JP2758305B2 - Copier - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recirculating document feeder,
The present invention relates to a copying apparatus including an intermediate tray for temporarily storing copied paper and a plurality of paper feeding units.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a recirculating document feeder (RDH) that circulates one document per one copy.
cument Handler) is known. That is, for example, one exposure is performed in one circulation, and the document returns to the document setting unit again.

Further, for the purpose of performing copying on both sides of one sheet of paper, the sheet on which the first copy has been completed is temporarily stored on the front surface, and then the sheet is provided on the back surface for the second copy. A copying machine provided with an intermediate tray for sending out an image is also known. Such a copying machine usually includes a plurality of paper feeding units in order to automatically switch sheets of various sizes and feed paper to the copy image forming unit.

By the way, OHP (Overhead Projector)
If you use a presentation tool like
In addition to the HP sheet document, a copy of the sheet document is required. This is because the copy of the sheet document enables writing to supplement the explanation, and the overlap of the sheet document and the copy makes it very easy to determine the contents of the sheet document. As described above, copying a sheet document is very effective in smoothly performing a presentation.

[0005]

However, in the above-described conventional copying machine having an RDH, an intermediate tray, and a plurality of paper feeding units, the original on which copying has been performed once is returned to the original installing unit. During the two rounds of the document by the RDH, the copying for the OHP sheet and the copying for the paper must be separately performed. In addition, there is a problem in that the preparation of the presentation cannot be efficiently performed because the superposition of the sheet manuscript and the copy thereof has to be performed manually.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a copying apparatus according to the present invention has a structure in which a document setting unit and a document reading unit (for example, a front exposure unit or a back exposure unit) are connected.
A circulating document conveying means (for example, RDH) for circulating the document once for each copy, a retaining means (for example, an intermediate tray) for temporarily retaining copied copying materials, and a copy image forming unit (for example, photosensitive And a plurality of feeding means (for example, a paper feed cassette) for feeding the copying material to the body drum and the transfer device). (1) The first copying material among the plurality of feeding means First copy for forming a copy image on a set of originals using a first path including a first feeding unit for feeding (for example, copy paper), the copy image forming unit, and the retaining unit. Control means (for example, CPU)
(2) a second feeding means for feeding a second copying material (for example, an OHP sheet) among the plurality of feeding means, the copy image forming section, and discharging of the copied copying material; (For example, a discharge tray) using the second path
A second copy control means (for example, a CPU) for forming and discharging a copy image on a set of originals; and (3) each time the formation of one copy image on the second copy material is completed,
Alternate discharge control means (for example, a CPU) for discharging the first copying material in the order in which copying is performed from the indwelling means, and an identical copy image is formed on the discharged second copying material. In this case, the copied first copying material is overlapped.

[0007]

According to the above arrangement, the first copy which has completed one copy for one set of originals based on a command from the first copy control means.
Is temporarily stored in the storing means. One set of originals is returned to the original setting section by the circulating original conveying means, and is placed on the original setting section in the same state as at the beginning when one copy of the first copy material is completed.

Next, based on a command from the second copy control means, copying is performed on the second copy material from the first sheet of a set of originals. The alternate discharge control means sends the second copy material to the discharge unit, and discharges the first copy material from the placement means to the discharge unit in the order of copying. Thereafter, every time copying of the second copy material is completed, discharge of the second copy material and discharge of the first copy material are performed alternately.

As a result, in a state where the first copy material on which the same copy image is formed is overlaid on the discharged second copy material, the second copy material and the first copy material are combined. Are alternately stacked.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 1, a recirculating document feeder (hereinafter referred to as RDH) 1 is provided at the upper part of the copying machine of the present embodiment.
Is attached. The RDH 1 has a paper feed belt 3 and various transport paths 4a, 4b, and 4c, which will be described later, disposed between the document setting section 2 and the exposure sections 13 and 14.

The front exposure unit 13 is provided on the supply conveyance path 4a, which forms an outer path of the document, and serves as a reading unit on the front side of the document. On the other hand, the back exposure unit 14 is provided between the reversing conveyance path 4b and the return conveyance path 4c that form an inward path, and serves as a reading unit on the back side of the document. The paper feed belt 3 communicates the document setting unit 2 with the supply conveyance path 4a,
The return transport path 4c communicates the back exposure unit 14 with the document setting unit 2.

The upper surface of the copying machine adjacent to the RDH 1
For example, the document table 5 is made of transparent glass. The document table 5 is used for copying a thick or book-type document that cannot be transported by the RDH 1.

Below the RDH 1 and the document table 5,
A movable exposure lamp 6 and an optical system 7 are arranged. The optical system 7 may be configured to guide the reflected light from the document to a photosensitive drum 8 described later, or may guide the reflected light from the document to an image scanner incorporating a charge-coupled device (CCD) or the like, and store it in a memory. May be configured to be read once.

The above-mentioned photosensitive drum 8 is provided below the optical system 7, and a charger 9,
Various devices necessary for the electrophotographic process, such as a developing device 10 and a transfer device 11, are provided.

A plurality of paper feed cassettes 21 to 23 are provided near the side wall or the bottom wall inside the copier so as to be able to supply copy paper of various sizes and different types of copy materials such as OHP sheets. Is provided. In the vicinity of each of the paper feed cassettes 21 to 23, paper feed belts 31 to 33 for feeding a copy material are attached. This feed belt 31
To 33 and the transfer device 11 are connected by a paper feed path 41.

Further, between the transfer device 11 and the discharge tray 72 from which the copy material having undergone the copying process is taken out, along the moving direction of the copy material, the transport belt 35 and the fixing device 1 are provided.
2, and a discharge path 45 are provided. In the middle of the discharge path 45, there is provided a branch portion 63 that leads via the bypass 44 to an accessory device that performs an optional function that can be arbitrarily selected. Therefore, a gate flapper 53 for blocking one of the discharge path 45 and the bypass 44 as necessary is attached to the branch portion 63.

In this embodiment, a stapler 71 is shown as an example of the accessory device that binds copied paper sheets at a fixed number of sheets. However, an optional device such as a sorter that groups copied paper sheets for repeated copying. It can be replaced with an attached device.

Between the fixing device 12 and the branch 63, another branch 61 to which the gate flapper 51 is attached is provided. The branching section 61 is connected to the intermediate tray 24 via a bypass 42, a switching section 62 to which a gate flapper 52 is attached, and a transport path 43.

The intermediate tray 24 is provided for temporarily storing the copied paper, and is provided at the bottom thereof with the delivery belt 3.
4 and the transfer device 11 via the paper feed path 41. The feed belt 34 feeds the copied sheets stacked on the intermediate tray 24 in the order in which the copying was performed, that is, from the copied sheet stored first to the sheet feeding path 41.

It is needless to say that a pair of conveying rollers which are in pressure contact with each other are provided at appropriate positions on the respective conveying paths of the original and the copy material.

As described above, in this embodiment, for example, from the paper feed cassette 23, the paper feed path 41, the copy image forming section centered on the photosensitive drum 8, the bypass 42, and the transport path 43
The movement path of the copy material that reaches the intermediate tray 24 via the first path corresponds to the “first path” described in the claims. Further, for example, the moving path of the copy material from the paper supply cassette 22 to the discharge tray 72 via the paper supply path 41, the copy image forming unit, and the discharge path 45 corresponds to the "second path" in the claims. I have.

Next, a control system will be described with reference to FIG.

The control system comprises a first copy control means, a second copy control means, and an alternate discharge control means of the present invention.
A PU (Central Processing Unit) 200 is provided.
CPU 200 organically controls the electrophotographic process and the process of transporting the original and the copy material.

The CPU 200 has a ROM (Read Only Memory) storing various operation programs and operation reference values.
ory) 206 and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 207 used as a buffer memory or an arithmetic operation area such as a flag, a counter, a timer, etc. necessary for copy control, and a difference in operation timing and signal voltage. Interface (I / O) circuit 209 for controlling the difference between the two. Interface (I / O) circuit 209
Includes various drivers 201 to 205 and various sensors SE1.
Or SEi (i is an arbitrary natural number), input key group 21
1 and a DC power supply 213 are connected.

Of the various drivers, the motor driver 201
Are a plurality of motors M1 to M4 that provide a driving force such as rotation or movement for an original conveying process in the RDH1, a feeding / conveying / discharging process of a copy material in the main body of the copying machine, an electrophotographic process, and an additional process in an accessory device. It is connected to a motor Mi (i is an arbitrary natural number).

The clutch driver 202 is connected to clutches CLT1 to CLTi (i is an arbitrary natural number) for transmitting the driving force of the motors M1 to Mi to the respective movable parts as required. The solenoid driver 203
It is connected to a plurality of solenoids SOL1 to SOLi (i is an arbitrary natural number) for driving the gate flappers 51 to 53 and the like. The driver 204 is connected to the exposure lamp 6 via the dimming unit 208, and changes the illuminance of the exposure lamp 6 according to the selected density of the copy image quality. Further, the display driver 205 drives the display device 212 including a liquid crystal panel, a light emitting diode, or the like, and notifies the operator of the number of times of copying, the type of operation mode, or information about maintenance.

On the other hand, the input key group 211 includes ten keys for setting the number of times of copying and the like, a mode key for designating various operation modes, a clear key for canceling the setting, a print switch for instructing the start of copying, and the like. Accepts operator instructions. The keys include, for example, a combined copy mode key 211a for selecting a combined copy mode unique to the present application in which a copy is overlaid on a copied OHP sheet and discharged. The display driver 205, the display device 212, and the input key group 211
Constitutes the operation unit 210.

Finally, various sensors SE1 to SEi
Indicates whether the copy material or the original is placed at a predetermined position, whether the copy material or the original has passed a predetermined position, whether the exposure lamp 6 has been moved to a predetermined exposure position, or whether the remaining amount of toner has decreased below a predetermined value. And outputs a detection signal to the CPU 200 via the interface circuit 203.

In the above configuration, the control operation of the present invention in the copy mode will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, a plurality of originals are placed on the original setting unit 2 of the RDH 1, and a plurality of copy sheets are placed in the paper feed cassette 23 constituting the "first path", and the "second path" is A plurality of OHP sheets are placed on the paper feed cassette 22 that is configured. When the copy mode is designated by the copy mode key 211a, in step (hereinafter referred to as S) RD
It is determined whether or not the mode is one in which H1 is used. If a document is placed on the document setting unit 2, the CPU 200 determines that the mode is the mode using the RDH 1 based on the detection signal of the sensor.

Next, in S2, it is determined whether the conditions for executing the copy mode are satisfied. This condition is
For example, (1) the plurality of paper feed cassettes (in this embodiment, the paper feed cassettes 22 and 23) related to the copy mode all have the same paper feed size; That is, the same size copy material is stored in the paper cassette.

When the above conditions are satisfied, when the print switch is pressed, the copying operation on the copy sheet using the "first path" is started in S3. In other words, one document that has passed from the document setting unit 2 through the feed belt 3 and the supply conveyance path 4a is exposed by the front exposure unit 13 and then passes through the reversing conveyance path 4b, the back exposure unit 14, and the return conveyance path 4c. Through,
The document is returned to the bottom of the document stacked on the document setting unit 2.

On the other hand, in the photosensitive drum 8, charging, exposure,
A series of operations such as development are performed, and the copy paper is fed from the paper feed cassette 23 by the paper feed belt 33 to the transfer device 11.
Sent to For example, the copied paper on which the toner image has been transferred is turned back when the intermediate tray 24 side is shut off by the conveyance belt 35, the fixing device 12, the branch portion 61 where the discharge path 45 side is shut off by the gate flapper 51, the bypass 42, and the gate flapper 52. Pass through section 62. And
After the gate flapper 52 shuts off the bypass 42 side,
The copied sheet is temporarily stored in the intermediate tray 24 via the transport path 43 by passing through the turning portion 62 from the rear end (S4).

The above operation is repeated until the circulation of all the originals is completed in RDH1. If it is determined in S5 that all the originals have completed one cycle, then in S6, the “second
The copying operation for the OHP sheet using the "path" starts. That is, in the RDH 1, the original is again conveyed in the same order as the copy on the copy sheet, and one OHP sheet is sent from the sheet cassette 22 to the transfer device 11 by the sheet feed belt 32, thereby copying the OHP sheet. An image is formed.

The copied OHP sheet is transported by a transport belt 35,
The fixing device 12, the branch portion 61, the side of which is bypassed by the gate flapper 51, and the gate flapper 53.
Then, the paper is sent out onto the discharge tray 72 through the branching section 63 where the bypass 44 side is cut off and the discharge path 45.

Next, in S7, the copied sheets stacked on the intermediate tray 24 are fed by the feeding belt 34 in order from the lowest copied sheet, that is, the copied sheet which has been copied first, in the feeding path. The sheet is sent to the discharge tray 72 via the same route as described above. Therefore, the copied paper is overlapped as a copy on the copied OHP sheet sent out onto the discharge tray 72 first.

As described above, the formation and discharge of the copy image on the OHP sheet and the discharge of the copied paper from the intermediate tray 24 are alternately repeated for each document transported in the RDH 1, so that the sheets are stacked on the discharge tray 72. The copied paper is inserted as a copy between the copied OHP sheets. As a result, the preparation of a presentation using, for example, an OHP sheet document is made extremely efficient.

Finally, if it is determined in S8 that the second round of all originals has been completed in the RDH 1, all operations in the copy mode are completed.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where only the front side of the document is read has been described. However, the reading of the front side and the back side of the document can be performed continuously. In this case, on the discharge tray 72, the front original copied OHP sheet and its copy, and the rear original copied OHP sheet and its copy are stacked one after another in this order.

The use of the copy mode is not limited to presentation using OHP sheet originals.
Uses such as creating a preservation manuscript using thick paper or colored paper in place of the HP sheet and a copy of it, and overlapping files so that work such as writing can be performed exclusively on the copy Can be considered.

Further, from the intermediate tray 24 to the discharge tray 7
The transport path to the second unit 2 may be configured without the transfer device 11 and the fixing device 12.

[0043]

As described above, according to the copying apparatus of the present invention, of the plurality of feeding means, the first feeding means for feeding the first copy material, the copy image forming section, and the A first copy control unit for forming a copy image on a set of originals by using a first path including a retaining unit; and a second copy unit for feeding a second copy material among the plurality of feed units. Feeding means,
A second copy control means for forming a copy image on the set of originals by using a second path including the copy image forming section and a discharge section of copied copy material; and the second copy material. Each time the formation and discharge of a single copy image for the image forming apparatus are completed, the first copy is performed in the order in which
And an alternate discharge control unit for discharging the first copy material. The first copy material on which the same copy image is formed is superimposed on the discharged second copy material.

Therefore, the material and its copy can be taken out in a superimposed state by using a different kind of copying material. In particular, when the second copying material is an OHP sheet, This has the effect that the preparation of a presentation using the is extremely efficient.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a configuration inside a copying machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a control operation in a copy mode.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a control system of the copying machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 RDH (circulation type document conveying means) 2 Document setting section 8 Photoconductor drum (copy image forming section) 11 Transfer device (copy image forming section) 13 Front exposure section (document reading section) 14 Back exposure section (document reading section) 22 paper feed cassette (second feeding means) 23 paper feeding cassette (first feeding means) 24 intermediate tray (holding means) 72 discharge tray (discharge unit) 200 CPU (first copy control means, second copy control means) , Alternate discharge control means)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A circulating document conveying means for circulating a document once between copies and a document reading section; a retaining means for temporarily retaining copied copying material; and a copy image. A copying apparatus comprising: a plurality of feeding means for feeding a copying material to a forming unit; a first feeding means for feeding a first copying material among the plurality of feeding means; A first copy control means for forming a copy image on a set of originals by using a first path comprising a copy unit and the placing means; and a second copy material among the plurality of feeding means. A second copy for forming and discharging a copy image on the set of originals by using a second path including a second feeding unit for feeding, the copy image forming unit, and a discharge unit of a copied copy material; Control means, and completion of formation of one copy image on the second copy material Each that, first in order of copying from the indwelling unit is performed
And an alternate discharge control unit for discharging the first copy material, wherein the first copy material on which the same copy image is formed is superimposed on the discharged second copy material.