Image forming apparatus with a paper positioning device
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorMasami Okamoto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an image forming apparatus, a paper positioning device includes a pair of side fences. At least one of the side fences includes a positioning surface which is inclined a the direction of paper conveyance. The positioning surface is arranged to contact the widthwise edge of a paper in a manner substantially parallel to the edge of the paper so as to reliably and accurately correct any skew of the paper even when the side fence has some play or positional deviation.
Claims8
A paper positioning apparatus for use in an image forming apparatus, the paper positioning apparatus comprising:
- at least one pair of paper positioning members, each positioning member having a first end and a second end, said at least one pair of positioning members positioned on at least one of a paper conveyance path having a direction of paper conveyance and a paper feeder, each positioning member having a paper positioning surface arranged to position opposite widthwise edges of a paper being fed;
- wherein
- said paper conveyance path is configured and adapted to convey paper, having opposed faces, widthwise edges, and lengthwise edges, such that the paper faces are substantially parallel to the conveyance path, and the paper is conveyed in a lengthwise direction;
- said paper positioning members are positioned on the paper conveyance path extending along a paper turn-over unit;
- said paper positioning members are arranged to position the paper before said paper which has entered said paper conveyance path is turned over by paper turn-over unit;
- and
- at least one of said pair of paper positioning members has an inclined positioning surface arranged, such that the inclined surface extends in the direction of said paper conveyance path, and said second end of said paper positioning member is positioned relative to said lengthwise paper conveyance path at a distance less than that of said first end of said paper positioning member.
A paper positioning apparatus positioned on at least one of a paper conveyance path and a paper feeder for positioning opposite widthwise edges of a paper, and said paper positioning members arranged to position the paper before said paper which has entered said paper conveyance path is turned over by paper turn-over unit, said paper positioning apparatus comprising:
- means for conveying paper along a paper conveyance path, having a direction of paper conveyance, said means for conveying paper configured and adapted to convey paper, having opposed faces, widthwise edges, and lengthwise edges, in a lengthwise direction, such that the paper faces are substantially parallel to the conveyance path;
- a pair of paper positioning means, each positioning member having a first end, a second end, and a respective paper positioning surface;
- and
- drive means for driving said pair of paper positioning means;
- wherein at least one of said pair of paper positioning means having said respective paper positioning surface inclined in said direction of paper conveyance, such that the inclined surface extends in the direction of said paper conveyance path, and said second end of said paper positioning member is positioned relative to said lengthwise paper conveyance path at a distance less than that of said first end of said paper positioning member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.