JPH04358668A - Sheet conveying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform reliable conveyance even when sheets are of a kind incapable of being detected by a detecting means by operating a feed means through control of a control means even when clear sheets, such as OHP sheets, incapable of being detected by the detecting means are not detected by the detecting means during containing of the sheets in a containing means. CONSTITUTION:After a device body to contain OHP sheets is set in a sheet feed cassette, a sheet feed selection key and a copying mode selection key for a special sheet, located on a control panel 31, are turned ON. Through receipt of signals therefrom, a CPU 70 controls a whole device into a copying mode for a special sheet. A detecting result for the presence of sheets transmitted from empty switches 45a and 45b is rendered ineffective by the CPU 70, which effects control such that copying operation is carried out regardless of a detecting result. When a copy key is depressed, the OHP sheet is taken out through operation of a pick up roller from a feed sheet cassette selected by a feed sheet cassette selection key and fed to a sheet conveyance passage by means of a sheet feed and separation roller.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[Purpose of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper sheet conveying device used in, for example, a copying machine, for conveying paper sheets as a material to be transferred inside the copying machine.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a paper sheet conveying device used in a copying machine, etc. has a paper feed cassette that stores paper as an image forming material, a take-out roller that takes out the paper from the paper feed cassette, and a take-out roller that takes out the paper from the paper feed cassette. It consists of a paper conveyance path consisting of a conveyor belt, etc. that conveys the paper that has been loaded. A photo-interrupter type paper presence/absence detection switch is provided near the paper feed cassette, and the presence/absence of paper on the paper feed cassette is checked. If the paper presence/absence detection switch determines that there is no paper on the paper feed cassette, a display prompting for paper replenishment is displayed, and the copy start key is controlled not to be accepted.

By the way, in such conventional copying machines, there are cases where copies are made on transparent paper such as OHP paper. However, when OHP paper is set in the paper cassette, light passes through the paper because it is transparent, and the photo-interrupter-type paper presence/absence detection switch described above prevents the paper from being set on the paper cassette. is not detected. Therefore, since the copy start key cannot be accepted, there is a problem in that it is not possible to copy OHP sheets stored in the paper feed cassette.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As mentioned above, in the conventional paper sheet conveying device, when the paper sheet storage means contains paper sheets of a type that cannot be detected by the detection means,
There was a problem in that the paper sheets could not be transported.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and when a paper sheet that cannot be detected by the paper sheet detection means is stored in the paper sheet storage means, the paper sheet It is an object of the present invention to provide a paper sheet conveying device that can transport even paper sheets that cannot be detected by a paper sheet detecting means by invalidating the output from the sheet detecting means. [Structure of the invention]

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the paper sheet conveying device of the present invention has a conveyance path through which the paper sheets are conveyed, and a conveyance path provided at one end of the conveyance path to accommodate the paper sheets. a storage means for storing paper sheets; a detection means for detecting the presence or absence of paper sheets stored in the storage means; and a detection means for detecting the presence of paper sheets on the storage means; a feeding means for taking out paper sheets and feeding them to the conveyance path; a setting means for setting to invalidate the detection result by the detection means; and a setting for invalidating the detection result by the detection means by the setting means. The apparatus is characterized by comprising a control means for controlling the feeding means to operate regardless of the detection result of the detection means when the detection means is performed.

[0007]

[Operation] When a type of paper sheet that cannot be detected by the detection means (for example, a transparent paper sheet such as OHP paper) is stored in the storage means, a detection means for detecting the presence or absence of paper sheets on the storage means. Configure settings to invalidate the detection results. When this setting is made, the feeding means is operated under the control of the control means even if the paper sheets on the storage means are not detected by the detection means. Thereby, paper sheets can be fed onto the conveyance path and conveyed.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the paper sheet conveying apparatus of the present invention is applied to a copying machine will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

First, the configuration of the copying machine of this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a copying machine according to this embodiment, in which a drum-shaped photoreceptor 12 is arranged approximately in the center of a main body 11 of the apparatus. Around this photoreceptor drum 12, a charging device 13 and an exposure system 1 are provided.
4, a developing device 16, a transfer peeling charger 17, a cleaning device 18, and a static elimination lamp 20 are provided. Here, the configuration of the exposure system 14 shown by the broken line in FIG. 1 will be explained. The exposure system 14 includes a first carriage 40 provided with an exposure lamp 42 and a first reflection mirror 43, a second carriage 41 provided with a second reflection mirror 44 and a third reflection mirror 45, and a lens. 46, and fourth to sixth reflecting mirrors 47, 48, and 49. The first carriage 40 is configured to reciprocate along a document table 34 provided on the upper surface of the main body 11 of the apparatus. In order to keep the optical path length constant, the second carriage 41 is configured to travel back and forth at 1/2 the speed of the first carriage 40.

Further, on the right side of the main body 11, an upper paper feed cassette 21a and a lower paper feed cassette 21b for storing sheet-like paper P are provided. paper feed cassette 21a,
21b is provided with openings 41a and 41b, respectively, and the paper P in the paper feed cassettes 21a and 21b is provided at positions corresponding to the openings 41a and 41b of the paper feed cassettes 21a and 21b on the main body 11 side. Empty switches 45a, 4 made up of reflective optical sensors for determining the presence or absence of
5b is provided. In the main body 11, pickup rollers 22a and 22 are loaded from the cassettes 21a and 21b.
The paper P taken out and fed by b is transferred to the photosensitive drum 1.
2 to the paper output tray 23 on the left side of the main body.
4 is formed. Here, this paper conveyance path 24 is shown by a dashed line in FIG. On the upstream side of the photosensitive drum 12 in this paper conveyance path 24,
Paper feed/separation rollers 25a and 25b, and a pair of registration rollers 26 are provided. A paper stop switch 50 is provided near the registration roller pair 26. A conveyor belt 27 , a pair of fixing rollers 28 , and a pair of discharge rollers 30 are provided on the paper conveyance path 24 on the downstream side of the photosensitive drum 12 . An exit switch 51 is provided near the paper ejection roller pair 30 for detecting whether or not the transported copying medium P has been reliably ejected onto the paper ejection tray 23.

FIG. 4 shows the structure and operation of the paper stop switch 50 and exit switch 51.
Please refer to the following for details. The paper stop switch 50 and the exit switch 51 are switches having a similar mechanism, and have rotating members 50a and 51a, respectively. These rotating members 50a and 51a are normally shown in FIG. 4(a).
It is located at a position that blocks the conveyance path 24 as shown in FIG. At this time, the paper stop switch 50 and the exit switch 51 are off. When paper P is conveyed,
When the paper P presses the rotating members 50a and 51a, the rotating members 50a and 50b rotate upward as shown in FIG. 4(b), and the paper stop switch 50 and exit switch 51 are turned on. . When the paper P passes, as shown in FIG. 4(c), the rotating members 50a, 5
1a returns to its original state under its own weight, and the paper stop switch 50 and exit switch 51 are turned off. In this way, the paper stop switch 50 and the exit switch 51 detect the arrival and passage of the paper P. The detection results from these switches are sent to the CPU 70, which will be described later.
The CPU 70 refers to these detection results to determine whether there is a paper jam or the like at each position.

Further, on the upper surface of the main body 11, a document cover 35 is provided which covers a document table 34 on which the document D is placed, and an operation panel 31 is also provided. This operation panel 3
1, as shown in FIG. 2, there is an LED display section 31a for displaying numerical values such as copy magnification and number of copies, and messages from the CPU, a copy key 31b for instructing the start of copying, and a copy magnification and number of copies. a numeric keypad 31c for inputting numerical values, etc., a paper cassette selection key 31d for selecting a paper cassette, and special paper for copying special paper P that cannot be detected by the empty switch, such as OHP paper. Various keys are provided, such as a special paper copy mode selection key 31e, which is a setting means for selectively setting whether or not the copy mode is selected.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the copying machine of this embodiment. The CPU 70 receives signals from each operation key on the operation panel 31 or an empty switch 45,
Paper stop switch 50, exit switch 5
Signals from first class switches and sensors are input. On the other hand, in response to each of the above-mentioned inputs, the CPU 70 controls an image forming means 71 consisting of a photoconductor drum 12 and its surroundings, a charging device 13, an exposure system 14, a developing device 16, etc., a pickup roller 22, a pair of registration rollers 26, Fixing roller 30
It controls the conveying means 72 consisting of the following.

Next, the operation of copying a document using the copying machine having the above configuration will be explained. The operator is on document table 3.
After setting the original D on the first carriage 40, the exposure lamp 42 is turned on by pressing the copy key 31b provided on the operation panel 31 of the apparatus main body 11.
When the second carriage 41 starts moving, the original D on the original platen 34 is exposed and scanned. The exposure-scanned image of the document reaches the exposure position 14a of the photosensitive drum 12 via the exposure system 14. The photosensitive drum 12 is uniformly charged by a charging device 13, and the photosensitive drum 12 is uniformly charged at the exposure position 1.
By being exposed to light at step 4a, an electrostatic latent image of the original image is formed on the photoreceptor 12. The photosensitive drum 12 is rotating in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIG. 1, and when the electrostatic latent image reaches the position of the developing device 16, the developing device 16
By supplying toner onto the photoreceptor drum 12, the image of the document is visualized. Then, when the image of the original on the photosensitive drum 12 reaches the position of the transfer and peeling charger 17, it is transferred onto the paper P conveyed by the pair of registration rollers 26 by the action of the transfer charger.

On the other hand, in synchronization with the pressing of the copy key 31b on the operation panel 31, the paper P is transferred to the paper feed cassette 2.
The paper feed cassette selected by the paper feed cassette selection key 31d on the operation panel 31 among the paper feed cassettes 1a and 21b is taken out by the pickup roller 22a or 22c. Here, if two or more sheets of paper P are taken out by the pick roller 22a or 22b, the excess paper P is removed from the paper feed cassette 21a or 21b by rotating the paper feed/separation roller 25a or 25b in the opposite direction. be pulled back to. The paper P fed by the paper feed/separation roller 25a or 25b is sent to the pair of registration rollers 26, but on the way, the paper P pushes the rotating member 50a of the paper stop switch 50, thereby causing the paper stop switch 50 to is turned on, and the registration roller pair 26 is driven. Thereafter, the paper P is synchronized with the rotation of the photosensitive drum 12 by the pair of registration rollers 26 and is conveyed to the position of the transfer peeling charger 17 described above.

The paper P on which the original image has been formed in the transfer process is separated from the photosensitive drum 12 by the action of the transfer separation charger 17 and is conveyed via the conveyance belt 27 to the pair of fixing rollers 28 . Then, the image of the document D is fixed onto the paper P by the action of the heat roller forming the fixing roller pair 28. Thereafter, the paper P is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 23 by the paper discharge roller pair 30. Here, an exit switch 51 for detecting the ejection of the paper P is provided in front of the paper ejection roller pair 30. The exit switch 51 is turned on when the rotating member 51a is pushed by the paper P, and is turned off when the paper P passes, thereby detecting the passage of the paper P.

Now, here, the paper feed cassettes 21a, 2
FIG. 5 shows the operation of the empty switches 45a and 45b provided corresponding to the openings 41a and 41b of 1b.
Explain with reference to. Here, the upper paper feed cassette 21
Let us explain about a. As shown in FIG. 5A, when paper P such as copy paper is stored in the paper feed cassette 21a, the light emitted from the light emitting element of the empty switch 45a is reflected by the paper P, and the reflected light is received by the light receiving element of the empty switch 45a. At this time, the empty switch 45a is turned on, and the CPU 70
send a signal to. CPU70 that received this signal
determines that there is paper on the paper feed cassette 21. Also,
As shown in FIG. 5B, when there is no paper P in the paper feed cassette 21a, the light emitted from the light emitting element of the empty switch 45a is not reflected by the paper P, so the light does not reach the light receiving element. At this time, the empty switch 45a is turned off and no signal is sent to the CPU 70. At this time, the CPU 70 determines that there is no paper on the paper feed cassette 21a. In this way, the presence or absence of paper P in the paper feed cassette 21a is determined. In addition, the presence or absence of paper P in the paper feed cassette 21b is also determined in the same manner. The CPU 70 then uses the paper feed cassette 21
If it is determined that there is no paper P inside, the LED display section 31a
A message indicating "out of paper" is displayed above and the copy key 31a is not accepted.

Next, the operation when copying the image of the original D onto transparent paper such as OHP paper will be explained. First, the operator stores OHP paper in the paper cassette 21a or 21b, sets this paper cassette in the main body 11 of the apparatus, and then presses the paper cassette selection key 31d provided on the operation panel 31. After selecting the paper feed cassette containing the OHP paper, the special paper copy mode selection key 31e is pressed. When the special paper copy mode selection key 31e is turned on, a signal to that effect is transmitted to the CPU 70, and in response to this, the CPU 70 controls the entire apparatus in the special paper copy mode. At this time, the CPU 70 invalidates the detection result of the presence or absence of paper in the paper feed cassette 21a or 21b transmitted from the empty switch 45a or 45b, and controls the copying operation to be performed regardless of the detection result. That is, when the copy key 31a is pressed, OHP paper is transferred from the paper cassette selected by the paper cassette selection key 31d to the pickup roller 22a.
Alternatively, the paper is taken out by the operation of the paper feed/separation roller 25a or 25b and fed to the paper conveyance path 24. Hereinafter, since the image forming operation on paper has been described above, the explanation here will be omitted.

Furthermore, when a small paper P such as a postcard is stored in the paper feed cassette 21a or 21b and a copy is made to the paper P, the paper P is fed as shown in FIG. Opening 4 of paper cassettes 21a, 21b
1a and 41b may not be blocked. At this time, in the normal mode, the presence of the paper P cannot be detected by the empty switches 45a and 45b, so an image forming operation on the paper P cannot be performed. In such a case, by setting the above-mentioned special paper copy mode, the detection result of the empty switch of the paper cassette containing this paper P can be invalidated, so this small size paper P An image forming operation can also be performed for.

As explained above, in the copying machine of this embodiment, the copying operation can be started regardless of whether or not there is paper in the paper cassette. Even when special paper such as small-sized paper whose presence is not detected by the empty switch is stored in the paper feed cassette, the paper is taken out from the paper feed cassette and conveyed,
A copy image can be formed on this paper.

[0021]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it is possible to selectively disable the output of the detection means for detecting the presence or absence of paper sheets in the paper sheet storage means. Even if the type is not detected by the detection means, it can be transported reliably.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the internal configuration of a copying machine according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic external view of the operation panel of the copying machine of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the control system of the copying machine of this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a paper stop switch and an exit switch of the copying machine of this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the paper empty switch of the copying machine of this embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a case where small-sized paper is stored in the paper feed cassette of the copying machine of this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

11... Apparatus main body 21a, 21b... Paper feed cassette 41a, 41b... Paper feed cassette opening 45a, 45b
…Paper empty switch 50…Paper stop switch 51…Exit switch P…Paper

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A conveyance path through which paper sheets are conveyed, a storage means provided at one end of this conveyance path and in which the paper sheets are stored,
a detection means for detecting the presence or absence of paper sheets stored in the storage means; and when the detection means detects that paper sheets are present on the storage means, the paper sheets are taken out from the storage means; and a setting means for setting to invalidate the detection result by the detection means, and the setting means is configured to invalidate the detection result by the detection means. and a control means for controlling the feeding means to operate regardless of the detection result of the detection means.