JP2001350225A - Original feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an original feeder which shortens a copying time and enhances copying productivity in spite of originals of consolidated sizes by performing the original size detection before feeding of the originals and the original size detection after the separated feeding of the originals by one set of original size detecting means. SOLUTION: The original feeder for feeding the originals 22 on a original tray 22 to a read position 19 on a original platen has a original size detecting means for detecting the maximum width of a original bundle 21 set at a original tray 20 and the width oft originals 22 fed from the original tray 20.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a document feeder used for an image forming apparatus such as a facsimile, a printer, a copying machine, etc., and more particularly, to an optical type having an operating rod (filler) for detecting the width of a document. More specifically, the present invention relates to a document reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus which operate based on information of the document feeding apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When an image is formed by a copying machine or the like, it is necessary to detect the size of an original at an early stage in order to feed a recording sheet corresponding to the size of the original. Here, a large number of sensors are arranged so that the document size can be detected on the document tray,
A document size is detected by arranging a large number of sensors in a feeding path after document feeding. However, with the diversification of the originals to be loaded, the original sizes are often mixed. The mixed document size means that documents having different sizes are set on a document tray as one bundle of documents. It is very difficult to determine the size at the time of document setting, and therefore, detecting the document size after separation for document feeding is performed. However, the detection of the original size at the time of setting the original and the detection of the original size after the separation and feeding are performed by providing two separate sets of sensors. Therefore, there are problems such as an increase in the number of parts and a complicated structure.

In the document reading device, if the size of the document is unknown, the size of the document is determined after the end of the document has passed through the document reading device. There is a problem that a large-capacity storage device and further processing time are required because the information must be processed as document information in accordance with the size, so that the processing time of the document reading device is delayed and the cost is increased.

In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a first copy time, which is a time period during which a first recording sheet is ejected after a copy button is pressed, is important to reduce a user's work time. . Usually, a copier or the like has a plurality of recording paper feed trays, selects a paper feed tray according to the size of the document, and feeds the recording paper to the image forming unit. At that time, if the document size information is delayed, the feeding of the recording paper is delayed, and there is a problem that the first copy time becomes longer when the document is packed.

[0005]

Therefore, according to the present invention, the original size is mixed by using a set of original size detecting means for detecting the original size before feeding the original and detecting the original size after separating and feeding the original. It is an object of the present invention to provide a document feeder that increases the processing speed by shortening the time required to detect the size of a document even if the document is printed. It is another object of the present invention to provide a document reading device which has a small storage device and a high processing speed by reading a document based on the information of the document feeding device as described above. It is still another object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus which forms an image based on the information of the document feeder as described above and also improves copy productivity.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a document feeder for feeding a document on a document tray to a reading position on a document table. The document feeder has a document size detecting means for detecting the maximum width of a document set in the document tray and the width and length of the document fed from the document tray. According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the document feeder according to the first aspect, the filler is a document feeder including a sensor using a transmission type photo interrupter and a filler. The invention according to claim 3 is the document feeder according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the filler is L.
A document feeder having the shape of a letter or inverted T letter. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the document feeder according to any one of the first to third aspects, the document set detection unit is located at a position different from the document size detection unit in the document reading sub-scanning direction. Document feeder to be placed. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the original feeding apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, a signal before the original is set by the original size detecting means, a signal after the original is set, and after the original is fed. The document feeder has a maximum width of the document to be set and a width and length of the document being fed based on the signal of the document feeding device. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the original feeding device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the original size detecting means does not detect the filler when the original is set by the sensor, and the filler and the sensor do not detect the filler when the original is set. A document feeder that detects the width and length of the fed document when the filler is detected and the filler is not detected by the sensor when the document is fed.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a document reading apparatus for reading a document on a document table, wherein the document reading apparatus reads the document based on information on the width of the document from the document feeder. According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the original reading apparatus according to the seventh aspect, an original reading apparatus which reads an original based on information from the original feeding apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth aspects.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording sheet, wherein the image forming apparatus feeds the recording sheet based on information from a document feeder.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image forming apparatus according to the ninth aspect, wherein a recording sheet is fed based on information from the document feeding apparatus according to the first to sixth aspects.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a document feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a configuration of a document feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention. An automatic document feeder (hereinafter, referred to as “ADF”), which is one of the document feeders, has a sheet-through type that reads an image while feeding a document 22, and an automatic document feeder on the document glass of a document table. There is a belt type in which the document 22 is fed to the main body and the main body scanner moves to read the original. In the present invention, any type of ADF of the document feeder may be used, but a sheet through type will be described.

When the original bundle 21 is stacked on the original tray 20, the original set sensor 7 detects that the original 22 has been set. The stacked originals 22 are lifted by the bottom plate 15, and original size detection fillers (hereinafter, simply referred to as “fillers”) 4, 5, and 6 are pushed up to original width size sensors 1, 2, and 3, and the originals 22 are read. Detect the width size of Similarly, when the document 22 is set, the length of the document 22 is detected by the document length detection sensors 16 and 17, and the maximum size of the loaded document 22 is detected based on both the width and length information. However, in some cases, the originals 22 to be loaded are not all the same size.
It is necessary to detect the size of each.

In the paper feeder according to the present invention, width detection can be performed without adding components by the following means. As shown in FIG. 2, the document set sensor 7 is disposed before the document abutment surface 13, and the document width size detection sensors 1, 2, and 3 are disposed behind the abutment surface 13. Further, the ADF is based on the back side, and the original 22 is entirely brought into contact with the back side abutting surface. Manuscript 22
Document width size sensors 1, 2, 3
Or the corresponding fillers 4, 5, 6 are arranged in front of the abutment surface 13. After the initial operation at the time of setting the document 22 or at the time of raising the bottom plate 15, these fillers 4, 5, and 6 are pushed up to shield the corresponding document width size sensors 1, 2, and 3.

FIG. 3 shows original width size detection sensors 1, 2,.
3 shows the operation of FIG. In FIG. 3A, the document 22 is not set, the fillers 4, 5, and 6 hang down, and the document width detection sensors 1, 2, and 3 do not detect anything. FIG. 3B shows a state in which the original 22 is set, and in this case, the bottom plate 15 is raised.
When the original 22 is set and the bottom plate 15 is lifted, the fillers 4, 5, and 6 are attached to the original width size detection sensors 1, 2,
3. FIG. 3C shows a state immediately after the document 22 is fed. Document 2 to start feeding
2 is transported into the feed entrance, where fillers 4, 5,
Reference numeral 6 has not yet deviated from the original width size detection sensors 1, 2, and 3. FIG. 3D shows a state after the leading end of the document 22 has passed over the separation section. Here, the fed document 22 is
It is separated from the other originals 22 and has only one sheet. In this state, the fillers 4, 5, 6 are completely lifted,
The original width size detection sensors 1, 2, and 3 are turned off.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the original 22 is set, the fillers 4, 5, and 6 are lifted in accordance with the width of the original, and the original width detection sensors 1, 2, and 3 are turned on.
After the document 22 is separated and fed, only the fillers 4, 5, and 6 corresponding to the width of the document 22 that has actually passed further rise, and the document width detection sensors 1, 2, and 3 are turned off. Therefore, the original width size detection sensors 1, 2,
By managing the ON / OFF information of the document 3, the maximum width of the document 22 at the time of setting the document 22 and the individual documents after the separation and feeding are determined by only one set of the document width detection sensors 1, 2, and 3. 22 is detected. Further, by measuring the time during which the document width size detection sensors 1, 2, and 3 are OFF in the above step (2), the document 2 actually fed is
2 can be detected. In addition, manuscript 22
Is calculated from the time required for the document 22 being fed to pass through the registration sensor 18 and the feeding speed. Alternatively, the conversion is performed from the number of steps of the stepping motor until it passes through the registration sensor 18. At this time, since the existing registration sensor 18 can be used in the length direction, it can be realized without adding components.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, by arranging a large number of document width size detection sensors 1, 2, and 3, no three sensors are included as shown below. Enters ... Medium size Two sensors enter ... Large size Three sensors enter ... Extra large document width detection sensors 1, 2, 3 Detection becomes possible.

Further, for example, the width size detection sensor 2,
Assuming that two large-size originals 22 spanning two of three and two small-size originals 22 detected only by the original width detection sensor 3 are stacked, the CPU 23 performs detection as follows. Here, the output when the fillers 4, 5, and 6 stop at the document width size detection sensors 1, 2, and 3 is set to "H".
It is assumed that it is loaded on 2. (1) When the document 22 is set and is not operating, the output is "H" as the size detection output. in this case,
Since the document 22 is a large-size document 22 spanning the document width size detection sensors 2 and 3, the output of the document width size detection sensors 2 and 3 becomes "H" and the output of only one of the document width size detection sensors 1 becomes "L". Become. Since the document width size sensors 2 and 3 are "H", the CPU 23 determines that the document is the second smallest size. (2) When the document 22 is set and the operation is started,
The output “L” is set as the size detection output. However, bits that have been “L” before the operation are ignored. In this case, since the original 22 stacked on the top is “small size”,
The outputs of the document width size sensors 1, 2, and 3 are "L" for the document width size detection sensor 1, "H" for the document width size detection sensor 2, and "L" for the document width size detection sensor 3, respectively. Since the document width size detection sensor 1 has been at “L” before the operation, when treated as “H” here, the output of the document width size detection sensor is “L” only for the document width size detection sensor 3. It is. During operation, “L” is determined to be the presence of the document 22, so that the document 22 being fed is a small size document 22 that is applied only to the document width detection sensor 3. (3) Next, the operation returns to the step (1) again.
A large-size document 22 remains in the document tray 20.
Again, the outputs of the document width size detection sensors 1, 2, and 3 respectively indicate that the output of the width size document width size detection sensor 1 is "L".
Then, the output of the width size document width size detection sensors 2 and 3 becomes “H”. (4) When feeding is started, first, the set sensor is turned off, and it is determined that the fed document 22 is the last. (5) Since the fed document 22 is of a large size, the document width detection sensors 1, 2, and 3 are both at "L". The width size sensor 1 has a filler 4
5 and 6 hang down, while the original width detection sensor 2
3 is lifted by the original 22, and both of the fillers 4, 5,
6 is not detected by the sensor.

As described above, since the document width size detection sensor 1 is "L" before the operation, it is handled as "H" here. Therefore, the fed document 22 is set to “H” by the document width size detection sensor 1 and is set to “L” by the document width size detection sensors 2 and 3, and is determined to be the second largest document 22. . By the above operation,
Only one set of document size detecting means can detect the maximum size of the document 22 when the document bundle 21 is set on the document tray 20 and detect the actual size of the document 22 being fed after the operation is disclosed. it can.

Further, by measuring the time during which the document width detection sensors 3 and 3 in step (3) or the document width detection sensors 2 and 3 in step (5) are detected as "L", the document 22 is detected. The length can be determined. Accordingly, only one set of document size detecting means detects the maximum width size of the document 22 when the document 22 is set on the document tray 20 and, after the operation is disclosed, the actual document 2 being fed.
2, the width size and the length can be detected.

A document reading device including an image reading unit in a scanner or a copying machine / facsimile can read the document 22. As for the document 22, a plurality of documents 22 can be automatically read by mounting the ADF on the document reading device. Therefore, the above-described document feeding device is arranged in the document reading device. In this document reading apparatus, the capacity for storing the contents of the document 22 is small and the processing can be performed at a high speed based on information on the maximum width of the document 22 and the width of the fed document 22 by the document feeding device. Particularly, in a facsimile, the size of the document 22 to be sent to the other party is determined based on the information on the size of the document 22. If the size of the document 22 differs from the size of the recording paper 23 of the other party, reduction processing can be performed according to the other party. .

The ADF transfers information to the main body of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine. The document 22 is fed, and is fed in the direction of the registration sensor 18. The document 22 that has passed through the registration sensor 18 then passes through a reading position, where the image is read by a main body scanner, and is fed to a discharge tray. From the read information, the image forming apparatus main body can know the maximum size of the required recording paper 23, and the recording paper 23 corresponding to the maximum size is required.
Use At this time, since the main body of the image forming apparatus can determine the size of the recording paper 23 before the ADF original is fed, copy productivity can be improved.

[0020]

As described above, in the document feeder according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, the maximum width of a document bundle of a mixed size document stack at the time of stacking and the actual document size after the start of feeding are set. And a document feeder having a set of document size detecting means capable of individually detecting the width size of the document. Furthermore, since the original can be detected by the sensor while the original is set on the original tray, the output is inverted when the original actually operates, and the actual document width after the start of feeding can be individually detected. An apparatus can be provided. The document feeding device according to claim 3, wherein the shape of the filler is L-shaped or inverted T-shaped, so that not only the setting or non-setting of the document, but also the document size detected by the sensor during feeding. A document feeder having a detecting unit can be provided. In the document feeder according to the fourth aspect, since the positions of the document set sensor and the document width size sensor are shifted, the document set sensor can detect the presence or absence of the document regardless of the operation of the document. The document width size sensor can detect the operation of the document. In the document feeding apparatus according to the fifth aspect, the information of the document width size sensor is combined with the information of the document set sensor and the information before and after the start of the feeding of the document width size sensor, so that the actual document after feeding is fed. The width can be detected. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an original feeding apparatus for detecting a maximum width of an original set according to a state in which a filler is applied to a sensor and a width and a length of the original to be fed. Can be. In the reading device according to the seventh and eighth aspects, by obtaining information on the width of the document immediately after the document is fed, the reading width can be determined before the reading is started, the reading speed is increased, and the copy productivity is increased. Can be improved. In the image forming apparatus according to the ninth and tenth aspects, by obtaining information on the width of the document immediately after the document is fed, the recording paper to be fed can be quickly determined and fed to the image forming unit. Performance can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a document feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view illustrating a configuration of a document feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram illustrating an operation state of a document width size sensor used in a document feeding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining a processing state of information by a document width size sensor used in a document feeding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 2, 3 Document width size sensor 4, 5, 6 Filler 7 Document set sensor 8 Separation roller 9 Recall roller 10 Paper feed drive roller 11 Paper feed driven roller 12 Torque limiter 13 Document abutment surface (in the case of reference to the setting direction) 14 Document abutment surface (in the case of reference to the end surface) 15 Bottom plate 16, 17 Document length detection sensor 18 Registration sensor 19 Document reading position 20 Document tray 21 Document bundle 22 Document 23 Recording paper 24 Output tray

Claims (10)

[Claims] A document feeding apparatus for feeding a document on a document tray to a reading position on a document table, wherein a maximum width of a document set on the document tray, a width of a document fed from the document tray, A document feeder comprising a document size detecting means for detecting a length. 2. The document feeder according to claim 1, wherein the filler comprises a sensor formed by a transmission type photo interrupter and a filler. 3. The document feeder according to claim 1, wherein the filler has an L-shape or an inverted T-shape. 4. The document feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the document set detecting means is configured to detect a position of the document in the document scanning sub-scanning direction.
A document feeding device, wherein the document feeding device is arranged at a different position from the document size detecting means. 5. The document feeding device according to claim 1, wherein a signal before the document is set by said document size detecting means,
Document feeding characterized by having a judging means for judging the maximum width of a document to be set and the width and length of a document being fed based on a signal after document setting and a signal after document feeding. apparatus. 6. The document feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the document size detecting means detects the filler as a sensor when the document is set, and detects the filler as a sensor when the document is set. A document feeder for detecting the width and length of a fed document by detecting no filler at the time of document feeding; 7. A document reading device for reading a document on a document table, wherein the document is read based on information on the width of the document from the document feeding device. 8. The original reading apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the original is read based on information from the original feeding apparatus according to claim 1. Description: 9. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording sheet, wherein the recording sheet is fed based on information from a document feeder. 10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a recording sheet is fed based on the information from the document feeding apparatus according to claim 1. Description: