GB2285721A

GB2285721A - Operating a facsimile apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2285721A
Application number: GB9426432A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jong Seok Kang
Original assignee: Gold Star Co Ltd
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 1993-12-30
Filing date: 1994-12-30
Publication date: 1995-07-19
Anticipated expiration: 2014-12-30
Also published as: GB2285721B; GB9426432D0; KR950022719A; KR970003412B1; JPH07297989A; DE4447247A1; CN1113371A

Description

2285721 METHOD FOR OPERATING A FACSIMILE APPARATUS HAVING TRANSFER MEANS

FOR CONVEYING RECORDING PAPER AND DOCUMENTS This invention relates to a method for -operating a facsimile having a transfer means for transferring recording paper and document, more particularly to a transfer means that has a reading head and a recording head made to contact with a roller at initial ready mode.

Shown in FIG. 1 is a side view of a principal part of a prior art facsimile driving part, wherein a reading head 4 and a recording head 5 are positioned biased by springs 6 and 7 respectively opposite to each other on both sides of a roller 3 that transfers document 1 and recording paper 2, a reading head pin 8 is integrally jointed with a bracket 9, and the reading head 4 is jointed to the bracket 9 with screws (not shown) and a recording head pin 10 is integrally jointed with the recording head 5, and a shaft 12 a cam 11 having a long axis part lla and a short axi!Epart lib is fixed on each end thereof is positioned inside of a hollow roller 3 so that the cam 11 is rotated on driving a motor(not shown) in clockwise direction and oppositely, the roller 3 is rotated and the rotation of the cam is stopped on reversing of the motor.

In a ready mode of a conventional facsimile, the reading head pin 8 and the recording head pin 10 make contact with the long axis part lla of the cams 11 while separating the reading head 4 and the recording head 5 from the roller 3.

When a transmission mode is selected under such a condition for transmission of document 1, in consequence of mode selection, the cams 11 fixed on the shaft 12 are rotated to make the reading head make contact with the roller 3 but leaving the recording head 5 to maintain its condition of being separated from the roller 3. Thereafter, when the motor is reversed rotating the roller 3, document is fed which is read in by the reading head 4 and accordingly, a transmission is made possible. On completion of transmission of document 1, the motor rotates the shaft 12 in clockwise direction putting the facsimile into a ready mode again and separating the reading head 4 and the recording head 5 from the roller.3.

When a reception mode is selected, in consequence of selected mode, the cams 11 fixed on the shaft 12 are rotated to make the recording head 5 make to contact with the roller 3 but leaving the reading head 4 to maintain its condition of being separated from the roller 3. Thereafter, on reversing of - 3 is the motor rotating the roller 3, the recording head 5 records received information on the transferring recording paper 2. Since the motor rotates the shaft 12 in clockwise direction on completion of reception, the facsimile is put into a ready mode, i.e., the reading head 4 and the recording head 5 are separated from the roller 3.

on the other hand, when a copying mode is selected, in consequence of the selected mode, the cams 11 fixed on the shaft 12 are rotated to make the short axis part 11b make to contact with the reading head pin 8 as well as the recording head pin 10 causing to maintain a condition that the reading head 4 and the recording head 5 make to contact with the roller 3, information on the fed document 1 can be recorded on the recording paper 2. on completion of copying on the recording paper 2, since the motor rotates the shaft 12 in clockwise direction, the facsimile is put into a ready mode.

And at transportation or a long time custody of the facsimile, the recording paper 2 is removed and put the facsimile into a condition that the reading head 4 and the recording head 5 are separated from the roller 3, like in a ready mode.

However, the foregoing conventional driving method has problems as follows; First, since a condition that reading head 4 has been separated from the roller 3 is maintained in a ready mode the fore end of a document to be read is inserted up to a position in which it makes contact with the roller on insertion of a document in a transmission mode and the information on the fore end -of the document cannot be transmitted.

Second, in the case of a facsimile without any paper cutting device wherein recording paper should be cut off manually, since the roller 3 has been separated from the recording head 5, the recording paper unrolls out of the recording paper roll on cutting off of the recording paper.

Third, the fore end of the recording paper can cause difficulty in slipping out of the gap between the roller 3 and the recording head 5 in which case the facsimile is stricken with an impact in a ready mode of the facsimile.

The present invention provides a method of operating a facsimile apparatus which has transfer means for feeding paper therethrough past either or both of a reading means for reading information on a document or recording means for recording information on recording paper, the method comprising:

readying the facsimile apparatus for reception or transmission by the placing the apparatus in a ready mode in which the reading means and the recording means are both in positions proximate the transfer means; bringing the facsimile apparatus from the ready mode to a transmission mode for transmitting information by moving the recording means from the ready mode position thereof proximate the transfer means to a position further distanced from the transfer means, the reading means being retained in a position proximate the transfer means in the reception mode; and bringing the facsimile apparatus from the ready mode to a reception mode for receiving information by moving the reading means from the ready mode position thereof proximate the transfer means to a position further distanced from the transfer means, the -recording means being retained in a position proximate the transfer means in the reception mode.

Preferably the method further comprises:

bringing the facsimile apparatus from the ready mode to a copying mode for copying information from the document to the recording paper by first moving the recording means from the ready mode position thereof proximate the transfer means to a position further distanced from the transfer means, secondly sensing when a fore end of the document to be copied reaches the reading means and thirdly bringing the recording means into a position proximate the transfer means when the fore end of the document reaches the reading means, with the reading means proximate the transfer means in this condition, thereafter copying information from the document to the recording paper using both the reading means and the recording means.

Preferably the method comprises additionally bringing the apparatus from the ready mode to a packaging mode by moving both the reading means and the recording means from the ready mode positions thereof proximate the transfer means to positions further distanced from the transfer means.

Preferably the modes of operation of the facsimile apparatus are selected using mode selecting means driven by cam driving means, the cam driving means being rotated by the transfer means.

Preferably the transfer means includes a roller.

In a second aspect the present invention provides facsimile apparatus adapted for use in the above mentioned method, the facsimile apparatus having modes of operation as required by the method.

In a third aspect the present invention provides facsimile apparatus comprising reading means for reading information on a document recording means for recording information on recording paper and transfer means for feeding paper past one or both of the reading means and the recording means, wherein the facsimile apparatus has the following modes of operation which can be selected by mode selecting means:

a ready mode in which both the reading means and the recording means are proximate the transfer means; a transmission mode in which the reading means is operative and proximate the transfer means and the recording means is spaced apart from the transfer means; and a reception mode in which the recording means is operative and proximate the transfer means and the reading means is spaced apart from the transfer means.

Preferably the facsimile operation has as a further mode of operation a copying mode and a selection for selecting the copying mode, wherein when the copying mode is selected and a sensor senses that the fore end of the document to be copied has reached the reading means then the recording means is brought from a position spaced apart from the transfer means to an operative position proximate the transfer means and records on the recording paper information on the document to be copied as read by reading means which is in an operative position proximate the transfer means.

Preferably the facsimile apparatus has as a further mode of operation a packaging mode in which the reading means and the recording means are both spaced apart from the transfer means.

Preferably the mode selecting means is driven by cam driving means and the cam driving means can be rotated by the transfer means.

Preferably the transfer means includes a roller.

The present invention provides in a further aspect a method for operating a facsimile, the facsimile comprising a transfer means, a cam driving means rotated by the transfer means, mode selecting means driven by the cam driving means and a reading means and a recording means selectively contacted with the transfer means, comprising steps for putting the facsimile into:

a ready mode of making the reading means and the recording means together make contact with the transfer means; a transmission mode of making the reading means make contact with the transfer means while separating the recording means from the transfer means from the ready mode for transmission of document; and a reception mode of making the recording means make conta-ct with the transfer means while separating the reading means from the transfer means from the ready mode for recording received information.

The method for operating a facsimile can further include a step for putting the facsimile into copying mode from the ready mode, of separating the recording means from the transfer means, and applying copying signal under a condition that a fore end of document has been reached to the entrance of the reading means to make the reading means and the recording means make contact with the transfer means for recording information in the document on the recording means.

The method for operating a facsimile can still further include a step for putting the facsimile into - a - a packaging or carrying mode of making the reading means and the recording means to be separated from the transfer means.

The invention solves the before mentioned problems by preventing the information at the fore end of the document from being not transmitted in transmission and the recording paper from being unrolled from the recording paper roll on cutting off of the recording paper by making the reading head and the recording head make contact with a transfer means in a ready mode and making them make simultaneous or selective contact with the transfer means depending on mode selection.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a principal part of a prior art facsimile driving part.

FIG. 2a-2f are flow charts for explaining each of the modes in accordance with the present invention.

FIGS. 3a-3e are side views for showing position of cam for each of the modes of FIGS. 2a-2f.

With reference to FIGS. 2a-2e, the method for operating a facsimile in accordance with one embodiment of this invention includes steps for putting the facsimile into: a ready mode of making a reading head 4 and a recording head 5 make contact with a roller 3 by means of a short axis part 11b of a cam 11; a transmission mode of making the reading head 4 make contact with the roller 3 and the recording head 4 separated from the roller 3 from the ready mode by rotating the cam 11 for transmission of information on a document and of rotating the cam 11 into the ready mode after completion of transmission of information on the document; a reception mode of making the recording head 5 make contact with the roller 3 and the reading head 4 separated from the -roller 3 from the ready mode by rotating the cam 11 for recording received information on recording paper and of rotating the cam 11 into the ready mode after completion of recording received information on recording paper 2.

The method for operating a facsimile can further include the steps of rotating the cam 11 from the ready mode to put the facsimile into copying mode of separating the recording head 5 from the roller 3, producing a copying signal under a condition that a fore end of a document has reached the entrance of the reading head in order to rotate the cam more to make the reading head and the recording head make contact with the roller for recording information in the document on the recording head.

The method for operating a facsimile can still further include a step for putting the facsimile into a packaging mode by making the reading head and the recording head to be separated from the roller by means of a long axis of the cam.

Of course, a roller, a cam and a reading head/recording head are examples of a transfer means, a selecting means and a reading means/recording means respectively.

The cam can be directly driven by the roller as the roller is inserted into the cam. Also, the cam can be indirectly driven by a cam driving means.

The foregoing description is to be explained more hereinafter in detail.

FIGS. 2a-2f are flow charts for explaining each of the modes in accordance with this invention, and FIGS. 3a-3e are side views for showing position of cam for each of the modes of FIGS. 2a-2f, in some of which the reading head 4 and/or the recording head 5 are maintaining a condition in which they are separated from the roller 3.

In FIG 3e a mode is shown in which the long axis 11a of the cam 11 is in contact with a reading head pin 8 and a recording head pin 10 thereby separating both the reading head 4 and the recording head 5 from the roller 3. In such a condition, a roll of recording paper 2 is put into place if one has not been put in place. By putting a cover on the facsimile a recording paper sensor thereon turns off on sensing a placed roll and placing of the recording paper is completed.

When recording paper has been loaded, upon turning on power, the cam 11 rotates at 90 deg. in a clockwise direction making the mechanism to be in a condition as shown in FIG. 3a wherein the reading head pin 8 and the recording head pin 10 are placed in contact with the short axis part 11b of the cam 11. That is, a ready mode is established wherein the reading head 4 and the recording head 5 are made to contact with the roller 3. When a transmission mode is selected from such a mode for transmission of information on the document, its selection process proceeds as shown in FIG. 2b.

When the document to be transmitted is placed on a document rest under a ready mode, a document sensor, on sensing the document, turns on a motor to turn and stop a shaft 12 at 45 deg. in clockwise direction. In consequence of this operation, since the reading head pin 8 maintains contact with the short axis part 11a of the cam 11 while the recording head pin 10 makes contact with the long axis part 11a of the cam 11, the recording head 5 is separated from the roller 3 as shown in FIG. 3b. After separating the recording head 5 from the roller 3, the motor reverses transferring the document up to reading position, thereby setting of the document is completed. Thereafter, on hearing a signal sound at -dialing a number of a receiver, a start button is pressed to feed one sheet of the document at the lowest position through and between the roller 3 and the reading head 4, which turns off the document sensor, and allows the reading head 4 to read and transmit the information recorded on the document. After one sheet of document has been transmitted and discharged onto a tray, since the document sensor turns on again and sets the next document (if it has been found there is any document to be transmitted through sensing the document) continuous transmission of document is possible. However, when no document to be transmitted is sensed, the motor rotates the cam 11 at 315 deg. in clockwise direction after 3 to 4 seconds to restore the mechanism into a ready mode and stops the operation.

Shown by FIGS. 2c and 3c is the reception mode. When a reception signal is received in ready mode, the motor rotates the cam 11 at 135 deg. in clockwise direction and stops the operation. According to this, as shown in FIG. 3c, the reading head pin 8 is made to contact with the long axis part 11a of the cam 11, separating the reading head from the roller 3 and maintaining a condition in which the short axis part 11b of the cam is in contact with the recording head pin 10, it becomes a condition that the recording head 5 is placed in contact with the roller 3. In the case that a facsimile telephone line is used in common with a general telephone line, the function should be changed over to a facsimile function before pressing the start button on reception of facsimile reception signal.

However, in case that an exclusive facsimile telephone line is used, the reading head 4 being separated from the roller 3 while the roller 3 is turning in counter clockwise direction by the motor, the reception is started.

When no document is sensed during reception and recording on recording paper of the information on the document continuously, i.e., upon completion of reception, the cam 11 is rotated at 225 deg. in clockwise direction by the motor, restoring the mechanism into a ready mode and stopping the operation.

The attached drawings FIGS. 2d and 3d explain a copying mode, wherein, when a document to be copied is placed on the document rest in the copying mode the document sensor (like in the transmission mode) senses the document and turns on the motor to turn the shaft 12 by-45 deg. in a clockwise direction then stopping the rotation. Then the reading head pin 8 maintains contact with the short axis part 11b of the cam 11 and the recording head pin 10 makes contact with the long axis part 11a of the cam 11, the recording head 5 is separated from the roller 3. After the recording head is separated from the roller 3 the document placed on the document rest is transferred to the reading position of the document by reversing the motor and setting of the document is finished. Then, when the copying starting button is pressed the motor turns in a normal direction and turns the cam 11 by 135 deg. in clockwise direction and then stops rotation, bringing the reading head pin 8 and the recording head pin 10 into contact with the short axis part 11b of the cam 11 both at the same time, the reading head pin 4 and the recording head pin 5 thus making contact with the roller 3. In such a condition, a sheet of document at the lowest position is fed by the reversing of the motor and the information on the document is read by the reading head 4 and the information is recorded on the recording paper 2 by the recording head 5.

on completion of reading of the copied document by the reading head 4, the copied document is discharged to a tray, turning off the document sensor. Thereafter, when there are more pages of the document the document sensor turns on again and sets the document continuously and continuous copying is possible. However, in the case where there are no more document pages to copy, the motor rotates in the normal direction, turning the cam 11 in a clockwise direction by 180 deg. in clockwise direction and putting the mechanism into the ready mode shown in FIG. 3a, and the operation stops.

The attached drawing FIG. 2f is for explaining a case that the recording paper has run out in either the copying or the reception mode. When the running out of the recording paper is sensed during reception or copying of a document by a sensor, the motor turns in a normal direction to turn the cam by 90 deg. during reception and by 135 deg. during copying respectively, making the reading head pin 8 and the recording head pin 10 make contact with the long axis 11a of the cam 11 and separating the reading head pin 8 and the recording head pin 10 from the roller 3 and the facsimile announces to a user that the recording paper has run out through a recording paper run out announcing means, such as buzzer. During the above operation when the facsimile is in the copying mode, the recording paper run out sensor activates discharge of the document to the tray. Then, when a user opens the cover, mounts a new roll of recording paper and closes the cover again, the recording paper - 14 run out sensor turns off and makes the cam 11 turn by 90 deg. in the clockwise direction, resulting in the mechanism returning to the ready mode and the system stopping operation.

The attached drawing 2e is for explaining a mode of packaging for transportation or long time custody. Upon opening a cover for removing recording paper from the facsimile in its ready mode, the motor turns in normal direction turning the cam at 270 deg. in clockwise direction, the mechanism becomes as shown in FIG. 3e (i.e. equivalent to when the recording paper has run out during reception or copying). Thus, the reading head 4 and the recording head 5 are both separated from the roller 3. Utilizing this, when the recording paper is removed and the cover is closed and the recording paper sensor senses no presence of paper and maintains a condition in which the reading head 4 and the recording head 5 are both separated from the roller 3 and it becomes possible to turn off power and carry out packaging for transportation as well as storing. In the case the facsimile is used again, it is understood that the facsimile can be used after the recording paper is placed into the machine according to the operation shown in FIG. 2a.

As has been explained, the invention provides that the reading head 4 and the recording head 5 always maintain contact with the roller 3 in a ready mode in an initial stage and there is setting of the fore end of document position at the entrance of the reading part, exact transmission and copying are made possible and slipping off of the recording paper between the roller and the recording head can be prevented.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments, it is evident that many alternatives and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, the invention is intended to embrace all of the alternatives and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of -the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of operating a facsimile apparatus which has transfer means for feeding paper therethrough past either or both of a reading means for reading information on a document or recording means for recording information on recording paper, the method comprising: readying the facsimile apparatus for reception or transmission by the placing the apparatus in a ready mode in which the reading means and the recording means are both in positions proximate the transfer means; bringing the facsimile apparatus from the ready mode to a transmission mode for transmitting information by moving the recording means from the ready mode position thereof proximate the transfer means to a position further distanced from the transfer means, the reading means being retained in a position proximate the transfer means in the reception mode, and bringing the facsimile apparatus from the ready mode to a reception mode for receiving information by moving the reading means from the ready mode position thereof proximate the transfer means to a position further distanced from the transfer means, the recording means being retained in a position proximate the transfer means in the reception mode.

2. A method of operating a facsimile apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: bringing the facsimile from the ready mode to a copying mode for copying information from the document to the recording paper by first moving the recording means from the ready mode position thereof proximate the transfer means to a position further distanced from the transfer means, secondly sensing when a fore end of the document to be copied reaches the reading means and thirdly bringing the recording means into a position proximate with the transfer means when the fore end of the document reaches the reading means, with the reading means proximate the transfer means in this condition, and thereafter copying information from the document to the recording paper using both the reading means and the recording means.

3. A method of operating a facsimile apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 comprising additionally bringing the apparatus from the ready mode to a packaging mode by moving both the reading means and the recording means from the ready mode positions thereof proximate the transfer means to positions further distanced from the transfer means.

4. A method of operating a facsimile apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the modes of operation of the facsimile apparatus are selected using mode selecting means driven by cam driving means, the cam driving means being rotated by the transfer means.

5. A method of operating a facsimile apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the transfer means includes a roller.

6. Facsimile apparatus adapted for use in a method of operating as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, the facsimile apparatus having modes of operation as required by the claims.

7. Facsimile apparatus comprising reading means for reading information on a document, recording means for recording information on recording paper and transfer means for feeding paper past one or both of the reading means and the recording means, wherein the facsimile apparatus has the following modes of operation which can be selected by mode selecting means:

8. Facsimile apparatus as claimed in claim 7 which has as a further mode of operation a copying mode and a selector for the selecting the copying mode, wherein when the copying mode is selected and a sensor senses that the fore end of the document to be copied has reached the reading means then the recording means is brought from a position spaced apart from the transfer means to an operative position proximate the transfer means and records on the recording paper information on the document to be copied as read by reading means.

9 Facsimile apparatus as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8 which has as a further mode of operation a packaging mode in which the reading means and the recording means are both spaced apart from the transfer means.

10. Facsimile apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 9 wherein the mode selecting means is driven by cam driving means and the cam driving means can be rotated by the transfer means.

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11. Facsimile apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10 wherein the transfer means includes a roller.

12. A method for operating a facsimile, the facsimile comprising a transfer means, a cam driving means rotated by the transfer means, mode selecting means driven by the cam driving means and a reading means and a recording means selectively contacted with the transfer means, comprising steps for putting the facsimile into: a ready mode of making the reading means and the recording means together make contact with the transfer means; a transmission mode of making the reading means make contact with the transfer means while separating the recording means from the transfer means from the ready mode for transmission of document; and a reception mode of making the recording means make contact with the transfer means while separating the reading means from the transfer means from the ready mode for recording receiving information.

13. The method for operating a facsimile as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a step for putting the facsimile into copying mode from the ready mode, of separating the recording means from the transfer means, and applying a copying signal under a condition that a fore end of a document has been reached to the entrance of the reading means to make the reading means and the recording means make - 20 contact with the transfer means for recording information in the document on the recording means.

14. The method for operating a facsimile as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13 further comprising a step for putting the facsimile into a packaging or carrying mode of making the reading means and the recording means to be separated from the transfer means.

15. A method for operating a facsimile substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. A facsimile apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.