JP3411438B2 - 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 an automatic document feeder mounted on an image reading device such as a copying machine, a facsimile device, a scanner device, etc. More specifically, it separates a document from a plurality of document bundles one by one. The present invention relates to an automatic document feeder that conveys to an image reading unit stopped at a reading position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image reading apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile apparatus, a scanner apparatus, etc., when a document stack consisting of a plurality of documents is placed on a document table and a job start switch is depressed, Are conveyed one by one to the reading position, and the original is read by the image reading means of the image forming apparatus at the reading position. When the reading is completed, the original is discharged to a predetermined discharging position. Some automatic document feeders are provided, and as such an automatic document feeder, for example, the one described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-121033 is known.

In this document, a manuscript table on which a manuscript bundle composed of a plurality of manuscripts can be placed, and one manuscript is separated from the manuscript stack placed on the manuscript table, and the separated manuscript is slit. A separation roller and a conveyance roller that convey the glass toward the glass through a linear conveyance path, and a paper ejection roller that ejects the read document onto a paper ejection tray. However, in such an automatic document feeder, since a document is conveyed in a straight line, the installation area of the automatic document feeder increases and the installation space also increases. .

Therefore, for example, as described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-13153, a first reading mode in which a document is read by a reading means fixed below the slit glass while the document is being conveyed, and the document is placed on the contact glass. When the original is read in the first reading mode, the original placed on the original placing table is separated. After that, the document is conveyed to the slit glass via the reversing path, and the document that has been read is discharged on the discharge tray arranged on the contact glass. There is a transport device, which can significantly reduce the installation space of the automatic document transport device.

Further, as an automatic document feeder for only the first reading mode, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-172618, after separating the document placed on the document table, it is passed through the reversing path. There is an automatic document feeder that has a so-called loop-shaped feeding path so that the document that has been read and is then discharged onto a discharge tray disposed on the contact glass. Even if
The installation space of the automatic document feeder can be greatly reduced.

On the other hand, by stamping a read (exposed) document, it is possible to confirm the end of reading, the double feeding failure of the document, or the facsimile transmission in the facsimile machine. Various automatic document feeders have been developed. In such an automatic document feeder, a stamp unit for stamping a stamp is arranged in the paper discharge portion on the downstream side of the reading position (slit glass or contact glass) in the document transport direction. Since it is a consumable item, it is properly replaced by the user after being used 3000 times or more.

[0007]

However, in the automatic document feeder described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-13153, the installation space can be reduced, but
Since the amount of opening on the side of the paper discharge unit, that is, the amount of external exposure of the paper discharge path is small, there is a problem that if a jam occurs in the paper discharge unit, the jam processing cannot be easily performed.

Further, in the automatic document feeder described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 172618/1995, a jam removing function of the paper discharge portion is not provided and a plurality of feed rollers for feeding the document are provided. Therefore, there is a problem that it is very difficult to remove the jam in the paper discharge section. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily perform the jam processing at the paper discharge portion while reducing the installation space, and to provide the stamp unit in the paper discharge portion, and perform the stamp operation of the stamp unit by the same operation as the jam processing. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic document feeder of a simple system by making it possible to exchange the documents.

[0009]

The invention according to claim 1 is
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an automatic document feeder is provided which can open and close an upper portion of an image reading device, and the document is read by a reading means of the image reading device fixed at a first reading position while feeding the document. A first reading mode; and a second reading mode in which the document is read by the reading means moving below the second reading position when the document is placed at the second reading position and stopped. The original stack placed on the table is separated, inverted to the first reading position and conveyed, and an original stamp that has been read at the first reading position is stamped with an end stamp, and then placed above the second reading position. An automatic document feeder that discharges documents on a document discharge table provided, is fixed to the main body of the device, is provided so as to cover the second reading position, and discharges documents on the upper surface. The main frame that constitutes the paper table and the main frame And a pressure member that is rotatably connected to the main frame via the first rotation fulcrum and presses the document at the second reading position and that constitutes a white reference at the time of reading and the main frame. An auxiliary frame that is rotatably connected via a second rotation fulcrum, is provided on the main frame so that it can be adsorbed by an adsorption member, and is also connected to a pressing member by a link mechanism. Is a conveying member that constitutes a part of the paper discharge path and is in sliding contact with a driving member provided on the main body of the apparatus so as to discharge the document, which has been read at the first reading position, onto the document discharge tray. And a stamp unit that detachably supports the stamp.

In this case, when removing the jam, if the auxiliary frame is rotated in a predetermined direction after opening this device with respect to the image reading device, the suction force of the suction means is released and the auxiliary frame is removed. It rotates in a predetermined direction with respect to the main frame via the second rotation fulcrum. In addition to this, the pressure member rotates in a predetermined direction with respect to the main frame via the first rotation fulcrum, and is separated from the auxiliary frame via the link mechanism.

As a result, the jammed paper is easily removed from the exposed paper discharge path. Further, even when the stamp is replaced from the stamp unit, the stamp unit can be exposed to the outside and the stamp can be easily replaced by performing the above-described operation. Further, since the jam processing and the stamp exchange can be performed only by rotating the auxiliary frame and the pressure member with respect to the main frame, it is possible to prevent the installation space of the present device from increasing and save space. Can be fully achieved.

In order to solve the above problems, the invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 1, a handle is provided on the auxiliary frame. In that case, the auxiliary frame can be easily rotated with respect to the main frame by gripping the handle, and the workability of the jam processing and the stamp replacement work can be significantly improved.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 are views showing an embodiment of an automatic document feeder according to the present invention, showing an example in which the automatic document feeder is mounted on an image reading apparatus. The image reading device can be applied to a copying machine, a facsimile device, a scanner device and the like.

First, the structure will be described. In FIG. 1, 1
Is an image reading device, and a slit glass (first reading position) 2 and a contact glass (second reading position) 3 are provided on the upper surface of the image reading device 1. Below the slit glass 2 and the contact glass 3, an exposure lamp 4 as an image reading means, a first mirror 5 and the like are provided. The exposure lamp 4 and the first mirror 5 are mounted on the contact glass 3. When the original is read, it moves to the left and right in FIG. 1 below the contact glass 3 (first reading mode), and when the original is read on the slit glass 2, it moves below the slit glass 2. After stopping and reading the original surface by the exposure lamp 4 (second reading mode), the reflected light is imaged on an image-forming element such as CCD through the first mirror 5 and a lens (not shown) as is known. It has become.

Further, an automatic document feeder (hereinafter, simply referred to as ADF) 6 is mounted on the image reading device 1, and the document placed on the contact glass 3 is placed on the lower surface of the ADF 6. A reflecting plate 7 is provided which is pressed against and serves as a white reference when reading a document.
The ADF 6 is connected to the image reading device 1 via a hinge 8 as shown in FIG.
It can be opened and closed freely.

A document placing table 9 is provided on the upper part of the ADF 6, and a document stack P made up of a plurality of documents is placed on the document placing table 9. The original bundle P placed on the original placing table 9 contacts the original bundle P.
After being fed by the detachable calling roller 10, it is separated by the separation belt 11 and the separation blocking roller 12. The separation belt 11 pressurizes and contacts the separation blocking roller 12 at an arbitrary angle θ. ing.

A stopper member 13 is provided downstream of the calling roller 10 in the original conveying direction, and the original bundle P placed on the original placing table 9 is stopped by the stopper member 13 to the separating belt 11 side. It is forbidden to enter. Calling roller
A pressure plate 14 is provided below the pressure plate 10.
Is contacted with and separated from the calling roller 10 by a solenoid (not shown). That is, this pressure plate
When the copy start switch 14 is pressed, the solenoid 14 moves from the position separated from the calling roller 10 shown by the solid line to the position contacting the calling roller 10 shown by the phantom line by the solenoid, and presses the original document to the calling roller 10. The original is fed by the calling roller 10.

The separation belt 11 is bridged between a driving roller 15 and a driven roller 16, and the driven roller 15 is attached to a case 17 by a shaft 15a.
Are connected via. The case 17 is rotatable about the shaft 15a, and the case 17 has a calling roller.
10 is installed. Therefore, when the case 17 rotates about the shaft 15a as a fulcrum, the calling roller 10 is separated from the document stack P. Further, when the driven roller 16 is rotated about the fulcrum 15a in this state, the separation belt 11 is separated from the separation prevention roller 12. The case 17 is connected to the paper feed unit case 18 via a shaft 15a, and the paper feed unit case 18 is rotatably attached to the ADF 6 main body via a fulcrum 19.

The driven roller 16 is biased by a spring 20, and the spring 20 separates the separation belt.
11 is given a certain tension. Also, drive roller 15
A one-way clutch 21 is provided between the shaft 15a and the shaft 15a, and the driving roller 15 is rotated clockwise by the clutch 21 in FIG. Further, the separation preventing roller 12 is configured to rotate clockwise in FIG. 1, and the uppermost document is separated from the document stack P fed between the separation belt 11 and the separation preventing roller 12. It

The document separated by the separation belt 11 and the separation prevention roller 12 is reversed along the reversing path 25 by the first conveying roller 23 and the driven roller 24 on the driving side and conveyed toward the slit glass 2. It is like this. The driven roller 24 is attached to a lever 26 that is attached to the paper feed unit case 18 so as to be rotatable around a fulcrum 19, and a spring 27 that presses this lever 26 causes the first conveyance roller 24 to rotate.
Pressurized to 23.

The first conveying roller 23 and the driven roller 24 sandwich the separated original, convey it to the slit glass 2 through the reversing guide 28, and then convey it by picking it up to the discharging path 30 by the reversing discharging guide 29. It is supposed to do. Further, a reflection guide plate 31 is provided on the slit glass 2, and the reflection guide plate 31 constitutes a white reference at the time of reading.

Then, the document conveyed to the paper discharge path 30 is nipped and conveyed by the second conveying roller (driving member) 32 and the driven roller (conveying member) 33 on the driving side, and then discharged on the driving side. The paper output path 30 is sandwiched between the paper roller 34 and the driven roller 35.
The sheet is discharged from the outside, discharged by the discharging brush 36, and then discharged onto the exterior cover 37. On the other hand, the reflection plate 7 covering the contact glass 3 is provided on the lower surface of the pressing plate 38, and the pressing plate 38 presses the original document placed on the contact glass 3 against the glass 3. .

The pressure plate 38 is rotatably attached to a main frame 40 via a fulcrum (first rotation fulcrum) 39. The main frame 40 has an end attached to the shaft of a driven roller 35. It is fixed to the ADF6 body. The reflection plate 7 and the pressure plate 38 form a pressure member. Also,
The main frame 40 has an area which covers the contact glass 3, and an outer cover 37 is attached to the upper surface thereof, and together with the outer cover 37 constitutes a document discharge tray. Also, the pressure plate 38
Is connected to an auxiliary frame 42 via a link 41 which is a link mechanism (only one of the links 41 is shown in FIG. 1). The auxiliary frame 42 holds the outer peripheral portion of the main frame 40. Is formed in a substantially U-shaped cross section, and is rotatably connected to the main frame 40 via a fulcrum (second pivot fulcrum) 43.

Further, the main frame 40 is provided with a magnet 44 as an attraction means.
Is sucking the auxiliary frame 42. Auxiliary frame
42 may be entirely made of metal, or may be entirely made of an elastic member such as plastic and only the portion attracted by the magnet 42 may be made of metal. The attracting means is not limited to a magnet, and may be any member as long as it is a member that attracts the auxiliary frame 42 to the main frame 40.

The tip portion of the auxiliary frame 42 (in FIG. 1,
A guide plate 42a forming a part of the paper discharge path 30 is provided at the left end portion).
The driven roller 33 is rotatably provided on the guide plate 42a. Further, a stamp unit 45 is provided on the guide plate 42a. The stamp unit 45 is arranged on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the original document which has passed through the slit glass 2 by causing the stamp to move in and out of the guide plate 45a by a solenoid (not shown). The stamp S is stamped at predetermined positions (x and y positions from the end and side of the document, respectively) (see FIG. 3). In addition,
The stamp is detachably attached to the stamp unit 45, and the stamping operation is performed a predetermined number of times (for example, 3000 times or more).
Will be exchanged when is finished.

Further, the auxiliary frame 45 near the guide plate 45a
A handle 46 is provided on the portion, and the handle 46 can be held by a user. Also, the mainframe 40
A stopper 47 is provided on this stopper 47
Is in contact with the base end portion (the right end portion in FIG. 1) of the auxiliary frame 42, and prohibits the auxiliary frame 42 from rotating about the fulcrum 43 counterclockwise by a predetermined amount or more. In addition,
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 48 is a driven roller that is in sliding contact with the separation belt 11.

Next, the operation will be described. When the document stack P is placed on the document table 9 with the document surface facing upward, and the start switch is pressed, the pressure plate 14 presses the document stack P against the calling roller 10 to cause the calling roller 10 to stack the document. Are conveyed toward the separation belt 11. This document bundle P is conveyed to the slit glass 2 along the reversing path 25 by the first conveying roller 23 and the driven roller 24 after the uppermost original is separated by the separation belt 11 and the separation preventing roller 12. After that, the document surface is read by the slit glass 2 by the exposure lamp 4, the first mirror 5, and the like. The read document is conveyed on the conveying path 30 by the second conveying roller 32 and the driven roller 33, and then discharged onto the outer cover 37 by the paper discharging roller 34 and the driven roller 35. Also,
The read stamp S is imprinted on the trailing edge of the original that has passed through the slit glass 2 by the stamp of the stamp unit 45. By stamping the stamp S, it is possible to confirm the end of reading, the double feeding failure of the document, or the facsimile transmission in the facsimile device.

Next, a method for performing a work for replacing a stamp when a jam occurs on the paper discharge path 30 will be described with reference to FIG. First, after removing the outer cover 37, the ADF 6 is attached to the image reading apparatus 1 via the hinge 8.
The contact glass 3 is exposed to the outside by rotating in the counterclockwise direction. Next, when the auxiliary frame 42 is pulled in the arrow A direction, the attraction force of the magnet 45 is released and the auxiliary frame 42 rotates in the arrow B direction with respect to the main frame 40 via the fulcrum 43.

When the auxiliary frame 42 is pulled to some extent, the base end portion of the auxiliary frame 42 comes into contact with the stopper 47, and the auxiliary frame 42 stops in a state of rotating downward by H with respect to the main frame 40. At the same time as the movement of the auxiliary frame 42 described above, the pressure plate 38 is moved by the main frame 40 via the fulcrum 39.
In contrast to this, it rotates in the direction of arrow B, and separates from the auxiliary frame 40 via the link 41 and stops.

Therefore, the driven roller 33 is separated from the second conveying roller 32, and the paper discharge path 30 is exposed, so that the jammed paper is easily removed from the exposed paper discharge path 33. Even when the stamp 50 is exchanged from the stamp unit 45, the guide plate 42a is exposed to the outside, so that the stamp unit 45 of the exposed guide plate 42a is shown in FIG.
The stamp 50 can be easily installed and removed as indicated by the arrow.

Further, the jam processing and the replacement of the stamp 50 can be performed only by rotating the auxiliary frame 42 and the reflection plate 7 with respect to the main frame 40.
The DF 6 can be installed in the range of the space L of the image reading device 1, and the space of the ADF 6 can be saved. Further, since the auxiliary frame 42 is provided with the handle 46, the auxiliary frame 42 can be easily rotated with respect to the main frame 40 by gripping the protrusion 46.
It is possible to significantly improve the workability of jam processing and stamp replacement work.

[0032]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the paper discharge path can be easily exposed to the outside, the jammed paper can be easily removed from the exposed paper discharge path, and the stamp unit can be easily removed. The stamps can be easily exchanged. Further, since the jam processing and the stamp exchange can be performed only by rotating the auxiliary frame and the pressure member with respect to the main frame, it is possible to prevent the installation space of the present device from increasing and save space. Can be fully achieved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the auxiliary frame can be easily rotated with respect to the main frame by gripping the handle, and the workability of the jam processing and the stamp replacement work is significantly improved. Can be made.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an embodiment of an automatic document feeder according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the automatic document feeder of the embodiment is released from the image reading device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a document on which a stamp according to an embodiment is stamped.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the automatic document feeder showing a state in which a paper discharge path of one embodiment is exposed to the outside.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Image reading device 2 Slit glass (first reading position) 3 Contact glass (second reading position) 4 Exposure lamp (image reading means) 5 First mirror (image reading means) 6 ADF (Automatic Document Feeder) 7 Reflector (pressurizing member) 9 Document holder 30 Paper output path 32 Second transport roller (driving member) 33 Driven roller (transport member) 37 Outer cover (original output tray) 38 Pressure plate (pressure member) 39 fulcrum (1st rotation fulcrum) 40 Main frame (original output tray) 41 link (link mechanism) 42 Auxiliary frame 43 fulcrum (second pivot fulcrum) 44 Magnet (suction member) 45 stamp units 46 handle 50 stamps

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── --Continued from the front page (56) References JP-A-7-79313 (JP, A) JP-A-8-328334 (JP, A) JP-A-8-116413 (JP, A) JP-A-6- 164823 (JP, A) JP 7-172618 (JP, A) JP 9-230653 (JP, A) JP 9-188428 (JP, A) JP 6-343123 (JP, A) JP-A-3-8674 (JP, A) JP-A-3-163469 (JP, A) Actual opening 1-88645 (JP, U) Actual opening 1-12-1033 (JP, U) Actual opening 6-13153 (JP, Y2) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03G 15/00 107 G03G 21/16 G03G 15/04 H04N 1/04-1/20

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An automatic document feeder which is provided at an upper portion of an image reading device so as to be openable and closable, and which reads a document by a reading means of the image reading device fixed at a first reading position while feeding the document. And a second reading mode in which the document is read by the reading means moving below the second reading position when the document is placed on the second reading position and stopped. The placed document stack is separated, inverted and conveyed to the first reading position, and the finished document is imprinted at the first reading position with a completion stamp, and then the document stack is placed above the second reading position. In the automatic document feeder for discharging the document onto the document discharge table, the document discharge table is fixed to the main body of the apparatus and is provided so as to cover the second reading position, and the document is discharged on the upper surface. The main frame to be constructed and the lower part of the main frame And a pressure member that is rotatably connected to the main frame via the first rotation fulcrum, presses the original document to the second reading position and constitutes a white reference at the time of reading, and a second member to the main frame. An auxiliary frame that is rotatably connected via a dynamic fulcrum, is attached to the main frame so that it can be adsorbed by an adsorbing member, and is connected to a pressing member through a link mechanism. A conveying member which constitutes a part of the paper path, and which is in sliding contact with a driving member provided on the main body of the apparatus so as to discharge the document, which has been read at the first reading position, onto the document discharge tray, and a stamp. And a stamp unit that removably supports the automatic document feeder. 2. The automatic document feeder according to claim 1, wherein a handle is provided on the auxiliary frame.