JP3602321B2 - Automatic document feeder - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automatic document feeder provided in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and a facsimile machine, and more particularly, to an automatic document feeder that can save space by providing a document discharge table below a document table. The present invention relates to a document feeder.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In image forming apparatuses such as copiers and facsimile apparatuses, high speed, multi-functionality and further space saving are required, and accordingly, an automatic document feeder provided in the image forming apparatus is required. (Hereinafter, simply referred to as ADF) has been required to be further reduced in space.
[0003]
In order to satisfy such a demand, in the conventional ADF, as shown in FIG. 6, a paper output tray 2 is provided below a document tray 1 on which a document bundle including a plurality of documents can be placed. After the document placed on the document tray 1 is separated, the sheet is turned on a slit glass provided below the ADF via a reversing path, and then the sheet is discharged onto a sheet discharge table 2. The structure is adopted.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in such an ADF, the document tray 1 and the mounting table 2 have a two-layer structure, and the space between the tray 1 and the paper output table 2 is reduced in order to reduce the space in the vertical direction. Therefore, in order to take out the original from the paper output tray 2, the user must make a hand between the original tray 1 and the paper output tray 2 to bend or pull out the original P as shown in FIG. In addition, there is a problem that the retrievability of the original is very poor.
[0005]
Also, it is necessary to align the originals before placing them on the original tray or the original taken out from the paper output tray 2. However, since there is no space for aligning the originals, it is desirable to secure such a space. There was also a need.
Therefore, the present invention makes it possible to easily take out a document discharged to a document discharge tray and easily align documents placed on a document tray or documents discharged to the document discharge tray. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic document feeder having a space in which an original can be stored.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus, comprising: a document placing table on which a document is placed and which extends in the same direction as a document transport direction; An automatic document feeder, which has a document discharge tray on which a document fed from the mounting tray is discharged, and wherein the document tray and the document discharge tray are arranged so that the direction of transport of the document is in the left-right direction. In the apparatus, a notch portion opened on the near side of the document placing table and the document conveying direction is formed on the document placing table , and at least the document discharge table located below the notch portion. A flat concave portion extending in the front side of the document discharge table and in the document conveyance direction, and a step is formed at a boundary between the concave portion and the document discharge table portion excluding the concave portion. It is characterized by being formed.
[0007]
In this case, when the document is ejected to the document placing table, a finger can be inserted between the document and the concave portion formed in the document ejection tray to take out the document, and the document can be easily taken out. Can be
Also, when aligning the original placed on the original placing table or the original discharged to the original discharging table, the concave portion formed on the original discharging table and the boundary between the original discharging table portion excluding the concave portion may be aligned. The document can be aligned by abutting the document against the formed step. At this time, since the notch formed in the document placing table avoids the space of the concave portion, the document can be reliably abutted against the step. As a result, it is possible to secure a space for aligning the originals and easily align the originals.
[0008]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, in the first aspect of the present invention, after a document placed on the document placing table is fed and turned over, the document is placed on the document discharge tray. It is characterized by having a document conveying means for discharging the paper.
In this case, the document placing table and the document discharging table can have a two-layer structure, and the installation space of the automatic document feeder can be reduced.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 to 5 show an embodiment of the automatic document feeder according to the present invention.
First, the configuration will be described. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a copying machine, and a slit glass 2 and a contact glass 3 are provided on an upper portion of a main body 1a of the copying machine 1. The slit glass 2 has an area corresponding to an image of several lines of the original, and the contact glass 3 has an area slightly larger than that of the original of the maximum size.
[0010]
An exposure lamp 4 and a first mirror 5 are provided below the slit glass 2 and the contact glass 3. The exposure lamp 4 and the first mirror 5 are used when reading a document placed on the contact glass 3. In FIG. 1, the document moves in the left-right direction below the contact glass 3, and when reading an original at a reading position of the slit glass 2 (a portion irradiated with light from the exposure lamp 4 in FIG. 1). Stops below the slit glass 2 and irradiates the original surface with an exposure lamp 4 and, as is well known, reflects the reflected light through a first mirror 5 and an optical system such as a lens (not shown). After the image of the original is imaged directly, toner and the like are attached to the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum and transferred to recording paper, or the original surface is read by the exposure lamp 4, Reflected light 1st Mira An image is formed on an image sensor such as a CCD through an optical system 5 such as a lens and a lens (not shown). The image sensor converts a light signal into an electric signal, and uses this signal to form an image on recording paper by various image forming means. Transcribe.
[0011]
The mode in which the exposure lamp 4 and the first mirror 5 are moved in the horizontal direction in FIG. 1 below the contact glass 3 to read the image of the original corresponds to a second reading mode. The mode in which scanning is stopped below the slit glass 2 corresponds to a first reading mode.
An automatic document feeder (hereinafter, simply referred to as an ADF) 6 is mounted on an upper portion of the image forming apparatus 1. The ADF 6 is connected to the copying machine 1 via a hinge (not shown), and is opened and closed with respect to the copying machine 1. It is free.
[0012]
An original placed on the contact glass 3 is pressed against the contact glass 3 on the lower surface of the ADF 6, and a white sheet 7a serving as a white reference when reading the original and a cushion provided on the upper surface of the white sheet 7a are provided on the lower surface. A pressure plate 8 having a material 7b is provided.
A document table 9 is provided above the ADF 6, and a document bundle including a plurality of documents is placed on the document table 9 with the document surface facing upward. A pair of side fences 20a and 20b are provided on the document table 9, and one side fence 20a is moved in the width direction of the document so that the document is sandwiched together with the side fence 20b. Are aligned in the width direction.
[0013]
The document bundle placed on the document table 9 is movably provided at positions indicated by solid lines and broken lines, and is fed clockwise after being fed by a call roller 10 capable of contacting and separating from the document bundle. The uppermost document is separated by a separation roller pair including a rotating separation roller 11 and a reverse roller 12.
The document separated by the separation roller pair is conveyed onto the slit glass 2 through the paper feed path 14 by the conveyance roller pair 13 rotating at the conveyance speed (rotation speed) V1.
[0014]
A guide member 15 is provided between the slit glass 2 and the contact glass 3, and the upper surface of the guide member 15 is inclined. A transport roller 21 is provided on the guide member 15, and the transport roller 21 transports the document onto the paper discharge path 16.
Then, after the document surface is read by the exposure lamp 4 or the like stopped below the slit glass 2, the document is picked up by the guide member 15 and then discharged to the paper discharge path 16. An end of the paper discharge path 16 is formed on the upper surface of the pressure plate 8 by a paper discharge roller pair 17, and the document surface is lower on a document discharge table 18 arranged below the document table 9. The paper is discharged in the state.
[0015]
Further, in the present embodiment, the original placing table 9 and the original discharging table 18 are arranged so that the original placing table 9 extends in the same direction as the original transport direction, and the original transport direction is the left-right direction. I have.
Further, a white guide member 19 is provided on the slit glass 2, and this white guide member 19 forms a white reference when reading a document, and forms a part of a document conveyance path.
[0016]
The relationship between the transport speed (rotational speed) V1 of the transport roller pair 13 and the transport speed (rotational speed) V2 of the transport roller 21 and the discharge roller pair 17 is V1 <V2 = V1 × 1.01. The transport speed V2 of the transport rollers 21 is set to be about 1% faster than the transport speed V1 of the transport roller pair 13. In the present embodiment, the separation roller pair including the separation roller 11 and the reverse roller 12, the conveyance roller pair 13, the paper feed path 14, the paper discharge path 16, and the paper discharge roller pair 17 constitute a document conveying unit. .
[0017]
On the other hand, are formed notched portion 9a in front of the document table 9, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the notch portion 9a along the conveying direction of the front side and the original document table 9 It is open. In addition, the document table 18 that contains the lower notches 9a, recesses 18 a are formed, the recess 18 a extends across the transport direction of the front side and the document of the document output tray ing. Also, a step 18b is formed at the boundary between the concave portion 18a and the document discharge table 18 excluding the concave portion 18a.
Next, the operation will be described.
[0018]
First, when reading a document in the second reading mode, the ADF 6 is opened via a hinge, and then the document is placed on the contact glass 3. Then, the ADF 6 is closed and the document is moved by the pressure plate 8 to the second contact glass 3. Press up. In this state, when a start switch provided on the copying machine 1 is pressed down, the exposure lamp 4 and the first mirror 5 are moved below the second contact glass 3 in the left-right direction in FIG. The read image of the document is transferred to recording paper by the image forming means.
[0019]
On the other hand, when reading a document in the first reading mode, a document bundle is placed on the document table 9 with the document surface facing upward, and when the start switch is pressed, the call roller 10 moves to the position shown by the broken line. The document bundle is fed by rotating while being in contact with the document bundle.
After the uppermost document is separated by a separation roller pair including a separation roller 11 and a reverse roller 12, the separated document is conveyed toward the slit glass 2 by a conveyance roller pair 13.
[0020]
When the document is conveyed onto the slit glass 2, reading of the document is started with the exposure lamp 4 and the first mirror 5 stopped below the slit glass 2.
Next, when the document that has passed the reading position on the slit glass 2 comes into contact with the guide member 15, the leading end of the document is sandwiched between the transport roller 21 and the guide member 15, and a transport force is applied by the transport roller 21. The sheet is picked up by the guide member 15 and guided to the sheet discharge path 16.
[0021]
At this time, since the transport speed V2 of the transport roller pair 13 is set to be about 1% faster than the transport speed V1 of the transport roller 21, the original comes out of contact with the slit glass 2 in a non-contact state and is white. The guide member 15 scoops up the surface in contact with one side of the guide member 19 while maintaining a very small state. Next, the document guided to the paper discharge path 16 by the transport rollers 21 is discharged onto a document discharge table 18 by a pair of paper discharge rollers 17.
[0022]
In the present embodiment, a notch 9a is formed in the document table 9 on the near side of the document table 9 and in the direction in which the document is conveyed, and a document discharge section including the lower portion of the notch 9a is formed. A flat concave portion 18a is formed in the paper table 18 in the front of the document discharge table 18 and extends in the direction in which the document is conveyed , so that when the document is taken out from the document discharge table 18 as shown in FIG. As described above, the user can insert the finger between the concave portion 18a and the document P to take out the document P, so that the document P can be easily taken out.
[0023]
In addition, since the step 18b is formed at the boundary between the concave portion 18a and the document discharge table 18 excluding the concave portion 18a, when aligning the document taken out from the document discharge table 9 or the document placed on the document table 9, As shown in FIG. 5, the original P can be aligned by abutting the original P against the step 18b. At this time, since the notch 9a avoids the space of the concave portion 18a, the document P can be reliably butted against the step 18b. As a result, it is possible to secure a space for aligning the originals P and easily align the originals.
[0024]
Further, in the present embodiment, since the original placed on the original placing table 9 is fed and inverted, and the original is transported to the original discharging table 18, the original conveying means is provided. The paper board 18 can have a two-layer structure, and the installation space for the ADF 6 can be reduced.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, when a document is discharged to the document table, a finger can be inserted between the concave portion formed on the document discharge table and the document to take out the document. Can be taken out easily.
Also, when aligning the original placed on the original placing table or the original discharged to the original discharging table, the concave portion formed on the original discharging table and the boundary between the original discharging table portion excluding the concave portion may be aligned. The document can be aligned by abutting the document against the formed step. At this time, the notch formed in the document placing table avoids the space of the concave portion, so that the document can be reliably abutted against the step. As a result, it is possible to secure a space for aligning the originals and easily align the originals.
[0026]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the document placing table and the document discharging table can have a two-layer structure, and the installation space of the automatic document feeder can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an automatic document feeder according to the present invention, and is a schematic configuration diagram thereof.
FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the automatic document feeder according to the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a top view of the automatic document feeder of one embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a document is taken out from a document discharge tray according to one embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state where documents are aligned at a step according to the embodiment;
FIG. 6 is an external perspective view of a conventional automatic document feeder.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a document is taken out from a conventional document discharge tray.
[Explanation of symbols]
6 ADF (automatic document feeder)
9 Document Placement Table 9a Notch 11 Separation Roller 11 (Document Transfer Means)
12 Reverse roller (document conveying means)
13 Conveyor roller pair (document conveying means)
14 Paper feed path (document conveying means)
16 paper discharge path (document transport means)
17 Discharge roller pair (document conveying means)
18 Document delivery tray 18a Recess 18b Step

Claims (2)

An original mounting table on which an original is mounted and which extends in the same direction as the original conveyance direction, and an original discharge provided below the original mounting base and configured to discharge the original fed from the original mounting base And an automatic document feeder, wherein the document placing table and the document discharge table are arranged such that the direction of transport of the document is in the horizontal direction.
A notch portion is formed on the document placing table, the cutout portion being open along the document loading table in the front side and along the document transport direction, and at least the document discharge table portion located below the notch portion . Forming a planar concave portion extending in the front side of the document discharge table and in the document conveying direction, and forming a step at a boundary between the concave portion and the document discharge table portion excluding the concave portion. An automatic document feeder, characterized in that: 2. The automatic document feeder according to claim 1, further comprising a document feeder that feeds the document placed on the document placing table, reverses the document, and then discharges the document onto the document tray.

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