Paper discharge device and image forming apparatus having the same
AssigneeToshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorKenji Eoka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A paper discharge device and an image forming apparatus include a holding unit 101 which is rotatably mounted to a frame and is configured to hold a recording medium P discharged from an image forming unit 110 in a rolled state. The paper discharge device 100 performs a holding operation before a discharge operation. When the recording medium P is discharged, the paper discharge device 100 allows the holding unit 101 to be rotated to reach the discharge position so that the recording medium P is discharged. When the recording medium P is collected, the paper discharge device 100 allows the recording medium P to be held again within the holding unit 101, and then allows the holding unit 101 to be rotated to reach the collecting position.
Claims20
A paper discharge device comprising:
- a holding unit mounted rotatably to a frame, the holding unit comprising:
- a recording medium receiving inlet configured to receive a recording medium;
- a recording medium feeding path through which the recording medium received from the recording medium receiving inlet is conveyed;
- and
- a cylindrical housing configured to hold the recording medium received from the recording medium inlet;
- a driven pinch roller and a driving pinch roller disposed at the recording medium receiving inlet;
- and
- a first sensor disposed at the recording medium receiving inlet and a second sensor disposed at the recording medium receiving inlet with the driving pinch roller interposed between the first sensor and the second sensor,
- wherein the holding unit rotates to reach a holding position where the recording medium is received, and the driven pinch roller and the driving pinch roller are rotated until the first sensor detects that the recording medium is to be held within the cylindrical housing, and
- wherein the holding unit rotates to reach a discharge position where the recording medium is discharged, and the driven pinch roller and the driving pinch roller are rotated until the second sensor detects the recording medium has been discharged.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a paper discharge device which comprises:
- a holding unit mounted rotatably to a frame, the holding unit comprising:
- a recording medium receiving inlet configured to receive a recording medium having an image formed thereon;
- a recording medium feeding path through which the received recording medium is conveyed;
- and
- a cylindrical housing configured to hold the conveyed recording medium in a rolled state within the cylindrical housing;
- a driven pinch roller and a driving pinch roller mounted at the recording medium receiving inlet;
- and
- a first sensor disposed at a side of the recording medium receiving inlet and a second sensor disposed at a side of the cylindrical housing with the driving pinch roller interposed between the first sensor and the second sensor;
- and
- an image forming unit comprising a conveying mechanism configured to convey a recording medium and a printing mechanism configured to perform a printing operation on the recording medium conveyed by the conveying mechanism,
- wherein the holding unit rotates to reach a holding position where the recording medium having an image formed thereon is received, and the driven pinch roller and the driving pinch roller are rotated until the first sensor detects a rear end of a paper to cause the recording medium to be held in a rolled state within the cylindrical housing, and
- wherein the holding unit is rotated to a discharge position where the recording medium is discharged, and the driven pinch roller and the driving pinch roller are rotated reversely until the second sensor detects a rear end of the paper to cause the recording medium to be discharged.
A method of discharging paper comprising:
- receiving a recording medium at a recording medium receiving inlet of a holding unit;
- detecting the recording medium with a first sensor located at the recording medium inlet;
- moving the recording medium along a recording medium feeding path with a driven pinch roller and a driving pinch roller;
- rotating the driven pinch roller and the driving pinch roller until the first sensor detects that the recording medium is to be held within a cylindrical housing of the holding unit;
- rotating the holding unit to reach a discharge position where the recording medium is discharged;
- and
- rotating the driven pinch roller and the driving pinch roller until a second sensor located at the recording medium inlet detects the recording medium has been discharged.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.