. provisional application 61/150,273, filed on Feb. 5, 2009; and U.S. provisional application 61/178,376, filed on May 14, 2009, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This specification relates to a technique for increasing a paper-dischargeable space in an image forming apparatus of a so-called intra-body paper discharge type.

BACKGROUND

In the past, there is known a technique for, in an image forming apparatus of a so-called intra-body paper discharge type, switching a tray as a discharge destination according to processing content such as copying, printing, and facsimile and stacking sheets discharged from a sheet discharge port provided in the body of the image forming apparatus and sheets discharged from a sheet discharge port of a finishing apparatus mounted in the body of the image forming apparatus.

However, it is difficult to arrange plural trays in a narrow space in the body of the image forming apparatus. There are many restrictions in terms of space in arranging the plural trays. Even if the plural trays can be arranged, since spaces among the plural trays are small, it is difficult to take out sheets discharged onto the trays.

SUMMARY

In order to solve the problem, this specification relates to an image forming apparatus of an intra-body paper discharge type including: a sheet discharge port configured to discharge a sheet to an intra-body space; a movable tray on which the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port can be stacked, the movable tray having a guided section guided when the movable tray moves with respect to the sheet discharge port; and a guide section provided on a sidewall parallel to a sheet discharging direction from the sheet discharge port among sidewalls forming the intra-body space, the guide section being configured to guide the guided section of the movable tray such that the movable tray can move between a receiving position for receiving the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port and a retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to a floor surface of the intra-body space.

In order to solve the problem, this specification relates to an image forming apparatus of an intra-body paper discharge type including: a sheet discharge port configured to discharge a sheet to an intra-body space; first and second movable trays on which the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port can be stacked, the movable trays having guided sections guided when the movable tray moves with respect to the sheet discharge port; and a guide section provided on a sidewall parallel to a sheet discharging direction from the sheet discharge port among sidewalls forming the intra-body space, the guide section being configured to guide the guided sections of the first and second movable trays such that, when one of the first and second movable trays is located in a receiving position for receiving the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port, the other can be located in a retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to a floor surface of the intra-body space.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a movable tray 201 in the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the movable tray 201 in the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the movable tray 201 in the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of the movable tray 201 located in a retracted position;

FIG. 6 is a diagram of the movable tray 201 located in another retracted position;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a front view of the schematic configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention are explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment

First, a first embodiment of the present invention is explained.

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

The image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention is an image forming apparatus of a so-called “intra-body paper discharge type” in which a paper discharge space (see an intra-body space 6 shown in FIG. 1) is provided near the center of an apparatus main body.

The image forming apparatus 1 according to this embodiment includes an image reading unit R including an ADF (Auto Document Feeder), an image forming unit P, sheet feeding cassettes 31 to 34, a finishing unit F, a movable tray 201, a CPU 801, a memory 802, and a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 803. Sheets S as recording media are stored in the sheet feeding cassettes 31 to 34.

The image reading unit R has a function of reading an image of an original document.

The image forming unit P applies, on the basis of, for example, image data read from an original document by the image reading unit R or image data received from the outside of the apparatus, image formation processing to recording media such as sheets fed from the sheet feeding cassettes 31 to 34.

The sheets having images formed thereon as explained above are sent to the finishing unit F arranged in the intra-body space 6. The sheets sent to the finishing unit F are discharged from a discharge port Fh of the finishing unit F into the intra-body space 6 by a discharge roller 701 in a state in which the sheets are subjected to “finishing” such as folding, stapling, punching, or bookbinding or a state in which the images are only formed thereon.

The movable tray 201 is arranged in the intra-body space 6 of the image forming apparatus 1. The sheets discharged from the discharge port Fh of the finishing unit F are stacked on the movable tray 201.

The CPU 801 has a role of performing various kinds of processing in the image forming apparatus and also has a role of realizing various functions of the image forming apparatus by executing a computer program stored in the memory 802. The memory 802 can include a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), a SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), or a VRAM (Video RAM). The memory 802 has a role of storing various kinds of information and computer programs used in the image forming apparatus.

FIGS. 2 to 4 are diagrams for explaining the configuration of the movable tray 201 in the first embodiment of the invention.

The movable tray 201 includes a motor 201m, a tray section 201t, a drop preventing section 201w, a guided section 201s, a gear 201g, and a sheet guide section 201h.

The movable tray 201 includes the guided section 201s and the gear 201g on a side thereof.

A guide section 602 having an annular guide surface for guiding the guided section 201s of the movable tray 201 is formed on a sidewall 6s parallel to a sheet discharging direction from a sheet discharge port Fh among sidewalls forming the intra-body space 6.

Consequently, the movable tray 201 is movable between a “receiving position” (see FIG. 1) for receiving a sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port Fh and a “retracted position” (see FIG. 5) for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port Fh to drop to a floor surface 601b of the intra-body space 6.

The gear 201g projecting from the side of the movable tray 201 is driven to rotate by the motor 201m provided in the movable tray 201. When a rack rail 603 annularly formed in the sidewall 6s and the gear 201g driven to rotate by the motor 201m mesh with each other, the movable tray 201 is moved in a direction in which the guide section 602 extends. The driving control for the motor 201m is performed by, for example, the CPU 801.

In this way, the movable tray 201 is movable from the “receiving position” to the “retracted position” while being guided by the guide section 602 in a state in which the sheets S are stacked thereon.

The sheets discharged from the sheet discharge port Fh can be stacked on the tray section 201t. The drop preventing section 201w regulates a sheet end to prevent a drop and misalignment of the sheets stacked on the tray section 201t.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of the movable tray 201 located in the retracted position.

The sheet guide section 201h is provided in a position where the sheets S discharged from the sheet discharge port Fh come into contact with the movable tray 201 when the movable tray 201 is located in the “retracted position”. The sheet guide 201h can guide the sheets S downward (guide the sheets S to the floor surface 601b of the intra-body space 6).

FIG. 6 is a diagram of the movable tray 201 located in another retracted position.

The movable tray 201 is also movable to, for example, a position where the tray 201t projects from a side of the image forming apparatus while being guided by the guide section 602. By retracting the movable tray 201 to such a position, it is possible to improve operability for, for example, taking out the sheets stacked on the movable tray 201.

The CPU 801 moves the movable tray 201 to the “receiving position” when the image formation processing is executed in the image forming apparatus 1 or when the finishing is executed in the finishing unit F.

For example, when an amount of the sheets S stacked on the movable tray 201 is full, when a discharge destination of the sheets S is changed, or when a job ends, the CPU 801 moves the movable tray 201 from the “receiving position” to the “retracted position” while keeping the sheets S stacked on the movable tray 201. Thereafter, the CPU 801 discharges sheets onto the floor surface 601b of the intra-body space 6 (see FIGS. 5 and 6).

As determination of a sheet stacking amount in the movable tray 201, for example, the CPU 801 may count the number of sheets discharged onto the movable tray 201 or a sensor for detecting the number of sheets may be provided in the movable tray 201 and the CPU 801 may determine the sheet stacking amount on the basis of an output of the sensor.

With the configuration explained above, the movable tray 201 is arranged in the limited space of the intra-body space 6. Therefore, it is possible to increase the number of stackable sheets in the intra-body space 6.

Second Embodiment

A second embodiment of the present invention is explained below.

The second embodiment of the invention is a modification of the first embodiment. Components having functions same as those explained in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and signs and explanation of the components is omitted in this embodiment.

In this embodiment, two movable trays 201 and 202 are guided by the guide section 602 and movable in the intra-body space 6 of an image forming apparatus 1′.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the schematic configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention.

The movable tray 202 (a second movable tray) includes a motor 202m, a tray section 202t, a drop preventing section 202w, a guided section 202s, a gear 202g, and a sheet guide section 202h.

The motor 202m, the tray section 202t, the drop preventing section 202w, the guided section 202s, the gear 202g, and the sheet guide section 202h are configured the same as the motor 201m, the tray section 201t, the drop preventing section 201w, the guided section 201s, the gear 201g, and the sheet guide section 201h in the movable tray 201 (a first movable tray).

The guide section 602 guides the guided sections 201s and 202s of first and second movable trays such that, when one of the first movable tray 201 and the second movable tray 202 is located in a “receiving position” for receiving sheets discharged from the sheet discharge port Fh, the other can be located in a “retracted position” for allowing the sheets discharged from the sheet discharge port Fh to drop to the floor surface 601b of the intra-body space 6 (see FIG. 7).

When the sheets S stacked on the movable trays 201 and 202 are full or when a user desires to change a paper discharge destination, the motor 201m is driven to move the movable trays 201 and 202 along a tray guide rail.

The sheets discharged from the sheet discharge port Fh can be discharged to a new paper discharge destination in the body through a space formed between the finishing unit F and the movable tray 201 while being guided downward from the movable tray 201 by a sheet conveyance guide member. Therefore, it is possible to increase the number of stackable sheets.

The movable trays 201 and 202 stop in a place slightly projecting from a side of an image forming apparatus main body. Therefore, it is easy to take out sheet bundles discharged onto the movable trays 201 and 202.

The guide section 602 guides the guided sections 201s and 202s of the first movable tray 201 and the second movable tray 202 to move both the first movable tray 201 and the second movable tray 202 to the “retracted position” for allowing the sheets discharged from the sheet discharge port Fh to drop to the floor surface 601b of the intra-body space 6 (see FIG. 8).

The guide section 602 is formed to prevent a first guide surface for guiding the guided section 201s of the first movable tray 201 and a second guide surface for guiding the guided section 202s of the second movable tray 202 from crossing each other. Specifically, the first guide surface and the second guide surface are realized by, for example, guide surfaces having different depths formed with respect to the surface of the sidewall 6s.

In the examples explained in the embodiments, the sheet discharge port for discharging sheets onto the movable tray(s) is the sheet discharge port of the finishing apparatus arranged in the body. However, the finishing apparatus is not always necessary. For example, the sheets may be directly discharged onto the movable tray(s) from a sheet discharge port provided in the body of the image forming apparatus.

The operations in the processing in the image forming apparatus are realized by causing the CPU 801 to execute a movable tray control program stored in the memory 802.

A computer program for causing a computer included in the image forming apparatus to execute the operations explained above can be provided. In the embodiments, the computer program for realizing a function of carrying out the invention is stored in advance in a storage area provided in the apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The same computer program may be downloaded from a network to the apparatus. The same computer program stored in a computer-readable recording medium may be installed in the apparatus. A form of the recording medium may be any form as long as the recording medium is a recording medium that can store the computer program and can be read by the computer. Specifically, examples of the recording medium include internal storage devices internally mounted in the computer such as a ROM and a RAM, portable storage media such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk, a DVD disk, a magneto-optical disk, and an IC card, a database that stores a computer program, other computers and databases therefor, and a transmission medium on a line. A function obtained by installation or download in advance in this way may be realized in cooperation with an OS (operating system) or the like in the apparatus.

The computer program may be an execution module that is dynamically generated partially or entirely.

The present invention can be carried out in various forms without departing from the spirit or the main characteristic thereof. Therefore, the embodiments is only an illustration in every aspect and should not be limitedly interpreted. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the scope of claims and is by no means limited by the text of the specification. Further, all modifications and various improvements, substitutions, and alterations belonging to the scope of equivalents of the scope of claims are within the scope of the present invention.

As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technique for increasing a paper-dischargeable space in an image forming apparatus of a so-called intra-body paper discharge type.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus of an intra-body paper discharge type comprising:

a sheet discharge port configured to discharge a sheet to an intra-body space;

a movable tray on which the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port can be stacked, the movable tray having a guided section guided when the movable tray moves with respect to the sheet discharge port; and

a guide section provided on a sidewall parallel to a sheet discharging direction from the sheet discharge port among sidewalls forming the intra-body space, the guide section being configured to guide the guided section of the movable tray such that the movable tray can move between a receiving position for receiving the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port and a retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to a floor surface of the intra-body space.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable tray projects from a side of the image forming apparatus in the retracted position.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable tray is movable from the receiving position to the retracted position while being guided by the guide section in a state in which sheets are stacked thereon.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable tray has, in a position where the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port comes into contact with the movable tray when the movable tray is located in the retracted position, a sheet guide section configured to guide the sheet downward.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the apparatus includes, in the intra-body space, a finishing apparatus configured to be capable of executing predetermined finishing, and

the sheet discharge port is a sheet discharge port of the finishing apparatus.

6. An image forming apparatus of an intra-body paper discharge type comprising:

a sheet discharge port configured to discharge a sheet to an intra-body space;

first and second movable trays on which the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port can be stacked, the movable trays having guided sections guided when moving with respect to the sheet discharge port; and

a guide section provided on a sidewall parallel to a sheet discharging direction from the sheet discharge port among sidewalls forming the intra-body space, the guide section being configured to guide the guided sections of the first and second movable trays such that, when one of the first and second movable trays is located in a receiving position for receiving the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port, the other can be located in a retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to a floor surface of the intra-body space.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the guide section guides the guided sections of the first and second movable trays to move both the first and second movable trays to the retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to the floor surface of the intra-body space.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first and second movable trays have, in positions where the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port comes into contact with the movable trays when the movable trays are located in the retracted position, sheet guide sections configured to guide the sheet downward.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first and second movable trays are movable from the receiving position to the retracted position while being guided by the guide section in a state in which sheets are stacked thereon.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the apparatus includes, in the intra-body space, a finishing apparatus configured to be capable of executing predetermined finishing, and

the sheet discharge port is a sheet discharge port of the finishing apparatus.

11. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the guide section is formed to prevent a first guide surface for guiding the guided section of the first movable tray and a second guide surface for guiding the guided section of the second movable tray from crossing each other.

12. A driving method of a movable tray in an image forming apparatus of an intra-body paper discharge type including a sheet discharge port configured to discharge a sheet to an intra-body space, and the movable tray on which the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port can be stacked, the movable tray having a guided section guided when the movable tray moves with respect to the sheet discharge port,

the method comprising:

guiding the guided section of the movable tray such that the movable tray can move between a receiving position for receiving the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port and a retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to a floor surface of the intra-body space by a guide section provided on a sidewall parallel to a sheet discharging direction from the sheet discharge port among sidewalls forming the intra-body space.

13. The method in an image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the movable tray projects from a side of the image forming apparatus in the retracted position.

14. The method in an image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the movable tray is movable from the receiving position to the retracted position while being guided by the guide section in a state in which sheets are stacked thereon.

15. A driving method of movable trays in an image forming apparatus of an intra-body paper discharge type including a sheet discharge port configured to discharge a sheet to an intra-body space, and first and second movable trays on which the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port can be stacked, the movable trays having guided sections guided when moving with respect to the sheet discharge port,

the method comprising:

guiding the guided sections of the first and second movable trays such that, when one of the first and second movable trays is located in a receiving position for receiving the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port, the other can be located in a retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to a floor surface of the intra-body space by a guide section provided on a sidewall parallel to a sheet discharging direction from the sheet discharge port among sidewalls forming the intra-body space.

16. The method in an image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the guide section guides the guided sections of the first and second movable trays to move both the first and second movable trays to the retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to the floor surface of the intra-body space.

17. The method in an image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the first and second movable trays have, in positions where the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port comes into contact with the movable trays when the movable trays are located in the retracted position, sheet guide sections configured to guide the sheet downward.

18. The method in an image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the first and second movable trays are movable from the receiving position to the retracted position while being guided by the guide section in a state in which sheets are stacked thereon.

19. The method in an image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

the apparatus includes, in the intra-body space, a finishing apparatus configured to be capable of executing predetermined finishing, and

the sheet discharge port is a sheet discharge port of the finishing apparatus.

20. The method in an image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the guide section is formed to prevent a first guide surface for guiding the guided section of the first movable tray and a second guide surface for guiding the guided section of the second movable tray from crossing each other.