JP4850745B2 - Automatic document feeder - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic document feeder that separates and feeds documents placed on a document placing table one by one.

  In general, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a document set on a document placement table is transported to a reading unit on the top thereof, and the document information is read. An automatic document feeder that discharges paper to the table is provided.

  In such an automatic document feeder, when a document is jammed in the document conveyance path formed between the document placement table and the paper delivery table, the document placement table is rotated upward to place the document. It is known that a jamming process for removing a document jammed in a conveyance path can be easily performed by opening a large space between a placing table and a sheet discharging table (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2005-170637 A

  However, in the above-described prior art, when the document placement table is rotated upward to open a large space between the document placement table and the paper discharge table, the document placement table must be pressed by hand. However, there is a problem in that it is difficult to perform a jam process for taking out a jammed document because the original weight returns to the original position below due to its own weight, narrowing the space between the document placing table and the paper discharge table.

  It is an object of the present invention to obtain an automatic document feeder that can easily perform jam processing.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention described in claim 1 separates a document placement table on which a document is set and a document set on the document placement table one by one, and reads image information of the document. A separation feeding unit that feeds the document toward the reading position, a paper discharge table that is positioned below the document placement table and that ejects the document whose image information has been read at the reading position, and the document placement table. The document placement table is rotated so that the reference position where the document is set and the opening angle between the document placement table and the sheet discharge table are larger than the reference position. In the automatic document feeder that rotates between the rotation positions, a holding unit that holds the document table at the rotation position, and an upper surface side of the paper discharge table, the separation feeding from the document table a first conveying roller you convey the document in the opposite direction in the document conveying direction to the parts, before A second conveyance roller that is provided on the lower surface side of the document table and faces the first conveyance roller, and a rotation axis of the document table is different from a rotation axis of the second conveyance roller. It is characterized by being arranged.

  The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention described in claim 1, the holding unit holds the document placing table in stages at a plurality of opening angles.

  The invention described in claim 3 is the invention described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the holding portion includes a fitting hole provided in one of the document table and the support member, and the document table and support. It is provided with either one of the members, and a fitting member that fits into the fitting hole.

The invention described in claim 4 is the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein a rotatable knob, and an original placement table and a paper discharge table in conjunction with the rotation of the knob. And a feed section for feeding the original between the knobs. The knob extends in a radial direction from the center of rotation of the knob and is provided with protrusions spaced from each other.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect of the present invention, the knob is provided so as to be freely rotatable in either the left or right direction, and the sending unit is configured to copy the document according to the rotation direction of the knob. It is characterized by being sent out to either the mounting table or the sheet discharging table.

  According to the present invention, since the document placing table in which the holding unit is in the rotating position is held at that position, it is not necessary to manually hold the document placing table so that the document placing table does not return to the reference position due to its own weight. Can be done.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing an automatic document feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention. An automatic document feeder 1 shown in FIG. 1 is provided at the top of an image forming apparatus such as a small (A4 compatible) copying machine.

  The automatic document feeder 1 includes a document table unit 29 having a document table (document placement table) 2 on which a plurality of documents are stacked and set with the first image surface facing upward. In addition, the originals P stacked with the first image surface facing upward are sequentially fed one by one from the uppermost original P in response to a signal from the image forming apparatus main body (not shown).

  The leading edge of the document P placed on the document table 2 is positioned by abutting against the separation roller 5. The document P abutted against the separation roller 5 is called by the calling roller 3 to the sheet feeding roller 4 and the separation feeding unit 30 having the separation roller 5 described above, and is separated and fed one by one from the uppermost document P. Sent. When reading the document P, the user can set whether to perform so-called single-sided reading or double-sided reading by operating an operation unit (not shown).

  The document P separated by the separation feeding unit 30 is fed to the feeding path 31 having the first driving roller 6 and the first driven roller 6a, and then the pre-reading driving roller 7 and the pre-reading driven roller 7a are fed. It is conveyed to the 1st conveyance path 33 which has. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 8 denotes a registration sensor. When the registration sensor 8 detects the leading edge of the document, the leading edge of the document is passed to the reading portion (reading position) 9 of the image forming apparatus main body and the image reading starts. The timing is adjusted. If the leading edge of the document does not reach the registration sensor 8 even after a predetermined time has elapsed after feeding the document, it is determined that a jam has occurred.

  In the case of reading only the first image surface (single-sided mode), the document P is read by the reading unit 9 and then read through the second conveyance path 35 having the driving roller 11 after reading and the driven roller 11a after reading. The sheet is discharged to a sheet discharge table (discharge table) 15a of the sheet discharge section 15 below the document table 2. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a paper discharge sensor. If the document leading edge does not reach the paper discharge sensor 10 even after a certain period of time has elapsed after reading the document P, or even if a certain time has elapsed after reading. If the rear end does not pass the paper discharge sensor 10, it is determined that a jam has occurred. Reference numeral 12 denotes a switching claw that switches the transport destination of the document P on the second transport path 35 to either the third transport path 37 or the paper discharge table 15a, and is normally held at a position indicated by a solid line. P is guided toward the paper discharge table 15a.

On the other hand, in the case of reading the first image surface and the second image surface (double-sided mode), the document P after reading the first image surface passes through the second conveyance path 35 and the leading edge of the document reaches the paper discharge sensor 10. It detects, or the registration sensor switching claw 12 by timing from the time of detection of 8 is lowered to the position indicated by the broken line by a solenoid (not shown), inversion driving roller 13 and the second conveying as a first conveying roller It passes through a third conveyance path 37 having a reverse driven roller 13a as a roller.

  After the document trailing edge has passed the paper discharge sensor 10, the switching claw 12 has passed the fixed solenoid (the time from the document trailing edge passing through the paper discharge roller 11 to reach the switching claw 12) and then the solenoid described above. When released, it returns to the position of the solid line. After the switching claw 12 returns, the reverse driving roller 13 rotates reversely, and the leading edge of the original enters the nip portion between the paper discharge driving roller 11 and the paper discharge driven roller 11b. Then, the document P passes through the fourth transport path 36 and the first transport path 33 having the paper discharge driving roller 11 and the paper discharge upper driven roller 11b, and the image information on the second image surface is read by the reading unit 9.

Here, when the original P after reading the second image surface is discharged to the discharge table 15a through the second transport path 35 as it is, the second image surface is stacked downward and the page order of the original P is out of order. Arise. Therefore, as the first image plane is stacked in a downward, when the document P is passing through the second transport path 35, the switching claw 12 is lowered to the position of the broken line, the second transport path 35 After the document P is transported to the third transport path 37, the switching claw 12 is returned to the solid line position, and the document P is passed through the fourth transport path 36, the first transport path 33, and the second transport path 35 in this order. Later, the paper is discharged onto the paper discharge table 15.

  Next, the document table unit 29 will be described. 2 is a perspective view showing the document table unit according to the present embodiment, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the document table unit in a rotating position, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the document table in FIG. 5 is a perspective view for explaining a support portion provided on the document table of FIG. 2, and FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing the fitting rod according to the present embodiment.

  The document table unit 29 includes the document table 2 described above and a pair of support members 41 and 41 that rotatably support the document table 2 in the directions of arrows A and B. A reference position (the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) to be set, and an opening angle (hereinafter referred to as the angle between the original table 2 and the paper discharge table 15a relative to the reference position by rotating from the reference position in the direction of arrow A). It simply turns between a rotation position (position shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5) that is rotated so as to increase the opening angle.

  In the present embodiment, the document table 2 at the reference position is positioned substantially horizontally as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and is in a position substantially parallel to the paper discharge table 15a. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the document table 2 in the rotating position is positioned substantially vertically and is positioned at an opening angle of approximately 90 degrees with respect to the sheet discharge table 15a.

  The document table 2 is provided between the placement plate 43 on which the document P is placed, side plates 45 and 45 extending upward from both ends of the placement plate 43, and these side plates 45 and 45. A side fence 47 that restricts both ends of the document P on the plate 43 is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the side plates 45, 45 are formed so as to extend from the base end of the mounting plate 43 toward the tip and gradually decrease in height from the base end of the mounting plate 43 toward the tip. Has been. Among these side plates 45, 45, one side plate 45 (the left side plate 45 in FIG. 4) includes a bottom side 45 a extending along the mounting plate 43, a vertical side 45 b extending vertically upward from the mounting plate 43, and a vertical side A hypotenuse 45c connecting the apex 45b and the base 45a is formed in a substantially triangular shape. As shown in FIG. 5, the corner 45d between the bottom side 45a and the vertical side 45b of one side plate 45 abuts against the surface of the paper discharge table 15a when the document table 2 is in the rotational position. The supporting portion supports the document table 2 in the rotating position.

Rotating shafts 47 and 49 as concentric rotating shafts are perpendicular to the side plate 45 on the outer surface of one side plate 45 and the inner side surface of the other side plate 45 (right side plate 45 in FIG. 4). It protrudes. Further, when the document table 2 is in the reference position, the side plate 45 has a fitting hole 51 for fitting with a fitting rod (fitting member) 59 described later when the document table 2 is in the rotation position, and the document table 2 is in the reference position. A fitting hole 53 for fitting with the fitting rod 59 is formed.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pair of support members 41 and 41 are disposed outside the side plates 45 and 45 of the document table 2 and at positions parallel to the side plates 45 and 45, respectively. 41 and 41 are respectively formed with support holes 55 and 57 through which the rotation shafts 47 and 49 of the document table 2 are inserted and supported. Further, in one support member 41 (the left support member 41 in FIGS. 2 and 3) of the pair of support members 41, 41, the fitting holes 51, 53 of the document table 2 are provided in the vicinity of the support hole 57. A fitting rod 59 is provided for fitting.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the fitting rod 59 is fitted into the fitting holes 51 and 53, and the fitting portion 59 a having a tapered end with a tapered tip is integrally formed with the fitting portion 59 a. It has a formed cylindrical main body portion 59b and a ring-shaped flange portion 59c formed between the main body portion 59b and the fitting portion 59. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, abutment plates 41a and 41b are formed on one support member 41 so as to face each other in parallel, and the abutment plate 45a has a fitting rod. An insertion hole (not shown) through which the fitting portion 59a of 59 is inserted is formed, and an insertion hole 41c through which the rear end portion of the main body portion 59b of the fitting rod 59 is inserted is formed in the butting plate 45b. Yes.

  A spring 61 that biases the fitting rod 59 toward one side plate 45 of the document table 2 is provided between the flange portion 59c of the fitting rod 59 and the butting plate 41b. Due to the urging force of the spring 61, the front end surface of the flange portion 59c of the fitting rod 59 is pressed against the abutting plate 41a, and the fitting portion 59a of the fitting rod 59 passes through the insertion hole of the abutting plate 41a. Thus, it protrudes toward one side plate 45 of the document table 2. As a result, the fitting portion 59 a of the fitting rod 59 is fitted into one of the fitting holes 51 and 53 of the one side plate 45.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 2, when the document table 2 is at the reference position, the fitting portion 59a of the fitting rod 59 is fitted into the fitting hole 53 of the document table 2, and the document table 2 is used as a reference. It keeps it from moving from the position. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, when the document table 2 is in the rotational position, the fitting portion 59 a of the fitting rod 59 is fitted into the fitting hole 51 of the document table 2, so The table 2 is held so as not to move from the rotational position. As described above, in the present embodiment, the holding portion 70 that holds the document table 2 in the rotation position by the fitting rod 59, the fitting holes 51 and 53, the spring 61, and the pair of abutting plates 41a and 41b. It is composed.

  With the configuration described above, when a jam (paper jam) occurs in the third transport path 37 in the automatic document feeder 1, the document table 2 at the reference position shown in FIG. 3, the fitting portion 59a of the fitting rod 59 is fitted into the fitting hole 51 of the document table 2 as shown in FIG. Can be held so as not to move. As a result, the original table 2 is rotated to the rotation position so that the gap between the original table 2 and the paper discharge table 15a is opened to remove the original P jammed in the third transport path 37. Since it is not necessary to hold the table 2 with one hand so that the table 2 does not return to the reference position due to its own weight, the jam processing can be easily performed.

  When the document table 2 is in the rotating position, the corner portion 45d of one side plate 45 of the document table 2 abuts on the surface of the paper discharge table 15a to support the document table 2, and together with the fitting rod 59, the document Since the table 2 is held at the rotation position, the holding force of the document table 2 is improved, and wobbling of the document table 2 at the rotation position can be prevented.

  Further, when the document table 2 is at the reference position, the fitting portion 59a of the fitting rod 59 is fitted into the fitting hole 53 as shown in FIG. 2, and holds the document table 2 at the reference position. Therefore, wobbling of the document table 2 at the reference position can be prevented.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing a jam processing mechanism of the automatic document feeder according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 8 is an enlarged view showing a knob for driving the jam processing mechanism of FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, the jam processing mechanism (sending unit) 65 includes a toothed pulley 67 provided in the vicinity of the first conveyance path 33 and a toothed pulley provided in the vicinity of the base end portion of the paper discharge table 15a. A pulley 69, a toothed pulley 71 provided between the pulleys 67, 69 and between the second conveyance path 35 and the fourth conveyance path 36, and these pulleys 67, 69, 71 are stretched over. It has a timing belt 73 and a knob 75 (see FIG. 8) provided at the tip of the rotating shaft of the pulley 67. When the user turns the knob 75 left and right, the timing belt 73 is driven to rotate left and right, and the document P in the transport paths 33, 35, and 37 is discharged according to the rotation direction of the knob 75. It is sent out to one of the tables 15a.

  In the present embodiment, a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the timing belt 73 that is stretched around the pulleys 67, 69, and 71 that is stretched around the pulley 67 protrudes into the first conveyance path 33, and the timing belt By rotating and driving 73, the outer peripheral surface of the timing belt 73 feeds the document P in the first transport path 33 toward either the document table 2 or the paper discharge table 15a. Specifically, when the knob 75 is turned to the right, the document P in the first transport path 33 is fed toward the document table 2, and when the knob 75 is turned to the left, the document P in the first transport path 33 is moved to the first. The paper is sent out toward the paper discharge table 15a through the second transport path 35.

  Similarly, the portion of the outer peripheral surface of the timing belt 73 that extends over the pulley 71 protrudes into the second conveyance path 35 and the fourth conveyance path 37, and the originals in these conveyance paths 35 and 37. P is sent out toward the document table 2 or the paper discharge table 15a. Specifically, when the knob 75 is turned to the right, the document P in the second transport path 35 is sent out toward the document table 2 through the first transport path 33, and the document P in the fourth transport path 37 is discharged. The paper is sent toward the paper discharge table 15a through the nip portion between the driving roller 11 and the discharge upper driven roller 11b. When the knob 75 is turned counterclockwise, the document P in the second transport path 35 is sent toward the paper discharge table 15a through the nip portion between the post-reading driving roller 11 and the post-reading driven roller 11a, and the fourth transporting is performed. The document P on the path 37 is sent out toward the first transport path 33.

  As described above, since the document P can be sent in an arbitrary direction according to the rotation direction of the knob 75, it is possible to relatively reduce the number of jam processing openings, thereby reducing the cost. In particular, the effect is large in the small-size automatic document feeder 1 in which the arrangement space of the devices is relatively insufficient as in the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the knob 75 is provided with protrusions 75 a extending in the radial direction from the rotation center of the knob 75 and spaced from each other. These protrusions 75a are formed at the same interval from each other, and the interval between the protrusions 75a is set such that the user's finger can enter. Accordingly, when the user turns the knob 75, the user can place the finger between the protrusions 75a and turn the knob 75, and the knob 75 can be easily operated.

  Each of the pulleys 67, 69, 71 is provided so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis. The pulleys 67, 69, 71 each have a timing belt 73 and a tooth so as to go around the outer peripheral surface. The mating teeth are formed. In the present embodiment, the pulley 67 has more teeth than the other pulleys 69 and 71.

  Specifically, the ratio of the number of teeth of the pulley 67 to the number of teeth of the pulley 69 is 2: 1, and the ratio of the number of teeth of the pulley 67 to the number of ends of the pulley 71 is 2: 1. The reduction ratio is increased. Accordingly, the knob 75 can be rotated with a relatively small force, and the knob 75 can be easily rotated without being influenced by a user such as a child or an elderly person. Needless to say, the number of teeth of the pulleys 67, 69, 71 is not limited to the above-mentioned numerical values, and can be changed as appropriate.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the paper.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the two fitting holes 51 and 53 are formed in one side plate 45 of the document table 2, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the document table is provided at three or more locations. 2 may be held stepwise at a plurality of opening angles (rotation positions). A specific example is as shown in FIG. In FIG. 9, the same components as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be simplified.

  As shown in FIG. 9, a fitting hole 54 is formed between the fitting holes 51, 53, and the document table 2 has two fitting portions 59 a of the fitting rod 59 at two places of the fitting holes 53, 54. The document table 2 is held at two opening angles (two rotation positions). In the example shown in FIG. 9, when the document table 2 is rotated to a position where the opening angle between the document table 2 and the paper discharge table 15a is approximately 45 degrees, the fitting portion 59a of the fitting rod 59 is The original table 2 is held by being fitted into the fitting hole 54 of the original table 2.

  As described above, since the document table 2 is held stepwise at a plurality of opening angles, when the automatic document feeder 1 is placed in a place such as a personal computer rack or a corner of a room, an obstacle is placed upward. Therefore, even if a situation occurs in which the document table 2 cannot rotate to the rotation position (the rotation position shown in FIG. 5) with the opening angle of approximately 90 degrees, the rotation position with the opening angle of approximately 45 degrees. Even if there is no margin in the rotation range of the document table 2, it is possible to cope with it sufficiently.

  In the above-described embodiment, the document table 2 is provided with the fitting holes 51 and 53 and the support member 41 is provided with the fitting rod 59. Instead, the document table 2 is provided with the fitting rod 59. The fitting holes 51 and 53 may be provided in the support member 41. Even in this case, the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

1 is a configuration diagram schematically showing an automatic document feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a perspective view showing a manuscript table unit according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a document table unit in a rotating position. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a document table of FIG. 2. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the support part provided in the original table of FIG. It is a perspective view which expands and shows the fitting rod which concerns on this Embodiment. 2 is a configuration diagram schematically showing a jam handling mechanism of an automatic document feeder according to the present embodiment. FIG. It is a figure which expands and shows the knob for driving the jam processing mechanism of FIG. It is a side view showing a manuscript table concerning a modification.

Explanation of symbols

1 Automatic document feeder 2 Document table (document placement table)
9 Reading unit (reading position)
13 Reverse drive roller (first transport roller)
13a Reverse driven roller (second transport roller)
15a Paper discharge table (discharge tray)
30 Separation feeding part 41 Support member 45d Corner part (support part)
47, 49 Rotating shaft (Rotating shaft)
51, 53, 54 Fitting hole 59 Fitting rod (fitting member)
65 Jam handling mechanism (sending part)
70 Holding part 75 Knob 75a Protrusion P Original

Claims (5)

A document placement table on which a document is set, a separation feeding unit that separates the documents set on the document placement table one by one and feeds them toward a reading position where image information of the document is read, and a document placement table And a support member that rotatably supports the document placement table. The document placement table is configured so that the document is placed on the document placement table. In an automatic document feeder that rotates between a set reference position and a rotation position that is rotated so that an opening angle between the document placement table and the sheet discharge table is larger than the reference position.
A holding unit for holding the document table in the rotating position;
Provided on the upper surface side of the discharge table, a first conveying roller you feed the document from the document table in the document conveying direction and the direction opposite to the separation feeding section,
A second transport roller provided on the lower surface side of the document table and facing the first transport roller;
An automatic document feeder, wherein a rotation shaft of the document table is disposed at a position different from a rotation shaft of the second conveyance roller.   The automatic document feeder according to claim 1, wherein the holding unit holds the document placing table in stages at a plurality of opening angles.   The holding portion includes a fitting hole provided in one of the document table and the support member, and a fitting member provided in either one of the document table and the support member and fitted in the fitting hole. The automatic document feeder according to claim 1, wherein the automatic document feeder is provided. A rotatable knob, and a sending unit for feeding the document between the document placing table and the paper discharge table in conjunction with the rotation of the knob;
Knob, extends from the center of rotation of the knob in a radial direction, an automatic document feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the protrusions spaced apart from each other are al provided. The knob is provided so as to be freely rotatable in any of the left and right directions, and the sending section sends out the document toward either the document placement table or the sheet discharge table according to the rotation direction of the knob. 4. The automatic document feeder according to item 4 .

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