JP2003255624A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image reader capable of improving its operability by eliminating the setting position for an original. <P>SOLUTION: The image reader reading an image on the front side of an original and reading the image on its backside by reversing the original, is provided with a main controller 501 carrying out reading control for one side/ both sides of the original without any operation specifying reading. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image reading device, and more particularly, to an image reading device such as a facsimile, a digital copying machine, an image scanner, etc. having a double-sided reading function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-101797 discloses
In an image forming apparatus such as a facsimile machine, in combination with a reading device arranged on a main body frame, a reading device is also provided on a swing frame so that a double-sided original can be read by one set of originals. The following technologies have been proposed in. That is, in this facsimile apparatus, upper and lower platen glasses are superposed on a main body frame provided with a recording device, and movable reading devices are arranged above and below each platen glass, respectively. Reading is performed in a state in which the surface is set to face down and reading in a state in which the image surface is set to face up. The lower platen glass and the reading device are fixed on the main body frame, and the upper platen glass and the reading device are supported by a swing frame that is rotatably supported in the vertical direction by the main body frame. According to this, the images of the double-sided original can be read by the upper and lower reading devices. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-077976 proposes the following technique in order to provide an image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus having a processing capacity equivalent to that in continuous single-sided reading even in continuous double-sided reading. ing. That is, this device reads the lower surface of the original and the upper surface of the original by the reading optical systems which are arranged at the lower surface side and the upper surface side of the conveying path at different positions in the process of conveying the double-sided original along one original conveying path. The reading image from each reading optical system is formed on the CCD sensor.

[0003]

Although various kinds of proposals have been made as described above in relation to an image reading apparatus having a double-sided reading function, it is necessary to eliminate a combination of reading setting and output to improve operability. Is especially required. In view of such a background, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image reading apparatus that can improve the operability by eliminating the setting position of a document.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is an image reading apparatus for reading an image on the front side of a document and reversing the document to read the image on the back side thereof. In (1), the most main feature is an image reading apparatus including a main controller that controls reading of one side / both sides of the original without a reading designation operation.
A second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the image reading apparatus according to the first aspect, the image reading apparatus that reads the original from an arbitrary installation position of the original is controlled by the main controller. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image reading apparatus according to the first or second aspect, a main feature of the image reading apparatus is that the main controller controls the image reading apparatus to discriminate one side / both sides according to an installation position of the original to read the original. To do. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image reading apparatus according to the first aspect, the main feature of the image reading apparatus is that the main controller controls the main controller to discriminate one side / both sides according to a sheet feeding device to read the original. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the image reading apparatus according to the first aspect, the main feature of the image reading apparatus is to read the original by determining one side / both sides according to the position of the discharge tray under the control of the main controller. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the image reading apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, a main controller is an image reading apparatus which reads the original document based on a read setting function other than one-sided / two-sided determination. It is a characteristic.

[0005]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a composite digital copying machine according to an embodiment of an image reading apparatus of the present invention. This digital copying machine includes a copying machine body 1, an automatic document feeder (hereinafter ADF) 100, a 3-bin sorter 200, and a paper feeding unit (hereinafter bank) 300. Copier body 1
Has a scanner, an image processing unit, a plotter, and the like. The scanner has a contact glass 1 on which an original is placed.
0, and an optical scanning system. The optical scanning system is composed of an exposure lamp 11, a first mirror 12, a lens 15, a full color CCD 16, and the like. The optical scanning system
Equipped with an exposure lamp 11 and a first mirror 12,
It is equipped with a first carriage that is driven by a stepping motor to move at a constant speed when reading a document, and a second mirror 13 and a third mirror 14. When the document is read, the first carriage is driven by the stepping motor to move one of the first carriage. It has a second carriage driven at a speed of / 2. An original (not shown) on the contact glass 10 is optically scanned by the first carriage and the second carriage, and the exposure lamp 11, the first mirror 12, and the second mirror 1 are scanned.
3, CCD 3 through the third mirror 14 and lens 15
An image is formed on 6 and photoelectrically converted. The image signal separated into each color of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) by the CCD is AD-converted by an AD converter and output to an image processing unit that is performing image processing.

The image processing section performs various image processing (binarization, multi-value conversion, scaling, editing, etc.) on the image signal from the AD converter.
And convert it to a digital signal. The writing unit includes a laser output unit 20, an fθ lens 21, and a mirror 22. Inside the laser output unit 20, a laser diode that is a laser light source and a polygon motor are provided. The black image signal output from the image processing unit is converted into a laser beam having an intensity corresponding to this image signal, shaped into a light beam of a constant shape by a collimator lens, an aperture, and a cylinder lens, and irradiated on a polygon motor. Unit 20
Is output from. The laser light output from the laser output unit 20 is applied to the photosensitive drum 30 via the fθ lens 21 and the mirror 22. In addition, the fθ lens 2
The laser light passing through 1 is applied to a beam sensor that generates a main scanning synchronization detection signal PMSYNC located outside the image area. The red image signal output from the image processing unit is buffered to match the writing position with the black image signal, is sent to the LED writing unit 31, and is irradiated onto the photosensitive drum 30. The ADF 100 feeds the originals one by one to the contact glass 10 of the copying machine main body 1 and ejects them after copying. The originals are stacked on the original feeding table 101 and aligned in the width direction by the side guides. The originals on the original feeding table 101 are separated from the lowermost original by a paper feeding roller 102 and fed one by one, and are fed onto the contact glass 10 of the copying machine main body 1 by a conveyor belt 103. After the reading of the document on the contact glass 10 is completed, the document is discharged to the discharge tray 105 by the conveyor belt 103 and the discharge roller 104.

When reading both sides of an original, the original feed table 1
The double-sided document on 01 is separated and fed one by one by the paper feed roller 102, and is sent onto the contact glass 10 of the copying machine main body 1 by the conveyor belt 103. After the front side of the original is read, the double-sided original is conveyed by the conveyor belt 103, and is reversed by the reversing claw 106 to be transferred onto the contact glass 10. After the reading of the back side of the document is completed, the sheet is discharged to the sheet discharge tray 105 by the transport belt 103 and the sheet discharge roller 104. First tray 50, second
The transfer sheets stacked on the tray 310, the third tray 320, and the fourth tray 330 are the first sheet feeding device 51, the second sheet feeding device 311, the third sheet feeding device 321, and the fourth sheet feeding device 33, respectively.
The sheet is fed by 1, and is conveyed by the bank vertical conveyance unit 340 and the main body vertical conveyance unit 60. When the leading edge of the transfer sheet is detected by the registration sensor 52, it is conveyed for a certain period of time and then stopped by the registration roller 53. This transfer paper is sent onto the photoconductor drum 30 so as to meet the tip of the image valid signal (FGATE), the image is transferred by the transfer charger, and after the transfer paper is separated from the photoconductor, it is transferred by the transfer device 54. The sheet is fixed by the fixing device 55 having a fixing roller and a pressure roller, and the sheet discharge roller 5
The paper is ejected to the 3-bin sorter 200 by 6. An electrostatic latent image is formed by irradiating a laser beam with electric charges charged on the photoconductor drum 30 by the first charging device, and an image is formed on the photoconductor drum 30 by the black developing device 32. After that, the second charging device charges the photosensitive drum 30 again, the second electrostatic latent image is formed by the LED array 31, and the image is formed on the photosensitive drum 30 by the second developing device 33. There is. When double-sided printing is performed using the double-sided unit 40, the transfer paper from the fixing device 55 is guided to the double-sided conveyance path 41 by the switching claw 57, passes through the feed roller 42 and the separation roller 43, and is accumulated in the double-sided tray. . The transfer paper accumulated on the tray comes into contact with the feed roller 42 when the tray rises, and is sent to the vertical conveyance unit 60 of the main body when the feed roller 42 rotates, and is re-fed to the registration roller 53 and then the back surface. Is printed. 3 bottle sorter 20
0 indicates a first paper ejection tray 201, a second paper ejection tray 202,
There is a third discharge tray 203 and a reverse tray 204,
It is configured so that the transfer paper can be reversed and output to each tray. The transfer paper ejected from the copying machine main body 1 is guided in the paper ejection tray direction by the switching claw 207 and ejected to a preset tray in the case of front surface paper ejection. When discharging to the second discharge tray 202, the second tray switching claw 205 operates, and when discharging to the third discharge tray 203, the third tray switching claw 206 operates to guide the transfer paper. When the reverse sheet is discharged, the transfer sheet is guided in the direction of the reverse tray 204 by the switching claw 207, and when the rear end of the transfer sheet passes the reverse detection sensor 208, the transport roller 209 is reversed and is guided in the direction of the discharge tray. Then, the paper is ejected to a preset tray. The first paper discharge tray 201 has a function of shifting the tray back and forth and a function of shifting the tray up and down. The shift function
It is used when sorting transfer paper, and the up / down function is used to stack a large amount of transfer paper while ensuring paper alignment.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the operation unit 400. In the center of the operation unit 400, a liquid crystal display unit (LCD) 401 of 400 × 256 dots and a touch panel are provided. The liquid crystal display unit 401 displays the functions (copy, FAX) incorporated in the machine, and the user operates the machine according to this display. Function (copy, F
AX) is switched by the function switching keys 412 and 413.
Done by On the right side of the liquid crystal display unit 401, various numeric keys 402 commonly used for copying and FAX, clear / stop key 403, start key 404, program key 405, job recall key 406, mode clear / preheat key 407, interrupt key 408. Various keys such as a key and a pause / redial key 409 used exclusively for FAX, a shortening key 410, a reception key 411, and the like are arranged. On the left side of the liquid crystal display unit 401, FA
An X switching key 412, a copy switching key 413, an initial setting key 414, a guidance key 415, and an LCD density adjusting volume 416 are provided respectively. On the further left side of this key, a display section 417 dedicated to FAX is provided. This display unit 417 displays various LEDs such as memory full and communication status during communication.
An LCD of characters (20 characters x 2 lines) is provided.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the composite digital copying machine. The control system of the copying machine main body 1 includes an operation unit controller 500 that performs liquid crystal display, various LED controls, and various key input controls, a main controller 501 that performs paper feed, conveyance, fixing, double-sided, process control, and the like.
An image processing controller 502 for image control / scanner reading control, an ADF controller 503 for ADF control, a sorter controller 504 for three-bin sorter control, a paper feed tray controller 505 for paper feed unit control, FAX transmission / reception management, and file management. A FAX controller 506 for performing, a G3 controller 507 for performing G3 protocol control, a G4 controller 508 for performing G4 protocol control, an Ethernet controller for performing network control of LAN and the like. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the image processing unit. When the CPU 600 of the image processing controller 502 receives a reading start instruction from the main controller 501, the CPU 600 transmits the instruction to the scanner control circuit 604. The scanner control circuit 604 turns on the exposure lamp 11, and the motor 6
By operating 05, the first carriage and the second carriage are moved to the reading reference position, and the position sensor 6
After detecting each carriage in 03, reading is started. At this time, a sub-scanning effective period signal FGATE (active at the start of reading, negative at the end of reading) is created and sent to the timing control circuit 606. In the timing control circuit 606,
Image synchronization clock CLK, main scanning synchronization signal LSYNC,
The main scanning enable signal LGATE is generated and output.

Next, the flow of image data will be described. An original 607 placed on the contact glass 10 is illuminated by the exposure lamp 11, reflected light is imaged on the color CCD 16, and the color CCD 16 separates red (R), green (G), and blue (B) analogs. The image signal is amplified / light amount corrected by the signal processing circuit 608, converted into a digital multilevel signal by the AD converter 609, and shading corrected by the shading correction circuit 610.
Sent to 11. In the image processing unit 611, MTF correction,
Basic data processing such as γ correction, black image generation, color image generation, binary processing, multi-value processing, and digital image processing such as scaling, editing and marker detection
A0 to 7 and color data DATAC are output. The image data output from the image processing unit 611, the synchronization signal generated by the timing control circuit 606, and the writing reference signal PMSYNC are input to the image selector 612.
In the case of copying, as for image data, a black image is sent from the writing control unit (black) 613 to the LD 614, a color image is sent from the writing control unit (color) 615 to the LED 616, and the photoconductor drum 30 is irradiated with the image data. Form an image. When performing FAX transmission, the image data is transferred from the image selector 612 to the FAX memory inside the main controller 501. Further, the FAX reception output expands the data received from the line and expands it in the FAX memory, and then is input to the image selector 612 together with the image data and the synchronization signal, and is written.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the document feed tray 101 as seen from the upper side of the ADF 100. A side guide 701 is provided in the ADF 100, and the document 700 can be installed on either the left or right side of the side guide 701. Manuscript 7
When 00 is installed, detection sensors are provided on both sides in order to discriminate either of the side guides 701. Manuscript 70
If 0 is installed on the left side, the L detection sensor 702 detects the presence of a document. If the document 700 is installed on the right side, the R detection sensor 703 detects the presence of the document. Here, the detection sensors are provided on the left and right, but in addition to the document detection sensor that has been conventionally provided, the L detection sensor 70
Similar detection can be performed if either the 2 or the R detection sensor 703 is provided. Existing document detection sensor and L
With the combination of the detection sensors 702, it can be determined that the original detection sensor detects, the L detection sensor 702 detects the presence of the original and the original is installed on the left side, and the L detection sensor 702 does not detect the original and the original is installed on the right side. With the combination of the document detection sensor and the R detection sensor 703, it can be determined that the document detection sensor detects, the R detection sensor 703 detects the presence of the document and the document is installed on the right side, and the R detection sensor 703 does not detect the document and the document is installed on the left side. Further, depending on the arrangement of the document detection sensor, the left and right detection sensors can be used in common, and it is possible to adopt a configuration in which neither the L detection sensor 702 nor the R detection sensor 703 need be newly provided. The side guide 701 is slidable in the left-right direction, and the size of the document 700 to be set can be freely changed. The side guide 701 can detect the guide position by the side guide position detector 704. The document width can be calculated through the side guide position detector 704. You can read the document if you know the document position and document width.

FIG. 5A is a diagram when the document 700 is installed on the left side. Here, the L detection sensor 702 detects the presence of a document. The R detection sensor 703 does not detect the presence of a document. FIG. 5B is a diagram when the document 700 is installed on the right side. Here, the R detection sensor 703 detects the presence of a document. L detection sensor 70
2 does not detect the presence of the document. FIG. 5C is a diagram when the document 700 is installed with its orientation changed. Here, the L detection sensor 702 detects the presence of a document. R
The detection sensor 703 does not detect the presence of the document. The side guide 701 must have a width or shape that neither the L detection sensor 702 nor the R detection sensor 703 can detect. Controller 5 inside the main body
In the setting of 01, if the left side of the original is set to single-sided scanning processing setting and the right side is set to double-sided scanning processing setting,
In the case of FIG. 5A, the single-sided read process is set, in the case of FIG. 5B, the double-sided read process is set, and in the case of FIG. 5C, the single-sided read process is set. In this way, the reading process can be automatically set depending on the placement position of the document.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the processing operation of the present invention. First, the document detection sensor provided on the document feed table 101 of the ADF 100 waits for the document to be set (S-1). If no document is detected, the standby state is entered.
When the original detection sensor detects the original, it indicates that the original has been set. Check the original installation position. It is checked whether the L detection sensor 702 is detecting the original (S-2). L
When the detection sensor 702 detects a document, the one-sided reading setting is performed from the setting of the main controller 501 inside the main body (S-4). And the side guide 70
1 position is detected from the side guide position detector 704,
The document width is calculated (S-7). When the start key 404 of the operation unit 400 is pressed, the one-sided reading process is started.
When the L detection sensor 702 does not detect the original, it is checked whether the R detection sensor 703 detects the original (S-
3). When the R detection sensor 703 detects the original,
Double-sided reading setting is performed from the setting of the main controller 501 inside the main body (S-5). Then, the position of the side guide 701 is detected from the side guide position detector 704, and the document width is calculated (S-7). When the start key 404 of the operation unit 400 is pressed, the double-sided reading process is started. If the R detection sensor 703 has not detected the original, the size of the document is determined to be indeterminate and error processing is performed (S-
6).

In this way, the document reading process can be changed only by placing the document and pressing the start key once. Further, the setting of the main controller 501 inside the main body is not limited to single-sided / double-sided designation, and the reading density and document type can be easily added as in the single-sided / double-sided setting. In FIG. 6, single-sided scanning setting (S-
4) and double-sided reading setting (S-5), the setting may be added. Further, it can be used in the same manner not only for one-sided / two-sided determination but also for other function determination such as determination of a text original / photo original. It is sufficient to replace one side with a text original and both sides with a photo original. Further, in the case of performing the process accompanied by the output, the reading process can be determined by the designation of the sheet feeding device instead of the setting position of the document. For example, if the fourth tray 330 shown in FIG. 1 is designated as the paper feed, the double-sided reading process is performed. When the other trays (the first tray 50, the second tray 310, and the third tray 320) are designated to be fed, the single-sided reading process is performed. The same applies if the presence or absence of the original detection of the R detection sensor 703 is the presence or absence of the paper feed designation of the fourth tray 330, and the presence or absence of the original detection of the L detection sensor 702 is the presence or absence of the paper feed designation of other than the fourth tray. Processing can be performed. Also, when performing processing with output,
It is also possible to determine the reading process by designating the paper discharge tray position instead of the document installation position. For example, if the first discharge tray 201 of FIG. 1 is designated to discharge, the double-sided reading process is performed. Other output trays (second output tray 20
2. When one of the third paper discharge tray 203 and the reverse tray 204) is designated for paper discharge, the single-sided reading process is performed. Whether or not the document is detected by the R detection sensor 703 depends on whether the first discharge tray 20 is present.
The presence / absence of the paper discharge designation of 1 indicates the presence / absence of the original detection of the L detection sensor 702 and the presence / absence of the paper discharge designation other than the first paper discharge tray
If replaced, similar processing can be performed.

[0015]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, in the image reading apparatus for reading the image on the front side of the document and reversing the document to read the image on the back side, the reading designation is made. One side of the original without
By providing the main controller that controls reading of both sides, it is possible to improve the operability by eliminating the combination of reading setting and output. According to the second aspect of the invention, by reading the document from an arbitrary installation position of the document, it is possible to eliminate the position setting of the document and improve the operability. According to the third aspect of the invention, the original is read by discriminating one side / both sides according to the setting position of the original,
It is possible to improve the operability by eliminating the combination of reading setting and output. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, by distinguishing one side / both sides according to the sheet feeding device and reading the original, it is possible to eliminate the combination of the reading setting and the output and improve the operability. According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to improve the operability by eliminating the combination of the reading setting and the output by reading the original by discriminating one side / both sides according to the position of the discharge tray (the sheet feeding tray to be used). You can According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, a read setting function other than the one-sided / double-sided determination is added to read the document, so that the combination of the read setting and the output can be eliminated and the operability can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a composite digital copying machine according to an embodiment of an image reading apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of an operation unit.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a composite digital copying machine.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an image processing unit.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a document feeding table viewed from the upper side of the ADF.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

500 Operation unit controller 501 main controller 502 Image processing controller 503 ADF controller 504 Sorter controller 505 Paper Feed Tray Controller

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. Reading an image on the front side of a document,
An image reading apparatus which reverses an original and reads an image on the back side thereof, comprising a main controller for controlling reading of one side / both sides of the original without a reading designation operation. 2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1,
An image reading apparatus that reads a document from an arbitrary installation position of the document under the control of a main controller. 3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the main controller controls the main controller to determine whether one side or both sides are read according to the position where the document is set to read the document. 4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1,
An image reading apparatus, which reads one of the originals by discriminating one side / both sides according to a sheet feeding device under the control of a main controller. 5. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1,
An image reading apparatus characterized in that the original is read by discriminating one side / both sides according to a position of a paper discharge tray under the control of a main controller. 6. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the original is read based on a read setting function other than the one-sided / two-sided determination by the control of the main controller. Image reading device.