JPH0777954B2 - Circulating document feeder - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention repeatedly sends a series of originals to a platen of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or an image reader a predetermined number of times and sets both sides of a double-sided original on the platen. A possible circulating document feeder.

[Technical background of the invention]

An image forming apparatus, for example, a document feeding apparatus that automatically supplies a document to a platen of a copying machine, includes a circulating document that can feed a series of documents repeatedly to the platen a predetermined number of times and set both sides of a two-sided document on the platen. There is a feeder.

Such a circulation type document feeder is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-60-4.
There is one shown in Japanese Patent No. 5236.

[Problems of background technology]

The circulating document feeder shown in this publication repeatedly feeds a series of documents a predetermined number of times, and switches the documents back and forth so that both sides of the two-sided document are set on the platen. For this reason, the motor has to be frequently rotated in the forward and reverse directions, resulting in complicated control.

[Object of the Invention]

An object of the present invention is to provide a circulating type document feeder which can feed a series of documents a predetermined number of times repeatedly and can realize an operation of setting both sides of a two-sided document on a platen with a simple configuration and control.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

Therefore, according to the present invention, a feeding means for sequentially feeding a series of originals set on the original tray, a first path for reversing the originals sent by the sending means downward, and a first path for discharging the originals are discharged. And a conveying means for sending back the original document to the platen of the image forming apparatus and discharging it from the platen by switching it back. The original document switched back by the conveying means is inverted upward and placed on the uppermost paper on the original tray. A second path for returning to the first path, and a third path for switching back from the platen and returning the original turned upside down on the second path to the first path.
Is provided in a confluence part of the second path and the third path,
It is characterized in that it is provided with a conveyance rotating body that rotates in one direction.

Example of Invention

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, on the platen 3 of the image forming apparatus, for example, the copying machine 1, a circulation type document feeding apparatus 5 is provided so that the back side is hinged to the back side of the copying machine 1 and can be opened and closed.

The copying machine 1 has a double-sided copying function for copying an image on both sides of a sheet. When copying only one side of a sheet, the copying side faces up and the sheet is discharged onto a discharge tray (not shown). In the case of copying, the front and back sides of the sheet copied on one side are reversed and the back side is also copied, and the copied side is discharged upward to the discharge tray. A stopper 4 is provided at the right end of the platen 3.

The circulation type document feeding device 5 has a feeding means 9 for sequentially feeding a series of documents P set on the document tray 7 from the top sheet, and a first path for reversing the documents fed by the feeding means 9 downward. 11 and a conveyance means 13 for sending the document discharged from the first path 11 onto the platen 3 of the copying machine 1 and for switching it back and discharging it from the platen 3; A second path 15 which reverses the original document upward and returns it to the uppermost sheet on the original document tray 7, and a second path 15 which is switched back from the platen 3 and the original document which is inverted upward in the second path 15 is the first path. And a third path 17 for returning to 11.

The sending-out means 9 is a non-circular sending-out roller 19 for sending out the uppermost sheet of the original, and a paper-feeding roller for sending out the original sent out by the sending-out roller 19 while separating the original into one sheet.
21 and a separating roller 23.

The paper feed roller 21 and the separation roller 23 are in reverse rotation while being in contact with each other.

In the first path 11, the document detection sensor S1 and the conveyance roller
25,27 are provided.

The document detection sensor S1 is for controlling the forward rotation and stop of the transporting means 13, and when detecting the leading edge of the document, the transporting means 13
When the document 13 is rotated in the normal direction and the trailing edge of the document is detected, the conveying means 13 is stopped after a predetermined time T1 from the time of detection. Also, depending on the mode, when the document is conveyed onto the platen and is switched back to the second path 15 without copying,
The conveying means 1 is reversed after a lapse of a predetermined time T2 from the time when the sensor S1 detects the trailing edge of the document.

Further, the transport roller 27 is driven in one direction, and the transport roller 25
Will follow.

The discharge port 29 of the first path 11 is formed upward so that a document sent back to the second path 15 by being switched back by the conveying means 13 does not enter.

In the conveying means 13, the conveying belt 35 is stretched between the rollers 31 and 33, and inside the conveying belt 35, the rollers 37, 39, 41, 43,
45 is arranged and configured.

A drive device is connected to the roller 31, and when the sensor S1 detects the leading edge of the document, the roller 31 is rotated in the normal direction, and the roller 31 is stopped after a predetermined time T1 from the time when the rear edge of the document is detected. Further, the roller 31 is used every time copying by the copying machine 1 is completed.
Reverse.

The second path 15 is provided with conveyance rollers 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57 and a document detection sensor S2.

The transport rollers 49, 53, 57 are driven in one direction, and the transport roller 4
7,51,55 are driven. The transport rollers 49, 53, 57 may be driven together with the delivery roller 19, the paper feed roller 21, the separation roller 23, the transport roller 27, etc. by the same drive device, or may be divided into several parts. It may be configured to be driven by a plurality of driving devices.

The sensor S2 controls switching of the flapper 59 as will be described later. When the sensor S2 detects the leading edge of the document when the document is inverted and returned onto the platen 3 in the mode of conveying a two-sided document, a predetermined flapper 59 is detected. It is designed to switch upward at time T3 (a time sufficient for the document to pass).

A flapper is provided at the branch point between the second route 15 and the third route 17.
59 is provided, and the second path is set by switching the flapper 59.
The original that has entered 15 is discharged to the original tray 7 as it is, or sent to the third path 17 and supplied again onto the platen 3. For example, a solenoid is connected to the flapper 59, and the solenoid is connected to the sensor S2.
Drive control is performed according to the document transport mode.

The circulation type document feeder 5 configured as described above operates as follows.

First, a case where a single-sided original is circulated and copied on one side of a sheet will be described.

Place the original face up on the original tray 7. Also,
Select the single-sided original or single-sided copy mode. And the number of copies is done.

In this state, when a start switch (not shown) is pressed, the feed roller 19 rotates to feed the bottom sheet of the document. Documents sent out are fed by a paper feed roller 21 and a separation roller
It is separated into one sheet by 23 and sent to the first route 11. Then, when detected by the document leading edge sensor S1, the transport belt 35 rotates in the normal direction. When the leading edge of the document reaches the platen platen,
It is conveyed rightward in the figure by the conveyor belt 35. And
When the document hits the stopper 4, the document is prevented from moving. It should be noted that, when a predetermined time T1 has elapsed after the trailing edge of the document passes the sensor S1, the rotation of the conveyor belt 35 is stopped.

Then, the copying machine 1 is activated and copying is performed. The copied paper is stored in the paper discharge tray with the copy surface facing up. Since the originals are sent from the last page, the sheets are stacked on the discharge tray from the last page. That is, they are finally stored in page order.

When the original is supplied to the platen 3 and the copying is completed as described above, the conveyor belt 35 reverses and conveys the original in the left direction. This manuscript enters the second path 15 and the rollers 47, 49, 5
The paper is conveyed by 1.53, 55, and 57, and is stored on the uppermost paper of the paper discharge tray.

As a result, the sheet is conveyed as shown in FIG.

By repeating such an operation, a document of a plurality of pages is copied. By the way, since the copied document is returned to the document tray 7 again, the document is repeatedly circulated by the set number of copies.

Next, a case where a double-sided original is conveyed and copied on both sides of a sheet will be described. It goes without saying that the mode is selected and the number of copies is designated.

First, the original is set on the original tray 7 with the odd-numbered pages facing up. In this state, when a start switch (not shown) is pressed, the feed roller 19 rotates to feed the top sheet of the document. The fed document is fed onto the platen 3 through the first path 11, and when a predetermined time T2 elapses after the trailing edge of the document passes the sensor S1, the conveyor belt 35 rotates in the reverse direction to perform the copying operation. Switch back without performing. The switched back document enters the second path 15. Then, when the sensor S2 detects the leading edge of the original, the flapper 59 is switched to the upper side, and the original entering the second path 15 is flapped.
The route is switched to 59 and sent to the third route 17.
That is, it is conveyed as shown in FIG.

The original document that has entered the third path 17 is again supplied to the first path 11, is sent to the platen 3, and is abutted against the stopper 4. Then, the even pages are copied. When copying is completed, it is switched back and transported as shown in FIG.
It is again supplied to the platen 3 and abutted against the stopper 4, and the odd-numbered purge is copied. As a result, both sides of the original are copied.

This document is switched back and supplied to the second path 15. At this time, the flapper 59 has returned and the original is stored in the paper discharge tray 7. That is, it is conveyed as shown in FIG.

Such an operation is repeated to copy a double-sided original having a plurality of pages. Since the copied document is returned to the document tray 7 again, the document is circulated by the set number of copies.

When copying a single-sided original on both sides of the paper, the original should be placed on the first path 11, platen 3, as shown in FIG.
The second path 15 and the document tray 7 are circulated so that the sheet of paper is copied on one side, then inverted and copied on the other side and discharged.

Also, when copying a two-sided original on one side of the paper, first
When the original document is supplied onto the platen 3, it is discharged without being copied, is reversed as shown in FIG. 3, and when it is supplied onto the platen again, even pages are copied. The copied paper is ejected. The original document on the platen 3 is inverted again as shown in FIG. 4 and supplied onto the platen 3 to copy the odd pages. The copied paper overlaps the previous paper. On the other hand, the original is returned to the original tray 7 as shown in FIG.

According to this embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) The first path 11 for reversing the original sent out by the sending-out means 9 in the downward direction, and the original path switched back by the conveying means 13 in the upward direction for reversing the original tray 7
A second path 15 for returning to the uppermost sheet of paper and a third path 17 for returning the original that has been turned up from the second path 15 by switching back from the platen 3 to the first path 11 are provided. So
A document is conveyed in one direction on each of the paths 11, 15 and 17. Therefore, not only the feed roller 19, the paper feed roller 21, and the separation roller 23, but also the transport rollers 27, 49, 53, 57 need only be driven in one direction at all times, which simplifies the drive transmission mechanism and control and reduces costs. Is planned.

(2) Even when a document is supplied from the document tray 7 to the platen 3 through the first path 11, the document is turned over from the platen 3 through the second path 15 and the third path 17 onto the platen 3. Even when it is returned, it passes the sensor S1. Therefore, only one sensor S1 is required to rotate the conveyor belt 35 in the forward direction or to stop the conveyor belt 35, which is simplified.

(3) Since there is no switchback path in the path for reversing the original, the path is shortened, the size is reduced, and the conveyance speed is increased.

[Modification]

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and the following modifications are possible, for example.

(1) In the above-described embodiment, the copying machine that discharges the copied paper as it is to the paper discharge tray is shown, but the copied paper may be reversed and discharged to the paper discharge tray.
Further, the paper discharge tray may be a reversing tray that reverses and stores the paper. In such a case, it is needless to say that the reversing / copying operation is performed in consideration of the document order and the page order of the copied paper.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, the sending-out means for sequentially sending out a series of originals set on the original tray, the first path for reversing the originals sent out by the sending-out means downward, and the discharging for the first path The transporting means for feeding back the scanned document to the platen of the image forming apparatus and switching it back and discharging it from the platen, and the document switched back by this transporting means is turned upside down and placed on the document tray. A second path for returning to the paper, and a third path for switching back from the platen and returning the original turned upside down on the second path to the first path.
Is provided in a confluence part of the second path and the third path,
Since it is equipped with a conveyance rotating body that rotates in one direction, a series of originals can be repeatedly sent a predetermined number of times, and the operation of setting both sides of a double-sided original on the platen can be realized with a simple configuration and control. A feeder can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
5 to 5 are operation explanatory views. 1 ... Copier 3 ... Platen 4 ... Stopper 5 ... Circulating type document feeder 7 ... Document tray 9 ... Sending means 11 ... First path 13 ... Conveying means 15 ... Second path 17 ... Third route

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A sending-out means for sequentially sending out a series of originals set on an original tray, a first path for reversing the originals sent out by the sending-out means, and a discharging path for the first path. And a conveying means for sending back the original document to the platen of the image forming apparatus and discharging it from the platen by switching it back. The original document switched back by the conveying means is inverted upward and placed on the uppermost paper on the original tray. A second path for returning to the first path, and a third path for switching back from the platen and returning the original turned upside down on the second path to the first path.
Is provided in a confluence part of the second path and the third path,
A circulating type document feeder, comprising: a conveyance rotating body that rotates in one direction. 2. A circulating type document feeder according to claim 1, wherein said feeding means is a rotary member which feeds from the lowest document. 3. A circulation type document feeder according to claim 1, wherein a document detection sensor for controlling driving of the conveying means is provided downstream of a confluence of the first path and the third path. A circulating type document feeder, which is provided with.