JPH0467185B2 - - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a copying machine, and more particularly to an electrophotographic copying machine equipped with an automatic document feeder.

Prior Art When a large number of original documents are continuously copied using a copying machine equipped with an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF), page alignment between the original and the copy becomes a complicated problem. On the other hand, in order to check the image quality of a completed copy, it is desirable that the copy be ejected onto the ejection tray with the copy side facing up.

In order to satisfy all of these requirements, that is, to align the pages of the copy in the face-up state and also to align the pages of the copied original at the same time, ADF is required.
This is possible if a reversing mechanism is installed in the holder and the document is fed from the last page, but the problem is that the ADF device becomes larger. By the way, the face up state is
For the purpose of checking image quality, this is not required for all copies; for example, if the original
This is required when page alignment is not required, such as when only one copy is required or when a large number of identical copies are required.

Purpose The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is possible to align the pages of both copies and originals, and when page alignment is not required, the copies are automatically ejected in a face-up state. The purpose is to provide a copying device.

Configuration The configuration of the present invention will be described in detail below based on specific examples. FIG. 1 is an overall schematic diagram showing an electrophotographic copying machine as an embodiment of the present invention.
A sorter is attached to automatically sort output copies.

As shown in FIG. 2, the reversing/discharging section 13 is
An auxiliary guide plate 131 whose guiding direction can be changed and guides the incoming transfer paper to the reversing path R as appropriate; a main reversing roller 132 that supplies the main conveyance force; and a main reversing roller 132 that is provided so as to be movable toward each other and before opening and closing the reversing path R as appropriate. , rear reversing rollers 133a, 133b, reversing guide plate 134 forming reversing path R, reversing return roller 135 for returning the paper introduced into the reversing path, return roller 1
35, a swivel roller 136 that can freely come into contact with and separate from the sheet 35 and clamp the paper to be returned, a branch claw 137 that is provided so that the guide direction can be changed and selects the paper sending direction, and a paper ejector that ejects the paper to a sorter, which will be described later in this example. It is composed of a roller 138, a discharge roller 139 for discharging to the double-sided tray section 14, and the like. Among these,
The front and rear reversing rollers 133a and 133b are used as reversing solenoids, and the auxiliary guide plate 131 and the rattling roller 136
is connected to a return solenoid, and the branch claw 137 is connected to a branch solenoid, and these solenoids are appropriately driven and controlled by the CPU according to a predetermined program to appropriately reverse the transfer paper fed from the fixing unit 12. Then, the paper is discharged as is or discharged to the double-sided tray section 14.

The interlocking mechanism between the auxiliary guide plate 131 and the tapping roller 136 is constructed as shown in FIG. 3a.
When the return solenoid 136a of the auxiliary guide plate 131 and the rattling roller 136 is turned on, the rattling roller 136 moves in the direction of the arrow and pressurizes the paper inside the reversing guide plate 134, and the pressurized paper drives the reversing and returning roller 135. is returned in the opposite direction. Further, when the return solenoid 136a is off, the auxiliary guide plate 131 is in the position indicated by the solid line due to the force of the spring 131a, and guides the paper to the reversing guide plate 134, but the solenoid 136
When a is turned on, the lever 136b is lowered to the position indicated by the dotted line, and the paper is normally ejected. Further, when the paper is inside the reversing guide plate 134, it is designed so that it does not interfere with the conveyance of the paper coming down. Also, before,
The opening/closing mechanism of the rear reversing rollers 133a and 133b is the third
It is constructed as shown in Figure b. When the reversing solenoid 132a is off (normal paper ejection), the boss 132
b is at the position indicated by the solid line, and the front and rear reversal rollers 133a,
133b is closed as shown by the solid line, so the paper is normally ejected by driving the main reversing roller 132. When the reversing solenoid 132a is turned on, the reversing clutch (half-rotation SP clutch) rotates the boss 132b to the position indicated by the dotted line, and the front arm 132c and rear arm 1
32d reverses the front and rear rollers 133a and 133b.
move to the positions indicated by the dotted lines in the figure, and the paper is conveyed to the reversing guide plate. The drive mechanism of the branch solenoid is constructed as shown in FIG. 3c. When the branch solenoid 137a is off, the branch claw 137
is at the position indicated by the solid line, and the paper is normally ejected along the section A of the claw 137. When the solenoid 137a is turned on, the branch claw 137 moves to the position indicated by the dotted line, and the paper moves to the position indicated by the dotted line.
The sheet is guided to the lower sheet discharge guide plate 139a along section B of 37, and is accommodated in the double-sided tray 14 (see FIG. 1).

When the transfer paper conveyed after fixing is reversed in the reversing/discharging unit 13 configured as described above, the reversing solenoid is first turned on with support from the CPU, and the front and rear reversing rollers 133a, 1
33b is separated and the reversal path RB is opened, the return solenoid is turned off, and the rattling roller 136 is separated from the return roller 135 as shown by the broken line, and the auxiliary guide plate 131 is tilted upward to the right to the position where it is guided to the reversal path R. Become. When the transfer paper is fed into the reversing section set in this way, the front reversing roller 1
33a and the main reversing roller 132, and guided into the reversing path R along the auxiliary guide plate 131.
Then, when the trailing edge of the paper turns off the fixing sensor and a predetermined time has elapsed, the return solenoid is turned on, and the rattling roller 136 pinches the paper and presses it against the return roller 135, and the auxiliary guide plate 131 is returned to the position shown by the solid line. , the paper accommodated in the reversing path R is held between the rear reversing roller 133b and the main reversing roller 132 from the rear end, and is sent downstream as the paper rotates. On this downstream side, depending on the position of the branch claw 137, the paper is ejected toward the sorter or the double-sided tray section 1.
It is determined whether or not it will be released at 4. That is, when the branch solenoid 137a is turned on by the support of the CPU and positioned as shown by the broken line, the paper is ejected to the double-sided tray section, and conversely, when it is turned off and positioned as shown by the solid line, the paper is ejected.

The transfer paper conveyance process of this example has the following four types of functional modes.

(1) Automatic double-sided copy function mode In this case, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 4a, transfer paper is fed from one of the paper feed trays 111 and 112, and the original image is transferred to one side by the transfer unit 8. After that, it is fixed in the fixing section 12, and then reversed from front to back in the reversing section 13, and then the double-sided tray section 14
and are stacked with the image side facing up. Then, the sheet is sent to the transfer section 8 again by double-sided copy support, the image is transferred and fixed on the back side, and the sheet is discharged through the reversing section 13. At this time,
If the reversing unit 13 performs the reversing operation again, the paper is ejected with the first copied surface facing up.

(2) Composite copy function mode This mode allows images to be transferred multiple times onto the same side of transfer paper, allowing images from different originals to be composited onto the same page.
In this case, the transfer paper after single-sided copying is discharged to the double-sided tray section 14 without undergoing a reversal operation.
Therefore, the images are stacked with the surface onto which the images have been transferred facing down, allowing composite copies to be made.

(3) Reverse paper ejection function mode Used when copy page alignment is required.

In this case, the transfer paper after the transfer and fixing is reversed before being discharged. Therefore, the ejected copies are stacked in the order in which the originals were sent, with the image-transferred surface facing down, and the pages are aligned.

(4) Normal paper ejection function mode In this case, the transfer paper after the image has been transferred and fixed is ejected straight without being turned over or sent to the duplex tray section. Therefore, the copy is delivered with the image-transferred surface facing up.

These four types of transfer paper transport function modes are set before printing starts via the CPU as an operation control means in accordance with the operator's support. A flowchart of a program preinstalled in the CPU as a setting means is shown in FIG. 4b. Here, blank paper mode means that when there is transfer paper in the duplex tray when the main switch is turned on,
This indicates a case where there is transfer paper in the duplex tray at the end of double-sided copying, or a case where duplex mode is canceled during back side copying in double-sided copying. Furthermore, Y
means "YES", N means "NO", and RET means return.

Next, the automatic document feeder (ADF) B attached to the above-mentioned copying machine body A will be explained.
As shown in FIG. 1, the ADF of this example is broadly divided into a paper feed separation section 15 and a conveyance section 16.

As shown in FIG. 5, the paper feed separation section 15 includes a document setting table 151 and a calling belt 15 that feeds the set document from the bottom sheet to the conveyance section 16 side.
2. Entrance guide mylar 153 that presses the document against the calling belt 152, guide mylar 153 by cam 1
The pressurized mylar 154 is pressurized in accordance with the operation of the calling belt 152 via the belt 53a, etc., and is intermittently rotated one rotation at a time, and the document is separated and conveyed one by one by the action of an internally installed one-way clutch. It is composed of a separating roller 155, a separating blade 156 which is pressed against the circumferential surface of the separating roller 155 by a pressure spring 156a to prevent double feeding of documents, and a pull-out roller set 157 which pulls out the documents to the conveying section 16. Along this document feeding path, a document set sensor 158 and a document size sensor 159 are disposed between the calling belt 152 and the separation roller 155 and downstream of the pull-out roller set 157, respectively. A detection signal is output to control a series of paper feeding operations so that the originals are fed one by one at appropriate timing.

Various operation control mechanisms in this embodiment configured as described above will be explained below.

The basic operating modes carried out in this electrophotographic copying machine equipped with an ADF and a sorter as peripherals are classified as follows.

(1) Copy mode () Normal copy (including back-side output) () Double-sided copy () Composite copy () Blank copy (2) Abnormal mode There are four types when a serviceman is called.

(3) Peripheral mode () Sort type Normal mode: Ejects copies all at once to the proof tray.

B Sort mode: Ejects one repeat copy into each storage bin.

Stack mode: Ejects all repeat copies into one set of bins.

(d) Blank paper mode: Transfer paper that has not been copied is ejected to the proof tray, and no data is exchanged with the copying machine, such as counting the number of copies.

() ADF A ADF mode B SADF mode (manually inserts the original) H Jam correction mode D Unified mode (uniforms the copy size of originals of different sizes) In this example, the microcomputer is controlled. All operations are centrally controlled based on a preset program under the control of this microcomputer.

The operation control mechanism of the ADF of peripheral devices will be explained. There are three basic modes of operation:

(1) Pressing plate mode: A mode in which the ADF transport section is used as a document pressing plate without using the ADF.

(2) SADF mode: A mode in which originals are manually set one by one.

(3) ADF mode: A mode in which multiple originals are set and automatically fed one by one.

In addition to this, the following three types of additional equipment are provided.

(1) Unified mode: Works with the copier to standardize the copy size.

(2) APS mode: Works with the copier to select the copy size that matches the original.

(3) Free run mode: Operates without feeding transfer paper.

The main routine for operation control in this ADF consists of the flow shown in Figure 6.
Executed every ~1.5msec.

Therefore, in the present invention, when page alignment is not required, that is, when there is only one original when using the ADF mode or when using the stack mode, the copy is automatically ejected with the image side facing up. .

A part of the control mechanism for controlling this operation is shown in a block diagram in FIG. 7, and its timing chart and flow chart are shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, respectively. The operation control mechanism shown in FIG.
A main body control circuit 200 that roughly controls the operation of the copying machine body, and an original feed control circuit 20 that controls automatic (ADF) or semi-automatic (SADF) feeding of originals.
1, and a sorter control circuit 202 that performs stacking and sorting control of copy sheets that have been copied, and these various control circuits 200, 201, and 202 are interfaced with each other and each component of the copying machine. is connected to control the operation of the In this embodiment, each of these control circuits 200, 201, and 202 is composed of a microprocessor.

The main body control circuit 200 connects to the ROM 20 via the bus.
Connected to 3. These ROMs 203 store various instructions before and during copying on the main body side, and also store various instructions for peripheral units, and appropriate instructions are read out under the control of the main body control circuit 200. Controls the operation of required parts. Some ROMs in the ROM group 203 are connected to the main body control circuit 200 via an address latch circuit 204. Furthermore, a system logic 205 and a chip selector 206 are provided connected to the main body control circuit 200. Also, I/O
Port/ROM 207 and I/O ports 208 and 209 are connected to main body control circuit 200 and
It is connected to the ROM group 203 and connected to the chip selector 206 via a signal line.

The I/O port/ROM 207 is connected to the document feed control circuit 201 via an 8-bit data bus. On the other hand, I/O port 208 is driver 2
10 to each component on the copying machine main body side, such as a developing section and a transfer section, and drives and controls each component. In this embodiment, the specific drive control of each load is performed by either a clutch, a solenoid, or a unit trigger. The other I/
The O port 209 is connected to a reversing coro solenoid 212a and a resist clutch 21 via a driver 211.
2b, developing motor 212c, and main motor 2
12d, and performs drive control of these.

A print button 213 is provided connected to the main body control circuit 200. In addition, the main body control circuit 20
0 is connected to other buttons, switches, etc. provided on the copying machine, but these are omitted in FIG. 7 for the sake of simplicity.

A pair of switches 220 and 221 are provided connected to the document feed control circuit 201. The switch 220 is a switch for selecting ADF mode,
On the other hand, the switch 221 is a switch for selecting the SADF mode, and these switches are selectively turned on and off by the operator. Connected to the document feed control circuit 201 and a pair of switches 2
A pair of indicators 222 and 223 are provided corresponding to indicators 20 and 221, respectively. Indicator 222 is ADF display, indicator 223 is
It displays SADF, and indicates that ADF or SADF has been selected in response to each corresponding switch being turned on.

The document feed control circuit 201 is a motor control circuit 23
0, and the motor control circuit 230 is connected to the document transport motor M2 and the document feed motor M1 via a bus. Motors M2 and M1 receive power supply voltages of 5V and GND via buses 231 and 232, while providing encoder outputs (rotational status of the motors) to motor control circuit 230 via buses 233 and 234. Motors M1 and M2 each receive positive and negative rotation support signals ± from the motor control circuit 23.
It is possible to receive the rotation from 0 and perform quick rotation control. A document discharge sensor 240 is connected to the document feed control circuit 201, and a signal from this sensor 240 is used to check whether a document is present on the platen of the copying machine. Further, the document sensor 241 is connected to the document feed control circuit 201.
The control circuit 201 is connected to the document feed control circuit 201, and desired information regarding the document to be copied is supplied to the document feed control circuit 201. In the illustrated example, the document sensor 24
1 is a signal line 24 that supplies the signal of the document feed sensor.
2, and a group of signal lines 243 for supplying a signal representing the size of the document. The signal from the document feed sensor is a signal indicating whether or not a document is set in the paper feed section of the copying machine.

In the operation control system shown in FIG. 7, the operation sequence when copying is performed by fully automatic document feeding, that is, ADF operation, is shown in the flowchart of FIG. Only from
A timing chart of signals used when copying in ADF mode is shown in FIG.
The operation shown in FIG. 7 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.

First, an operator is installed on the copier.
By turning on the ADF switch 220 or setting a document, the paper ejection mode is set to the ADF mode. When the ADF switch 220 is turned on (FIG. 8, A), the signal is transmitted to the I/O port/ROM 207 via the document feeding circuit 201.
The ADF mode flag is set in the I/O port/ROM 207 (FIG. 8, B). When the ADF mode flag is set, a signal is sent to the document feed control circuit 201, and the ADF indicator 222
(Fig. 8, C) to display that ADF mode has been selected.

In this state, when the operator presses down the print button 213 (FIG. 8, D), a print signal is supplied to the main body control circuit 200, and the I/O
The main motor 212d is driven and rotated via the port 209 and the driver 211 (FIG. 8, E).
If the document feeding flag is in the reset state, the document feeding prohibition timer is turned on when the print button 213 is pressed down, and the set state is maintained for a predetermined period of time (FIG. 8, F). This time is a preparation period for obtaining a predetermined timing before the copying machine starts copying operations. In the illustrated example, the document feed timer is connected to the I/O port/ROM 20.
7 and is composed of registers and the like.

When the document feed prohibition timer is reset after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the document feed motor M1 is turned on in synchronization with this (FIG. 8, G) and the document feed operation is started. . When the document feeding operation is started, a document feeding flag is set in the I/O port/ROM 207 (FIG. 8, I). When a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the document feed motor M1 was turned on, the document discharge motor M2 is automatically turned on (FIG. 8, H). Therefore, the document is smoothly conveyed from the paper feed section to the paper discharge section.

When the document is conveyed and comes out of the paper feed section, since there is only one document in this example, the signal from the document feed sensor is reset (see Figure 8).
J). On the other hand, when many originals are stacked in the paper feed section, the set state is maintained as long as the documents remain in the paper feed section, and the reset state is reached when the last document leaves the paper feed section. . When the signal from the document feed sensor is reset, the document feed motor M1 is turned off (FIG. 8, G), and the document discharge motor off timer is turned on (FIG. 8, G).
O). Incidentally, this document discharge motor off timer is also formed in the I/O port/RAM 207 by a register or the like.

Next, if the flag for detecting the trailing edge of the document is set, the process moves to the step of determining the document stop timing, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. like,
Since the trailing edge detection flag is in the reset state, the process moves to a determination step for detecting the trailing edge of the document. In this state, when the trailing edge detection sensor detects the trailing edge of the document (Fig. 8, K), the trailing edge detection flag is set (Fig. 8, L).
The state is maintained within 07. On the other hand, when the trailing edge is detected, a pulse is sent to the document feed counter (8th
Figure N), the counter is incremented by +1.
Additionally, the document feed counter is also connected to the I/O port/RAM2.
01.

In this state, in this example, there is only one document, so in the flowchart of FIG. 9, the result of determining whether or not there is a document in the document feeder is negative; Since the count of the paper feed counter is 1, the phase-up mode flag is set (N in FIG. 8). Next, when the program returns to the start, the document feeding flag has been set, so the program moves to the document trailing edge detection flag determination step, and since the document trailing edge detection flag has been set, The process moves to a branch sequence and reaches the document stop timing determination step. As a result, the document ejection motor off timer is set after a predetermined period of time, the document ejection motor M2 is turned off (Fig. 8, H), and both the document feeding flag and trailing edge detection flag are reset. (Figure 8, I and L). On the other hand, in synchronization with the reset signal from the document discharge motor off timer, the document setting completion flag is set (FIG. 8, P), and the setting of the document at a predetermined position on the platen is completed. Next, in Fig. 8, the signal Q
As shown by R and R, the scanner moves forward and backward to scan the document and form an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor drum.

The above explanation is for the ADF when there is only one original.
When the operation is performed, if there are many originals, the mode does not change to the face-up mode but the face-down mode, so that it is possible to perform page alignment and the like. In this way, the operation mode of the copying machine of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned specific mode.
Of course, it is possible to operate in various modes.

Effects As detailed above, according to the present invention, it is possible to simultaneously align the page order of both the original and the copy to be ejected, and to selectively copy with the image side facing up when page alignment is not required. can be discharged. It should be noted that the present invention should not be limited to the specific embodiments described above, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made within the technical scope of the present invention.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the fixing section 12 and the reversing/discharging section 13, and FIGS. 3a to 3c are respectively the inverting section 13. Each explanatory diagram showing such a mechanism, FIG. 4a,
Fig. 4b is an explanatory diagram showing the transfer paper conveyance operation and a flowchart diagram showing the operation procedure, respectively, Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the mechanism related to ADF device B, and Fig. 6
The figure is a flowchart showing the main routine of operation control in the ADF, and Figures 7 to 9 are block diagrams showing the operation control circuits between the copying machine main body A, ADF RO and sorter HA, and the operation timing. FIG. 2 is a timing chart diagram and a flowchart diagram illustrating an operation program. (Explanation of symbols), A: Copying machine body, B: ADF,
C: Sorter, 13: Reversing/discharging section, 200: Main body control circuit, 201: Document feeding control circuit, 202:
Sorter control circuit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A document setting device capable of setting a plurality of documents, and a separation feeding device that automatically separates the documents set in the document setting device one by one from the first page and feeds them to an exposure position. and an automatic document feeder having a discharge means for discharging the document located at the exposure position; and a sorter having a plurality of bins and sorting the transfer paper onto which the images of the plurality of documents have been transferred. and a copying apparatus capable of setting a sorting mode for sorting and discharging transfer sheets on which images of documents set in the document setting means have been transferred to a plurality of bins of the sorter, A transfer paper transport means for transporting the paper with or without reversing the front and rear edges; a detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a document set in the document setting means; After a page is fed by the separating and feeding means, a determining means determines whether or not there is only one original set in the original setting means based on the detection result of the detecting means; If the determination means determines that there is not one original set in the document setting means, the transfer paper is ejected with the image side facing down by the transfer paper conveyance means, and the The apparatus further comprises a conveyance control means for ejecting the transfer paper with the image side facing up by the transfer paper conveyance means when the discrimination means determines that there is only one original set in the document setting means. copying equipment.