JP3225387B2 - Automatic document feeder and image recording device - Google Patents

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 recording apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a copying machine having a conventional automatic document feeder, when a set of originals of different sizes is to be copied, the page containing the different sizes is remembered and the original is removed. A slidable guide plate provided on the document table is positioned to fit the width of the document to be fed, and the document is placed along the guide plate. Upon receiving the feed start signal, the original is fed to the platen of the exposure scanning unit, and when copying is completed, the original is fed from the platen to the discharge unit, and the next original is copied again, and the copying of the original is completed. Thereafter, the removed original of the different series size was copied by the same copying operation as described above, and finally, a copy of the original of the different series size was manually inserted into the corresponding page.

[0003]

Conventionally, originals of the same series size are placed on an original mounting table, and after copying the required number of copies, originals of a different series size are copied, and the copy is manually inserted. Therefore, there is a problem that the operation is troublesome and very troublesome. To solve these problems, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
In Japanese Patent No. 51875, when copying a document of a different series size, an automatic document feed mode switch and an inserting mode switch are provided, and when the inserting mode switch is turned on, the automatic document feed copy mode is interrupted.
There has been proposed a method of performing copying of a different series size in place of a normal platen cycle copying mode. That is, a document counter in the automatic document feed copy mode is provided, and when a page containing a document of a different series size is copied, when the insertion mode switch is turned on, the automatic document copy mode is temporarily stopped and the platen cycle is stopped. In this mode, a copy of a different series size is performed in this mode, and when the insertion mode switch is turned off after the copy is completed, the operation returns to the automatic original feed mode. However, in the above configuration, (1) the copying apparatus is complicated (2) originals of different series size must be extracted from the original bundle in advance (3) how many pages of the original series are There are problems such as the operator having to check the eyes.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 62-79437 discloses a semi-automatic paper feeding unit (to collectively feed sheet documents of the same width) and a fully automatic paper feeding unit (to feed sheet documents of various sizes one by one). ) To copy originals of different series sizes, place them one by one on the fully automatic paper feeder, determine the original size, stratify,
The sheet is sent to a plurality of separately provided set tables and then re-feeded. The document page order at the time of refeeding is determined by the CP
Under the control of U, a copying apparatus that feeds from any of a plurality of set tables has been proposed. More specifically, an original is placed on the transport table, and after detecting the original size, the original is distributed to a set table that accommodates each size. In this method, the order of the sheet documents distributed toward the set table is stored in the control unit, and the sheet documents distributed to the set table are selectively driven according to the order fed from the transport table to perform copying. .

[0005] Even with the above method, there are problems such as (1) the copy efficiency is extremely reduced, (2) the copying machine becomes large, and (3) the copying operation is complicated and copy troubles are likely to occur. The present invention is based on the prior art described above.
The purpose is to solve the problems that occur.

[0006]

The object of the present invention is as follows.
The invention is achieved by the following invention. (1) A document placing table for placing a document, and the document placing table
Automatic document feeder having a feeding section for feeding a document from the section
The document is provided on the document table,
Detects the size of the original being fed at multiple positions in the feeding direction.
An automatic document feeder having a detecting unit . (2) a document placing table for placing a document, and the document placing table
Automatic document feeder having a feeding section for feeding a document from the section
An image recording apparatus having a location, the document table unit
Document feeding that is provided at multiple positions in the feeding direction
Detector for detecting the direction size, a recording paper a plurality of sizes
A plurality of recording paper storage units that can be stored and detection of the detection unit
Based on the result, select one from the recording paper storage section
Control means for feeding a recording paper this with,
An image recording apparatus characterized by the following.

[0007]

According to the present invention, as described above, a plurality of detecting means for detecting the movement of a document are provided on a document table, and the trailing end of the moving document is detected. The size of the original is determined, and a signal of the same size as that of the original or a desired size of the paper such as enlargement or reduction is automatically supplied from the paper supply unit immediately by a size selection signal from the control unit on the main body. Since the data can be sent and recorded, the copying work efficiency is good, and there is an effect that the operation is not restricted or inconvenience is given to the operator.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An image recording apparatus having an automatic document feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an essential part of an image recording apparatus provided with an automatic document feeder according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, an image recording apparatus main body 100 includes a scanning exposure unit A, an image forming unit B, and an image forming unit B. A charger T ₁ , a developing unit B ₁ , a transfer charger A device T ₂ , a separate static eliminator T ₃ , a cleaning unit CL and the like are provided. Further, it comprises a recording paper feeding section C, a manual feeding section C ₀ , a transport section E, a fixing section F, a paper discharge transport section G, a paper discharge reversing section J, and a sorter section H.

[0010] A broken line in the drawing indicates a feeding path of the recording paper P.
The paper reversing section J is provided to correctly discharge the recording page order of the recording paper P when the automatic document feeder is used. It should be noted that a CPU 1 for controlling various operations such as recording operation zooming, recording paper feeding, detection, and driving, and a CPU 2 for controlling each detection, driving, and the like for document feeding are provided. The signals are connected to each other to input and output signals to perform predetermined recording control.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the main part of the automatic document feeder 10 which can be freely opened and closed by swinging on the upper surface of the image recording apparatus main body 100 with reference to the rear end of the paper. FIG. 3 shows the automatic document feeder 10
FIG. 6 is a plan view of a main part of a document size determination unit 10A serving as a document determination unit attached to the printer. FIGS. 4 (a) are those with respect to the document D ₀ placed on the original table in the front view of the main part of the document size determination unit 10A showing the contact mode, FIG. 4
FIG. 4B is a side view of a main part of FIG.

FIG. 5A shows a document size determination unit 10.
In partial front view of A, and shows the manner spaced with respect to the document D ₀ placed on the document table, FIG. 5 (b) is a fragmentary side view of FIG. 5 (a). FIG. 6A shows a contact (a spur) which is a component of the document size determination unit 10A.
FIG. FIG. 6B is a side view of FIG. FIG.
(A) is a front view of the contact of another aspect. FIG. 7B shows FIG.
The side view of (a). FIG. 8 shows a document placement table for a mixed document of different series.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a case where the document is placed on a contact 11;
14B, 14C, 14D, and 14E (hereinafter, referred to as contact 14) and the arrangement state of detection sensors PS2A, PS2B, PS2C, and PS2D. In FIG. 2, a document placing table 11 is provided on the upper left side of the automatic document feeder 10,
To enable a stack placed on the document D _0. Details will be described later,
At the time of recording, the placed original is fed rightward in the figure from the uppermost surface. A document setting solenoid SD is provided below the document table 11.
1 and a document leading end stopper 12 that can be swung by energization of the solenoid SD1. A state in which L-shaped end portion of the leading edge of the document stopper 12 is projected in the vicinity of the tip portion of the document table 11 at the time of energization, L-shaped when the original tip stopper 12 for placing different-sequence mixed originals D ₀ on the document table 11 The original is abutted against the shape portion to determine the position in the document feeding direction. On the back side of the document table 11, a document abutting fixed guide plate 13 parallel to the document feeding direction is provided. Mixed Document D of Different Series
_{When the} document D ₀ is placed on the document placing table 11, the mixed document D _{0 of} different series is realigned as shown in FIG. 4 and the fixed guide plate 13 and the L-shaped end If the document D ₀ is placed while being abutted with respect to the copy, the document D ₀ is accurately placed on the document placing table 11.

As will be described later, a document size determining unit
When 10A is mounted on the document mounting table 11, a unit mounting signal is automatically input to the CPU 2, the document mounting is detected by the document mounting detection sensor PS3, and the print button is turned on.
Accordingly, original placing D ₀ outer peripheral surface by driving the motor M of the contact 14 which is a component of the document size determination unit 10A
Lightly abut the top surface of the

The print button ON signal from the CPU 1 is CP
U2, the feed solenoid SD2 is actuated at a predetermined timing by the control signal, and the pickup roller
21 descends from the solid line position to the dotted line position at which the original can be fed. The control of the original tip stopper 12 CPU2 almost simultaneously, down to the illustrated dotted line position, the document D ₀ in FIG. 2 the right direction by the rotation of the pickup roller 21 is fed.
A feed roller 22 rotating in the direction of the arrow downstream of the pickup roller 21 in the document feeding direction, and a reverse roller 23 for preventing double feed.
The document D ₀ is nipped by the rollers and further fed rightward in FIG. Reverse roller for double feed prevention
23 are pivotally supported (not shown) via the torque limiter, the document D _0, when and where the document D ₀ when not exist between the nip was fed into between one nips takes a sliding manner around As clockwise, the torque limiter when the document D ₀ is fed between two or more nip overcomes the frictional force between the document sheets, by rotating the reverse roller 23 in the counterclockwise direction, the lower the original document D ₀ is pushed back to the document table 11 to prevent a large number of sheets from being fed. Pickup roller 21 is restored after a predetermined document D ₀ is sandwiched feeding roller 22 parts time, the solid line position by the control of the CPU 2. Feeding roller 22 in the feeding direction downstream for detecting the length in the width direction of the document D ₀ to the second detection sensor PS2A as the detection means, PS2B, PS2C, PS2D (hereinafter PS2
Are typically provided as shown in FIG. The sensor PS2, when it does not detect the document D ₀ becomes more optical sensors, etc. For example, when a signal of the OFF state to detect the document D _0, sends a signal of ON state to CPU 2. It is a component of a document size determination unit 10A for detecting the feeding direction of the length of the document D ₀ below detection sensor PS1
A, PS1B, PS1C, PS1D, PS1E (hereinafter P
S1) ON and OFF signals and the detection means P
The ON signal of S2 is input to CPU2, and the signal
A counter built in CPU 2 and L. U. Based on the correspondence with T, the document size is immediately determined. The detection means PS2 can be omitted when only recording of a fixed size is handled.

Here, an original size discriminating unit 10A for detecting the length in the original feeding direction is shown in FIGS.
A detailed description will be given with reference to (a), 4 (b) and FIGS. 5 (a), 5 (b).

An end of the fixed guide plate 13 for abutting the original is
As shown in FIG. 4B, 13A is extended in an inverted L-shape.
As shown in (b), step-locking members 36, 36 are fixed to both ends. Reference numeral 37 denotes a support plate of the document size determination unit 10A. The contact plate 14 and the detection sensor PS1, which are components of the document size determination unit 10A, are mounted on the support plate 37. A motor M for sliding and an eccentric cam are arranged as shown in the figure. As shown in FIG. 3, the motor M is driven and the detection sensor PS1 is turned on and off at the end of the support plate 37 of the document size determination unit 10A.
A connector 40 (male) for inputting and outputting signals and the like is provided. Then, using the engaging grooves 38, 38, the step locking members 36, provided on the side of the fixed guide plate 13 for abutting the original document,
The original size discrimination unit 10A is engaged with the 13A portion of the original abutting fixed guide plate 13 by engaging with the 36th portion and urged rightward in the figure, and the connector 39 provided in the 13A portion. (Female) and a connector (male) portion provided on the support plate 37 are automatically engaged and electrically connected, and can be controlled by an input to the CPU 2 or an output signal from the CPU 2, Feeding is controlled in the mixed document mode of different series. When the unit 10A is removed,
Alternatively, when the unit mounting signal section is turned off, it goes without saying that the normal feeding mode is performed.

FIG. 4 (a), 5 (a ) has contact element 14 is a component of a document size determination unit 10A, to a document placed D _0, shows a spaced manner with respective contact mode is there. The contact 14 has a thin disk shape and is rotatably provided by a shaft 16. In the drawing, e is a passing portion for passing the light emitted from the detection sensor PS1, and f is a blocking portion for blocking the emitted light.

The pair of detection sensors PS1 composed of light-emitting and light-emitting elements and the contacts 14 are combined as shown in FIG.
The detection sensor PS1 is configured to detect the passage or cutoff of the emitted light by the rotation of, and output an ON / OFF signal to the CPU2. Document size determination unit 10A as described above
Is composed of a contact 14 part, a detection sensor PS1 part, and a motor M part. The motor M is mounted on an L-shaped support plate 37 as shown in FIGS. 4 (b) and 5 (b). An eccentric cam 20 rotated by a motor M is supported at the shaft end of the shaft. 4 (a), 4 (b), 5
As shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b), 4
The guide rods 18 and 18A are inserted through slide rings 17 and 17 'provided in the holding member 15 via E-rings by the guide rods 18 and 18A. It is configured to be slidable.

A contact support plate 15A is fixed to the holding member 15, and a contact 14 is provided on the contact support plate 15A by a support shaft 16 below the contact support plate 15A. Is inserted into the slide groove 16A through an E-ring.
The contact 14 itself is configured to be slidable in the vertical direction and rotatable.

The detection sensor PS1 is fixed to the support plate 37 via the sensor mounting plate 19 as shown in FIG. 3, and the e and f of the contact 14 are interposed between the light emitting element and the light receiving element of the detection sensor PS1. The document size discrimination unit 10A is arranged in such a manner that the copy section interrupts.

As described above, the document size determination unit 10A
However, when the document is mounted on the portion 13A of the document abutting fixed guide plate 13, a unit mounting signal is output to the CPU 2, and the document feeding is controlled in the mixed document feeding mode of different series.

[0022] The different series mixed originals D ₀ placed on the document table 11 parts again aligned as shown in FIG. 8, the document placing置検detection sensor PS3, document placement is detected, the print button ON, the motor M is 5 and the outer peripheral surface of the contact 14 is
(A), 5 (b) FIGS. 4 (a) from the state of, as shown in 4 (b), descends to the state lightly contacts the upper surface of the document D _0. The movement, the document size determination unit 10A is mounted and the document D ₀ is positioned downwardly moved only when placed on the document table 11 parts, otherwise, 5
As shown in (a) and 5 (b), the motor M is appropriately controlled so as to be positioned above. Contact pressure between the original D ₀ surface and the contact element 14 the outer peripheral portion is no trouble in the original conveying, ready for rotation contactor 14 is smoothly by the movement of the document is desired. In the present invention, the holding member 15 is provided with the slide grooves 17 and 17A as described above, and the holding member 15 is moved up and down by the rotation of the eccentric cam 20, and as shown in FIG. , 17A and the guide rods 18, 18A restrict further lowering of the holding member 15, and finally the contactor support 15
Contact 14 is configured to contact the surface of the document D ₀ by its own weight by a slide groove 16A provided in the A.

In the present invention, the rotation of the motor M causes the contactor 14 to rotate.
Moves up and down and the detection sensor PS1 has a fixed configuration, but it goes without saying that the contact 14 and the detection sensor PS1 may be configured to move up and down in the same mode.

[0024] The are as the mounted original size determination unit 10A of different series mixed originals D ₀ is placed on the document table 11, the rear printing button is turned ON, the outer peripheral surface of the document D ₀ of the contactor 14 to be contact with the surface, lowering of the predetermined time after the pick-up roller 21, the rotation uppermost document D ₀ is fed.

When the original D ₀ is fed, the contact 14 in contact with the upper surface of the original D ₀ rotates, and the rotation of the contact 14 causes the detection sensor PS1 to detect the passage of the light beam, and its ON and OF states.
An F signal is sent to CPU2.

[0026] In the illustration of FIG. 8, since the document D ₀ of B5 size it is placed on the uppermost layer of the document table 11, contact element 14
B5 B, 14C, 14D, 14E does not rotate by the feeding of the document D ₀ of B5 size, only the contact 14A from the start document transport
The rear end of the original in the document feeding direction rotates for a predetermined time until it passes through the outer peripheral contact portion of the contact 14A, and the rotation causes the detection sensor PS1A to send an ON / OFF signal to the CPU 2 for a predetermined time.

[0027] B4 to the lowest 8 for explanation, A4R thereon sequentially B5R, A4, illustrates the case of placing a document D ₀ of B5 size in the top layer, the document D from the top layer in the direction of the arrow _Although the mode in which ₀ is fed one sheet at a time is illustrated, it goes without saying that the stacking state may be random.

The detection sensor PS1, which is a component of the original size discriminating unit 10A, is turned on and off for a certain period immediately after the original is fed.
The case where the FF signal is generated is indicated by ○, the case where it is not generated is indicated by ×, the case where the second detection means PS2 generates the ON signal is indicated by ，, and the case where the second detection means PS2 generates the OFF signal is indicated by ×.

[0029]

[Table 1]

As shown in Table 1, immediately after the document is fed, the detection signal of the detection sensor PS1, which is a component of the document size determination unit 10A, or the detection signal of the detection sensor PS1 and the second detection means P
The detection signal of S2 is input to CPU2,
The document size stored as LUT in M is output. The document size signal is sent to CPU 1 and
The recording paper P corresponding to the document size is fed from the paper feeding unit C at a predetermined timing in accordance with the size selection signal from # 1.
If there is no corresponding recording paper P on the document size, it displayed on a display unit (not shown), or stops the recording operation, or for feeding the recording sheet P from the manual paper feed unit C ₀ was the original size Display The detection means PS2 can be omitted when only recording of a fixed size is handled.

The document D ₀ whose document size is determined further advances rightward in FIG. 2 and is nipped and fed by the intermediate transport roller 24 and the driven roller 25. PS4 is original passage sensor, the document D ₀ is further fed by the intermediate feed roller 26,
Passes between the bay-shaped guide plate 27 is fed sandwiched pressure feed between the belt 29 and an image recording apparatus main body 100 upper surface of the platen glass 101 is rotated in the feeding portion 28, by the operation of the document stopper solenoid SD _3, the platen leading end of the original D ₀ in document stopper 102 that is a projecting state from the left upper surface of the glass 101 is stopped at a position impinging. The leading edge of the original D ₀ is,
At a stop position on the platen glass 101, the exposure is performed by an exposure lamp 103 in the image recording apparatus main body 100, and a scanning image of a scanning exposure unit A including a lens, a mirror, and the like forms a document image on a recording medium. The electrostatic image on the recording material is developed by the developing unit B1, is visualized as a toner image, the toner image is transferred onto the recording sheet P by the transfer charger T _2. These series of drive timing controls are C
This is performed by PU1 and CPU2.

The transferred recording paper P is separated from the recording medium by the separation neutralizer T ₃ , guided to the fixing unit F from the transport unit E, fixed as a permanent image, and recorded on the paper discharge transport unit G and the recording paper P. The sheet is guided to a sorter H through a sheet reversing section J for aligning the page order. The transferred recording medium is a cleaning device CL
As a result, the transfer residual toner is cleaned, and the process proceeds to the next copying process. Then, only the recording speed set, is repeated with the same exposure, when a series of recording process for the original D ₀ has been completed, retracted from abutment portion platen glass 101 the upper surface of the document leading end stopper 102 by the control of the CPU1 and to release the leading edge of the document D _0, by the feed belts 29 and a pair of discharge rollers 34, and again began to rotate,
Document D ₀ is discharged onto the discharge tray 35. PS5 is document discharge detection sensor, the detection of the sensor, the transport of the document D ₀ of the uppermost layer is initiated placed on the document table 11, it is performed similar to that described above series of recording process.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, the detachable original size discriminating unit 10A is mounted on the original placing table, and the original abutment fixed guide plate 13 and the original perpendicular to the conveying direction, relative to the L-shaped end portion of the leading edge of the document stopper 12 for positioning the original tip placed position the different series mixed originals D ₀ on the document table 11, the document size determination unit 10A The detection sensor PS1 or the detection sensor PS1 and the detection sensor PS2 provided on the downstream side of the pickup roller 21 in the feeding direction.
Thus, the document size can be detected immediately after the document is fed, and the recording operation can be automatically performed, which is very convenient.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of an image recording apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a main part of the automatic document feeder.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a main part of a document size determination unit.

FIG. 4 is a front view and a side view of a main part of a document size determination unit.

FIG. 5 is a front view and a side view of a main part of a document size determination unit.

FIG. 6 is a front view and a side view of a contact (spur).

FIG. 7 is a front view and a side view of the contact.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a case where different-series mixed loading is placed on a document placing table.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Automatic Document Feeder 10A Document Size Judgment Unit 11 Document Placement Table 12 Document Lead Stopper 13 Fixed Guide Plate for Document Abutting 14 Contact 15 Holding Member 17 (17A) Slide Groove 18 (18A) Guide Rod 19 Sensor Mounting Plate 20 Eccentric cam 21 Pickup roller 22 Feeding roller 23 Reverse roller for preventing double feed 37 Support plate PS1 Detection sensor that is a component of document size discrimination unit PS2 Detection sensor that detects the length of document in the width direction

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-5-170355 (JP, A) JP-A-61-156041 (JP, A) JP-A-5-105276 (JP, A) JP-A 57-170 67433 (JP, A) JP-A-57-203367 (JP, A) JP-A-59-49558 (JP, A) JP-A 1-152945 (JP, U) JP-A 63-178264 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03G 15/00 107 G03G 21/00 370-500 G03G 21/14 G03B 27/58-27/64 B65H 1/00 501 B65H 7/00- 7/20

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] An automatic original having an original placing table for placing an original , and a feeding section for feeding the original from the original placing table.
In the document feeding device, the document feeding device is provided on the document table, and is provided at a plurality of positions in the feeding direction.
Has a detection unit that detects the size of the original being fed in the feeding direction.
An automatic document feeder. An original placing table on which an original is placed;
An automatic document feeder having a feeding section for feeding a document from a document table.
In an image recording apparatus provided with a document feeding device, the document recording device is provided on the document table, and is provided at a plurality of positions in a feeding direction.
A detecting unit for detecting the size of a document being fed in the feeding direction, a plurality of recording paper storage units capable of storing recording paper of a plurality of sizes, and
And, based on the detection result of the detection unit,
Control to select one of them and feed the recording paper
Means for recording an image.