Image forming apparatus controlling discharge direction of recording medium

• US 6,135,591 A
• Filed: 09/18/1997
• Issued: 10/24/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Kunihiko, Yamada, Kaneji
• Primary Examiner(s): Grimley, Arthur T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGO, HOANG X
• Application Number:
  US08/932,916
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 271/3.01, 271/3.03, 271/3.12, 271/161, 271/184, 271/225, 271/230, 347/101, 347/104, 347/105, 347/107, 399/315, 399/316, 399/317, 399/361, 399/364, 399/372, 399/373, 399/374, 399/375, 399/397, 399/399, 399/404, 399/405, 399/406, 399/394
• US Class Current: 347/104
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/005 Guides in the printing zone, e.g. guides for preventing contact of conveyed sheets with printhead
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/106 for the sheet output section
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/1441 involving controlled actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1313 trailing edge
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/14 and introducing into a pile
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/22 and introducing into a pile

Abstract

When discharging a sheet material from an image forming apparatus after completion of image formation, at least one spur roller for discharging the trailing edge of the sheet material downward is provided. Hence, it is possible to more stably discharge the sheet material than ever, and to arrange and mount sheets of the sheet material on a discharged-sheet tray in a manner better than ever.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

image forming means for forming an image on a sheet material;

a pair of rotating members for discharging the sheet material on which the image is formed by said image forming means; and

moving means for moving the position of one of said pair of rotating members to change a direction of discharge of a portion near the trailing edge of the sheet material to downward.

2. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one of said pair of rotating members comprises a spur-shaped rotating member.

3. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one of said pair of rotating members is movable between an upper position and a lower position and a recording portion of the sheet material is maintained a predetermined distance from said image forming means when the one of said pair of rotating members is in the upper position.

4. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a discharge tray, wherein the one of said pair of rotating members is movable between an upper position and a lower position and the sheet material is guided to said discharge tray when the one of said pair of rotating members is in the lower position.

5. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said moving means comprises an actuator for moving the one of said pair of rotating members.

6. An image forming apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a sensor for detecting the trailing edge of the sheet material, wherein said actuator causes said one of said pair of rotating members to move vertically downward after said sensor senses the trailing edge of the sheet material.

12. An image forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising an actuator for moving said at least one spur roller.

13. An image forming apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a sensor for detecting the trailing edge of the sheet material, wherein said actuator causes said at least one spur roller to move downward after said sensor senses the trailing edge of the sheet material.

7. An image forming apparatus comprising:

image forming means for forming an image on a sheet material by discharging ink droplets thereon; and

a discharging roller for discharging the sheet material on which the image has been formed by said image forming means,

wherein at least one spur roller engaged with said discharging roller is provided for said discharging roller, and wherein a direction of discharge of a portion near the trailing edge of the sheet material is changed from upward to downward by moving the position of said at least one spur roller.

8. An image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of spur rollers are engaged with said discharging roller.

9. An image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said plurality of spur rollers are provided on a holder member, which is swingable with respect to a main body of said apparatus.

10. An image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said holder member is swingable with respect to the main body of said apparatus by means of a spring member.

11. An image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a supporting shaft of said at least one spur roller comprises a coil spring.

14. An image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said at least one spur roller is movable between an upper position and a lower position and when said at least one spur roller is in the upper position, a recording portion of the sheet material is maintained a predetermined distance from said image forming means.

15. An image forming apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a discharge tray, wherein said at least one spur roller is movable between an upper position and a lower position and the sheet material is guided to said discharge tray when said at least one spur roller is in the lower position.

16. An image forming apparatus comprising:

image forming means for forming an image on a sheet material by discharging ink droplets thereon; and

a discharging roller for discharging the sheet material, on which the image has been formed by said image forming means, through a discharge port,

wherein an engaging roller engaged with said discharging roller, and a spur roller vertically moving at a portion closer to the discharging port than said engaging roller are provided for said discharging roller, and wherein a direction of discharge of a portion near the trailing edge of the sheet material is changed from upward to downward by moving said spur roller from an upper position to a lower position.

17. An image forming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a plurality of spur rollers are engaged with said discharging roller.

18. An image forming apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said plurality of spur rollers are provided on a holder member.

19. An image forming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a supporting shaft of said spur roller comprises a coil spring.

20. An image forming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said engaging roller comprises a spur roller.

21. An image forming apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising an actuator for vertically moving said spur roller.

22. An image forming apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising a sensor for detecting the trailing edge of the sheet material, wherein said actuator causes said spur roller to move vertically downward after said sensor senses the trailing edge of the sheet material.

23. An image forming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein when said spur roller is in the upper position, a recording portion of the sheet material is maintained a predetermined distance from said image forming means.

24. An image forming apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a discharge tray, wherein the sheet material is guided to said discharge tray when said spur roller is in the lower position.