JPH0275537A - Original feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect accurately the completed condition of the paper feeding by completing the feeding action of the seat shaped original when the result of the operation based on the output of a paper feeding detecting means and a housing detecting means coincide with the predetermined value. CONSTITUTION:A detecting element S1 working as a paper feeding detecting element outputs the detecting signal at each time when the original D is fed from an original housing part 52. A detecting element S5 working as a housing detecting element outputs the detecting signal at each time when the original D completes the readout exposure action and is housed into the original housing part 52 again. And the operation is performed in a control device inside of a copying machine 41 on the basis of each output from the paper feeding detecting element S1 and the housing detecting element S5 so as to detect the completion of the copying action. When the result of the operation coincide with the predetermined value, it is set to show that the readout exposure action of all of the original D is completed and the original D is housed into the original housing part 52 again.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a document feeding device in a copying machine that automatically conveys a sheet-like document to an exposure area and optically scans the document in the exposure area. However, especially when copying a plurality of sheet-like originals, the present invention can be advantageously implemented in a document supplying apparatus having a detection means for detecting when all the sheet-like originals have been supplied to the exposure area.

Conventional technology For example, in an electrostatic copying machine, when copying a sheet-like original, the original is automatically fed one by one to an exposure area, optically scanned, and the original image is read and exposed. In some cases, a circulating automatic document feeder or the like is used.

FIG. 7 is a simplified cross-sectional view of the conventional circulating automatic document feeder 1. As shown in FIG. When copying sheet-like originals 3, the originals 3 are stored in a stack in a document storage section 4 provided in the original supply device 1. When the copying operation starts, the motor 5
The paper feed roller 7, which is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow 6, sequentially transports the stacked originals 3 one by one to the transport path 8, starting from the topmost original 3a. Transport route 8
The original document 3 conveyed to is conveyed to a first support cylinder 9 having a right cylindrical shape. The first support cylinder 9 is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow 10, and the first support 1! The original 3 supported by J9 is conveyed onto the first transparent plate 11. The first transparent plate 11 is provided in the upper part of the body 12 of the copying machine at a position opposite to the lower part of the first support cylinder 9, and forms a first exposure area 13. When the original 3 passes over the first transparent plate 11, one surface of the original 3 is irradiated with light from an exposure lamp (not shown),
A reading exposure operation for one surface of the original 3 is performed.

The original 3 whose one surface has been read passes through the transport path 14,
The document is conveyed to the document reversing means 15. The original 3 conveyed to the original reversing means 15 is reversed in the conveying direction, and the original 3 is transferred to the original reversing means 1.
5 and is transported to the transport path 16. The original 3 conveyed to the conveyance path 16 is conveyed to the second support cylinder 17 . The second support tube 17 is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow 18, and the second support tube 17 is
The original 3 supported by the support tube 17 is conveyed onto the second transparent plate 19. This second transparent plate 19 is provided in the upper part of the body 12 of the copying machine at a position facing the lower part of the second support cylinder 17, and forms a second exposure area 20. Second transparent plate 1
When the original 3 passes over the original 3, the other surface of the original 3 that has not yet been read is irradiated with light from the exposure lamp, and the reading exposure operation for the other surface of the original 3 is performed.

The document 3 that has passed through the second transparent plate 19 is conveyed to the document storage means 22 via the conveyance path 21 .

The original 3 that has been conveyed to the original storage means 22 is placed on the roller 2
3 and the conveyor belt 25 that is conveyed to the arrow 24, the documents 3 stored in a stack in the document storage section 4 are stored at the bottom.

A side wall 30 of the document storage section 4 that stores the document 3 is fixed to the side wall surface 1 a of the document supply device 1 .

On the side M3o of the document storage section 4, the stacked documents 3 for copying are all fed to the document conveyance path mentioned above, and a document completion function detects whether one set of documents 3 has been copied or not. A detection element 2 is provided.

The detection element 2 includes, for example, a detection section 31 in which a light emitting element and a light receiving element are integrally provided, and an actuation member 32 that is movable within a range described later. The detection unit 31 uses a light emitting element to irradiate light to the actuation member 32, and when the reflected light from the actuation member 32 is received by the light receiving element, the detection unit 31 emits a detection signal. In order to reflect the light from the light emitting element, it has a mirror surface, for example, and has a roughly columnar shape. For example, a guide hole is formed in the thickness of the side wall 30 of the document storage section 4, and the shaft inserted through the guide hole is fixed to one end of the actuating member 32. 7 in the vertical direction.

When the originals 3 are stacked and stored in the original storage unit 4 for copying, the actuating member 32 is installed at the bottom of the stacked originals 3 as shown by the solid line in FIG. . As mentioned above, the originals 3 are fed one by one starting from the top original 3a,
After performing the reading exposure operation, when the document 3a is returned to the document storage section 4, the document 3a is stored at the bottom of the stacked documents 3. During this storage, the downstream end of the document 3a in the conveying direction is located at the seventh
In the figure, it is inserted between the actuating member 32 and the bottom surface portion 33 of the document storage section 4. After that, the next stack of manuscripts 3
The topmost original is fed, and after the reading exposure operation is completed, it is stored at the bottom of the originals 3 stacked in the original storage section 4, and this operation is repeated for the number of originals 3 to be copied.

Every time a scanned original is stored at the bottom of the stacked originals 3, the actuating member 32, which was installed at the bottom of the original 3 before the above-mentioned paper feeding operation was started, starts reading the original. When the document is stored, it is pushed upward in FIG. After that, when the last original 3b, that is, the original 3b located at the bottom of the stacked originals 3 before the paper feeding operation started, is fed, as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. , this actuating member 32 is located at the top of the stacked documents 3. Therefore, this actuating member 3
The light from the light emitting element of the detection section 31 provided above 2 is reflected by the mirror surface of the actuating member 32 and reaches the light receiving element of the detection section 31, so that all the documents 3 stacked for copying are in the exposure area. It is detected that the paper has been fed to the provided document transport path. After the completion of the supply operation is detected and the reading and exposure operation of the last document is completed, a control signal for ending the copying operation is sent to the control device provided in the body 12 of the copying machine, and the copying operation is completed.

The power of the motor 34 is transmitted to the shaft part of which one end of the actuating member 32 is fixed via a clutch (not shown).

When the clutch is engaged, the actuating member 32 passes through the movement path 35 indicated by the 711th imaginary line and is again installed at the bottom of the stacked documents 3.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Conventionally, when the last document in a stack of documents is fed and a document end detection element detects the end of feeding of all documents, the detection element detects that the document is the first document. The document is reset to the position it was placed in when it was stored in the stack, that is, at the bottom of the stack. If this operation of resetting the document from the top to the bottom is performed immediately after detection by the detection element,
When this detection element is reset to the bottom of the document, the reading exposure movement f? is still in the document transport path. There may be cases where there is a document being transported due to

For this reason, when this document is stored in the document storage section after a delay, the downstream end of the document in the conveyance direction ends up being inserted under the detection element.

In other words, during the subsequent copying operation, this detection element emits a detection signal not when all the originals to be copied have been fed, but when the originals that have been stored in the original document storage section are delayed. A malfunction occurs when the document immediately before is fed. After the detection element emits a detection signal, the feeding operation of the original ends when the original fed when the detection signal is emitted finishes the reading exposure operation.Therefore, the copy paper that should be obtained by copying ends. Therefore, the performance of the original end detection element is poor, and the reliability of the original document supply apparatus equipped with this detection element as a copying machine is lowered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to provide a document feeding device that can accurately detect the state in which feeding of all documents to be copied has been completed. .

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention provides a first storage means in which sheet-like originals are stacked and stored, a sheet-like original from the first storage means is fed, and an optical image of the sheet-like original is detected in an exposure area. In an original document feeding device, the document feeding device is provided with a conveyance path through which target scanning is performed, and a second storage means in which exposed sheet originals are stacked and stored. document end detection means for detecting a state in which a sheet-like original has been fed; a paper-feeding detection means for detecting the feeding of a sheet-like original each time a sheet-like original is fed from the first storage means; storage detection means that is provided in association with the second storage means and detects storage each time a sheet original is stored in the second storage means; In the detected state, and when the result of the calculation performed based on each output of the paper feeding detection means and the storage detection means reaches a predetermined value, the sheet-like original feeding operation is ended. This is a document feeding device characterized by the following features.

According to the present invention, the document supply device includes a first storage means in which sheet-like originals are stacked and stored, and a sheet-like document fed from the first storage means to an exposure area, and It is provided with a conveyance path through which the sheet-like originals are optically scanned, and a second storage means where the exposed sheet-like originals are stacked and stored. The first storage means is provided with document end detection means for detecting a state in which the last sheet-like original has been fed when the sheet-like original is fed from the first storage means. Further, the first storage means is provided with a paper feed detection means, and each time a sheet-like original is fed from the first storage means, the paper feed detection means outputs a detection signal. The second storage means is provided with storage detection means, and the storage detection means outputs a detection signal every time a sheet-like original is stored in the second storage means I\. In this document supply device, when all the sheet documents to be copied are fed from the first storage device, the document end detection device is in a state where it detects the feeding of the sheet document after 1&, and , when the result of the calculation performed based on the respective outputs of the paper feed detection means and the storage detection means reaches a predetermined value, the document feeding operation of the sheet document in the document feeding device is completed. Show that.

If the above-mentioned operation is followed, when the document feeding operation is performed subsequently, the signal detected from the document end detection means will not malfunction, and the state will always be in the state that feeding of the sheet-like document after 1& is completed. Therefore, it is possible to accurately detect the state in which all original sheets to be copied have been provided.

Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a document supply bag which is an embodiment of the present invention! 40, FIG.
1 is a simplified cross-sectional view showing the overall configuration of an electrostatic copying machine 41 equipped with the following. At the top of the body 42 of the electrostatic copying machine 41, a first B light microscope area 43 and a second exposure head area 44 configured at the top of the body 42 read sheet-like originals one by one and perform an exposure operation. A circulating automatic document feeder 40 is provided to feed the original document, and a thick document pressing plate 45 is provided to cover a thick document such as a book.

Furthermore, a first transparent plate 46, a second transparent plate 47, and a third transparent plate 48 are provided on the upper part of the body 42. The first transparent plate 46 is provided at the lower part of the right cylindrical first support cylinder 49 in the document supply device 40, and serves as a first exposure area 43 for reading one surface of document documents that are conveyed one by one. It is set in.

Further, the second transparent plate 47 is provided at the lower part of the right cylindrical second support cylinder 50 in the document supply device 40, and is located in the second exposure area 44 for reading the other surface of the document document being conveyed one by one. It is provided for. Furthermore, the third transparent plate 48 is provided below the thick original pressing plate 45, and is provided for a third exposure area 51 for reading the surface of the thick original to be copied.

In order to copy a sheet original, an electrostatic copying machine 41 is used.
The documents are stacked and stored in the document storage section 52 in the document supply device 40 provided at the upper part of the body 42 of the machine. Document storage section 5
The document sheets stored in stacks 2 and 2 are fed one by one starting from the topmost document Da by a paper feed roller 54 which is rotationally driven in the direction of an arrow 53 by a motor M1, and guided to a sorting roller 55. It will be destroyed. The fed documents are reliably conveyed one by one to the conveyance path 58 by the action of an upper roller 56 and a lower roller 57 rotating in the same direction in the sorting roller 55.

The transport path 58 includes four pairs of transport rollers 59 to 62.
is provided. The motor M2 is, for example, the conveyor roller 6.
By rotationally driving 0, the other three sets of conveyance rollers 59, 61, and 62 are also rotationally driven in conjunction. The document is transported in the direction of arrow 63 by the action of the transport rollers 59 to 62. Further, in the conveyance path 58, a detection element SL, 82, which detects the conveyance position of the original document, is provided, for example, as a photodetector. The detection element 81 is provided near the transport start opening of the transport path 58, and is located near the transport start opening of the transport path 58.
Each time a document tray is fed, a detection signal is generated, and it acts as a paper feed detection element that indicates the end state of feeding of paper from the document storage section 52 of each document tray.

A pair of registration rollers 63 is provided at the exit of the conveyance path 58 and near the first support cylinder 49 . A power transmission means is connected to a drive shaft (not shown) of the registration roller 63 via a clutch, and the rotation of the registration roller 63 is controlled by on/off control of the clutch.
Controlled outage. By controlling the drive of the registration rollers 63, the timing of conveying the document to the first support cylinder 49 is controlled. The timing of conveying the original document is controlled in synchronization with the timing of conveying the copy paper P to the photoreceptor 64 within the machine body 42. Therefore, as will be described later, the timing at which the toner image visualized on the surface is transferred onto the copy paper P after the surface of the original document is exposed to light on the photoreceptor 64 can be determined.

The first support cylinder 49 is provided with a suction port on its outer peripheral surface, for example, and a suction means (not shown) is connected to the inside of the first support cylinder 49 . By the action of this suction means, the conveyed document is brought into close contact with the document.

The first support tube 49 is rotationally driven by a motor M3 in the direction of an arrow 65, and the original document that is in close contact with the first support tube 49 is held between the first support tube 49 and driven rollers 66 and 67. In order to read one surface of the original document passing over the first transparent plate 46, an exposure lamp 68 (see FIG. 2) is directed to one surface of the original document facing the first transparent plate 46. Light is irradiated and a reading exposure operation is performed.

The document whose one surface has been read on the first transparent plate 46 is placed on the first support 1! It is held between i49 and the driven roller 69, and passes through the direction changing wind 70.

When the direction changing air 70 is set at the position indicated by the imaginary line in FIG. Then, a reading exposure operation is performed. 1st direction change wind 70
When the position is switched to the position shown by the solid line in the figure, the document is conveyed via the conveyance path 72 to the document reversing means 73/\.

The switching of this direction changing wind 70 is performed using solenoid SQL 1.
control by the operation of

The document reversing means 73 includes a detection element S3, a pair of transport rollers 74, 75 . It is configured to include a direction changing air 76, a conveyance path 77, and two pairs of conveyance rollers 78 and 79 that can rotate in forward and reverse directions. The document conveyed to the conveyance path 72 is conveyed to the conveyance path 77/\\ in the document reversing means 73 by conveyance rollers 74, 75, 78, 79.

While the document is being conveyed to the conveyance path 77, the direction changing claw 76
is set at the position indicated by the imaginary line in FIG.

When the upstream end in the conveyance direction of the document tray being conveyed through the conveyance path 72 passes the detection element 83, after a certain predetermined set time has elapsed, an operation for reversing the display direction of the surface of the document tray starts. That is, the conveyance rollers 78 and 79 are rotationally driven by the motor M4 in the direction of returning the original document to the position where the direction changing air 76 is set, and the direction changing air 76 is further switched to the position shown by the solid line in FIG. . Therefore, the original document passes through the position of the direction changing wind 76 and is conveyed to the conveyance path 80. Switching of the direction change air 76 is controlled by the operation of the solenoid 5QL2.

The document conveyed to the conveyance path 80 is transferred to the conveyance roller 7.
4, and a conveyor that contacts/separates from the conveyance roller 74 and rotates as the conveyance roller 74 rotates.

It is conveyed to the second support tube 50 by the feed roller 81.

Contact/separation of WL feed roller 81 from conveyance roller 74: control! 11: Controlled by the operation of solenoid SOL, 3, tA & transport roller 74.81. When the detection element 84 detects the downstream salt in the conveyance direction of the original document, the registration roller 82 is controlled by the same means as the registration roller 63 described above, and the original document is transferred to the second support cylinder 50.
transported to.

The second support f150 has the same structure as the first support tube 49, and brings the document conveyed therein into close contact with the document by the action of the above-mentioned suction means or the like. The second support cylinder 50 is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow 83 by a motor M5,
Second support f! The document sheet closely attached to J50 is held between the second support tube 50 and the driven rollers 84 and 85, and passes over the second transparent plate 47. Since the displayed surface of the document is inverted by the document reversing means 73, the surface of the document facing the second transparent plate 47 is the other surface that has not yet been read. In order to read this other surface, an exposure lamp 6
8 (see FIG. 2, 9) is connected to the first exposure area 4.
3 to the second exposure area 44. al light lamp 68
Light is irradiated onto the other surface of the document tray facing the second transparent plate 1j47, and a reading exposure operation is performed.

The document whose other surface has been read on the second transparent plate 47 is held between the second support cylinder 50 and the driven roller 87 and conveyed to the position of the direction loss claw 88 . direction change wind 8
8 is placed at the position indicated by the imaginary line in FIG. 1, the document is conveyed while being held between the second support tube 50 and the driven roller 89, passes over the second transparent plate 47 again, and A read exposure operation is performed. When the direction changing air 88 is switched to the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 1, the document is conveyed to the conveyance path 92 by two pairs of conveyance rollers 90 and 91. This direction change air 88 is controlled by the operation of the solenoid 5OL4.

The document conveyed to the conveyance path 92 is conveyed to the document storage means 93. The document storage means 93 has a main roller 94.
The three driven rollers 95 to 97, the document storage belt 98 stretched over the four rollers, and the transported document 1! It is configured to include a driven roller 99 that conveys the ID by sandwiching it with a conveyance/storage belt 98. When the downstream end in the conveyance direction of the document conveyed through the conveyance path 92 passes the detection element S5, the main roller 94 is rotationally driven by the motor M6, and conveyance of the document storage belt 98 in the direction of arrow 100 is started. do. The document tray is conveyed while being held between a document storage belt 98 and a driven roller 99 that rotates following the belt 98, and is returned to the bottom of the document tray stacked in the document storage section 52. . When the original is transported to each exposure area 43, 44 and then the reading exposure operation has been completed, the original is stored in the original storage unit 52, the detection element S5 generates a control signal, and each original is subjected to the reading exposure operation. It functions as a storage detection element that indicates that storage in the document storage section 52/\ is completed.

In the document storage section 52, the side wall 52 of the document storage section 52
=t is fixed to the side wall surface 40a of the document supply device 40. A side wall 52a of the document storage section 52 is provided with a document end detection element 106 for detecting that all the stacked documents have been fed to the document transport path l\ described above. The detection element 106 includes, for example, a detection section 107 in which a light emitting element and a light receiving element are integrally provided, and an actuating member 108 having a mirror surface.

The light emitting element of the detection unit 107 is the detection unit 107 in FIG.
Light is irradiated onto the surface of the actuating member provided below, and the light receiving element receives the reflected light from the mirror surface of the actuating member. A detection signal is generated when the light receiving element receives reflected light.1
Actuation member 108 is generally columnar in shape. A guide hole is formed in the thickness of the side 52a of the original document storage section 52, and the shaft inserted through the guide hole is fixed to one end of the actuating member 108, and the shaft is inserted into the guide hole. The part is slidable in the vertical direction in FIG. 1 within the thickness of the side W 52 a.

When document sheets are stacked and stored in the document storage section 52 for copying, the actuating member 108 is located at the bottom of the stack of document sheets, as shown by the solid line in FIG. When the original Da at the top of the stack is fed to the original transport path as described above, subjected to the reading exposure operation, and returned to the original storage section 52, the original Da is placed at the top of the stacked originals. The document Da is stored in the lower part, and the downstream end of the document Da in the conveying direction is inserted between the actuating member 108 and the bottom surface portion 52b of the document storage section 52.

After that, the originals at the top of the stacked originals are sequentially fed, and when returned to the original storage section 52 again, they are inserted into the lower part of the actuating member 108 and stored at the bottom of the stacked originals. be done. That is, the actuating member 108 has a first storage section that stores documents that have not yet been fed, and a second storage section that stores documents that have already been fed, have completed the reading exposure operation, and have been stored in the document storage section 52 again. Therefore, the position of the actuating member 108 rises upward in FIG. When the document Db is fed, the operating member 108 is placed at the top of the stack of documents as shown by the imaginary line in FIG.

At that time, the detection unit 1 provided above this actuating member 108°
The light from the light emitting element 07 is reflected by the mirror surface of the actuating member 108 and reaches the light receiving element of the detection unit 107, and all originals stacked in the original storage unit 52 for copying are sent to the original transport path. It is detected that paper has been fed.

As described above, the detection element Sl functioning as a paper feed detection element outputs a detection signal every time a document is fed from the document storage section 52. A detection element 85 also serves as a storage detection element.
outputs a detection signal each time the original document completes the reading exposure operation and is stored in the original storage section 52 again. At the time when the document end detection element 106 detects the state in which the last document Db has been fed, the document Db after I& is in the middle of being conveyed through the document conveyance path and undergoing a reading exposure operation.

Therefore, even if the document end detection element 106 outputs a detection signal, the copying operation still continues.

In order to detect the end of this copying operation, based on the outputs of the paper feed detection element 81 and storage detection element 85 described above,
The calculation is performed within the control device within the copying machine 41.

It is set to indicate that when the result of this calculation reaches a predetermined value, the reading and exposure operations for all original documents have been completed and the documents have been stored in the original storage section 52 again.

For example, a processing circuit in a control device in the copying machine 41 is provided with a counter function, and a detection signal is sent from the paper feed detection element S1 each time a document is fed from the document storage section 52. , increments the value C of the counter. Furthermore, each time a document is stored in the document storage section 52, a detection signal is sent from the storage detection element 85.
Decrement the counter value C. That is, the copying operation starts after the document to be copied is stored in the document storage section 52, the value C of the counter is incremented each time the document is fed, and the document is stored in the document storage section 52. The counter value C is decremented each time. After that, the last original Db is fed, and after the original end detection element 106 generates a detection signal, the original Db passes the storage detection element 85, and the value C of the counter becomes the initially set value. The copying machine 41 detects the end of the copying operation.

The shaft portion is fixed by one end of the actuating member 108 and inserted into the guide hole of the side wall 52a of the document storage portion 52.
Power from motor M7 is transmitted via a clutch (not shown). After the end of the copy operation is detected as described above,
The clutch is engaged.

The actuating member 108 passes through a moving path 109 shown by the imaginary line from the position shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 7 to the position shown by the solid line, and is again installed at the bottom of the stacked document tray.

Therefore, when the actuating member 108 is installed at the bottom of the document tray, the document is still being conveyed in the document conveying path, and when the document is subsequently stored in the document storage section 521, the actuating member 108 is placed at the bottom of the document tray. There is no such thing as being inserted into.

Through the above-described document transport path, both sides of the document tray pass through facing the exposure area, and a reading exposure operation is performed. As described above, when the reading exposure operation is performed in each exposure area 43.44.degree. 51, the optical system 86 is moved by a moving means (not shown), and the moving body including the exposure lamp 68;
Each exposure area 43°44.51 is provided. The stopping position of the sliding body including the exposure lamp 68 is determined by detection elements S6, 37, . It is controlled based on the detection signal output by S8 (see FIG. 2).

When the light from the exposure lamp 68 is irradiated onto the surface of the document to be read in each exposure area 43, 44, 51, the reflected light from the surface of the document is transmitted to the photoreceptor via the optical path 110 by the optical system 86. An image is formed in an imaging area 111 on 64. The optical system 86 includes an exposure lamp 68 and a reflecting mirror 112.
, 113, 114, a zoom lens 115, and a reflecting mirror 116.

The photoreceptor 64 is rotated in the direction of arrow 117.
First, each exposure area 43, 44 is charged by the main corona discharger 118 and then charged by the optical system 86 as described above.
．． An image corresponding to the surface of the document read in step 51 is formed in an imaging area 111, and an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the surface of the document is formed.

The formed electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image by a developing device 119. This toner image is fed by a paper feed roller 121 from a cassette 120 and transferred to a copy paper P that is conveyed to a conveyance path 122 by a transfer corona discharger 123.
Transcribed by. In FIG. 2, the cassettes for storing copy paper P include cassettes 120 and 120).
24, 125° 126, etc. are provided, and each cassette 124, 125, 126 stores copy sheets P having different sizes, and paper feed rollers 127, 128, . 129 to the transport path 122, and then a copying operation is performed.

Further, the transport path 122 is provided with a detection element 89 and a registration roller 130. When the downstream end in the conveyance direction of the copy paper P conveyed to the conveyance path 122 passes the detection element 89, the rotation of the registration roller 130 is controlled together with the registration roller 63 and the registration roller 82 in the document supply device 40 described above. The timing of conveyance of the copy paper P to the photoreceptor 64 is controlled.

After the transfer, the copy paper P is conveyed to the fixing device 13.2 by a conveyance punch 131 and is fixed thereon. When only one-sided copying is performed on the copy paper P, the fixed copy paper P is discharged to the discharge tray 134 via the conveyance path 133. Furthermore, when double-sided copying is performed on the copy paper P, the copy paper P is not ejected to the ejection tray 134/\, and the copy paper reversing means 13
5.

The copy paper reversing means 135 includes a first direction changing claw 136 and a second direction changing claw 136.
It is configured to include a direction changing claw 137, a pair of conveyance rollers 138, and a pair of conveyance rollers 139 that can rotate in forward and reverse directions. Since the first direction changing claw 136 is set at the position shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 2, the copy paper P on which the copying operation on one surface has been completed is transported along the transport path 140/\. The copy paper P conveyed to the conveyance path 140 is transferred to the conveyance roller 138
Since the second direction changing claw 137 is set at the position indicated by the imaginary line in FIG. 2, the paper is transported to the transport path 142.

When the upstream end in the conveyance direction of the copy paper P conveyed through the conveyance path 141 passes the detection element SIO, after a certain set time, the conveyance roller 139 is rotationally driven in a direction to return the copy paper P to the conveyance path 141. Furthermore, the second direction changing claw 13
7 to the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 2, the copy paper P is conveyed from the conveyance path 142 to the conveyance path 143. The copy paper P conveyed to the conveyance path 143 is discharged to an intermediate tray 145 by a discharge roller 144.

The copy paper P stored in the intermediate tray 145 is fed again by the paper feed roller 146, and then transferred to the conveyance path 147, 122.
transported to. The copy paper P conveyed to the conveyance path 122 is conveyed to the photoreceptor 64 by the registration rollers 130, and a copying operation is performed on the other surface which has not been copied yet. The copy paper P that has been double-sided copied by the above operation switches the first direction changing claw 136 of the copy paper reversing means 135 to the position shown by the solid line in FIG. is discharged to.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a program for controlling the operation of the document end detection element 106 provided in the document feeder 40 of the present invention, and FIG. It is a simplified cross-sectional view for explanation. The operation of the document end detection element 106 in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 [W]. In this embodiment, the number of documents to be copied is five.

Five originals D1 to D5 (generally referred to as originals) are stored in the original storage unit 5 in the original supply device 40 in order to be copied.
2, for example, as shown in FIG. 4(1), the documents are stacked and stored in a sequential manner from top to bottom, with the topmost document D1 being the first document D1. Actuation member 1 of document end detection element 106
08 is placed below the fifth document D5 at the bottom.

original! When f4D is stored in the document storage section 52, the program shown in FIG. 3 starts. First, in step m1,
A counter value C for calculation is set to "0". That scissors,
In step m2, the copying operation starts, and the first original D
1 automatic conveyance and movement of the optical system 86 are controlled.
Proceed to step m3.

In step m3, it is determined whether or not the feeding of the first document D1 at the top is completed based on the detection signal of the feeding detection element S1. When the paper feed detection element S1 outputs a detection signal indicating that the paper feeding of the first document D1 has been completed, the process proceeds from step m3 to step m4.

In step m4, the calculation counter value C is incremented, and the process proceeds to step m5.

In step m5, the first
When the document D1 is fed, the document end detection element 106 is turned on, and it is determined whether or not the completion of feeding of all the documents is detected.6 In this embodiment, there are five documents, and this At this point, only the first document D1 is being fed. Therefore, the document end detection element 106 is not turned on, and the process proceeds from step m5 to step m 2 /\\. In step m2, copying operation control is continued, and in step m3, feeding of the second document D2 is completed. It is determined whether or not. Feeding of the second document D2 has not yet been completed,
If the paper feed detection element 81 is not outputting a detection signal, the process proceeds from step m3 to step rn6.

In step m6, it is determined based on the detection signal of the storage detection element 85 whether the first document D1 has finished the reading exposure operation and is stored in the document storage section 52 again. If the first document D1 is not yet stored in the document storage section 52 and the storage detection element 85 does not output a detection signal, the process proceeds to step m.
6, proceed to step m5, and then proceed to step m5. The process repeats again to step m2 and step m3. Further, in step m6, the first document D1
is stored in the document storage section 52 and the storage detection element 85 outputs a detection signal, the process proceeds to step r'17. In step m7, the counter value C is decremented, and the process proceeds to step m5.

Thereafter, the process proceeds from step rn 5 to step rn 2
Steps m2 to m7 are further processed in step 1.
1 I'm slow. FIG. 4(2) shows a state in which the first document D1 has completed the reading exposure operation and is stored in the document storage section 52, and furthermore, the feeding of the second document D2 has been completed. In this state, in the document storage section 42, the document tray is fed twice and the document tray is stored once, so the counter value C is incremented twice and decremented once. Therefore, the counter value is "1".

The downstream end in the transport direction of the first document D1 stored in the document storage section 52 is inserted into the lower part of the actuating member 108. Second
After the document D2 and subsequent documents are fed and the reading operation is completed,
The documents are sequentially stored under the first document D1. Therefore, the actuating member 108 is pushed upward every time the document tray is stored.

By repeating the processes from step m2 to step m7, the second document D2 to fifth document D5 are stored in the document storage section 52.
It is determined that the paper is fed from the original document storage section 52, a reading exposure operation is performed, and the document is stored in the document storage section 52 again. During this time, the counter value C is incremented and decremented based on the detection signals from the paper feed detection element 81 and storage detection element S5.

The state in which the fourth original D4 is stored in the original storage section 52 and the fifth original D5, which is the final original, is fed is shown in FIG. 4(3). The light from the light emitting element in the detection unit 107 reaches the surface of the actuating member 108 without being obstructed by the document.

This light is reflected by the mirror surface of the actuating member 108, and the reflected light is received by the light receiving element of the detection unit 107.

Therefore, the document end detection element 106 is turned on, and it is detected that all the documents have been fed. The state shown in FIG. 4(3) occurs when the document end detection element 106 is not switched to the on state in step rn5 when the processes from step m2 to step m7 are repeated in the flowchart of FIG. Therefore, the process proceeds from step m5 to step m8.

In step m8, the counter fIi on which the calculation is being performed
This is a judgment as to whether C is "0" or not. Until the state shown in FIG. 4(3) is reached, the document storage section 42 has been fed five times and stored the document four times, so the counter value C has been incremented five times. , has been decremented four times.

That is, the counter value is rl, so the process proceeds from step m8 to step m6.

In step m6, the document storage section 52 for the fifth document D5
It is determined whether or not storage has been completed.

If the fifth document D5 has not yet been stored in the document storage section 52, the process proceeds from step m6 to step m5, the document end detection element 106 is in the on state, and the counter value C is rl. Therefore, the process is repeated from step m5 to step m8 and then step m6 again.

Thereafter, when the fifth original D5, on which the reading/exposure operation has been completed, is stored in the original storage section 52, the process proceeds from step rn6 to step m7.In step m7, the counter value C is determined by the output of the storage detection element S5. is decremented and set to "0".

Therefore, the process proceeds to step m8 via the aforementioned step m5, and since the calculated counter value C is set to "0" in step rn8, the process proceeds from Stella 7m8 to Stella 7rn9.

In step m9, the clutch interposed between the shaft part fixed to one end of the 1JP moving member 108 and the motor M7 is connected, the motor M7 is driven, the operating member 108 is moved, and the 1JP moving member 108 is moved and stored. An operation is performed to place the document at the bottom of the document tray. The state in which the actuating member 108 is installed at the bottom of the document tray is shown in FIG. 4 (4). In this state, the feeding operation of the document tray in the document feeding device 40 is considered to have been completed.

That is, the installation state of the document tray in the document storage section 52 and the operating member 108 in FIG. 4(4) is the same as the state when the copying operation is started in FIG. 4(1). Therefore, it is possible to perform the next copying operation, and it is also possible to take out the original in the same state as the original stored. According to the above-described operation, when copying multiple sets of multiple-sheet originals, the final original (fifth original D5 in this embodiment) is always fed when the original end detection element 106 turns on. There is no malfunction such as turning on the document end detection element 106 when a document other than the final document is fed.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a control device that controls the electrostatic copying machine 41 and the original supply device 40. As shown in FIG.

As mentioned above, the motors Ml, M2 . Each motor such as M3 is connected to a motor drive circuit 150. In addition, the original document conveyed within the document supply device 40 and the copy paper P conveyed within the machine body 42.
Clutches that control the synchronization of conveyance with are connected to a clutch drive circuit 151. Furthermore, solenoids 5OLI and 5 actuate direction change claws in the conveyance path, etc.
Each solenoid such as QL2 is connected to a solenoid drive circuit 152.
connected to. These drive circuits 150, 151, 15
Reference numeral 2 denotes a DC power supply 153, various detection elements such as detection elements 81 and 82 for detecting the conveyance state of the document and copy paper P, an optical system drive circuit 154 for moving the optical system 86, and the body 4.
Keys 156 on the operation panel 155 provided in 2
and a display drive circuit 157 that drives a display device on the operation panel 155, as well as an interface circuit 158.
It is connected to the.

The interface circuit 158 is connected to a central processing circuit (hereinafter referred to as rcPUJ) 159 of a microcomputer, and sends detection signals from the detection elements to the CPU 159, and also controls the various drive circuits 150. 151, 152, 154,
157 is controlled and operated. The CPU 159 includes a read-only memory (hereinafter referred to as 'ROMJ) 160 and a random access memory (hereinafter referred to as rRAMJ) 161.
The CPU 159 controls the copying operation according to the control program stored in advance in the ROM 160. The RAM 161 serves as an area for calculations such as counters and timers necessary for controlling the copying operation. used.

Further, the interface circuit 158 includes the optical system drive circuit 1
54 to move the optical system 86 to each exposure area 43, 4.
In step 4.51, lighting/extinguishing of the exposure lamp 68 is controlled. Furthermore, the interface circuit 158 inputs signals using the keys 156 on the operation panel 155, and displays the progress of the copying operation etc. via the display drive circuit 157.
It is displayed on the display device 162 of the operation panel 156. Furthermore, the interface circuit 158 connects to select switches 5SWI to 5SW4 for selecting copying methods. The copying methods that can be selected include one-sided copying from a single-sided original, double-sided copying from a single-sided original, and single-sided copying from a double-sided original.
Examples include double-sided originals and double-sided copies.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing the configuration of part of the switches on the operation panel 155. The operation panel 155 includes a numeric keypad 163 for setting the number of copies, a clear key 164, RDH (circulating automatic to original supply bag RTT) for setting the copying method; a g selection key 165; an ADF key 166 for selecting a copying method), a print switch 167, a set copy number display section 168, a copy number display section 169, and a copy method display section 170 for four types of copying methods using RDH.
173, and further includes an ADF method display section 174.

The RD) 1 copying power type display units 170 to 173 are used to indicate whether a single-sided copy is taken from a single-sided original, a double-sided copy from a single-sided original, a single-sided copy from a double-sided original, or a double-sided copy from a double-sided original. Showing four copying methods, RD
H! ! Option-165 Each time you press the button, the lamps turn on sequentially from the top, for example. After the lowest position, it returns to the highest position, and in the initial state it automatically returns to the highest position. The required set number of copies is set using the numeric keypad 163, and the set number of copies is displayed on the set number of copies display section 168. Copying when RDH is not used, for example, M4 for copying thick originals such as books
In this case, the ADF method is selected using the ADF key 166.

When the copying operation is started, the number of copied copies is sequentially displayed on the copy number display section 169. When the set number of copies matches the number of copies, the copying operation is stopped and the set number of copies display automatically changes to "0". " Return to display. The display of the number of copies is maintained until the next print switch 167 is turned on.

This embodiment will be described based on a circulating automatic document feeder. However, in other embodiments, a first storage means for storing documents in a stacked manner for feeding documents;
It can also be advantageously implemented in a configuration in which a second storage means is separately provided in which the original document passed through the exposure area after being fed from the storage means is provided.

Further, in this embodiment, the document end detection element is composed of a detection section and an actuating member. In other embodiments in which separately provided document storage means are used as described above, a photodetection element consisting of a light emitting element and a light receiving element may be used, that is, the documents stacked in the first storage means may be is stored so as to be interposed between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element, and when all originals are fed from the first storage means, the light from the light-emitting element reaches the light-receiving element, indicating the end of feeding of the original. It may also be detected.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, as a calculation based on each output of the paper feed detection element and the storage detection element, the counter value C that is initially set is incremented based on the output of the paper feed detection element, and the storage detection It is decremented based on the output of the element. As another example, the first counter value C1 is incremented based on the output of the paper feed detection element, the second counter value C2 is further incremented based on the output of the storage detection element, and the document end detection element is incremented. It may be advantageous to consider that the document supply operation ends when the first counter value C1 and the second counter value C2 become the same value after switching to the on state. Therefore, various calculation methods can be considered.

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, the document end detection means detects the state in which the sheet-like original of jlf& has been fed from the first storage means, and based on the respective outputs of the paper feed detection means and the storage detection means. When the result of the calculation that is performed reaches a predetermined value, it is considered that the feeding operation of the sheet-like original within the original feeding apparatus has ended. Therefore, when copying the stacked sheet originals again afterwards, the detection signal of the original end detection means does not malfunction, and the originals can be fed accurately. Reliability as a copying machine is also improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a simplified sectional view of a document feeding device 40 which is an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a simplified sectional view showing the overall configuration of an electrostatic copying machine 41 equipped with the document feeding device 40. ,
FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a program for controlling the operation of the document end detection element 106 provided in the document supply device 40, and FIG. 4 shows the document feeder and the document end detection element 10.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the control device that controls the electrostatic copying machine 41 and the original supply device 40, and FIG. A front view showing the configuration of part of the switches on the panel 155;
FIG. 7 is a simplified cross-sectional view of the conventional document feeding device 1. As shown in FIG. 40... Original supply device, 43... First exposure m range, 4
4... Second exposure area, 52... Document storage section, 54...
...Paper feed roller, 68...Exposure lamp, 106...
Original end ejection element, 107... detection unit, 108...
Operating member, Sl...Paper feed detection element, S5...Storage detection element, D...Manuscript agent Patent attorney Number of strokes Keiichi

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A first storage means in which sheet-like originals are stacked and stored;
A conveyance path through which sheet originals from the first storage means are fed and optical scanning of the sheet originals is performed in an exposure area, and a second storage means where sheet originals after exposure are stacked and stored. A document supplying apparatus comprising: a document end detection means provided in association with the first storage means for detecting a state in which the last sheet-like document has been fed from the first storage means; a paper feed detection means for detecting paper feeding each time a document is fed; and a paper feed detection means provided in association with the second storage means to detect this storage each time a sheet document is stored in the second storage means. storage detection means, wherein the document end detection means has detected the feeding of the last sheet-shaped original, and the calculation is performed based on the respective outputs of the paper feed detection means and the storage detection means. 1. A document feeding device characterized in that the sheet document feeding operation is ended when the result of the step reaches a predetermined value.