JP3855475B2 - Automatic document feeder - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automatic document feeder attached to a recording apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine or an image reading apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As an apparatus that can efficiently convey a document on which an image is recorded in an image reading apparatus, an automated document conveying apparatus is already known (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-208741). In such a case, from the viewpoint of space saving or the like, the document is passed through the linear first transport path and the curved second transport path continuous from the document placing unit positioned on the lower side, The apparatus is configured to automatically convey the document to the upper document discharge portion.
[0003]
Specifically, for example, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the original on the cover glass 101 forming the original reading surface is read by the backup roller 102 through the first conveyance path 109 while the original is read. The sheet is discharged to the document discharge section 108 through a pair of upper and lower discharge rollers 103A and 103B, a curved conveyance path 106 composed of the outer member 104 and the inner member 105, and a pair of upper and lower discharge rollers 107A and 107B. It has become so.
[0004]
By the way, the original to be conveyed by such an original conveying apparatus is not constant, and there is a case where it is desired to convey a small and hard original such as a business card or a postcard.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, such small and hard originals such as business cards and postcards are difficult to bend and are difficult to convey while being guided by the curved conveyance path 106 as described above. On the other hand, there is also a demand for transporting such a small and hard document by the document transport device as described above in order to save labor and improve efficiency.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides an automatic document feeder that can convey a small and hard document such as a business card or a postcard even if it has a curved conveyance path. It is intended.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, an original is discharged from an original document placement portion located on the lower side through a linear first conveyance path and a curved second conveyance path continuous thereto. In the automatic document feeder that is transported to the image forming unit, an image reading unit that is disposed in the first transport path and reads an image of the transported document, and a hard document having a predetermined width that is formed in the second transport path. And the second conveyance path is configured by a path formed between the curved inner member and the outer member, and the document escape portion is the first escape portion. It is an opening formed in the outer member and located on an extension line of the transport path .
[0008]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, after a document image is read by the image reading unit, a hard document having a predetermined width passes through the document escape portion, whereas in the case of other documents, the second document is scanned. To the document discharge section. Therefore, the transport path differs depending on the type of document.
[0009]
Since the document escape portion is located on the extension line of the first conveyance path, a hard document having a predetermined width escapes to the document escape portion without difficulty.
[0010]
A second transport path is formed between the curved inner member and the outer member, and an opening is formed as a document escape portion in the outer member, so that the structure of the second transport path and the document escape portion is simplified. The
[0011]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the automatic document feeder according to the first aspect , the opening is closed so as to be opened and closed by a closing member, and the closing member closes the opening; A second state in which the opening is opened and a hard original having a predetermined width is allowed to pass through.
[0012]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the normal document is conveyed, the closing member is in the first state and closes the opening. Therefore, the normal member is not affected by the provision of the opening. The document is conveyed stably. On the other hand, when the hard document having a predetermined width is conveyed, the closing member is in the second state and the opening is opened, so that the hard document having the predetermined width is escaped through the opening.
[0013]
The invention according to claim 3, in the automatic document reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second upper and lower pair of discharge rollers at the upstream end of the document conveying direction of the conveying path of a pair of upper and lower at the downstream end of the document conveying direction A discharge roller is provided, and the closing member is rotatably supported by the outer member on the downstream side of the discharge roller in the document transport direction.
[0014]
According to the invention of claim 3 , smooth discharge of a normal document is secured by the discharge roller and the discharge roller, and the closing member is rotatably supported by the outer member without complicating the structure.
[0015]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the automatic document feeder according to the second or third aspect , when the closing member is in the first state, the opening is closed to form a part of the second transport path. A closing portion and a document receiving portion functioning as a paper discharge tray for receiving a document passing through the opening when in the second state are connected to the closing portion.
[0016]
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the closing member is in the first state, the opening is closed to form a part of the second transport path, so that normal document transport is stable. In the second state, the document receiving portion functions as a discharge tray that receives the document passing through the opening, so that a hard document having a predetermined width can be stably output after being discharged. Supported.
[0017]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the automatic document feeder according to the fourth aspect , when the closing member is in the second state, the document receiving unit can receive the document on the left and right sides of the document receiving unit. A pair of stopper claws for supporting the portion.
[0018]
According to the fifth aspect of the invention, when the closing member is in the second state, the left and right sides of the document receiving portion are supported by the pair of stopper claws, and the document receiving portion functions as a paper discharge tray and serves as a document. Is reliably held in the second state in which it can be received.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0020]
1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an automatic document feeder according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the vicinity of an opening which is a document escape portion according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 shows a document support member according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the relationship with a stopper nail | claw.
[0021]
1 to 3, an automatic document feeder 1 conveys documents one by one from a document placing section 2 positioned on a lower side to a document discharge section 3 positioned on an upper side.
[0022]
The originals are placed on the original placement unit 2 in a stacked state, and the originals are taken out one by one by a known separation operation by the separation roller 4 and the separation piece 5, and are guided by the guide members 6A, 6B and 7A, 7B. While being guided, the document is conveyed by the document conveying rollers 8A and 8B to the image reading unit 9 located obliquely below.
[0023]
In the image reading unit 9, an image reading unit 12 is disposed below the cover glass 11 mounted on the casing 10, and an image of a document being conveyed while being backed up by a backup roller 13 is image reading unit 12. It is comprised so that it may be read by.
[0024]
The image reading unit 9 is disposed in a linear first conveyance path 14 extending from the vicinity of the backup roller 13 to the vicinity of discharge rollers 23A and 23B, which will be described later, and a document on which an image has been read by the image reading unit 9 is Then, it is configured to be conveyed to the document discharge unit 3 located on the upper side through a curved second conveyance path 15 continuous to the first conveyance path 14.
[0025]
The second transport path 15 is configured as a path formed between the curved inner member 21 and the outer member 22, and a pair of upper and lower discharge rollers at the upstream end of the second transport path 15 in the document transport direction. 23A and 23B are provided with a pair of upper and lower paper discharge rollers 24A and 24B at the downstream end in the document transport direction. In the present embodiment, the discharge rollers 23A and 23B are provided in two pairs on the left and right sides of the opening 22a, and the discharge rollers 24A and 24B are located at the substantially center position of the opening 22a and the discharge roller 23A. , 23B are provided at three positions.
[0026]
For example, a rectangular opening 22 a is formed in the outer member 22 as a document escape portion through which a hard document of a predetermined width such as a business card or a postcard can pass, and the opening 22 a is formed on the first conveyance path 14. Located on the extension line.
[0027]
The opening 22a is closed by a closing member 25 so as to be opened and closed. The closing member 25 is rotatably supported by the outer member 22 with respect to the rotation shaft 28 on the downstream side in the document transport direction of the discharge rollers 23A and 23B. As shown in FIG. 4, the closing member 25 closes the opening 22a when in the first state, and part of the second transport path 15 (specifically, part of the outer member 22). And a plate that functions as a paper discharge tray that receives a document passing through the opening 22a when in the second state. A document receiving portion 25b having a shape and a pair of support portions 25c and 25c provided in the closing portion 25a are provided.
[0028]
The closing member 25 closes the opening 22a (see a solid line in FIG. 1) and opens the opening 22a to allow a hard document of a predetermined width to pass ( 2). In this embodiment, this position switching is performed manually by an operator, but is not limited to this, and can be performed by button operation according to the type of document. .
[0029]
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the cover casing 26 covering the second transport path 15 has a rectangular cutout through which the document receiving portion 25b passes when the closing member 25 is in the second state. A portion 26a is formed, and a pair of stopper claws 27A and 27B that support the left and right sides of the document receiving portion 25b from below so that the document can be received on the left and right sides of the cutout portion 26a. Is provided. Note that slits 29A and 29B are formed outside the stopper claws 27A and 27B so that the document receiving portion 25b can be supported without difficulty.
[0030]
Subsequently, an automatic document conveying operation by the above apparatus will be described. In the case of a normal document, the closing member 25 is in a first state in which the opening 22a is closed (see the solid line in FIG. 1R> 1), and is hard with a predetermined width such as a business card or a postcard. In the case of a document, the position is changed by the operator so as to be in a second state (see a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1) in which the opening 22a is opened and a hard document having a predetermined width is allowed to pass. There is a need.
-In the case of a normal document-A document is taken out one by one from the document placement unit 2 by the separation operation by the separation roller 4 and the separation piece 5, and guide members 6A and 6B and a pair of upper and lower document supply rollers 8A and 8B. The image of the original is read by the image reading unit 12 while being backed up by the backup roller 13 in the first transport path 14 via the guide members 7A and 7B.
[0031]
The scanned original is conveyed from the lower side to the upper side from the first conveyance path 14 through the discharge rollers 23A and 23B and the second conveyance path 15, and finally through the discharge rollers 24A and 24B. Then, it is discharged to the document discharge unit 3. At this time, since the closing member 25 closes the opening 22a of the outer member 22, the formation of the opening 22a has no influence on normal document conveyance.
-In the case of a hard original such as a business card or postcard-In the same manner as in the case of a normal original, an image of the original is read by the image reading unit 12 while being backed up by the backup roller 13 in the first transport path 14.
[0032]
The document after reading enters the second transport path 15 via the discharge rollers 23A and 23B. At this time, the closing member 25 is opened, and the opening 22a of the outer member 22 is in the open state. The document is discharged as it is through the opening 22 a without being guided to the second transport path 15 and is discharged onto the document receiving portion 25 b of the closing member 25. In this case, since the opening 22a is located on the extension line of the first conveyance path 14, a hard original having a predetermined width is allowed to easily pass through the opening 22a and not pass through the second conveyance path 15. I can escape.
[0033]
Since the left and right sides of the document receiving portion 25b of the closing member 25 are locked to the stopper claws 27A and 27B from the lower side and maintained in a substantially horizontal state, the document receiving portion 25b functions as a paper discharge tray, The originals are neatly stacked without scattering around.
[0034]
In the above-described embodiment, the closing member 25 that closes the opening 22a of the outer member 22 so as to be openable / closable is provided, but the closing member may be omitted so that the opening is always open. However, even in such a case, it is desirable to provide a document receiver that receives the document discharged through the opening.
[0035]
In the above-described embodiment, the backup roller 13 and the discharge rollers 23A and 23B are configured to send a hard document having a predetermined width to the opening 22a. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. Even if the length of a hard document with a predetermined width is a business card, postcard, etc. It can also be provided.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
The present invention is implemented in the form as described above, and has the following effects.
[0037]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, since a document escape portion through which a hard document of a predetermined width can pass is formed in the curved second conveyance path, after the image of the document is read by the image reading unit In the case of a hard document having a predetermined width such as a business card or a postcard, the document escape portion can be passed, and even a hard document having a predetermined width can be automatically conveyed.
[0038]
Since the document escape portion is positioned on the extension line of the first conveyance path, a hard document having a predetermined width can be easily escaped to the document escape portion.
[0039]
Said second transport path, constituted by forming pathway between the inner and outer members of the curved shape, the original relief portion, since the formed as an opening of the outer member, the document escape portion Can have a simple structure.
[0040]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the opening member has a first state in which the opening portion is closed, and a second state in which the opening portion is opened and a hard document having a predetermined width is allowed to pass. Therefore, it is possible to secure the conveyance of a hard document having a predetermined width while maintaining the stability of document conveyance during normal document conveyance.
[0041]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, a pair of upper and lower discharge rollers are disposed at the upstream end of the second transport path in the document transport direction, and a pair of upper and lower discharge rollers are disposed at the downstream end of the document transport direction. In addition, it is possible to ensure smooth conveyance of a normal document, and the blocking member is rotatably supported by the outer member on the downstream side of the discharge roller in the document conveyance direction. Without being complicated, the closing member can be rotatably supported on the outer member.
[0042]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when the closing member is in the first state, the closing portion closes the opening and forms a part of the second transport path, and is connected to the closing portion. In the second state, since the document receiving portion functioning as a paper discharge tray for receiving the document passing through the opening is provided, the stability of normal document conveyance is ensured at the closing portion. At the same time, it is possible to ensure the stability of the support after discharging a hard document having a predetermined width at the document receiving portion.
[0043]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, when the closing member is in the second state, a pair of stopper claws for supporting the document receiving portion are provided on the left and right sides of the document receiving portion so that the document receiving portion can be received. Therefore, the function as a paper discharge tray can be exhibited reliably.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an automatic document feeder according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the vicinity of an opening which is a document escape portion according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a view showing a relationship between a document supporting member and a stopper claw according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a document supporting member according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a conventional example.
FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2 for a conventional example.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Automatic document conveying apparatus 2 Document loading part 3 Document discharge part 9 Image reading part 14 1st conveyance path 15 2nd conveyance path 21 Inner member 22 Outer member 22a Opening part 23A, 23B Discharge roller 24A, 24B Discharge roller 25 Closing member 25a Closing portion 25b Document receiving portion 25c Supporting portion 27A, 27B Stopper claw

Claims (5)

An automatic document in which a document is transported from a document placing unit positioned on the lower side to a document discharge unit positioned on the upper side through a linear first transport path and a curved second transport path continuous therewith. In the transport device,
An image reading unit that is disposed in the first transport path and reads an image of the transported document, and a document escape unit that is formed in the second transport path and through which a hard document with a predetermined width can pass. ,
The second transport path is configured by a path formed between a curved inner member and an outer member,
The automatic document feeder , wherein the document escape portion is an opening formed on the outer member and positioned on an extension line of the first transport path . The opening is closed so as to be opened and closed by a closing member,
The closing member, the first state and the automatic according to claim 1, wherein the place and a second state to allow the rigid originals predetermined width opening the opening passes for closing the opening Document transport device. A pair of upper and lower discharge rollers is disposed at the upstream end of the second transport path in the document transport direction, and a pair of upper and lower discharge rollers are disposed at the downstream end of the document transport direction, respectively.
The automatic document reading device according to claim 2 , wherein the closing member is rotatably supported by the outer member on the downstream side of the discharge roller in the document conveyance direction. When the blocking member is in the first state, the blocking member closes the opening and forms a part of the second transport path, and is connected to the blocking portion to be in the second state. when the automatic document feeder according to claim 2 or 3 wherein where those having a document receiving unit that functions as a sheet discharge tray for receiving the original document passing through the opening. 5. The automatic document feeder according to claim 4 , further comprising a pair of stopper claws that support the document receiving portion so that the document can be received when the closing member is in the second state.

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