JP3339790B2 - Automatic document feeder - 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 which is mounted on an image processing apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile apparatus, and an image reading apparatus, and which is to be read by the image processing apparatus.
The present invention relates to an automatic document feeder in which an original is sent out to a reading unit of an image reading apparatus, and an original after an image is read is returned to a tray or an original placing plate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, a document mounted on a copying machine and set on a document placing plate is automatically supplied onto a contact glass of the copying machine, and then automatically placed on a tray or a document placing plate. 2. Description of the Related Art An automatic document feeder configured to return a document to a document is known. In this type of apparatus, a document set on a document placing plate is sent out to a transport path by a feeding means such as a feeding belt. Documents sent out (bundle of documents)
Are separated one by one by separation means arranged in the transport path, and only the lowermost document is sent out to the further downstream transport path.

[0003] The document sent out in this manner is stopped for a certain period of time with its leading end abutting the nip portion of a pair of registration rollers, thereby preventing the document from being so-called diagonally fed. . Then, in synchronization with the operation of the copier main body, the registration roller starts rotating and driving, the conveyance of the document is restarted, and the image is formed on one surface of the document by being guided on the contact glass. Can be

On the other hand, in a copying machine capable of duplex copying of a document, an image formed on one side of the document is read on a contact glass, and then the document is reversed along a reversing path bypassing a transport path. Conveyed by rollers,
Again placed on the contact glass. Then, the image formed on the other side of the document is read.

[0005]

Generally, a plurality of the above-mentioned reversing rollers are arranged apart from each other in the axial direction of a support shaft. With such a reversing roller, one of a pair of registration rollers disposed with the conveyance path interposed therebetween may be used as one of the pair of registration rollers, thereby reducing the size of the conveyance mechanism.

However, if registration is attempted by a plurality of reversing rollers spaced apart in the axial direction, the conveyance guide of the document between adjacent reversing rollers becomes unstable. Therefore, there is a possibility that the paper may be jammed or the leading edge of the document may be damaged. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic document feeder capable of reliably making the leading end of a document bite into a nip portion of a registration roller while reducing the size.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising: a pair of registration rollers for abutting a leading end of a document conveyed along a conveyance path to a nip portion of each other; A reversing roller for reversing the front and back of the document along a reversing path that bypasses the transport path. A reversing guide member which is disposed so as to cover between the reversing rollers and guides reversal of the document, and the guide surface of the reversing guide member is reversed when viewed from the axial direction. are curved along the peripheral surface of the roller, longitudinal ends of the reverse guide member,
A pair of side plates supporting both ends of the support shaft of the reversing roller are provided.
At the middle part in the longitudinal direction of the reversing guide member.
Abuts against the axially intermediate portion of the support shaft to deflect the reversal guide member.
And a bending prevention portion for preventing the deformation .

In this configuration, by using one of the registration roller and the reversing roller, the size of the transport mechanism can be reduced. Since the reversing guide member having the guide surface along the peripheral surface of the reversing roller as viewed from the axial direction is provided between the adjacent reversing rollers, the leading end of the document can be reliably engaged with the lip portion .

In the case where the reversing guide member is supported by only a pair of side plates at both ends in the longitudinal direction, there is a possibility that the middle portion in the longitudinal direction of the reversing guide member may be bent. It may not be possible to guide to the nip. On the other hand, according to the present invention, since the deflection preventing portion provided at the intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of the reversing guide member abuts on the support shaft, the bending of the reversing guide member is prevented. We can guide you to the department. Invention of claim 2
The reversing guide member according to claim 1, wherein
Multiple guides, including faces, and these guides collectively
Guide to support and guide the manuscript to the contact glass
And a support that also serves as a member.
Characterized by being supported by a plate
You. In the present invention, a document inverted through a reversing path is scanned.
Mood can be guided on contact glass.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to a circulating document feeder for a copying machine as an example. However, the circulating document feeder according to the present invention is not limited to a circulating document feeder for a copying machine, but a circulating document feeder for a facsimile machine.
The present invention is also applicable to a recirculating document feeder for an image reading device connected to a computer or the like.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the circulating document feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the front, which shows a simplified internal configuration. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the recirculating document feeder shown in FIG. FIG.
2, the circulation type document feeder 1 is mounted on the upper surface of the copying machine main body 2, and
The original can be automatically supplied onto the contact glass 3 arranged on the upper surface of the document, and the original can be re-supplied onto the contact glass 3 by returning the original after the image is read to the original position. . The circulating document feeder 1 also serves as a cover for the contact glass 3, and is opened upward around the rear side so that a document can be manually placed on the contact glass 3.

As shown in FIG. 2, an operation panel 7 on which operation keys such as a print key 4 and a numeric keypad 5 and a display unit 6 are arranged is provided on the front side of the upper surface of the copying machine body 2. Operations on the copying machine main body 2 and the circulating document feeder 1 are performed through the operation panel 7. At the center of the upper surface of the circulating document feeder 1, a document placing plate 8 for placing a document to be supplied to the contact glass 3 is provided. On the document placing plate 8, for example, a document having a size of B5 (Japanese Industrial Standard B, row No. 5) to A3 (Japanese Industrial Standard A, row No. 3) can be placed. A pair of document width regulating guides 9a and 9b for positioning the document placed on the document placing plate 8 in a direction (document width direction) orthogonal to the document conveying direction are provided on the document placing plate 8. Is provided. The document width regulating guides 9a and 9b are adapted to move in conjunction with each other in a direction approaching or moving away from each other along the rail 10 so as to match the width of the document placed on the document placing plate 8. Manually operated.

The document placing plate 8 is further provided with two feeding belts 11 and 12 for guiding the placed document to a predetermined set position and for starting transport of the document set at the set position. It is arranged. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the two feeding belts 11 and 12 are arranged in parallel in a direction orthogonal to the document conveying direction. Feeding belt 1
A preset switch 13 for detecting that a document is placed on the document placing plate 8 is disposed on the front side of the reference numeral 1. When a document is placed on the document placing plate 8 by the user, the preset switch 13 is turned on, and the driving of the feeding belts 11 and 12 is started. This feeding belt 1
The original placed on the original placing plate 8 is transported in the direction of the arrow 100 (the left side in FIG. 1) by the driving of the first and second plates 12.

A set switch 14 is disposed downstream of the preset switch 13 in the document transport direction. The feed belts 11 and 12 are stopped after a predetermined time has elapsed since the set switch 14 was turned on by the document to be transferred. As a result, the document is set at a predetermined set position. A front end regulating member 15 for regulating the front end of the document to be set is provided downstream of the feed belts 11 and 12, and the document flows downstream of the setting position in the document conveying direction. Has been prevented. The front end regulating member 15 also serves to prevent a user who is unfamiliar with handling the apparatus from inserting a document downstream of the set position in the document conveying direction.

When the print key 4 provided on the copying machine main body 2 is depressed in the state where the setting of the original is completed, the home position above the feeding belts 11 and 12 (shown by a solid line in FIG. 1). (The position shown in FIG. 1) is moved in the direction opposite to the document conveying direction by a distance corresponding to the size of the set document (the position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1). The partitioning unit 17 is provided with a partitioning bar 18 that can be displaced between a non-operating state retracted into the partitioning unit 17 and an operating state for regulating the front end of the original returned on the original placing plate 8. . At the time of document conveyance, the partition bar 18 is lowered to the operating state, the front end of the document returned from the document discharge unit 30 described later onto the document mounting plate 8 is aligned, and the untransported document and the transported document are separated. Partitioned.

Further, the two action plates 19 and 20 waiting at the home position (the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 1) inside the document discharge section 30 are moved by a distance corresponding to the size of the set document. It is moved in the transport direction (the position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1). The operation plates 19 and 20 are connected by a connecting plate 71 below the document placing plate 8, and guide rails 72 and 73 formed on the document placing plate 8 at intervals in a direction orthogonal to the document conveying direction. Along, is to be moved integrally.

The action plates 19 and 20 are plate-like bodies having a substantially right triangular shape having an inclined side ascending in the document conveying direction when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the moving direction. Therefore, the original returned first on the original placing plate 8 is guided by the inclined sides of the action plates 19 and 20, and the leading end of the original strikes the trailing end of the unconveyed original set at the set position. It is returned on top of it.

On the other hand, the pressing member 16 provided above the feeding belt 12 is displaced from a rising position indicated by a solid line in FIG. Is pressed against the feeding belt 12. Then, when the front end regulating member 15 is lowered downward and the driving of the feed belts 11 and 12 is restarted, the conveyance of the document is started.

A separation roller 21 is disposed downstream of the front end regulating member 15 in the document conveying direction, and a separation belt 22 is provided to face the separation roller 21. The originals (original bundles) sent by the feed belts 11 and 12 are separated by the separation roller 21 and the separation belt 22, and only the lowermost original is sent to the original conveyance path 23.

When the original sent out to the original conveying path 23 reaches a registration switch 24 provided on the original conveying path 23 and a predetermined time has elapsed since the registration switch 24 was turned on, the feeding belts 11 and 12 are turned off. , Separation roller 21
And the driving of the separation belt 22 is stopped. At this time,
The leading end of the document is sufficiently in contact with the nip position between the registration roller 25 and the registration / reversing roller 26, and a predetermined amount of deflection is formed at the leading end of the document. As a result, the so-called oblique feeding of the document, which is sent while the document is inclined with respect to the document conveying path 23, is prevented.

Thereafter, the registration roller 25 and the registration / reversal roller 26 are driven to rotate in synchronism with the operation of the copying machine main body 2, so that the conveyance of the document is resumed. The registration roller 25 and the registration / reversal roller 26 are rotated at a relatively slow speed for a predetermined time after the drive is started, and thereafter rotated at a relatively high speed. The predetermined time during which the document is rotated at the low speed is set to a time sufficient to absorb the deflection of the document. Therefore, the original is not loosely bent, so that a function sound (sound of the original popping) generated when the original is suddenly pulled from the bent state is not generated.

The document sent by the registration roller 25 and the registration / reversal roller 26 is placed at a predetermined position on the contact glass 3 of the copying machine main body 2 by the transport belt 27. When reading only the image formed on one side of the placed document, the document image is read by the copier as it is. On the other hand, when reading an image formed on both sides of the placed document, the document is turned over before the image reading operation is performed.

More specifically, the original placed on the contact glass 3 is returned to the reversing path 28 by the transport belt 27. The pulled back document is transported by the transport belt 27,
Registration / reversal roller 26 and reversal roller 29, and registration roller 25 and registration / reversal roller 2
6, is conveyed along the reversing path 28, and is again arranged on the contact glass 3 by the conveying belt 27. Then, an image reading operation is performed by the copying machine, and an image formed on the back surface of the document is read. Thereafter, the document is turned over again, and the image formed on the surface of the document is read.

The original after the image is read is sent to the original discharge section 30 by the transport belt 27. The document sent to the document discharge unit 30 is conveyed along a discharge path 32 by a pair of discharge rollers 31 and discharged onto the document mounting plate 8 by a pair of discharge rollers 33. That is, the original from which the image has been read is returned to the original placing plate 8.

Next, the registration mechanism and the reversing mechanism will be described with reference to FIGS. First, FIG.
With reference to, the registration / reversal roller 26 and the registration roller 25 are disposed on the curved portion 411 of the transport path 410. The registration / reversal roller 26 is located outside the curve, and the registration roller 25 is located inside the curve. The registration / reversing roller 26 is moved along the transport path 41.
0 and a reversing roller that functions as a registration roller that registers the document conveyed along the reversing path 28 in cooperation with the registration roller 25, and reverses the document conveyed from the contact glass 3 along the reversing path 28. Function as When the registration / reversing roller 26 functions as a reversing roller, a reversing path 28 surrounding the periphery thereof
Is guided to the upstream side of the nip 412 formed by itself and the other registration roller 25 to join the conveyance path 410 and subsequently function as a registration roller.

Referring to FIG. 4, registration / reversal roller 2
A plurality 6 are arranged apart from each other in the axial direction of the support shaft 413. A plurality of registration rollers 25 are provided so as to face each of the plurality of registration / inversion rollers 26. The registration / reversal roller 26 includes a support shaft 41.
3. A roller support 4 made of a resin fixed integrally rotatable to 3
14 is made of a rubber cylinder fitted on the peripheral surface. on the other hand,
The registration roller 25 is made of a slippery resin having a small friction coefficient, such as a polyacetal resin.

A reversing guide member 415 is disposed so as to cover a space between adjacent registration / reversing rollers 26. The reversing guide member 415 includes a plurality of curved guide members 416 disposed between the registration / reversal rollers 26 and a guide member 416 for guiding the reversal of the document conveyed along the reversing path 28. And a support 418 that supports the package 418 collectively. As shown in FIG. 3, the guide surface 417 formed of the outer peripheral surface of the guide main body 416 is curved along the peripheral surface of the registration / reversing roller 26 when viewed from the axial direction.

Since the reversing guide member 415 provided with the guide surface 417 along the peripheral surface of the resist / reversing roller 26 as viewed from the axial direction is provided between the adjacent resist / reversing rollers 26 as described above, the leading end of the document can be moved. Nip part 4 surely
12 can be bitten. As a result, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a jam or damage to the document immediately before the registration rollers 25 and 26.

Further, referring to FIG.
The support member 418 of No. 5 is made of a long member that is long in a direction parallel to the support shaft 413 of the registration / reversing roller 26, and both ends of the support member 418 support a pair of supports that support both ends of the support shaft 413 of the registration / reversal roller 26. Side plate 419 (only one side plate is shown)
Supported by That is, a pair of engaging projections 42 is provided on the end plate 420 that constitutes both ends of the support 418.
1, 422 are formed, and these engagement projections 42 are formed.
A pair of engagement holes 423 provided on the side plate 419
The support 418 is inserted into each of the support 418.
Are fixed to the side plate 419. The side plate 419 supports a support shaft 413 of the registration / reversal roller 26 and a support shaft 424 of the registration roller 25 via bearings (not shown).

Referring to FIG. 4, the guide main body 416 at the intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of the reversal guide member 415 has a resist /
A bending prevention portion 424 is provided which is in contact with an intermediate portion of the support shaft 413 of the reversing roller 26 in the axial direction and which is a rib for preventing the longitudinal reversing guide member 415 from bending. As shown in FIG. 3, the deflection preventing portion 424 has an arc surface 425 facing the peripheral surface of the support shaft 413. This arc surface 425
It is preferable to set a slight clearance between the shaft and the peripheral surface of the support shaft 413. That is, when the reversing guide member 415 is not bent, the bending preventing portion 4
This is because contact between the shaft 24 and the support shaft 413 can be avoided. Thus, resistance is not given to the rotation of the support shaft 413 when unnecessary. Note that the above clearance amount may be set to an allowable bending amount in a range that does not affect document conveyance.

When the long reversing guide member 415 is supported only at both ends, there is a possibility that the middle portion in the longitudinal direction may be bent, and if it is bent, the leading end of the document may not be reliably guided to the nip portion. is there. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the bending prevention member 424 provided at the middle portion in the longitudinal direction of the reversing guide member 415 contacts the support shaft 413 and
Since the bending of the document 15 is prevented, the leading edge of the document can be reliably guided to the nip portion. In the present embodiment, the bending prevention unit 24 is
Although the guide main body 416 is formed, the deflection preventing portion 424 may be formed on a plurality or all of the guide main bodies 416.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, support 418 of reversing guide member 415 also serves as a guide member for guiding the document passing between registration / reversing roller 26 and registration roller 25 to contact glass 3 side. ing. Therefore, the inverted document can be smoothly guided onto the contact glass 3 through the reversing path 28.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a guide plate 4 for guiding the conveyance of the document is provided upstream of the nip portion 412 of the registration rollers 25 and 26 in the conveyance path 410.
25 are provided. The guide plate 425 is made of, for example, a resin sheet or a resin film having elasticity. The guide plate 425 is provided in the
A cover 426 that releasably covers one end of the
It is rotatably supported around a shaft 427 via a support arm 428. The cover 426 is displaced together with the separation belt 22 and the guide plate 425 by rotating around a predetermined axis 429 at the time of jam clearance or the like, thereby opening the transport path 410 and the reverse path 28.

When the cover 426 shown in FIG. 3 is closed, the support arm 428
By contacting a stopper (not shown) provided in the document 6, the document 6 is held in a predetermined posture for guiding the conveyance of the document. When opening and closing the cover 426,
The guide plate 425 is opened and closed by a cam mechanism (not shown) interposed between the cover 426 and the support arm 428 while avoiding interference with the registration / reversal roller 26.

Referring to FIG. 4, the leading edge (lower edge) of guide plate 425 has a projecting portion 430 facing between registration / reversing rollers 26 and a non-projecting portion 431 facing resist / reversing roller 26. Are alternately formed. The non-projecting portion 431 is located immediately before the nip portion 412, and the projecting portion 430 extends to the downstream side of the transport path 410 beyond the nip portion 412.

The guide plate 425 corresponding to the space between the plurality of registration / reversal rollers 26 is formed on the protruding portion 430 protruding so as to extend beyond the nip portion 412 to the downstream side of the transport path 410. Since it is formed, the leading end of the document to be guided can be reliably engaged with the nip portion 412. From this viewpoint, the registration rollers 25,
It is possible to effectively prevent the occurrence of a jam or the breakage of the document near 26.

Further, regarding the non-projecting portion 431 of the guide plate 425, as shown in FIG.
Is made to abut on the resin registration roller 25 inside the curve first. In this manner, since the contact is made to come in contact with the resist roller 25 on the slippery side first, the leading end D1 of the contacted document D can be smoothly pushed to the nip portion 412 side. Therefore, the height is reduced in order to reduce the size of the recirculating document feeder 1,
Even when the degree of curvature of the transport path 410 is increased, the leading end D1 of the document D can be reliably guided to the nip portion 412. From this viewpoint, the registration rollers 25, 2
6 can be effectively prevented from being jammed or the document being damaged.

It should be noted that, after being reversed along the reversing path 28 by the registration / reversing roller 26, the registration roller 2
The originals passing through the nip portions 412 of the 5th and 26th have the curving direction reversed by the reversal, and the repelling force against the bending causes the leading end of the original to first contact the registration roller 25 inside the curving. There is no possibility that the direction of the guide plate 425 has an adverse effect.

In the above embodiment, the guide plate 425 is used.
Although the leading edge of the rim is comb-shaped, the protrusion may be omitted so as to be aligned with the line of the non-protrusion. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the guide plate 425 is configured such that the registration rollers 25 on the inner side of the curve are provided.
Although the direction in which the front end of the document is set first is set, it may be directed to the nip portion 412. Further, the present invention can be applied to a non-circulating type automatic document feeder. In addition, various changes can be made within the scope of the present invention.

[0040]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the size of the transport mechanism can be reduced by using one of the registration rollers by a plurality of reversing rollers separated in the axial direction.
In addition, since the reversing guide member having the guide surface along the peripheral surface of the reversing roller as viewed from the axial direction is provided between the adjacent reversing rollers, the leading end of the document can be reliably engaged in the nip portion. As a result, it is possible to prevent paper jams and document breakage immediately before the registration rollers.

Further, by preventing unit deflection provided in the longitudinal direction intermediate portion of the reverse guide member comes into contact with the support shaft, the deflection of the reverse guide member is prevented, the leading end of the original can be reliably guided to the nip portion . As a result, it is possible to prevent a paper jam or the like due to the bending. Claim 2
In the Ming, smooth the inverted document through the inversion path
Can be guided over contact glass.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a simplified cross-sectional view of the internal configuration of a circulation type document feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the front side.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a part of the circulation type document feeder shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic view showing a main part of the circulation type document feeder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a registration mechanism and a reversing mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a registration mechanism showing a state in which a document is conveyed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 25 registration roller 26 registration / reversal roller 410 transport path 412 nip portion 413 support shaft 415 reversal guide member 416 guide main body 417 guide surface 418 support body 419 side plate 424 deflection prevention part

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kazutoshi Kondo 1-2-28 Tamazo, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Inside Mita Kogyo Co., Ltd. No. 28 Mita Kogyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shield Kusakabe 1-2-28 Takuma, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture Mita Kogyo Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A 8-151174 (JP, A) Kaihei 8-217293 (JP, A) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65H 9/14 G03G 15/00 107

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A pair of registration rollers for abutting the leading edge of a document conveyed along a conveyance path to each other's nip;
A reversing roller for reversing the front and back of the document along a reversing path that bypasses the transport path, wherein the reversing rollers are arranged in a plurality of spaced apart in the axial direction of the support shaft. The roller also serves as one of the registration rollers, and further includes a reversing guide member arranged to cover between the reversing rollers and guiding the reversal of the document. The guide surface of the reversing guide member is viewed from the axial direction. The reverse guide member is curved along the peripheral surface of the reverse roller, and both ends in the longitudinal direction of the reverse guide member are connected to the reverse roller.
Supported by a pair of side plates that support both ends of the spindle
In the longitudinal middle part of the reversing guide member,
Bending prevention that abuts on the gap to prevent bending of the reversing guide member
An automatic document feeder, wherein a part is provided. 2. The reverse guide member according to claim 1, wherein the reverse guide member includes a guide surface.
If you support a number of guides and these guides collectively
Both also use a guide member to guide the manuscript to the contact glass
With a pair of side plates.
2. The automatic document feeder according to claim 1, wherein the automatic document feeder is supported .