Paper discharge base of image forming apparatus

• US 6,494,450 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2001
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RISO Kagaku Corporation
• Original Assignee: RISO Kagaku Corporation
• Inventors: Tsurumaki, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): SKAGGS JR, H GRANT
• Application Number:
  US09/769,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20010010193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 271/224, 271/220, 271/221, 271/222, 271/207, 271/184
• US Class Current: 271/224
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/01 indicating an entity as a function of which control, adjustment or change is performed, i.e. input
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/02 indicating an entity which is controlled, adjusted or changed by a control process, i.e. output
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/04 for distinguishing adjusting from controlling, i.e. manual adjustments
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4212 of articles substantially horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2403/60 Damping means, shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2405/112 Rear, i.e. portion opposite to the feeding / delivering side
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/20 Location in space
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2515/10 Mass, e.g. mass flow rate; Weight; Inertia
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/06 Office-type machines, e.g. photocopiers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/02 with stationary end support against which pile accumulates

Abstract

A paper discharge base is applied with a sponge sheet as a damping plate of an impact wall. A protection sheet is pasted on a surface of the sponge sheet. When the damping plate is impacted by a print sheet, the impact force is transmitted from the protection sheet to the sponge sheet and is damped by the sponge sheet. Further, the sponge sheet is protected by the protection sheet and therefore, the sponge sheet is not destructed by the impact of the print sheet.

Claims

1. A paper discharge base of an image forming apparatus comprising:

an impact wall impacted by a print sheet discharged from a printing section and having an impact position;

a damping member provided on a surface of the impact wall for damping impact caused by impacting the print sheet, said damping member being formed of a sponge sheet and a protection sheet attached to a surface of the sponge sheet impacted by the print sheet, and including an upper end portion, a space portion on a rear face side of the impact position, and a lower end portion provided in a direction of discharging the print sheet relative to the upper end portion, one of the upper and lower end portions being fixed to a side of the impact wall and the other of the upper and lower end portions being held slidably in up and down directions relative to the side of the impact wall; and

a paper mounting floor loaded with the print sheet which has been impacted to the damping member and drops.

2. The paper discharge base of an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protection sheet of the damping member is made of polyethylene terephthalate.

3. The paper discharge base of an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

regulating portions projected from a portion of the damping member on a lower side of the impact position to a side of an apparatus main body on two sides of the impact wall formed on the lower side of the impact position at which the print sheet is impacted to the damping member for leading a front end edge portion of the print sheet dropping to the lower side while being brought into sliding contact therewith.

4. The paper discharge base of an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

position adjusting means provided at the impact wall and capable of adjusting a position of the damping member in the up and down directions.

5. A paper discharge base of an image forming apparatus comprising:

an impact wall impacted by a print sheet discharged from a printing section having an impact position;

a damping member provided on a surface of the impact wall for damping impact caused by impacting the print sheet, said damping member being formed of a sponge sheet and a protection sheet attached to a surface of the sponge sheet impacted by the print sheet, and having a space portion on a rear face side of the impact position;

position adjusting means provided at the impact wall and capable of adjusting a position of the damping member in up and down directions, said position adjusting means including a click mechanism for positioning the damping member to a predetermined position in the up and down directions; and

a paper mounting floor loaded with the print sheet which has been impacted to the damping member and drops.