Paper feeding device for image forming apparatus

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including: a control panel for designating a size of sheets fed by a paper feeding cassette; a sidewall motor that opens a front sidewall and a rear sidewall to the maximum when the paper feeding cassette is drawn out from an apparatus main body and slides the front sidewall and the rear sidewall to both side positions of the sheets of the designated size when the paper feeding cassette is inserted into the apparatus main body; and an end wall motor that opens an end wall to the maximum when the paper feeding cassette is drawn out from the apparatus main body and slides the end wall to a trailing end position of the sheets of the designated size when the paper feeding cassette is inserted into the apparatus main body.

1 . A paper feeding device for an image forming apparatus comprising:
 a housing member that is inserted into and removed from an apparatus main body and stores recording media;   a guide member that is slidably provided in the housing member and regulates a feeding position of the recording media to an image forming unit; and   a driving member that slides the guide member according to a size of the recording median when the housing member is inserted into the apparatus main body.   
   
   
       2 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a detecting member that detects the size of the recording media. 
   
   
       3 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the detecting member includes a pressure sensor that detects pressure to the guide member by the recording media. 
   
   
       4 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the detecting member includes a photo-sensor. 
   
   
       5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the size of the recording media is set by the apparatus main body. 
   
   
       6 . The device according to  claim 5 , wherein the size of the recording media is set by data input by from the apparatus main body. 
   
   
       7 . The device according to  claim 5 , wherein the size of the recording media is set according to an inserting position of the housing member into the apparatus main body. 
   
   
       8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the driving member slides the guide member to an open position when the housing member is drawn out from the apparatus main body and slides the guide member to the feeding position when the housing member is inserted into the apparatus main body. 
   
   
       9 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide member includes a side guide member that regulates a side of the recording media and an end guide member that regulates a trailing end of the recording media, and
 the driving member includes a first driving member that drives the side guide member and a second driving member that drives the end guide member.   
   
   
       10 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an apparatus main body including an image forming unit; and   a paper feeding device including a housing member that is inserted into and removed from an apparatus main body and stores recording media to be fed to the image forming unit, a guide member that is slidably provided in the housing member and regulates a feeding position of the recording media to the image forming unit and a driving member that slides the guide member according to a size of the recording media when the housing member is inserted into the apparatus main body.   
   
   
       11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the paper feeding device further includes a detecting member that detects the size of the recording media. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the detecting member includes a pressure sensor that detects pressure to the guide member by the recording media. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the detecting member includes a photo-sensor. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus main body further includes a setting member that sets the size of the recording media. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the setting member includes an input unit that inputs the size of the recording media. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the size of the recording media is set according to an inserting position of the paper feeding device into the apparatus main body. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the driving member slides the guide member to an open position when the housing member is drawn out from the apparatus main body and slides the guide member to the feeding position when the housing member is inserted into the apparatus main body. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the guide member includes a side guide member that regulates a side of the recording media and an end guide member that regulates a trailing end of the recording media, and the driving member includes a first driving member that drives the side guide member and a second driving member that drives the end guide member.   
   
   
       19 . A sheet storing method for an image forming apparatus comprising:
 sliding a guide member to an open position by drawing out a housing member from an apparatus main body; and   sliding the guide member to a storing position according to a size of a recording media by inserting the housing member into the apparatus main body.   
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the sliding the guide member to the storing position includes sliding to a storing position at a side of the recording media and sliding to a storing position at a trailing end of the recording media.