JPS6055819B2 - Copy document automatic feeder - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic copy document feeder that automatically feeds and sets a copy document on the document setting surface of various copying machines.

Generally, this type of device has an endless belt on the document setting surface.
After feeding the original from the entrance end to the original regulation stopper provided at the copy reference position at the other end by providing a transport means such as a transport roller, the original is stopped and set, and after copying, the original is automatically It is being discharged. Conventionally, there have been known methods in which this conveying means is provided in sliding contact with the document set surface at all times, and methods in which it is provided at a position floating above this surface and brought into sliding contact during conveyance. The former method, in which the transport means is in constant sliding contact with the set surface, requires a significantly large starting load on the drive motor, etc., requires a large drive system, and is also prone to destroying documents that reach the document restriction stopper. There are drawbacks.

In particular, when an endless belt is used as a conveying means, the starting torque is extremely large when the entire belt is in close contact with the document set surface (glass material), so a large motor is used to tension the endless belt. The machine frame must be constructed robustly.

Furthermore, when the document reaches the document regulation stopper, the conveyance means is stopped just before the stopper to stop the document by gentle collision, and the document is fed by inertia. It is difficult to stop the regulation stopper. On the other hand, the latter method, in which the conveying means is provided in a position floating above the document set surface and this conveying means is controlled up and down during the document feeding process, is preferable in terms of starting load and downsizing the device, but it requires a large number of operations. Not only is it expensive due to its complicated structure such as solenoids, lifting mechanisms, timing clock configurations, and control circuits, but it also causes many problems such as its durability, durability, and reliability.

In view of the above-mentioned points, the present invention makes it possible to reliably feed originals and properly set originals by configuring the conveying section placed on the original setting surface to be vertically swingable, while also simplifying the device and making it more compact. Its main purpose is to provide an inexpensive automatic document feeder. The configuration will be explained in detail below based on the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings. The principle of the present invention is that the conveyance means such as an endless belt and a conveyance roller arranged on the document set surface are mounted on a swinging frame extending forward and backward in the feeding direction of the document set surface, and the swinging frame is By supporting the approximately center part so that it can freely swing up and down, and by swinging it using actuating means such as an electromagnetic solenoid and an actuating cam, the entrance end of the swing frame is used to keep the original from the entrance until it reaches the original regulation stopper. By sliding the exit end of the swing frame into sliding contact with the document setting surface, the document that has reached this document regulation stopper is ejected by slidingly contacting the document setting surface. At the same time, the force required to convey the document to the document regulation stopper is gradually reduced, eliminating the possibility of document damage or misaligned documents, and eliminating the need for a complicated conveyance force increase/decrease control mechanism during the document feeding process. This eliminates the need for

First, the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described in detail. 1 is a main body of a copying machine in which a normal copying mechanism is built-in, and 2 is a document setting surface thereof.

The following device is attached to the original setting surface 2 for feeding and setting originals from one end thereof to a copy reference position at the other end. In the diagram, A shows a paper feed section, B shows a transport section, and C shows a paper discharge section. 16, and this paper feed unit frame 10 is firmly fixed to the copying machine main body 1 with bolts or other fixing means.
, the paper discharge section C is configured as a normal storage stacker. Therefore, the transport section B includes a main body frame 3 consisting of a framework placed on the document setting surface 2, a swing frame 6 whose approximately central portion is supported on the main body frame 3 so as to be vertically swingable;
It is composed of an endless belt 7 stretched between the rotating shafts 4 and 5 at one end of the front and back provided on the swing frame 6, and an actuating means 9 consisting of an electromagnetic solenoid (rotary solenoid) for swinging the swing frame 6. It has been done.

The main body frame 3 is hinged to the paper feed unit frame 16 through a rotating shaft, and a suspension spring (
(not shown) so that it can freely rotate upward in FIG. This is to open the original setting surface 2 when copying thick originals or other originals that cannot be fed, and the purpose of separating the paper feeding unit frame 16 and the main body frame 3 is this opening/closing mass. In order to reduce this, this may be configured as an integral body main frame.

As shown in FIG. 2, the swing frame 6 has a frame structure in which a pair of front and rear rotation support shafts 4, 5 are attached to opposing frames extending in the paper feeding direction, and a support shaft 17 is installed approximately in the center of the swing frame 6. is similarly provided, and this support shaft 17 is swingably supported by the main body frame 3 via a bearing.

Therefore, the swing frame 6 is supported by the main body frame 3 so as to be swingable about the support shaft 17, and pulleys 4'' and 5'' are fitted to the rotation support shafts 4 and 5 at appropriate intervals, respectively. , endless belt 7
is set up. Also, on the support shaft 17, there is a breath roller 18 that brings the slack side of the belt into sliding contact with the document setting surface 2.
is provided. This breath roller 18 is not necessarily provided, but in addition to being provided so that the endless belt 7 is always in sliding contact with the document setting surface 2 as shown in the figure, this breath roller 18 is not necessarily provided.
8 may be connected to an electromagnetic solenoid so as to be able to move up and down, and the breath roller 18 may be moved down after the drive motor is started.

An operating means 9 consisting of a rotary solenoid attached to the bottom plate 3a of the main body frame 3 is connected to the support shaft 17 via a gear, and a spring 19 that always biases the main body frame to the state shown in FIG. 1 is connected to the support shaft 17. It is located between 3 and 3.

As the actuating means 9, in addition to an electromagnetic solenoid, a small motor,
Alternatively, various types of cams can be used, such as a cam that operates after a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the start of the device.

An entrance gate 12 is provided at the document supply port 10 of the swing frame 6.
In the vicinity of the document ejection port 13, document regulating stoppers are each pivotally supported on the main body 3 of the machine frame so as to be able to move toward and away from the document setting surface 2, and an entrance gate 12 is provided at the front end of the swing frame 6. A document regulating stopper is connected to the rear end by a lever as shown in the figure, and is adapted to move up and down with respect to the document setting surface 2 in opposition to the swing frame 6.

20 shown in the figure is a rubber roller 4'' provided on the rotating shaft 4 of the swing frame 6.
It is a plate spring that comes into pressure contact with the document set surface 2, and is embedded in the document setting surface 2 side.

Reference numeral 24 denotes an inlet side document sensor, and 25 denotes an outlet side document sensor.

Therefore, a drive motor built into the paper feed section A is connected to the rotating shaft 4 by a timing pulley via a transmission mechanism.

In this transmission system, since the swing frame 6 of the rotary shaft 4 swings up and down, the distance between the shafts changes, but the amount of swing is sufficient to move toward and away from the document set surface, so there is no effect. Moreover, if it is linked to the support shaft 17, there is no need to worry about this. Next, the one shown in FIG. 4 is one in which the aforementioned rotating shafts 4 and 5 are equipped with conveying rollers 8, and several rows (two rows in the illustrated example) of rollers 26 are arranged between the rotating shafts 4 and 5. are the same as those described above, and will be explained using the same numbers.

In this structure, in the state shown in FIG. 1, the swing frame 6 equipped with an endless belt or conveying roller is held at the position shown by the spring 19, and the apparatus is in an inactive state.

Then, when a document is inserted from the document table 14, its leading edge contacts the entrance gate 12, the leading edge is aligned, and the document sensor 24 on the entrance side is notified that the document has been inserted.

Then, the rotary solenoid shown in the operating means 9 is energized, and the swing frame 6 swings to the state shown in FIG. 3, and at this time the population gate 12 rises from the document setting surface 2 and retreats. Concurrently with this, the drive motor is started, and the endless belt 7 or the conveying roller 8 rotates in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure to send the document to the document regulating stopper 13. At this time, the endless belt 7 and the conveyor roller 8
Since the position is inclined with respect to the document setting surface 2, the torque of the drive motor may be small, and the conveying force applied to the document is reduced as it approaches the document regulating stopper 13. If the driving of the endless belt 7 is stopped just before the document reaches the document regulating stopper 13, the document will then gently hit the stopper 13 due to inertia and stop.

Next, when a signal indicating the completion of the copying process is obtained and the operation of the actuating means 9 is released, the swing frame 6 returns to the state shown in FIG.
Evacuate from. If the endless belt 7 or the ejection roller 8 is activated at the same time, the original is ejected from the copy original ejection port 11. In the present invention, since the swing frame 6 is supported by a shaft at approximately the center thereof, it is possible to hold the swing frame 6 in its position using an electromagnetic solenoid or the like, without having to apply the force using the spring 19 described above. In addition, even if a spring is used to bias the rocking direction in one direction, it is also possible to bias it to the state shown in Figure 3, contrary to what is shown in the figure. In this case, during the copying process, an electromagnetic solenoid, etc. There is the advantage that the means 9 do not have to be kept in operation.

Since the present invention has the configuration described above, the conveying means of the endless belt 7 or the conveying roller 8 disposed on the document setting surface 2 has an inlet end when feeding the document, and an exit end when discharging the document. Since the original is transferred in sliding contact with the original setting surface 2, parts other than the parts that feed the original do not come into sliding contact with the original setting surface 2, and not only the drive motor and transmission mechanism, but also the endless belt 7 and the transport roller 8 Since the load on the machine is small, the machine frame can be simple, and the entire device can be simplified.

At the same time, since the swing frame 6 equipped with the above-mentioned conveyance means is supported at its approximate center, the electromagnetic solenoid or other actuating means may be simple due to its balance. The pinch roller that pinches and engages with this in the conveying state can be omitted if the swinging time of the swinging frame 6 is set as shown in the figure, and the document regulating stopper 13 is also linked to the vertical swinging of the swinging frame 6. It is also possible.

In addition, the document reaching the document regulation stopper 13 is moved by the swing frame 6.
It is also possible to easily tilt the conveying means equipped on the document setting surface 2 so as to gradually reduce its conveying force, so that the document regulating stopper 13 can stop the document at an appropriate position without damaging it. This is an extremely useful invention.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show preferred embodiments of the present invention, with FIG. 1 being an explanatory cross-sectional view, FIG. 2 being an explanatory plan view, and FIG. 3 being an explanatory view of the operation and state. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing an embodiment different from the above one. 1...Copier main body, 2...Original setting surface,
3... Main frame of the machine, 4, 5... Rotation support shaft, 6... Swinging frame, 7... Endless belt, 8... Conveyance roller.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A swing frame 6 having at least a pair of front and rear rotational shafts 4, 5 is mounted on the machine main frame 3 placed on the original setting surface 2 of the copying machine main body 1, on the original setting surface 2. An endless belt 7 is provided with a substantially central portion supported so as to be vertically swingable, and an endless belt 7 is mounted on the rotating shafts 4 and 5.
Alternatively, the transport roller 8 is provided, and an electromagnetic solenoid or other actuating means 9 for swinging the swing frame 6 is provided between the body main frame 3 and the swing frame 6, and one end of the swing frame 6 is provided. A copy document supply port 10 is provided at one end, and a copy document discharge port 11 is provided at the other end.
An automatic copy document feeder comprising: 2 An entrance gate 12 is provided at the front end of the document setting surface 2, and a document regulation stopper 13 is provided at the rear end of the machine frame main body 3.
The automatic document copying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the entrance gate 12 and the document regulation stopper 13 are moved up and down reciprocally with the front and rear ends of the swing frame 6. Feeding device.