JPH0225180B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a copying machine equipped with an automatic document feeder.

For copying machines equipped with an automatic document feeder,
For example, if you stack multiple originals of the same size that you are about to copy in page order and place them on the paper feed tray in the automatic document feeder, the automatic document feeder will work and copy the originals in page order. Sequentially,
The document is fed onto the document placement glass, and each document is
One or more desired copies are obtained.
Further, even if there is only one original, one or many copies can be obtained. With such a copying machine, for example, if a large number of copies are currently being made and you try to copy another type of document urgently, the machine will wait or wait until the current copying process is finished. , it is necessary to temporarily stop the current copying process, cancel the current paper feeding mode, and set a new copy size and number of copies.

In the case of a copy center set up in each business office, etc., many copies of different types of originals are made, and it takes a lot of time to set the number of copies and copy size, and it also takes a lot of time for the copy operator. However, it becomes a constant situation. Furthermore, when the copy requester goes directly to the copy center to make a copy, if the copier is in the copying state and it takes a long time to do so, he or she may give up and make the copy later, or the copy may be delayed. There is nothing else to do but wait until it finishes. And even if you make a copy later,
You may not be able to judge when the copying machine will finish copying, and may have to step on it again.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and in order to save labor in copying operations, it is possible to set the number and size of copies to be made even when copies are currently being made. To provide a copying machine capable of continuously and automatically copying a document to be made immediately after the current copy is completed.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing only a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the reference numeral 1 indicates an automatic document feeder, and this device is usually called an ADF device, which constitutes a mechanical part of a copying machine.
It is called the ADF mechanism section.

For example, a plurality of originals are placed on the paper feed tray 2 of the ADF mechanism section 1, and in response to a paper feed start signal, the presser bar 3 is lowered, the claw 4 is released, and at the same time the paper feed roller 5 is moved in the direction of the arrow. The lowermost document on the paper feed tray 2 is guided by the guide plate 6 and fed toward the feed roller pair 7. Then, this original is fed by a pair of feed rollers 7, and is once placed on an original placing table 8 made of original placing glass. Exposure scanning is performed in this portion, and after completion of this, the original is conveyed by a pair of discharge rollers 9 and discharged onto a tray 11 via a guide plate 10.

FIG. 2 shows a control block diagram in an embodiment of the invention. This main configuration includes a controller 13, an operation/display section 14, and an ADF mechanism section 1.
and each part 15 of the copying machine. The controller 13 includes a microprocessor 16, input/output ports 17 and 18 used for signal input/output, a ROM (read only memory) 19 containing programs, and a RAM (random access memory) 20 for program data. , a storage device 21, and the like. In this storage device, the size and number of copies to be made are stored in accordance with the stacking order of the originals on the paper feed tray 2.
Note that this storage device may be provided within the data RAM 20.

Next, the control operation will be explained with reference to the processing program of the controller 13 (built-in ROM 19) shown in FIG. After that, by pressing the registration switch 24, the data will be accepted by the input port 17 and stored in the storage device 2.
Stored within 1.

The storage device 21 can be managed using two pointers, as shown in FIG. One of these is the Next Catalog pointer (Next Catalog pointer).
The data to be registered from now on is stored in the location indicated by this pointer, and the NCP increments the current value by one. The other is the Current Copy Pointer (hereinafter referred to as CCP)
It indicates the location where the data currently being copied is stored, and increases by one value when copying of one sheet is completed.

Since storage devices are limited, both CCP and NCP take cyclic values. That is, the next value of MAX in the storage device will be MINI. For this reason, NCP can take either a large or small value with respect to CCP, but if CCP increases by one and matches NCP, it indicates that there is no document to be copied, and the copier will not actually copy. The machine will be in an idle state where it is not being used properly.

Conversely, when NCP increases by one and matches CCP, it indicates that the storage device is saturated,
No further registrations will be accepted unless the CCP increases. That is, in this case, for example, by displaying a message to that effect on the LED display 25, it can be determined that the setting registration of the size and number of new copies of another type cannot be performed.

Registration is accepted regardless of whether the copier is in an idle state or in a copying state. That is, for example, even when the copying machine is in the copying state, the original to be copied is stacked on top of the original already placed, and the number and size of copies to be made are , by operating the numeric keypad 22 or the size switch 23, this data is registered and stored, and after the current copying is completed, the copying to be performed from now on is automatically and continuously performed. In this case, in accordance with the signals from the output port 18 of the controller 13 in FIG. It also controls the operation of each section 15. Regarding the operation control of each part of the copying machine, for example, how many transfer sheets to feed,
Alternatively, it is possible to set which size of transfer sheet to feed from multiple types of cassettes.

In addition, the controller 13 sends a signal to the ADF mechanism to start paper feeding, sets the original on the original placing glass 8, and according to the contents indicated by the CCP (copy size, number of copies, etc.) ,
Start copying operation. After the copy operation is completed, the original is automatically ejected and the CCP value is increased by one. At this time, if the value does not match the NCP value, it means that there is a document to be copied next, and the next copying operation begins.

Note that the series of copy cycle operations in a copying machine is slower than the processing speed of a microprocessor, so the above-mentioned control can be sufficiently performed at the processing speed of a microprocessor. Furthermore, when registration is performed while the copying machine is in an idle state where it is not copying, the registration switch also serves as a start switch. In other words, there is no need to press a dedicated print button, for example.

As described above, according to the present invention, in a copying machine equipped with an automatic document feeder that feeds originals stacked on a paper feed tray onto the document tray in the order in which they are stacked, each of the documents stacked on the paper feed tray is A manual input means for specifying copy conditions including copy size and number of copies for each document in the order in which the documents are stacked; and a manual input means for specifying copy conditions, including copy size and number of copies, in the order in which the documents are stacked; a storage device for storing the information; and a storage device for controlling the automatic document feeder so as to feed the documents stacked on the document tray in that order onto the document tray; control means for continuously copying originals according to the copying conditions for each original stored in the storage device, so that regardless of whether the copying machine is copying or not, the following Copy conditions can be specified and the next copy can be automatically obtained in succession, so copies can be obtained very easily and without much effort compared to conventional methods. In addition, even if the copy is currently in progress, you can register the conditions for the copy you are about to perform, and when the copy is finished, you can go there and make the copy you need without wasting your time. You can get it without spending anything. Note that in this type of copying machine, a sorter is sometimes used to sort the transfer sheets that have been copied, for example, according to the number of copies, but in this case, the sheets are sorted under the control of the present invention. It is also possible.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a part of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a control block diagram showing the circuit configuration of the same embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a storage device constituting one of the control blocks. The configuration diagram, FIG. 4, is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the control block. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Automatic document feeder, 13...Controller, 14...Operation/display unit, 21...Storage device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a copying machine equipped with an automatic document feeder that feeds originals stacked on a paper feed tray onto the document tray in the order in which they are stacked, the copy size and number of copies are determined for each document stacked on the paper feed tray. a manual input means for specifying copy conditions to be included in the order in which the documents are stacked; a storage device for storing the copy conditions specified by the manual input means in the order in which the documents are stacked when the copying machine is in an idle state and in a copy state; The automatic document feeder is controlled to feed the originals stacked on the table onto the document tray in that order, and copies of the documents fed onto the document tray are stored in the storage device. 1. A copying machine comprising: control means for causing copying to be performed continuously according to copying conditions for each original document.