JP4113243B2 - Automatic document feeder - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic document feeder that is used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a facsimile machine, and that separates a plurality of documents one by one and automatically sends them to an image reading device such as a scanner device. is there.

  In general, an image forming apparatus is provided with an automatic document feeder that separates a large number of documents (hereinafter referred to as document bundles) one by one and sends them to an image reading device such as a scanner device. The automatic document feeder separates and feeds documents one by one sequentially from a document stacking unit (document feeding tray) on which a document bundle is placed and a document bundle placed on the document placing unit. And a document feeding mechanism.

  For example, in the single-sided printing mode, a document sent from the document feeding mechanism is sent to a document reading position (for example, an image reading device), and after the image on the document is read, The paper is discharged to a document discharge tray or the like disposed on the lower side. Then, according to the image data read by the image reading device, for example, an image is formed on a recording sheet or the like according to an electrophotographic process.

  On the other hand, in the double-sided printing mode, the original on which the image on one side is read by the image reading apparatus is reversed and sent to the image reading apparatus again by the original feeding mechanism to read the image on the other side. . For this reason, in the automatic document feeder, a document reversing unit (document reversing tray) is disposed between the document feeding tray and the document discharge tray, and the document reversing tray is used in the duplex printing mode. Is reversed.

  Then, a document reversing tray is arranged below the document feed tray, so that the document is switched back and then reversed and returned to the reading position, thereby shortening the document transport path when reading both sides of the document. ing.

  As described above, the automatic document feeder has a document feeding tray, a document feeding mechanism, a document reversing tray, and a document discharge tray. Generally, a document reversing tray is provided below the document feeding tray. The document discharge tray is disposed below the document reversing tray.

By the way, in order to reduce the size of the image forming apparatus itself, the paper path length of the document or the like is made smaller than the supplied maximum standard size, and the length of the document is measured before the leading edge of the document reaches the imaging position. Here, a paper bending chamber is arranged between the document input tray and the image pickup position, the rear end portion is supplied faster than the front end portion of the document paper, and the intermediate portion of the document paper is supplied to the paper. The distance between the trailing edge and the leading edge of the document sheet along the document supply path is substantially reduced by bending in the bending chamber (see Patent Document 1).
JP-A-8-81121 (paragraph (0018) to paragraph (0021), FIG. 1)

  As described above, when the document reversing tray is disposed below the document feed tray and the document discharge tray is disposed below the document reversing tray, these trays occupy the same space (space portion). Thus, the image forming apparatus itself can be made compact when incorporated in the image forming apparatus, but when the discharged document is taken out, the document reversing tray becomes an obstacle and the document can be smoothly removed from the document discharge tray. Sometimes it cannot be taken out.

  If the interval between the document reversing tray and the document discharge tray is widened, the document reversing tray is less likely to become an obstacle, but this time, there is a problem that the height of the automatic document feeder itself increases.

  Furthermore, because the document is fed to the document reverse tray one by one, the distance between the document feed tray and the document reverse tray is set to be narrower than the distance between the document reverse tray and the document discharge tray. When a document jam (hereinafter simply referred to as a jam) occurs between the reversing tray and the document feeding mechanism, the document feed tray may become an obstacle and the jam processing may not be performed easily and quickly.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic document feeder capable of smoothly taking out a discharged document from a document discharge tray.

An automatic document feeder according to the present invention includes a document feeding unit on which a document is placed, and a document discharge unit that is disposed below the document feeding unit and from which a document read at a predetermined document reading position is discharged. A document reversal placement that is disposed between the paper section, the document feeding section, and the document discharge section and used to reverse the document read at the document reading position and send it to the document reading position again. A document feeding mechanism that sends the document from the document feeding unit to the document reading position, and selectively sends the document from the document reading position to the document reversing placement unit and the document discharge unit; The document feeder includes a first cutout formed by retracting one of the sides along the document conveyance direction inward in the width direction orthogonal to the document conveyance direction, reprinted portion is first for retrieval of output documents in the document discharging unit It includes a cutout portion, when the direction in which the document is conveyed toward the document counter reserved portion to the first direction, has two sides along the first direction, the document ejection one sides paper portion located in the direction in which the output documents are retrieved, the second cut-out portion, Ru is retracted in the second inward perpendicular only to the first direction by a predetermined length to the one side be those formed by the original anti reproduction portion has the wide wide portion than the second width is the original width portion adjacent to the document feed mechanism, the second The notch portion is provided at a position through the wide portion from the document feeding mechanism side , and the first notch portion and the second notch portion are provided so as to overlap in the vertical direction, and the document feeding portion The length in the width direction of the portion where the first notch portion is present is Wherein longer than the length in the width direction of the portion 2 of the tray portion is present (claim 1).

  The document reversing placement unit includes a cutout portion for taking out the document ejected to the document delivery unit, so that the document reversing placement unit becomes an obstacle when the document is taken out from the document delivery unit. Therefore, the discharged document can be smoothly taken out from the document discharge unit. Furthermore, even when a jam occurs between the document reversing placement unit and the document feeding mechanism, the document reversing placement unit itself does not get in the way because the notch is provided. Jam processing can be performed.

In this case, the second width of the portion where the notch is present, it is particularly desirable substantially one third of the second width of the wide portion (claim 2).

  In the present invention, the document reversing placement unit includes a cutout portion for taking out the document ejected to the document delivery unit. Therefore, when the document is removed from the document delivery unit, the document reversing placement unit is There is an effect that the discharged document can be smoothly taken out from the document discharge unit without being obstructed.

  Even when a jam occurs between the document reversing placement unit and the document feeding mechanism, the document reversing placing unit includes a notch for taking out the document ejected to the document delivery unit. Therefore, there is an effect that the original reversing placement portion itself does not get in the way and the jam processing can be easily performed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the component parts described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to the description unless otherwise specified. It is just an example.

  First, referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic document feeder viewed from below with a paper discharge tray removed. The illustrated automatic document feeder 10 includes an image forming apparatus (for example, a copying machine). Machine: not shown) and disposed on the upper surface side of the image forming apparatus main body. The automatic document feeder 10 includes a document feeding tray (document feeding unit) 12 and a document feeding mechanism (not shown), and is on the document feeding tray 12 (on the back side in the state shown in FIG. 1). A bundle of documents is placed on. In the document feeding mechanism, documents are separated one by one from a bundle of documents placed on the document feed tray 12 and image reading positions (for example, an image reading device: not shown) via a conveyance path (not shown). ).

  A document reversing tray (document reversing placement unit) 11 is disposed below the document feeding tray 12 (upper side in the state shown in FIG. 1). The document reversing tray 11 performs, for example, duplex printing. At this time, the original used for reversing the original and image-read on one side is once ejected to the original inversion tray 11 and conveyed again to the image reading position by the original feeding mechanism, and the image on the other side is read. Then, it is discharged to a document discharge tray (document discharge unit: not shown). The document discharge tray is disposed below the document reversing tray 11 (upper side in the state shown in FIG. 1).

  The document conveyed from the document feeding tray 12 is read at the image reading position. Thereafter, the document is selectively conveyed to the document reversing tray 11 and the document discharge tray. Become. For example, in the single-sided printing mode, the document conveyed from the document feed tray 12 is read at the image reading position and then discharged to the document discharge tray.

  In the duplex printing mode, the document transported from the document feed tray 12 is scanned at the image scanning position, transported to the document reversing tray 11, and then sent to the image scanning position again. After the front side image is read, the image is discharged to the document discharge tray.

  As shown in the figure, a document reversing tray 11 is positioned below the document feeding tray 12, and the document reversing tray 11 and the document feeding tray 12 are disposed on one end side of the document feeding mechanism housing 13. Thus, they extend in the same direction (the direction in which the document is conveyed).

  Referring also to FIG. 2, the document reversing tray 11 is substantially T-shaped, and has a wider first tray portion 11a and a narrower width (in the direction indicated by the broken line arrow in FIG. 2) than the first tray portion 11a. And a second tray portion 11b. The first and second tray portions 11a and 11b are integrally formed.

  That is, the second tray portion 11b is notched so that the width in the second direction orthogonal to the first direction is narrowed when the direction in which the document is conveyed toward the document reversing tray 11 is the first direction. It is formed by being. In other words, the first tray portion 11a has two sides along the first direction, and one side is located in the direction in which the document discharged to the document discharge tray is taken out. The second tray portion 11b is formed by retracting the one side by a predetermined length inward in the second direction (in the example shown, the other side also recedes in the second direction by a predetermined length). )

  In the example shown in FIG. 2, the second tray portion 11b is connected to the first tray portion 11a at the central portion of the first tray portion 11a. In this connection portion, the second tray portion 11b The width is approximately 1/3 of the width of the first tray portion 11a.

  The second tray portion 11b is shaped so that its width gradually decreases as it moves away from the connecting portion, while the first tray portion 11a is a rectangular body whose length in the width direction is longer than the length in the depth direction. It is.

  The document reversing tray 11 described above is connected to the document feed mechanism housing 13 at the end opposite to the connecting portion of the first and second tray portions 11a and 11b, and similarly, the document feed tray. 12 is connected to the document feeding mechanism housing 13 at one end thereof, and the document reversing tray 11 is disposed below the document feeding tray 12 with a predetermined interval as described above. Each of the document feed tray 12 and the document discharge tray is formed to have a width larger than the width of the document reversing tray 11 (that is, the second tray portion 11b) at a position away from the document feeding mechanism side. Yes.

  Here, referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, FIG. 3 is a view showing a state where the document feeding tray 12 and the document reversing tray 11 are removed from the document feeding mechanism housing 13, and as shown in FIG. A document discharge tray 14 is formed integrally with the document feed mechanism housing 13 and extends in the document discharge direction. As described above, the document reversing tray 11 is arranged at a predetermined interval below the document feeding tray 12, the document discharge tray 14 is located below the document reversing tray 11, and the document feeding tray 12. Each of the document discharge trays 14 is formed to have a width larger than the width of the document reverse tray 11 (that is, the second tray portion 11b) at a position away from the document feed mechanism 13 side.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the document feed tray 12 is provided with a document pressing portion 12 b that can slide in the width direction according to the width of the document, and when placing a document on the document feed tray 12. The document pressing portion 12b is adjusted to the document width. A curved portion 12 a that curves inward (width direction) is formed on one side 16 of the pair of width direction sides (that is, a pair of side surfaces) 15 and 16 of the document feed tray 12. 12a is positioned on the rear side of the position where the document pressing portion 12b is defined. In the curved portion 12a, the distance (width) between the pair of sides 15 and 16 is shorter than the other portions. That is, a curved portion 12a that is curved inward in the width direction is formed on one side (here, the side 16) along the document conveyance direction (hereinafter referred to as the longitudinal direction), and the width direction of the curved portion 12a. The most inwardly located portion is located on the inner side in the width direction from the side of the document when the document is placed on the document feed tray 12.

  The distance (width) between the pair of sides 15 and 16 in the curved portion 12a is larger than the width of the second tray portion 11b of the document discharge tray 11 described above.

  As described above, since the document feeding tray 12 has the curved portion 12a, when placing the document on the document feeding tray 12, the hand is positioned in the space defined by the curved portion 12a. Since the document only needs to be placed on the portion defined by the pressing portion 12b, the document can be smoothly placed on the document feed tray 12.

  Further, in the duplex printing mode, the document discharged to the document reversing tray 11 can be easily visually observed through the curved portion 12a. For example, a document jam (jam) between the document feeding mechanism and the document reversing tray 11 is possible. Thus, it is possible to easily check for abnormal document discharge such as the occurrence of a document.

  In FIG. 3, the bending portion 12a is provided on the side 16 side. However, the bending portion 12a provided on the side 15 side may be provided, or the bending portion 12a may be provided on both sides 15 and 16. Also good. In any case, the curved portion 12a may be provided on at least one of the sides 15 and 16.

  In the automatic document feeder 10 described above, the longitudinal direction length of the document reversing tray 11 is substantially equal to the longitudinal size of the document, and the width of the first tray portion 11a is slightly wider than the width of the document. Similarly, the length in the longitudinal direction of the document feed tray 12 is slightly longer than the length in the longitudinal direction of the document, and the length in the width direction of the document feed tray 12 is slightly longer than the length in the width direction of the document.

  In the above-described automatic document feeder 10, in the duplex printing mode, the document is fed from the document feeding tray 12 to the image reading position by the document feeding mechanism and then once transported to the document reversing tray 11. However, since the width of the first tray portion 11a of the document reversing tray 11 is slightly larger than the width of the document, the document will not fall even if the width of the second tray portion 11b is narrow.

  Then, after the original is fed again from the original reversing tray 11 to the image reading position by the original feeding mechanism, the original is discharged to the original discharge tray 14.

  When removing the document from the document discharge tray 14, the width of the document reversing tray 11 becomes narrower when it is separated from the document feed mechanism housing 13 in the longitudinal direction. The reversing tray 11 does not get in the way.

  Further, even when a jam occurs between the document reversing tray 11 and the document feeding mechanism, the width is formed narrow on the leading end side of the document reversing tray 11 (the opposite side of the document feeding mechanism housing 13). Therefore, the jam reversing tray 11 itself does not get in the way of jam processing, and the jam processing can be easily performed.

  In the above-described example, a substantially T-shaped document reversing tray 11 is used, and the document reversing tray 11 is placed so that the second tray portion 11b is positioned away from the document feeding mechanism housing 13. Although the document reversing tray 11 is attached to the document feeding mechanism casing 13, the width of the document reversing tray 11 may be gradually reduced as the distance from the document feeding mechanism casing 13 increases.

  Further, the ratio (ratio) between the first tray section 11a and the second tray section 11b is a ratio at which the document conveyed to the document reversing tray 11 does not fall.

1 is a perspective view showing a document reversing tray and a document feeding tray used in an example of an automatic document feeder according to the present invention together with a document feeding mechanism housing from below. FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the document reversing tray shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from above. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of an automatic document feeder according to the present invention in a state where a document reversing tray and a document feeding tray are separated from a document feeding mechanism housing.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Automatic document feeder 11 Document reversing tray 12 Document feed tray 13 Document feed mechanism housing 14 Document discharge tray

Claims (2)

A document feeder on which the document is placed;
A document discharge section disposed below the document feed section and configured to discharge a document read at a predetermined document reading position;
A document reversing placement unit that is disposed between the document feeding unit and the document discharge unit, and is used for inverting the document read at the document reading position and sending it again to the document reading position;
A document feeding mechanism that feeds the document from the document feeding unit to the document reading position, and selectively sends the document from the document reading position to the document reversing placement unit and the document discharge unit;
The document feeder includes a first notch formed by retreating one of the sides along the document conveyance direction to the inside in the width direction orthogonal to the document conveyance direction,
The document reversing placement unit includes a second notch for taking out a document discharged to the document discharge unit, and a direction in which the document is conveyed toward the document reversing placing unit is a first direction. When there are two sides along the first direction, one side is located in the direction in which the document discharged to the document discharge unit is taken out,
The second cut-out portion, there is formed in Rukoto is retracted in the second inward perpendicular only to the first direction by a predetermined length of said one side,
The document reversing placement portion has a wide portion whose width in the second direction is wider than the width of the document at a portion adjacent to the document feed mechanism, and the second notch portion is wide from the document feed mechanism side. It is provided at a position through the part ,
The first cutout portion and the second cutout portion are provided so as to overlap in the vertical direction,
The length in the width direction of the portion where the first notch portion of the document feeding portion is present is longer than the length in the width direction of the portion where the second tray portion of the document reversing placement portion is present. An automatic document feeder characterized by. The second direction of the width of the portion where the notch is present, automatic document feeder according to claim 1, wherein said is substantially 1/3 the second width of the wide portion.

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