Sheet discharging device including pinch roller movable relative to drive roller, and guide member for guiding sheets

A sheet discharging device comprising:

• a housing;
• a drive roller disposed in the housing and configured to discharge a sheet in a discharging direction;
• a first pinch roller disposed to face the drive roller and configured to contact the drive roller for rotation;
• a second pinch roller disposed downstream relative to the first pinch roller in the discharging direction, the second pinch roller being configured to face the drive roller and contact the drive roller for rotation;
• a holder including a connecting portion supporting the first pinch roller and the second pinch roller, the holder supporting the first pinch roller to allow the first pinch roller to move between a contact position where the first pinch roller is in contact with the drive roller and a separated position where the first pinch roller is separated from the drive roller;
• an urging member configured to urge the first pinch roller toward the drive roller;
• and
• a guide member provided at a predetermined position, the guide member being separated from the sheet discharged from the drive roller when the first pinch roller is at the contact position, the guide member being configured to contact the sheet discharged from the drive roller to guide the sheet when the first pinch roller is at the separated position,
• wherein, in a state where the first pinch roller is at the contact position and the second pinch roller is in contact with the drive roller, a part of the guide member is positioned within a space defined between a first part of an outer peripheral surface of the first pinch roller and a second part of an outer peripheral surface of the second pinch roller, the first part and the second part facing each other;
• and
• wherein, when the first pinch roller is at the contact position, the guide member is positioned farther away from the drive roller than the connecting portion of the holder is, and
• wherein, when the first pinch roller is at the separated position against an urging force of the urging member, the guide member is positioned closer to the drive roller than the connecting portion of the holder is.

A sheet discharging device comprising:

• a housing;
• a drive roller disposed in the housing and configured to discharge a sheet in a discharging direction;
• a first pinch roller disposed to face the drive roller and contactable with the drive roller for rotation;
• a second pinch roller rotatable about a first axis and disposed downstream relative to the first pinch roller in the discharging direction, wherein the second pinch roller faces the drive roller and is in contact with the drive roller for rotation, and wherein the second pinch roller is immovable relative to the drive roller;
• a holder pivotably movable about the first axis with respect to the housing and supporting the first pinch roller and the second pinch roller, the holder supporting the first pinch roller to allow the first pinch roller to move between a contact position where the first pinch roller is in contact with the drive roller and a separated position where the first pinch roller is separated from the drive roller;
• an urging member configured to urge the first pinch roller toward the drive roller;
• and
• a guide member provided at a predetermined position, the guide member being separated from the sheet discharged from the drive roller when the first pinch roller is at the contact position, the guide member being configured to contact the sheet discharged from the drive roller to guide the sheet when the first pinch roller is at the separated position,
• wherein, in a state where the first pinch roller is at the contact position and the second pinch roller is in contact with the drive roller, the predetermined position is within a space defined by:
• a first part of an outer peripheral surface of the first pinch roller;
• a second part of an outer peripheral surface of the second pinch roller, the first part and the second part facing with each other;
• and
• an imaginary line connecting a rotation axis of the first pinch roller and a rotation axis of the second pinch roller.