JPH02255474A - Automatic original feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make either original formed with an image vertically or horizontally feedable in both c.w. and c.c.w. directions by installing a feeding means to convey the original in both directions, and a control means to control a feed rate of the original with the detected result of whether the original is in a vertical or horizontal sense through the feeding means. CONSTITUTION:Feed and discharge paper belts 16a-16d and horizontal conveyor belts 15a, 15b as a feeding means are set up in parallel with the conveying direction of an original on the circumference of an original surface, conveying the original in both c.w. and c.c.w. directions. Then, the vertical original is fed by the feed and discharge paper belts 16a-16d and the horizontal original is fed by these paper belts 16a-16d and the horizontal conveyor belts 15a, 15b, respectively. In addition, original horizontal detecting sensors 19a, 19b as a detecting means detect the horizontal original while original vertical detecting sensors 20a, 20b detect the vertical original. With this constitution, a controller 21 controls a feed rate of these feeding means according to the detected result of these detecting means.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic document feeder that automatically feeds a document to be projected by an overhead projector in forward and reverse directions.

Prior Art A conventional overhead projector is characterized by having, for example, at least one storage means for storing a document and a document sending means for sending out the document from the storage means. Automatic movement of the original is being performed.

Another conventional example includes an intermittent roller that sends paper out of a storage box, an intermittent belt conveyor that carries the paper to a predetermined position and sends it to a receiving tray, and a control device that moves the belt conveyor at a predetermined timing. The feature is that the paper is automatically fed by combining a microcomputer and a motor that control the paper flow.

Problem to be Solved by the Invention However, in the above-described overhead projector, the orientation of the document with respect to the feeding direction is determined to be either portrait or landscape. For this reason, for example, a document on which an image has been created in landscape orientation may be sent to the document table in portrait orientation. In this case, the explainer must change the orientation of the document from portrait to landscape on the document table, which is not only troublesome but also interrupts the explanation.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic document feeder that can feed both originals with images created in portrait orientation and originals with images created in landscape orientation in forward and reverse directions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The gist of the present invention is an automatic document feeder as set forth in the claims.

Means for Solving the Problems Reference is made to the embodiments of FIGS. 1-3. The automatic document feeder 1 is configured to automatically convey documents with characters and strokes written on them.

At least one document storage container (stocker 1 in the embodiment)
2a, 12b) store a plurality of originals 200. An original 200 (FIG. 2) is placed on the original surface (original glass 11 in the embodiment).

The feeding means (feeding/discharging bells 16a to 16d in the embodiment, horizontal conveyance belts 15a, 15b) are disposed on the outer periphery of the document surface parallel to the document conveyance direction, and convey the document 200 in forward and reverse directions.

In the embodiment, the document 200 in portrait orientation is transported by the paper feed/discharge belt 16a.
Sent by ~16d. A horizontal document 200 is transported by paper feed/discharge belts 16a to 16d and horizontal transport belts 15a to 15b.
Sent from. Detection means (19 a, 1 in the example)
9b) detects a document in the horizontal direction. On the other hand, the detection means (
In the embodiment, 20a and 20b) detect a document in the vertical direction. The control means 21 controls the feed amount of the feed means based on the detection results of these detection means.

A plurality of vertical and horizontal originals to be projected are stored in the original storage container.

The documents in the vertical and horizontal directions are fed onto the document surface by the feeding means.

When the feeding means feeds the document in the vertical and horizontal directions onto the document surface, the detection means detects the length and width of the document. Based on this detection information, the control means controls the amount of document feeding.

Embodiment Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention applied to an overhead projector will be described based on the drawings.

Please refer to FIG.

The automatic document feeder 1 includes a base 10, a document glass 11 on which a document is mounted. Stocker 12a, 1 for placing originals
2b, horizontal conveyor belts 15a and 15b that convey the original;
, stocker 12a.

A paper feed/discharge belt 16a that feeds and discharges documents from 12b.
~16d1 Separation friction materials 17a to 17d that assist the paper feeding and discharging of the paper feeding and discharging belt 16, horizontal conveyance belt 15a,
15b, a drive motor 18 for operating the paper feed/discharge belts 16a to 16d, and a control device 21.

[Base 10] The base 1o of the automatic document feeder 1 can be used by being placed on the main body 152 of the overhead printer 150, as shown in FIG. That is, the upper part of the main body 152 is fitted into the recess LOa between the stocker mounting parts 10b of the base 10. This upper portion is originally a portion of the overhead 150 that is used as a document placement surface. The overhead 150 is provided with a head portion 104 via an arm 103.

[Stocker 12a, 12b] The stocker 12a in FIG. 1 includes a hopper plate 13a1 for transporting documents in the vertical and horizontal directions to paper feed/discharge bells 16a and 16b, and a hopper plate 13a1 for carrying out documents in the vertical and horizontal directions. Two document guides i 4 a are installed for adjusting the document to a predetermined position.

Similarly, the stocker 12b is provided with a hopper plate 13b1 for transporting documents in the vertical and horizontal directions to the paper feed/discharge belts 16c and 16d, and two document guides 14b for matching the documents in the vertical and horizontal directions. ing.

[Original Horizontal Detection Sensors 19a, 19b and Original Vertical Detection Sensors 20a, 20b] Horizontal original detection sensors 19a, 19b are installed on the base 10. The horizontal document detection sensors 19a and 19b are located close to the horizontal transport bells h15a and 15b and also near the document glass 11. On the other hand, a portrait original detection sensor 20a.

20b is a paper feed/discharge belt 16a near the document glass 11;
, 16c, respectively. These sensors are connected to a control device 21.

Control Device 21 and Drive Motor 18] The drive motor 18 controlled by the control device 21 is connected to a drive shaft 18a. The drive shaft 18a is connected to pulleys 30, 31 at one end of each of the horizontal conveyor belts 15a, 15b and pulleys 32, 33 of the paper feed/discharge belts 16a, 16b.

On the other hand, the shaft 18b is a horizontal conveyor belt 15a.

151) and pulleys 36, 37 of the paper feed/discharge belts i6c, 16d.

The drive motor 18 is controlled to rotate forward or backward by a control device 21. This motor is, for example, a pulse motor.

[Document supply/discharge system 1 As shown in FIG. 3, the hopper plate 13a in the paper discharge side stocker 12a is attached at one end by a pin 13f, and the other end is supported by a spring 40 against the bottom of the stocker 12a. There is.

Similarly, the hopper plate 13b in the paper feed side stocker 12b has one end attached to the bin 13g, and the other end supported by a spring 41 to the bottom of the stocker 12b.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, supports 42 and 43 are fixed inside the base 10. As shown in FIGS.

Two shafts 44 pass through this support portion 42 . Two shafts 45 pass through the support portion 43 . The separation friction material 1
7a and 17b are provided. Separating friction materials 17c, 17d are provided on the upper part of the shaft 45.45. axis 44
44 is fixed to the plate 50. Axis 45.45
A plate 51 is fixed to the upper part of. Plate 5
The shaft 46a of the solenoid 46 is fixed to the position 0. A shaft 47a of a solenoid 47 is fixed to the plate 51.

Separation friction materials 17a, 17b are paper feed/discharge belts 16a, 16
b. Separation friction material 17c, 17d
correspond to the paper feed/discharge belts 1-6c and 16d, respectively. A reinforcing spring 48 is interposed between the separating reinforcement members 17c, 17d and the support portion 42. separation friction material 17a,
A reinforcing spring 49 is interposed between the support portion 43 and the support portion 17b.

As shown in FIG. 4, a stopper 44a of the hopper plate 13a is further fixed to the shaft 46a. Shaft 47a
A stopper 45a of the hopper plate 13b is fixed to the hopper plate 13b.

The separation friction materials 17c and 17d are located in the holes 52a at the top of the base 10.
Furthermore, the separation friction materials 17a and 17b are inserted into the holes 53a, respectively.

Solenoids 46,47 are controlled by control device 21 (see FIG. 1).

[motion] The operation of the embodiment will be described based on the above configuration.

As shown in FIG. 2, the base 10 of the automatic document feeder of the present invention is placed on the document glass surface 11 of the overhead projector 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, stockers 12a and 12b are mounted on stocker mounting portions iob and iob on both sides of the base 10, respectively. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, the stopper 4 of the shaft 46a
The attachment part 52 fits between the parts 4a.

A document 20 is placed on the document glass 11 of the base 10 in FIG.
Position 0. The original 200 is a commonly used transparent or translucent paper or film.

The light from the light source inside the main body 152 in FIG.
00, the light is reflected by the reflecting mirror of the head section 104, and characters and images are projected onto a screen (not shown).

When the apparatus of the present invention is used, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the explainer can handle documents in the horizontal position (also called horizontal direction) and in the vertical position (also called vertical direction). There is no need to use your hands to change the troublesome document position. Therefore, you can concentrate on the explanation.

The document in the horizontal position refers to a case where the feeding direction of the document 200 indicated by arrow A and the longitudinal direction of the document 200 are perpendicular to each other, as shown in FIG.

A document in a vertical position refers to a case where the feeding direction of the document 200 indicated by arrow A and the longitudinal direction of the document 200 coincide with each other, as shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 shows a case where a document 200 in a horizontal position is conveyed.

The explainer places the original 200 on the hopper plates 13a and 13b of the stockers 12a and 12b shown in the figure in alignment with the original guides 14 and 14b.

Please refer to FIGS. 5 and 3.

The explainer selects whether the document is to be conveyed in the forward or reverse direction. The original 200 is moved from the stocker 12b to the stocker 12.
The case of automatic feeding to a (forward direction) will be explained.

First, as shown in FIG. 3, the stocker 12b on the paper feeding side
The hopper plate 13b and the separation friction members 17a and 17b are in a pushed-up state.

On the other hand, the hopper plate 13a of the stocker 12a on the paper discharge side
The separation friction members 17c and 17d are in a lowered state.

In FIG. 3, the shaft 47a of the solenoid 47 is extended. The hopper plate 13b is raised by a spring 41 in the figure, but when the document 200 is placed in the stocker 12b, the spring 41 contracts somewhat due to its weight.
Hopper plate 13b lowers slightly.

The separation friction materials 17a and 17b are also attached to the reinforcing spring 4 before being transported.
It is pushed up by 9.

During conveyance, the motor 18 shown in FIG. 1 is driven, and the document 200 is sent by the paper feed/discharge belts 16c and 16d. The hopper plate 13b is inclined with respect to the paper feed/discharge belts 16c and 16d and is urged by a spring 41. Therefore, the paper feed/discharge belt is biased against the hopper plate J, so that the document can be fed without idle rotation.

Then, for only the first original, the paper feed/discharge belt 16c,
16d and separation friction materials 17a and 17b, and only the first original is sent in the direction of arrow A. In other words, double feeding is prevented.

The lateral leading edge of the sent original is detected by the original lateral detection sensor 19b located near the original glass 11 and also near the lateral transport belt 1.5.15b. The detected information is transmitted to a control device 21 such as a microcomputer. The motor 18 is driven to convey the document 200 by a predetermined feed amount for the document in the horizontal position, which is set in the control device. As a result, the document in the horizontal position stops at the center on the document glass 11, as shown in FIG. In other words, it stops at a predetermined position.

Since the horizontal conveyance belts 15a and 15b are arranged at the corners as shown in the figure, the document is not optically kicked. A flowchart of the operations within the control device described above is shown in FIG. 7 and will be explained later.

While the document is stopped on the document glass 11, the presenter can select the direction in which the document is to be conveyed.

Selection is made using a remote control or a switch. In other words, the paper is discharged to the stocker 12a or 12b.
In two cases, it can be divided into ■ and ■.

(2) When the presenter selects the stocker 12a, the selection result is transmitted to the control device 21.

The control device 21 drives the horizontal conveyance belts 1.5a, 1.5b and the paper feed/discharge belts 16a, 16b. The original document is discharged to the stocker 12a in the direction of arrow A. At the time of paper ejection, the trailing edge of the document 200 in the second horizontal position is detected by the document horizontal detection sensor 19a on the side of the stocker 12a. The detection information is sent to the control device 21, and the operation of the drive motor 18 is stopped. When the explainer selects stocker], 2b, the same operation is performed.

On the other hand, FIG. 6 shows a case where a document 200 in a vertical position is conveyed.

Hopper plates 1 and 3 b of stocker 12b in the figure
, 1, the document is placed vertically on the document guide 14b. As in the case of a horizontally positioned document, the document 200 is transported by the paper feed/discharge belt 16, and the document feed/discharge belt 16c, 16d
The document is sent to the document glass 11'' while being sandwiched between the document and the separation friction materials 17a and 17b. The direction in which it is sent out is indicated by arrow A in the figure.

The original is placed near the original glass 11 and on the paper feed/delivery belt 16.
Document length detection sensor 20b located near c and 16d
The vertical edges of the document are detected. The document horizontal detection sensor 19b is located at a position where it does not touch the document in the vertical position. The position of the document length detection sensor 20b is between the two paper feed/discharge belts 16c.
, 16d.

The detection result by the document vertical detection sensor 20b is sent to the control device 21, and the paper feed/discharge belts 16c, 16d are set so that the document is conveyed by the feed amount of the document in the vertical position set in the control device.
drive. As a result, the document in the vertical position is stopped at the center of the document glass 11. At this time, the front and rear edges of the document 200 in the vertical position on the document glass 11 are in contact with one of the front and rear paper feed/discharge belts 16 . This is manuscript 200
This is to enable the paper to be discharged to the stocker 12a or 12b later. Further, the paper feed/discharge belts 16a to 16d are arranged so as not to be optically kicked.

In this state, the explainer can select the transport direction.

In other words, the paper can be discharged to the stocker 12a or 12b.

When the presenter selects the stocker 12a and causes the paper to be discharged to the stocker 12a, the selection result is transmitted to the control device 21.

The control device 21 drives the paper feed/discharge belts 16a, 16b, and discharges the original to the stocker 12a. When the document is ejected, the trailing edge of the document in the vertical position is detected by the document portrait sensor 20a.
Detected by. This detection information is sent to the control device 21, and the motor 18 is stopped at a predetermined position.

Similar operations are performed when the presenter selects the stocker 12b.

The above two cases have been explained using only the horizontally or vertically positioned original as an example. However, it is also possible to transport originals in both vertical and horizontal positions in each stocker, or even if they are arranged in a mixed manner.

[Operation Flowchart] Next, a flowchart within the control device 21 shown in FIG. 7 will be explained. Reference is also made to FIGS. 1-3.

First, as a first step, when the original power supply is turned on, the main body is reset via the control device 21 in response to the "5TART" signal 100 in FIG.

Next, the direction of document feeding is set according to the presenter's selection (
101 in Figure 7). If it is in the positive direction, the process moves to initialization 102, where initialization is performed within the control device 21. In other words, as shown in Figure 3, the hopper plate 13b on the paper feed side goes up and the hopper plate 13a on the paper discharge side goes down (1 in Figure 7).
04). The initial setting of the document feed amount of the drive motor 18 is transmitted to the drive motor 18 (106 in FIG. 7). The drive motor 18 drives the horizontal conveyor belts 15a, 15b and paper feed/discharge belts 16a to 16d, and the original 200 is sent near the original glass 11 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

Even if the reverse direction is selected, the process moves to initial setting 103.
The paper feed side hopper plate 13a is raised (105 in FIG. 7), and the control device 21 drives the drive motor 18 by transmitting the document feed amount to the drive motor 18 (107 in FIG. 7).

As a second stage, document horizontal detection sensors 19a, 19b or document vertical detection sensors arranged near the document glass 11,
The screens 20a and 20b detect the horizontal or vertical edges of the document and determine the horizontal or vertical position of the document (see 10 in FIG. 7).
8). If it is determined that the document is in the vertical position, the feed amount for the document in the vertical position is set to the drive motor 18 (109 in FIG. 7).
. Similarly, if it is determined that the original is in the horizontal position, the feed amount for the horizontal original is set to the drive motor 18 (1 in FIG.
10). After the feed amount for the document in the vertical or horizontal position is set, the feed side plate 13a or 13b
(111 in Figure 7). The control device 21 operates the drive motor 18 to feed the document in accordance with the conveyance direction selected by the explainer.

In the third step, the trailing edge of the document in the horizontal or vertical position is detected by the document width detection sensor or the document length detection sensor (112 in FIG. 7). Upon receiving the above detection information, the control device 21 stops the drive motor 18 at a predetermined position (
113 in Figure 7).

After the above operations, the control device 21 waits for input of the next document conveyance direction (return to 101 in FIG. 7).

Note that the original is sent from the stocker 12b to the original glass 11 and then discharged to the stocker 12a, or the original is sent to the original glass 11 from the stocker 12b.
You can also output the paper to Also, the original is stored in the stocker 12a.
It is also possible to send the document to the original glass 11 and discharge it to the stocker 12b or the stocker 12a.

In any case, it depends on the choice of the explainer.

However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

Effects of the Invention (2) When the automatic document feeder of the present invention is applied to, for example, an overhead projector, it is possible to feed the document to be projected both vertically and horizontally, and also in reverse. Therefore, the inconvenience of having the explainer replace the manuscript manually as in the past is eliminated, and the explainer can concentrate only on the explanation, resulting in a marked improvement in operability.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the automatic document feeder of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of this embodiment when it is set as an over-rad projector, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the structure of the embodiment. , FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the structure of the stocker, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the case of feeding a document in the horizontal position, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the case of feeding the document in the vertical position, and FIG. 7 is a diagram of the control device It is a figure showing the flow of operation. 10・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Base 11
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Original glass 12
a, 12b...Stockers 13a, 13b...Hopper plates 14a, 14b...Document guides 15a, 15b'...Horizontal conveyance belts 16a to 16d
...Paper feed/discharge belts 17a to 17d...separation friction material

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An automatic document feeder that automatically conveys documents with characters and pictures written thereon, comprising: at least one document storage container for storing a plurality of documents vertically and horizontally; a document surface to be placed; a feeding means that is parallel to the conveying direction of the document at the outer periphery of the document surface and is arranged at least one pair each for portrait-oriented documents and landscape-oriented documents and conveys the document in forward and reverse directions; An automatic document feeder comprising: a detection means for detecting whether the document is oriented vertically or horizontally; and a control means for controlling the amount by which the document is fed by the feeding means based on the detection result of the detection means.