JPH0267863A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce equipment cost and to facilitate assembling by using a reading element as the element of a document size detecting means. CONSTITUTION:When a reading element 10 is scanned, a signal having a shading waveform is outputted from the element 10 because surfaces of shielding plate 7 and 8 are black and the surface of a white back plate 9 is white. A microprocessor 17 stores information concerning the shading waveform in a memory and detects the width in the main scanning direction of the document 13, namely, the size of the document 13 based on the shading waveform. Since the document reading element 10 is used as the element for document size detection, it is unnecessary to use plural expensive optical sensors, and construction of harness is unnecessary.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a facsimile machine, and more particularly to means for detecting the size of a document.

(Prior Art) A conventional facsimile machine is equipped with means for detecting the document size.

This document size detection means is configured to open and close an optical sensor such as a photo interrupter at one end of a document guide provided on a document table, and detect document toning based on an output signal of the sensor.

Now, assuming that the maximum document size that can be read by this facsimile device is A3 size (300 tut in width on the short side), the facsimile device adjusts the reading scanning width of the reading water mark according to the document size detected by the document detecting means. is set. That is, when reading a B4 size document (257M in short side width), for example, a reading scan is performed for the width of the document.

Then, in the facsimile machine on the receiving side, recording is performed at a reduction magnification suitable for the recording paper size, based on the document size information provided by the transmitting side apparatus and the recording paper size used.

(Problems to be Solved by the Defense) By the way, the document size detection means used in conventional facsimile machines uses a plurality of expensive optical sensors, resulting in an increase in cost. Furthermore, since cables are connected to individual sensors, a space must be secured for arranging the harness, and it takes time and effort to set up the harness TIT.

In view of these conventional problems, the object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile apparatus in which a document reading element is used as a device for detecting the document size.

(Structure of Butemei) (Means for Solving the Problems) A facsimile device according to the present invention includes a reading means for reading a document, and a conveyance means for conveying the nth document to a reading position where it is read by the reading means. , a shielding plate having a black surface and interposed in the reading optical path of the # reading element in such a manner that the black surface faces the curved reading means side, and a specific document having a specific width in the main scanning direction. a retracting means for contacting the specific document and retracting the shielding plate from the reading optical path when the document is conveyed to a predetermined position in front of the reading position; The apparatus includes means for causing the reading element to perform a reading operation, and means for detecting the specific width based on shading waveform information obtained by the reading operation.

(Function) According to this facsimile device, the document size is detected based on the shading waveform information obtained by the reading bundler.

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

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention in which the maximum size of a document that can be read is set to A3 size.

In the vicinity of the reading position 1 of this facsimile machine, there is a shaft portion 2.
Two actuators 2 and 3 whose rotational fulcrums are a and 3a
are arranged in parallel.

The side ends of the actuators 2 and 3 are loosely fitted into slits 5 and 6 formed in the guide plate 4, respectively, and shielding plates 7 and 8 are integrally formed at the lower ends of these actuators 2 and 3, respectively. .

When the actuator 2 is in motion, it is held in the horizontal position shown in FIG. 3 fa), that is, in a horizontal position in which the upper surface of the side end is in contact with the upper end of the slit 5, by a heavy metal balance centered on the shaft portion 2a or by a spring.

A white back plate 9 is provided at the reading position 1, and the shielding plate 7 is positioned in front of the white back plate 9 when the actuator 2 is held in a horizontal position.

The actuator 3b always maintains a horizontal posture, and at this time the shielding plate 8 is positioned in front of the white back plate 9.

As a result, the shielding plates 8 and 9 are always interposed in the reading optical path 11 of the reading element 10, as shown in FIG. Eggplant.

A document detection sensor 12 is provided on the right side of the actuator 2 to detect the leading edge and trailing edge of the document 13. As shown in FIG. 3(a), the sensor 12 includes an actuator 12b whose pivot point is a shaft portion 12a, and a switch element 12c that is opened and closed by the actuator 12b. It is located at a higher position.

The tip of the actuator 12b is fitted into a slit 14 formed in the guide plate 4, and the upper surface of the tip is normally brought into contact with the upper end of the slit 14 by a spring. In other words, it is positioned horizontally. At this time, the switch element 12c is placed in an open state.

Note that this type of document detection sensor is also provided in conventional facsimile machines.

Figure 2 shows the actuators 2 and 3 and the document detection sensor 12.
It shows the positional relationship in the left and right direction. As shown in the figure, the actuator 2 and the shielding plate 7 are located between the left end of the A4 size original passage area and the left end of the 84 size original passage area, and the actuator 3 and the shielding plate 8 are located between the left end of the B44 size original passage area and the left end of the A3 size original passage area. It is located between the left edges of the size original passage area.

Further, the document detection sensor 12 is located within the A4 size document passage area.

Note that, as indicated by arrows in FIG. 1, the original 13 is conveyed along the guide plate 4 from above to below. Further, the reading position 1 is illuminated by a light source 16 shown in the figure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a procedure executed by the microprocessor 17 shown in FIG. The operation of this embodiment will be explained below.

The original 13 that has been cured by the guide plate 4 and conveyed comes into contact with the actuator 12b of the original detection sensor 12 before the reading position 1, and pushes down the actuator 12b as shown in FIG. 3(b).

As a result, the switch element 12c is opened and a tip detection signal is output from the switch.

The processor 17 determines whether the sensor 12 has detected the leading edge in step 100 shown in FIG. 4, and if the leading edge is detected, stops the transport motor (not shown) (step 101). .

Next, the 10 setter 17 operates the reading element 10 to capture the shading waveform (step 102). That is, when the reading element 10 is scanned, since the surface of the shielding plate 7.8 is black and the surface of the white rear plate 9 is white, a signal having the shading waveform shown in FIG. 2(a) is generated. An output is output from the element. Microprocessor 17 then stores information about this waveform in memory.

As is well known, this shading waveform information is used in so-called shading correction processing for equalizing the output over the entire scanning area of the reading element 10.

Next, a process of conveying the original 13 by a predetermined distance, that is, a process of conveying the document 13 by a distance from the position P1 shown in FIG. 3(b) to the position P2 shown in FIG. 3(C) is executed (step 103). ), then the reading element 10 is activated to capture the shading waveform (step 104).

Now, assuming that the size of the document 13 is A4 size,
As is clear from FIG. 3, the leading edge of the document 13 at the position P2 is not in contact with either of the actuators 2 and 3. Therefore, in this case, the shielding plates 7 and 8 maintain the normal positions shown in FIG. 1, and as a result, the shading waveform shown in FIG. 2(a) is captured in step 104.

Furthermore, assuming that the size of the original 13 is 84 size,
As the leading edge of the document moves to position P2, the leading edge contacts the actuator 7 and pushes down the actuator 2 as shown in FIG. 3(C).

Therefore, the shielding plate 7 retreats from the reading optical path 11 shown in FIG.
) will be captured.

If the size of the original 13 is A3, both the shielding plates 7 and 8 will be retracted from the reading optical path 11 when the original reaches position P2. The shading waveform shown in FIG. 2(C) is obtained.

In this way, the shading waveform obtained in step 104 changes according to the document size, that is, according to the width of the document 13 in the main scanning direction. Therefore, the processor 17 detects the width of the original 13 in the main scanning direction, that is, the size of the original 13, based on this shading waveform (step 105).

In the above embodiment, waveform information for shading correction is obtained in step 102, but it is also possible to perform shading correction based on the waveform information obtained in step 104.

After the document size is detected, the document 3 is transported and read, and the document size information is used to set the scanning range of the reading element 10. This document size information is also transmitted to the facsimile machine on the receiving side.

[Effects of the Invention] In the present invention, the reading element is used as an element of the document size detection means. Therefore, the problems of conventional devices, namely, the need to separately use an expensive optical sensor such as a photocoupler to detect the document size, and the need to install a harness for the sensor, can be solved. By solving this problem, it is possible to reduce the cost of the device and facilitate assembly.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view conceptually showing the main parts of a facsimile machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows the positional relationship between an actuator and a document detection sensor, and shading waveforms according to each document size. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the operation of the document detection sensor and each actuator, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the processing procedure of the microprocessor shown in FIG. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Reading position, 2, 3... Actuator, 7° 8... Shielding plate, 9... White back plate, 10... Reading element, 11... Reading optical path, 12... ...Document detection sensor, 13...Document, 17...Microprocessor. Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A reading device for reading a document, a conveying device for conveying the document to a reading position where it is read by the reading device, and a black surface, the black surface facing toward the reading device. a shielding plate interposed in the reading optical path of the reading means; retracting means for retracting the shielding plate from the reading optical path upon contact with the original; means for causing the reading means to perform a reading operation when the original is conveyed to the predetermined position; A facsimile apparatus comprising: means for detecting the specific width based on shedding waveform information.