JPH01256462A - Image former - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify a device for miniaturization by constituting it so as to use a part of a recording sheet conveying means as an original sheet feeding means for feeding an original sheet to an original sheet scanning means. CONSTITUTION:An original sheet 109 is inserted by a manual guide 14 and passes through a manual insert paper route 63, operating a manual sensor 19. With this operation, a manual roller 22 is driven, the sheet 19 passes through a paper route 102 via a gate 101 in a full-line position, and it is housed in a discharge original tray 108 as being read by an image scanner 103. Then, an image signal read by the scanner 103 is directly impressed on a printing head. On the other hand, when recording paper is selected to a manual mode to do manual paper feed, the gate 101 is changed over to a virtual line position and the route 63 is connected to a paper route 65. Accordingly the recording paper is inserted from the manual guide 14. Therefore there is unnecessary to install any other means for feeding the original sheet 109.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording sheet such as a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile, etc., and in particular, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording sheet such as a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile machine, etc. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that can form an image corresponding to a document. [Prior Art] Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copying machine, or a facsimile machine, an image forming apparatus further includes a document sheet scanning means to form an image corresponding to the document on a recording sheet, for example. Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-26956
As seen in Publication No. 7, a document feeding means for feeding a document sheet to a document sheet scanning means is provided separately from a conveying means for a recording sheet on which an image is formed. [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As described above, an image forming apparatus in which the original sheet feeding means to the original sheet scanning means is provided separately from the recording sheet conveying means inevitably requires a large number of parts. This has the problem that the device inevitably becomes more complicated and larger. The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems in conventional image forming apparatuses equipped with document sheet scanning means. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can be simplified and downsized. [Means and operations for solving the problem] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus that forms an image by an image forming means on a recording sheet conveyed by a recording sheet conveying means. A document sheet scanning device for exposing and scanning a document sheet, disposed in a sheet conveyance path of the sheet conveyance device or in a path branched from the sheet conveyance path, and a document sheet that has passed through the document sheet scanning device is discharged. and a conveyance path switching means provided in the sheet conveyance path to change the sheet conveyance path toward the document sheet discharge means, and the document sheet is scanned by the document sheet scanning means. When forming an image corresponding to the original document, the sheet transport path switching means changes the sheet transport path toward the original sheet ejecting means, and the original sheet feeding means feeds the original sheet to the original sheet scanning means. A part of the recording sheet conveying means is used as the recording sheet conveying means. With this configuration, the original sheet to be fed to the original sheet scanning means is fed toward the original sheet scanning means by the recording sheet conveying means. Therefore, there is no need to provide a separate means for feeding the original sheet, and the image forming apparatus equipped with the original sheet scanning means can be simplified and downsized. [Example] Examples will be described below. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, viewed from the front, and the shaded area indicates the portion connecting the front frame and the rear frame in the drawing. Further, FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the image scanner unit portion. In the figure, 1 indicates the entire image forming apparatus, 2 is a belt unit that constitutes an image carrier, etc., 3 is a fixing roller unit, 4 is a developing unit that develops a latent image, 5 is a paper transport unit, and 6 is an image recording unit. A print head forms a latent image on the belt unit 2 based on an input signal, 7 is a motor, 8 is a power supply unit, and 100 is an image scanner unit for scanning an original sheet. The top cover 48 is configured to be able to rotate upward around the rotation support shaft 47 and open by 90 degrees. Inside the cover 48, the paper conveying unit 5 is loosely fitted and supported at a fulcrum 34 and held by a spring 35, so that it can be rotated upward together with the top cover 48 and opened from the main body of the apparatus. . The fixing roller unit 3 is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the connecting portion of the main body frame of the apparatus in an upward direction in FIG. The belt unit 2 is also configured to be detachable from the apparatus main body. The developing unit 4 is swingably supported between the apparatus body frames at a fulcrum 75, and is biased toward the belt unit 2. The print head 6 is fixed to the frame below the belt unit 2 and facing the belt unit 2 . The main body frame is integrally molded and fixed to a base 81 made of iron plate. A shield case 82, which is a conductive box, is welded to the base 81, and the base 81 is fixed to a bottom cover 83 made of plastic. A paper separation plate 20 is urged by a spring 21 to a paper feed roller 24 supported between frames. The middle plate 15 can swing around a fulcrum 17 provided on the frame, and is biased toward the paper feed roller 24 by a spring 18 provided on the lower surface of the tip. The tray 11 is fixed to a frame, and the rear part of the paper 9 is placed on the tray 11, and the leading end is placed on the middle plate 1.
It is sandwiched between side guides 16 provided on both sides of the tray 11, and its rear end is positioned by a rear end regulating plate 12 slidably provided on the tray 11. The leading edge of the recording paper is pressed against the paper feed roller 24 via the intermediate plate 15 by the biasing force of the spring 18. Note that the position of the trailing edge regulating plate 12 is detected by a paper size sensor 13. The moisture-proof cover 10 is arranged so as to surround the paper 9 together with the tray 11, and is configured to be openable and closable around a support shaft 84 provided on the frame. A mating guide 14 for positioning the sheet in the width direction is provided on the moisture-proof cover 10 for manually feeding the sheet. Above the paper feed roller 24, a manual feed roller 22 and a pinch roller 23 are arranged, which constitute a manual paper feed section that also serves as a paper conveyance direction converting means used during double-sided recording and a document insertion section into an image scanner. ing. A manual feed sensor 19 is provided in the manual feed insertion paper path 63 between the manual feed roller 22 and the manual feed guide 14.
The presence or absence of paper or the like is detected by pressing the sensor 19 with manually fed paper or the like. A manual paper path 65 formed by a paper guide 25 and the like;
The paper path 64 of the paper fed by the paper feed roller 24 from the tray 11 is configured to merge near the conveyance roller 28 and its pinch roller 29, which are disposed on the downstream side thereof. At the confluence point, there is a resist sensor 2.
6 is arranged, and detection is made when the paper presses against it. A gate plate 27 is provided on the paper feeding side of the nip portion of the conveyance roller 28 so as to protrude so as to block the paper path or to retreat from the paper path. Further, a paper path 66 is formed downstream of the conveyance roller 28 by an upper paper guide 30 and a lower paper guide 31. A corona transfer device 32 is provided on the side of the fixing unit 3 from this paper path 66, facing the top of the image bearing belt 50 of the belt unit 2, and further on the side of the fixing unit 3, a sheet of paper is placed on the bottom surface. A vacuum duct 33 provided with a slit hole for suction is arranged. And these conveyor rollers 2
8 and its pinch roller 29. Registration sensor 26. Gate plate 27° Corona transfer device 32 and vacuum duct 33
The paper conveyance unit 5 is configured by the following. The belt unit 2 includes an image carrying belt 50 and the heddle 5.
A drive roller 51 that is driven by passing 0. Tension roller 52. Corona shaft 5 as bank up roller
6. A selfoc lens 61. which includes a drive system consisting of a head shaft 57, a blade cleaning mechanism 54 consisting of a cleaning blade 55, an auger, etc., and a scorotron charger 58, and is supported by a frame 62 of the print head 6. It has an integrated cartridge structure covered by a cover 59 and a unit frame 53 having openings corresponding to the sleeve 76 of the developing unit 4, the corona transfer device 32, and the static elimination lamp 60, respectively. By opening the top cover 48, the operator can manually attach, detach, and replace the cover. The fixing unit 3 includes a lower heat roller 40 that generates heat.
and an upper pressure roller 41 that is pressed against the heat roller 40 with a strong force. A paper path 70 is provided on the belt unit 2 side across the nip portion of the fixing unit 3. A paper path 71 is provided on the ejection roller 44 side.
is formed. The discharge roller 44 is rotatably supported by the frame, and the pinch roller 45 is pressed against the discharge roller 44. The gate 46 disposed downstream of the discharge roller 44 is configured to be able to rotate to take two positions. In the position shown by the solid line in FIG. The position indicated by the chain line has a function of changing the direction toward the discharge paper path 72. The paper ejection path 72 extends outside the main body of the apparatus and terminates at a paper ejection tray 49 that stores the recorded paper. The reversing paper path 69 makes a U-turn and is connected to the paper path 6B formed by the top cover 48 and the plastic paper guide 43 fixed to the top of the fixing unit 3. On the extension of the paper path 68, a top cover 4 is provided.
A conveyance roller 38 fixed to the conveyance roller 8 and a pinch roller 39 urged by the conveyance roller 38 are arranged. On the right downstream side of the paper path 68, a filter paper path 67 is formed by the top cover 48 and the frame of the paper transport unit 5, and a filter paper path 67 is provided. The presence or absence of paper is detected by pressing the sensor 36. The paper path 67 is configured to merge with the manual downstream paper path 65. Note that 37 is a leaf spring for holding the paper path 67. The motor 7 is disposed in a space chamber 85 surrounded by the power supply unit 8, the main body frame, and the base 81, and a frame surrounding the chamber 85 is provided.

Holes 86a, 86b, and 86c are formed in the connecting portion of the [/-m]. A fan 73 is built into the power supply unit 8 near the center of the frame, and the fan 73 sucks the air inside the chamber 85 and discharges it to the outside of the machine through an ozone filter 74. In FIG. 1, 78 is a floppy disk drive, 79 is a control board, and 80 is a memory card connector. The image scanner unit 100 is attached to the main body frame above the paper feed roller 24, and the second
As shown in the figure, the manual feed roller 22 and the pinch roller 23
101, which is located downstream of the switching gate. This game 01 is configured to be switchable between a solid line position and an imaginary line position, and the paper path on the downstream side of the manual feed roller 22 and the pinch roller 23 is switched to two paper paths 65 and 102. An image scanner 103 is arranged on the paper path 1 (12), and the scanner 10
A backup roller 104 is disposed opposite to the roller 3. Paper path 105 downstream of image scanner 103
is provided with a discharge roller 107 and a pinch roller 106 in pressure contact with the roller 107.
A discharge document tray 10111 that receives a discharge document sheet 109 configured on the top cover 48 is disposed downstream of the paper sheet 7 . Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus configured as described above will be explained. In this embodiment, since the image scanner unit 100 is normally used in the image scanner use mode, the switching point of the image scanner unit 100 is at the solid line position, and images are formed on both sides of the recording paper. In the duplex mode, the path from the filter paper path 67 to the manual feed roller 22 is blocked by the gate 101. First, the duplex mode in which duplex printing is performed on recording paper will be explained. As mentioned above, the image scanner is normally in use mode, so when switching to duplex mode is performed by operating the operation panel (not shown), the switching gate 101 is switched to the position of the virtual line by the switching signal, and the paper path 67
A path is formed from there to the manual feed roller 22. Furthermore, when switching to duplex mode, a message indicating that duplex mode is in effect is displayed on the operation panel. In this double-sided mode operation, first, the other transport rollers 28 . Ejection roller 4
4. Conveyance roller 38. Heat roller 4 of fixing unit 3
0 is always, for example, 90 mu/se at the start of the recording operation.
It rotates at a constant conveyance speed of c. When the recording operation starts, the paper feed roller 24 starts rotating in response to a drive signal based on a detection signal from a seam sensor (not shown) that detects the seam of the image bearing belt 50, and the paper 9 is fed one by one from the tray 11. It is fed toward the transfer section. When the leading edge of the paper passes through the paper path 64 and is detected by the registration sensor 26, the rotation of the paper feed roller 24 is stopped, and the leading edge of the paper stops in a state where it abuts against the gate plate 27. When the gate plate 27 is retracted, the leading edge of the paper is gripped by the conveyance roller 28 and its pinch roller 29, and the image carrying belt 50
The toner image is conveyed toward the transfer section in synchronization with the toner image formed thereon by the print head 6, the developing unit 4, and the like. The paper 9, on which the toner image has been transferred to the lower surface in the transfer section, is fixed in the fixing unit 3, and then transported by the ejection roller 44, directed upward along the gate 46 which has been switched to the solid line position, and then transferred to the reversing paper path. 69 and double-sided recording paper path 6
8 and is conveyed toward the conveyance roller 38. Next, the sheet is conveyed by the conveyance roller 38 through the paper path 67 toward the manual feed roller 22 . In this embodiment, following the transfer and fixation of the first sheet of paper 9 to one side, the second sheet of paper 9 is fed from the tray 11 toward the transfer section in synchronization with the detection signal of the seam sensor. Transfer and fixing are performed in the same manner. By the way, when the first sheet 9 approaches the manual feed roller 22, the manual feed roller 22 moves to a predetermined position, for example, 360, at a predetermined timing based on the detection signal of the seam sensor.
Rotation is started at a high speed of mm/sec in the opposite direction to that for manual paper feed, and the leading edge of the first sheet reaches the manual feed roller 22.
When the paper reaches the manual insertion paper path 63, it is rapidly carried into the manual insertion paper path 63. The sensor 36 whose trailing edge of the paper is placed in the paper path 67
When detected by the manual feed roller 2 after a predetermined time has elapsed,
2 is stopped. At this point, the state of image formation on the paper can be confirmed by observing the paper that has been carried into the manual paper feed section. Subsequently, rotation of the manual feed roller 22 in the forward direction is started at a conveying speed of, for example, 180 mm/sec in synchronization with the detection signal of the seam sensor. As a result, the manual insertion paper guide FII
The first sheet of paper 9 that was carried into r63 and was temporarily stopped with its rear end sandwiched between manual feed roller 22 and pinch roller 23 has its conveyance direction reversed, passes through paper path 65, and is transferred to conveyance rollers again. Conveyance begins toward 28. Then, in a similar process, the toner image is transferred and fixed on the back side of the paper, and the toner image is transferred to the output tray 49 outside the machine through the gate 46, which has been switched as shown by the chain line, and through the output path 72.
It is designed to be discharged to In this way, when using the manual feed section as a paper conveyance direction changing means, the reason why the conveyance speed of the manual feed roller 22 is set higher than the conveyance speed of other conveyance rollers, etc. is because the following two
This is to quickly reverse the first sheet of paper and record a toner image on the back side so as not to interfere with the conveyance of the first sheet of paper. When used for carrying out this purpose, the conveyance speed can be set to be the same as that of other conveyance rollers. Note that the conveying roller 38 is configured to be driven via a one-way clutch, so that when the paper is conveyed by the manual feed roller 22, which has a high conveying speed, it does not interfere with the conveyance. At the end of the duplex mode, the gate 101 returns to the solid line position, and at the same time, a return signal to the image scanner use mode indicates that the mode is in use. Next, the operation in the image scanner use mode in which the image scanner 103 reads the original sheet 109 and forms an image will be described. In this embodiment, as described above, the normal image scanner use mode is set, so the document sheet 10 to be read is
9 is inserted directly from the manual guide 14 after the starting operation without performing a switching operation. The inserted original sheet 109 passes through the manual insertion paper path 63, activates the manual insertion sensor 19, hits the nip between the manual insertion roller 22 and the pinch roller 23, and stops. Next, the stamping motor is activated by the operation signal from the manual feed sensor 19, the manual feed roller 22 is driven, and the document sheet 1-109 begins to be conveyed. Then, the original sheet 109 passes through the gate 101 located at the solid line position, passes through the paper path 1 (12), and is sent to the opposing section between the image scanner 103 and the backup roller 104. The original sheet 109 is conveyed by the hack up roller 104, While being read by the paper sheet 103, the paper is conveyed through the paper path 105 to the ejection roller 107 and the pinch roller 106.The ejection port roller 107 rotates at a faster speed than the bank up roller 104, so that the original sheet 109 is backed up. After coming off the roller 104, the original sheet 109 is sent out at a high speed,
This ensures that the document is stored in the ejected document tray 108. The image signal of the original sheet 109 read by the image scanner 103 is applied directly to the print head 6, and drives the print head to drive the image carrier belt 5.
0 or image scanner 1.
The image signal read in step 03 is temporarily stored in a storage section built into the image forming apparatus, and read out from the storage section again in conjunction with the start of recording operation on the recording paper to drive the print head 6. A latent image is formed on the image bearing belt 50, and an image corresponding to the original sheet 109 is formed on the recording paper through the steps described above in the duplex mode operation. Furthermore, when the image signal read by the image scanner 103 is stored in the storage section, image formation can also be performed in the manual feed mode described below. Next, the operation in the manual feed mode for manually feeding the recording paper will be explained. Normally, the image scanner is in use mode, so the switching gate 101 is at the position indicated by the solid line, and the manual paper path 63 is connected to the paper path 102 heading toward the image scanner 103. When switching to the manual feed mode to perform manual paper feeding, the switching signal causes the gate 01 to be switched to the position of the virtual line, and the manual insertion paper path 63 is connected to the paper path 65 heading to the gate plate 27 via the resist 26. When a recording sheet is inserted through the manual feed guide 14, it passes through the paper path 63, activates the manual feed sensor 19, and hits the nip between the manual feed roller 22 and the pinch roller 23. Next, the manual feed roller 22 is driven by the detection signal from the manual feed sensor 19, and the recording paper is conveyed toward the gate plate 27 through the paper path 65. Thereafter, images are formed on the recording paper in the same manner as in the double-sided mode. When the manual feed mode ends, game 01 returns to the solid line position. In response to the return signal to the image scanner use mode, the image scanner use mode is simultaneously displayed. As described above, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the manual feed insertion section is commonly used as the paper conveyance direction conversion section in the duplex mode and the document sheet insertion section into the image scanner unit, and the manual feed roller 22. Pinch roller 23, manual feed sensor 19
．． Since the guide 14 and the like can be used in common in the above three modes, the configuration can be made with a small number of parts. Further, since the image scanner use mode is normally set, it is possible to prevent the original sheets 1 to 1 from being erroneously sent to the image forming section. Next, a second embodiment shown in FIG. 3 will be described. Incidentally, FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of the main parts thereof, and the same or equivalent members as those of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, a second paper feeding section is further provided in the manual insertion section of the first embodiment, so that two-stage paper feeding can be performed. In FIG. 3, 150 indicates the moisture-proof cover 10. Tray 11. Middle plate 15. This is a first paper feeding section having the same structure as the first embodiment, including a guide 16°, a paper feeding roller 24, and the like. A recess 161 is formed on the moisture-proof cover 10 of the first paper feed section 150, and an intermediate plate 163 whose one end is supported by a fulcrum 162 is disposed within the recess 161. The bottom surface of the end is pressed by a spring 164. Then, the paper 170 is placed and stored over the middle plate 163 and a part of the cover 10. Furthermore, as shown in FIG.
A paper separation plate 175 is provided adjacent to one end of the
The separating plate 175 is pressed by a spring 174 so that it is arranged substantially on the same plane as the paper path 176 in which the manual feed sensor 19 is arranged. A second paper feed roller 165 having a partially cut-out plane portion 169 is located above the distal end of the intermediate plate 163 on which the paper 170 is placed in the recess 161 of the cover 10 and the separation plate 175. It is attached to the main body frame so as to face the Further, a cam 166 is fixed coaxially with this paper feed roller 165, and rotates together with the paper feed roller 165, as shown in FIG.
When the plane part 169 of faces the tip of the middle plate 163,
A cam surface 167 provided on the cam 166 comes into sliding contact with a cam sliding surface 168 provided on one side edge of the middle plate 163, pushing the middle plate 63 downward against the spring 164, thereby causing the supply. A paper path 17 is provided between the flat part 169 of the paper roller 165 and the paper 170 placed on the intermediate plate 165 and the separation plate 175.
2 is formed. And cover 10
Part of the middle plate 163° and paper feed roller 165. cam 166,
The guide 1735, separation plate 175, etc. constitute the second paper feeding section 151, and the other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment. Next, the operation of this second embodiment will be explained. In this embodiment as well, the image scanner usage mode is normally set, and the image scanner Unino l-100 is used.
The switching gate 101 is at the solid line position, and the second paper feed roller 165 and cam 166 in the second paper feed section 151 are in the state shown in the figure. A paper path 172 is formed. In this state, when the image scanner 103 reads the original sheet 109 to form an image, the original sheet 109 is inserted through the guide 173. The inserted document sheet) 109 passes through a paper path 172 formed below the flat portion 169 of the paper feed roller 165, and further passes through a paper path 176 following this to reach the manual feed sensor 1.
9 is operated until it hits the two prongs of the manual feed roller 22 and the pinch roller 23 and stops. Thereafter, the image scanner 10 is transported by a manual feed roller 22 driven by a detection signal from the manual feed sensor 19 in the same manner as in the first embodiment.
After the document is read in step 3, the document is discharged and stored on the discharge document tray 108 by the discharge roller 107. In the case of the manual feed mode in which the recording paper is manually fed, the normal image scanner use mode is switched to the manual feed mode, as in the first embodiment. This switching signal causes the second
The paper feed roller 165 and the cam 166 are moved to the switching gate 10 while maintaining the illustrated image scanner use mode.
1 is switched to the position of the virtual line, and the paper path 176 is connected to the paper path heading toward the gate plate 27 via the registration sensor 26. When a manual feed sheet is inserted from the guide 173, it passes through paper paths 172 and 176, operates the manual feed sensor 19, and is conveyed toward the connected paper path 65 by the manual feed roller 22, which is driven by the detection signal of the sensor 19. be done. Thereafter, image formation on manual paper is performed in the same manner. When the manual feed mode ends, the gate 101 returns to the solid line position, similar to the first embodiment. Then, in response to a return signal to the image scanner use mode, the same mode is displayed at the same time. When performing double-sided recording on paper fed from the second paper feeding section 151, the normal image scanner use mode is similarly switched to the double-sided mode of the second paper feeding section. By this switching operation, the switching gate 101 is switched to the position of the virtual line,
Paper path 176 is connected to paper path 65. When the recording operation is started, the second paper feed roller 165 and the cam 166 rotate in conjunction with each other. This rotation causes the cam surface 167 of the cam 166 to
is retracted from the cam sliding surface 168, and the paper 170 placed on the intermediate plate 163 pressed by the spring 164 rises. The roller surface of the paper feed roller 165 comes into pressure contact with this paper 170, and due to the action of the separation plate 175, which also comes into pressure contact with the roller surface, the paper 170 is not separated one by one, so the paper path 17
6, the manual feed sensor 19 is operated, and the sheet is conveyed toward the manual feed roller 22. Thereafter, image formation on the paper is performed in the same manner as in the case of manual paper feeding. In this way, in this second embodiment, the second paper feed section is arranged in the manual feed section so that the manual feed section can also be used as the second paper feed section. can be shared in four modes: manual feed mode, duplex mode for the first and second paper feed sections, and image scanner use mode.In each of the above embodiments, the image scanner is connected to a paper path branching from the recording paper path. The image scanner is installed in the recording paper path leading to the image forming means, and the document sheet is ejected downstream of the image scanner placement position. A conveyance path for documents is provided branching from the paper path, a switching gate is placed at the branching part, and the switching gate is operated to connect the paper path to the document sheet ejection path during normal image scanner use mode. [Effects of the Invention] As described above based on the embodiments, according to the present invention, the recording device is used as the document sheet feeding device for feeding the document sheet to the document sheet scanning device. Since a part of the sheet conveying means is used, a separate means for feeding the original sheet is not required, and an image forming apparatus equipped with an original sheet scanning means can be simplified and downsized. can.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a first embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged diagram of an image scanner unit portion thereof, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the main parts. In the figure, 1 is an image forming apparatus, 2 is a belt unit,
3 is a fixing roller UniSoto 14C developing UniSoto, 5 is a paper conveyance unit, 19 is a manual feed sensor, 22 is a manual feed roller, 24 is a paper feed roller, 63, 64, 65 is a paper path,
100 is an image scanner unit, 101 is a switching gate, 103 is an image scanner, 104 is a hack up roller, 109 is a document sheet, 150 is a first paper feeding section, 1
Reference numeral 51 indicates a second paper feeding section, 163 a middle plate, 165 a second paper feeding roller, 166 a cam, 168 a cam sliding surface, 169 a flat surface, and 172 a paper path. Patent applicant Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. 100: Image scanner unit 101: Switching gate 102.105: Paper path 103: Image scanner 108: Discharge original tray 109: Original sheet

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In an image forming apparatus in which an image forming means forms an image on a recording sheet conveyed by a recording sheet conveying means, in the sheet conveying path of the recording sheet conveying means or from the sheet conveying path. a document sheet scanning means disposed in the branched path for exposing and scanning the document sheet;
The document sheet includes a discharge means for discharging the original sheet that has passed through the original sheet scanning means, and a conveyance path switching means provided in the sheet conveyance path for changing the sheet conveyance path toward the original sheet discharge means. When an image corresponding to the original is to be formed on a recording sheet using the scanning information by the original sheet scanning means, the sheet transporting path is changed toward the original sheet ejecting means by the transporting path switching means, and the sheet transporting path is changed toward the original sheet ejecting means, and An image forming apparatus characterized in that a part of the recording sheet conveying means is used as a document sheet feeding means for feeding a document sheet. 2. Claim 1, wherein the recording sheet conveyance means has a plurality of stages of recording sheet feeding means, and the conveyance path switching means is provided in one of the recording sheet conveyance paths. The image forming apparatus described above. 3. The image forming apparatus has a sheet double-sided image forming mechanism that forms an image on one side of the recording sheet by the image forming means, then reverses the recording sheet and forms an image again on the other side of the recording sheet. , the sheet reversing conveyance means for reversing the recording sheet constituting the sheet double-sided image forming mechanism is provided with the conveyance path switching means, and the sheet reversing conveyance means is configured to be used as a document sheet feeding means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.