Large capacity paper feeder for an image forming apparatus
AssigneeTohoku Ricoh Co., Ltd.
InventorsYoshiyuki Araseki, Takenobu Kamada, Hitoshi Kimura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an image forming apparatus, a large capacity paper feeder has a single pick-up roller capable of selectively feeding papers from an LCT (Large Capacity Table) or from a cassette removably mounted to the apparatus. The paper feeder, therefore, does not need a bulky paper feed unit for a cassette feed mode. In addition, a space for an LCT feed mode is not necessary above the pick-up roller, so that the height of the apparatus is not increased.
Claims10
A dual mode paper feeder for an image forming apparatus and having a single paper feeding means positioned at a paper feed opening for feeding a paper from a top of a paper stack at a paper feed position in an intended direction of paper feed, while separating the paper from other papers when operating in a tray mode of operation and feeding another paper from a plurality of papers in a cassette when operating in a cassette mode of operation, said paper feeder comprising:
- a casing constituting an outside frame member of said paper feeder;
- a pair of side fences disposed in said casing and movable up and down for positioning opposite edges of the paper stack in a widthwise direction perpendicular to the intended direction of paper feed;
- a frame supporting said pair of side fences such that said pair of side fences are movable up and down between a predetermined upper position and a predetermined lower position of said casing;
- biasing means for constantly biasing said frame upward relative to said casing;
- a tray loaded with the paper stack and movable up and down between an upper limit position facing the paper feed position and a lower limit position remotest from the upper limit position, and for selectively causing said frame to move downward when said tray is moved downward;
- tray driving means for moving said tray between the upper limit position and the lower limit position;
- and
- cassette supporting means mounted on said casing for removably supporting the cassette which is capable of being loaded with said plurality of papers, wherein said plurality of papers need not be identical in size to said paper in said paper stack,
- wherein when said tray is lowered to the lower limit position, a space is formed between a top of said frame and the paper feeding means for mounting the cassette to be used in said cassette mode of operation.
A paper feeder for an image forming apparatus and having a single paper feeding means positioned at a paper feed opening and for feeding a paper from a top of a paper stack at a paper feed position in an intended direction of paper feed, while separating the paper from other papers, said paper feeder comprising:
- a casing constituting an outside frame member of said paper feeder;
- a pair of side fences disposed in said casing and movable up and down for positioning opposite edges of the paper stack in a widthwise direction perpendicular to the intended direction of paper feed;
- a frame supporting said pair of side fences such that said pair of side fences are movable up and down between a predetermined upper position and a predetermined lower position of said casing;
- biasing means for constantly biasing said frame upward relative to said casing;
- a tray loaded with the paper stack and movable up and down between an upper limit position facing the paper feed position and a lower limit position remotest from the upper limit position, and for selectively causing said frame to move downward when said tray is moved downward;
- tray driving means for moving said tray between the upper limit position and the lower limit position;
- and
- cassette supporting means mounted on said casing for removably supporting a cassette which is capable of being loaded with a plurality of papers;
- wherein when said tray is lowered to the lower limit position, a space is formed between a top of said frame and the paper feeding means for mounting the cassette;
- said paper feeder further comprising a fence driving mechanism for moving said pair of side fences positioned between the predetermined upper position and the predetermined lower position up and down, wherein said fence driving mechanism comprises said biasing means, and a fence moving member forming a part of said frame and causing said pair of side fences to move downward when engaged with an underside of said tray in association with a downward movement of said tray.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.