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US5232215A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Sheet feed cassette for image forming apparatus

Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp
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Filing: 1992-04-27
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Granted: 1993-08-03
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Expires: 2012-04-27
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Abstract

Abstract A sheet feed cassette to be installed to a sheet feed unit of an image forming apparatus. The sheet feed cassette includes a frame unit having at least a side frame and a bottom frame; a bottom plate, provided above the bottom frame of the frame unit, for placing and supporting sheets thereon, the bottom plate being capable of moving up and down; a pushing-up unit, provided at a front end portion of a sheet feed side of the bottom plate, for pushing up the bottom plate with respect to the bottom frame of the frame unit when the sheet feed cassette is installed to the sheet feed unit of the image forming apparatus; and a spring, provided at an end portion opposite to the sheet feed side of the bottom plate, for urging up the bottom plate with respect to the bottom frame of the frame unit.

Inventors

  • 👤 Yusaku Hashimoto
  • 👤 Hidekazu Amamoto
  • 👤 Naomasa Okimura
  • 👤 Koichi Okabe

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 18:59
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H1/00; B65H1/26; B65H1/266; B65H1/04; B65H1/08; B65H1/12

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 188 words
A sheet feed cassette to be installed to a sheet feed unit of an image forming apparatus, comprising: frame means including at least a side frame and a bottom frame; a bottom plate, provided above the bottom frame of said frame means, for placing and supporting sheets thereon, said bottom plate being capable of moving up and down; pushing-up means, provided at a front end portion of a sheet feed side of said bottom plate, for pushing up said bottom plate with respect to the bottom frame of said frame means when said sheet feed cassette is installed to the sheet feed unit of the image forming apparatus, the pushing-up means including a pushing-up arm, means for moving said pushing-up arm against the bottom plate, and a guide rail on the sheet feed unit of the image forming apparatus for causing the moving means to urge the pushing-up arm against the bottom plate; and first spring means, provided at an end portion opposite to the sheet feed side of said bottom plate, for urging up said bottom plate with respect to the bottom frame of said frame means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 188 words
A sheet feed cassette to be installed to a sheet feed unit of an image forming apparatus, comprising: frame means including at least a side frame and a bottom frame; a bottom plate, provided above the bottom frame of said frame means, for placing and supporting sheets thereon, said bottom plate being capable of moving up and down; pushing-up means, provided at a front end portion of a sheet feed side of said bottom plate, for pushing up said bottom plate with respect to the bottom frame of said frame means when said sheet feed cassette is installed to the sheet feed unit of the image forming apparatus, the pushing-up means including a pushing-up arm, means for moving said pushing-up arm against the bottom plate, and a guide rail on the sheet feed unit of the image forming apparatus for causing the moving means to urge the pushing-up arm against the bottom plate; and first spring means, provided at an end portion opposite to the sheet feed side of said bottom plate, for urging up said bottom plate with respect to the bottom frame of said frame means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 21 words
The sheet feed cassette according to claim 1, further comprising a stopper member for regulating an elevation of said bottom plate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 28 words
The sheet feed cassette according to claim 1, further comprising a roller member acting as a pinch roller of a forward roller unit in the image forming apparatus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 202 words
A sheet feed cassette to be installed to a sheet feed unit of an image forming apparatus, comprising: frame means including at least a side frame and a bottom frame; a bottom plate, provided above the bottom frame of said frame means, for placing and supporting sheets thereon, said bottom plate being capable of moving up and down; pushing-up means, provided at a front end portion of a sheet feed side of said bottom plate, for pushing up said bottom plate with respect to the bottom frame of said frame means when said sheet feed cassette is installed to the sheet feed unit of the image forming apparatus, wherein said pushing-up means includes a pushing-up warm, a bar extended to protrude from a slot provided on the side frame of said frame means and capable of moving up and down along a guide rail provided on the sheet feed unit of the image forming apparatus, and second spring means for connecting said pushing-up arm and said bar; and first spring means, provided at an end portion opposite to the sheet feed side of said bottom plate, for urging up said bottom plate with respect to the bottom frame of said frame means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 202 words
A sheet feed cassette to be installed to a sheet feed unit of an image forming apparatus, comprising: frame means including at least a side frame and a bottom frame; a bottom plate, provided above the bottom frame of said frame means, for placing and supporting sheets thereon, said bottom plate being capable of moving up and down; pushing-up means, provided at a front end portion of a sheet feed side of said bottom plate, for pushing up said bottom plate with respect to the bottom frame of said frame means when said sheet feed cassette is installed to the sheet feed unit of the image forming apparatus, wherein said pushing-up means includes a pushing-up warm, a bar extended to protrude from a slot provided on the side frame of said frame means and capable of moving up and down along a guide rail provided on the sheet feed unit of the image forming apparatus, and second spring means for connecting said pushing-up arm and said bar; and first spring means, provided at an end portion opposite to the sheet feed side of said bottom plate, for urging up said bottom plate with respect to the bottom frame of said frame means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 36 words
The sheet feed cassette according to claim 4, wherein said pushing-up arm includes a pivot portion through which said pushing-up arm is oscillatable, and a pushing portion for pushing a lower surface of said bottom plate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 142 words
A sheet feed cassette to be installed in a sheet feed unit of an image forming apparatus, comprising: a frame having a bottom wall, a plurality of side walls, and a front sheet feed portion; a plate supported on the bottom wall of the frame, the plate having a front end adjacent the front sheet feed portion of the frame and a rear end opposite the front portion of the frame; first means, between the bottom wall of the frame and the rear end of the plate, for urging the rear end of the plate upwardly relative to the bottom wall of the frame; and second means for urging the front end of the plate upwardly relative to the bottom wall of the frame in response to positioning the sheet feed cassette into the sheet feed unit of the image forming apparatus.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 142 words
A sheet feed cassette to be installed in a sheet feed unit of an image forming apparatus, comprising: a frame having a bottom wall, a plurality of side walls, and a front sheet feed portion; a plate supported on the bottom wall of the frame, the plate having a front end adjacent the front sheet feed portion of the frame and a rear end opposite the front portion of the frame; first means, between the bottom wall of the frame and the rear end of the plate, for urging the rear end of the plate upwardly relative to the bottom wall of the frame; and second means for urging the front end of the plate upwardly relative to the bottom wall of the frame in response to positioning the sheet feed cassette into the sheet feed unit of the image forming apparatus.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 42 words
The sheet feed cassette of claim 6, wherein the rear end of the plate is inclined relative to the front end of the plate when the sheet feed cassette is not positioned in the sheet feed unit of the image forming apparatus.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3919972A Cited
JPS5237500A Cited
JPS5664938A Cited
JPS57157954A Cited
JPS5922826A Cited
JPS61114932A Cited
JPS63139840A Cited
GB2202517A Cited
JPH02176465A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1996-08-02 1997-02-01 1997-08-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2000-08-02 2001-02-01 2001-08-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2004-08-02 2005-02-01 2005-08-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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