Patent ID: 7761046
Filing Date: 2010-07-20
Classification: B65H,G03G

Abstract:
1. A hybrid paper supply module comprising: one or more automatic-feed cassette mechanism unit or units capable of containing one or more recording media for image formation to be carried out at one or more image forming units of one or more image forming apparatuses; one or more manual-feed mechanism unit or units permitting placement therein or thereon of one or more recording media by one or more users; one or more automatic-feed paths for transport of one or more recording media taken up from at least one of the automatic-feed cassette mechanism unit or units toward at least one of the recording medium transport path or paths; and one or more manual-feed paths for transport of one or more recording media taken up from at least one of the manual-feed mechanism unit or units toward at least one of the recording medium transport path or paths, wherein said one or more automatic-feed cassette mechanism unit or units and said one or more manual-feed mechanism unit or units constitute a single hybrid paper supply module, when the hybrid paper supply module is stacked together with one or more other hybrid paper supply modules to form one or more multimodule sets, one or more recording medium transport paths passing through at least one interior of at least a portion of the hybrid paper supply modules is or are formed so as to permit transport of one or more recording media toward at least one of the image forming unit or units regardless of from which of the hybrid paper supply modules the one or more recording media is or are taken up, wherein said at least one of the recording medium transport path or paths is formed by a first guide member and a second guide member, the first guide member and the second guide member being installed between said automatic-feed cassette mechanism unit and said manual-feed mechanism so as to extend vertically and to have a prescribed distance therebetween in a horizontal direction, wherein, each of said first guide member and said second guide member has one or more engaging member or members, said engaging member or members engaging with engaging member or members of a first guide member and a second guide member of another hybrid paper supply modules and being mutually positioned when the hybrid paper supply modules are stacked together, and wherein each of said engaging member or members allows the recording medium transport paths of the hybrid paper supply modules to communicate with each other, and wherein a recording medium transport path is provided inside the hybrid paper supply module, between the automatic-feed path and the manual feed-path, and wherein each of said first guide member and said second guide member has a recess formed in a first end thereof and a protrusion formed in a second end thereof, opposite to the first end, such that one of the recess and the protrusion engages with the other of the recess and the protrusion of the another hybrid paper supply module when stacked together with the hybrid paper supply module.