JPH054654B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an automatic document feeder, and more specifically, it is used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying apparatus or a recording apparatus that has an image area designation function, and The present invention relates to an automatic document feeder equipped with a coordinate position detection device that reads an area of a document image.

(b) Conventional technology In the past, in copying machines, originals were manually placed on the original platen. Since it was inefficient to keep the sheet originals on the original table, automatic document feeders that automatically feed sheet originals to the original table and automatically eject them have come to be installed. Furthermore, the copying device has a multiple copying function that copies multiple originals on the same side of one sheet of transfer material, and uses a color (for example, red, blue, etc.) developer instead of the usual black developer to produce colored images. Some devices are designed to be multi-functional by having a multicolor copying function to obtain a copy image and an area designation function. In other words, the above area specification function is
It extracts and copies only the image of the necessary area from one original image. First, the desired image area is measured in X and Y dimensions, and the values are input on the operation panel. According to the signal, A light emitting element array installed near the photoreceptor that forms the image emits light partially and in chronological order, erasing the electrostatic latent image on the unnecessary area on the photoreceptor, thereby obtaining an image of the necessary area. That is what it is. Furthermore, there is also a method of specifying an area using a digitizer. If you use this method, you can place a document on the digitizer and press the desired image area from above the document, and that area will be automatically detected and the area will be automatically detected. No need to measure the required area.

Furthermore, by combining the multiple copying function, multicolor copying function, and area designation function described above, further multifunctionality can be achieved. In the case of multiple copying, each document had a different part of the image, and it was necessary to select the documents so that the duplicated images would not overlap, but with the addition of the area specification function, Image areas that cause overlap can be erased, eliminating the need to select documents. Therefore, by combining these three functions, it is possible to obtain multiplex and multicolor images from any document. of course,
As described above, it is easy to erase unnecessary area images from a document and obtain necessary area images.

Hereinafter, a conventional copying apparatus having the above-mentioned area designation function and equipped with an automatic document feeder will be described.

As shown in FIG. 6, this copying apparatus has an automatic document feeder 2 on the top of the main body M of the apparatus, and also includes an area indicating device 3 configured separately from the main body M of the copying apparatus. In the area indicating device 3, a digitizer 6 is installed on the digitizer installation stand 5, and a stylus pen 7 is also provided, and the document P is placed on the digitizer 6 with the image surface facing upward. Further, the right end is placed in contact with a document abutment (not shown), and the back side is placed in contact with a document abutment (not shown). Next, a desired area on the image surface of the document P is pressed with the stylus pen 7, and the area is designated/inputted. Note that various input methods or detection methods have been proposed, but will not be described in detail. When the desired area is input, a desired mode such as displaying the image of the input desired area or color specification is selected using the function keys 9, and the digitizer 6 and the corresponding mode are selected. A signal input through the function key 9 is transmitted to the main body M of the copying machine via a signal line 10. Next, the original P placed on the digitizer 6 of the area specifying device 3 and having the desired area designated and inputted is placed on the original tray 11 of the automatic document feeder 2 disposed at the upper part of the main body M of the copying machine. The document is moved onto the document tray 11 with its image surface facing downward and with the right end that has come into contact with the document abutment on the digitizer 6 first, until it reaches a predetermined abutment position on the automatic document feeder 2. inserted. Then, the automatic document feeder 2 operates to feed the document P to the image forming section of the copying apparatus main body M, and the copying apparatus M performs a predetermined copying operation.

However, since the above-mentioned conventional copying apparatus M has a separate area indicating device 3, an extra installation space is required for the area indicating device 3. Furthermore, since the area indicating device 3 is configured as a separate body, the operator must perform many work steps.
That is, there is a standard for abutting a document on the digitizer 6, and a standard for abutting a document on the automatic document feeder 2.
The right edge of the document that has come into contact with the document abutment reference of the automatic document feeder 2 must be accurately abutted with the abutment reference of the automatic document feeder 2, and the image surface of the document P must be changed from upward to downward so that it is placed on the document tray 11. This is troublesome for the operator. Moreover, especially when a mistake is made in specifying an area and the area is to be specified again, the work is doubled, which is very inconvenient.

Therefore, the present applicant has devised an automatic document feeder that integrates a digitizer.

An automatic document feeder devised by the applicant will be described below.

An automatic document feeder 20 devised by the present applicant is placed above a copying machine M having an area designation function, as shown in FIG. The automatic document feeder 20 has a full-surface belt 22 located approximately in the center facing the platen glass 21 of the copying machine M.
It also has an entrance tray 23 on one side for stacking sheet originals. A feed roller shaft 25 is provided near the tray 23, and a feed roller 26 is fixed to the shaft 25 and rotates integrally with the feed roller shaft 25. Also,
A feed arm 27 is rotatably supported at one end of the feed roller shaft 25, and a pick-up roller 29 is rotatably supported at the other end of the feed arm 27. roller 2
9 swings up and down integrally with the paper feed arm 27 using the feed roller shaft 25 as a fulcrum. The rotation of the feed roller 26 is transmitted to the pick-up roller 29 via a gear (not shown), and the feed roller 26 and the pick-up roller 29 are configured so that their rotation direction and peripheral speed are the same. Further, a front paper feed roller 30 is rotatably provided facing the pick-up roller 29, and a rear paper feed roller 31 is rotatably provided facing the feed roller 26. In addition, the paper feed arm 2
A pick-up arm 33 having one end fixed to the pick-up arm shaft 32 is provided near 7, and a slide groove 33a is formed at the other end of the pick-up arm 33.
A pin 27a protruding from the paper feed arm 27 is fitted into the pin 3a, and when the pick-up arm shaft 32 rotates, the pick-up arm 33 swings, and as the pick-up arm 33 swings, the pick-up roller 29 swings up and down. move the front feed roller 30
be pressed together or separated. When the pick-up roller 29 comes into pressure contact with the front paper feed roller 30, the sheet original held between these rollers 29 and 30 is fed. Also, near the pick-up roller 29, there is a document presence/absence sensor which is a reflective sensor.
_S1 is provided. On the other hand, the platen gas 2
A drive roller 35 and a turn roller 36 are disposed above both ends of the roller 1, respectively, and the entire surface belt 22 is wound around these rollers 35, 36. The full-surface belt 22 is an endless belt having a width large enough to cover the entire surface of the sheet document, and its surface is made of a rubber-based material with a sufficient coefficient of friction so that the document can be conveyed by frictional force. It is coated with. Further, the turn roller 36 is movable left and right,
When the full-face belt 22 is wrapped around it, it is biased to the left, and the full-face belt 22 has sufficient tension and is configured to prevent slippage between it and the drive roller 35. Further, presser rollers 37a, 37b, 37c... are provided inside the entire belt 22, and these presser rollers 37a, 37b,
37c are arranged at a pitch slightly narrower than the size of the sheet document to be conveyed, and furthermore, these presser rollers 37a, 37b, and 37c press the full-surface belt 22 against the platen glass 21 with a weak pressure. This increases the sheet document conveying power. In addition, a lower discharge roller pair 39 is provided near the turn roller 36 around which the entire belt 22 is wound.
A pair of upper discharge rollers 40 are disposed, and a discharge detection sensor is disposed adjacent to the pair of lower discharge rollers 39.
_S2 is arranged to detect discharge of a sheet original, and to turn on a jam lamp if no sheet original is detected even after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. Further, a curved discharge document guide pair 41 is provided between the upper and lower discharge roller pairs 39 and 40, and guides the discharge sheet document from the lower discharge roller pair 39 to the upper discharge roller pair 40. Furthermore, the above-mentioned full-surface belt 2
A digitizer 42 is arranged above 2,
The digitizer 42 uses a stylus pen or the like to specify and input the area of the sheet document placed with the image surface facing upward, as described above. Further, a document abutment reference 43 is fixedly provided near one end of the digitizer 42 facing the drive roller 35, so that when the sheet document is placed on the digitizer 42, the right end of the sheet document is The sheet original is positioned by abutting against an abutment reference 43, and by abutting an abutment (not shown) on the back side of the sheet document. Further, a pair of carry-in sheet guides 45 is provided from the document abutting reference 43 to the platen 21, and a pair of carry-in rollers 46 is disposed midway through the pair of carry-in sheet guides 45, and A document carrying path 47 is formed by the pair 45 . A document feed section sensor S ₃ is arranged facing upstream of the document feed path 47, and a leading edge detection sensor S ₄ is further arranged facing the lower end of the pair of carried sheet guides 45.

Note that what is indicated by the reference numeral 49 below the platen glass 21 is an optical system of the copying apparatus M.

When simply copying using the sheet original Pa, first place the sheet original Pa with the image side facing down on the entrance tray 23, and then
Insert the paper between the pick-up roller 29 and the front paper feed roller 30. Then, the document presence sensor S ₁ detects the sheet document Pa, and after a certain period of time, the pick-up 29 descends and picks up the sheet document Pa between the pick-up roller 29 and the front paper feed roller 30 (in a state in which there is no sheet document). In this case, the pick-up roller 29 is lifted upward). At the same time, the drive roller 35 rotates, and the entire surface belt 22
rotates. Then, the pick-up roller 29
rotates and starts feeding the sheet document Pa.
When the leading edge of the sheet document Pa passes between the feed roller 26 and the rear paper feed roller 31, which rotate at the same time as the pick-up roller 29, and reaches the leading edge detection sensor _S4 , the sheet document Pa is detected by the leading edge detection sensor _S4 . The leading edge of the sheet document Pa is detected, and from this time a photo interrupter (not shown) starts timing the conveyance of the sheet document Pa. Next, the sheet original Pa
enters between the full-surface belt 22 and the platen glass 21, and when its tip reaches below the first presser roller 37a, the conveyance force of the full-surface belt 22 increases, and the sheet document Pa is moved at the same peripheral speed as the full-surface belt 22. The speed becomes faster than the circumferential speed of the feed roller 26, and the feed roller 26 rotates with the sheet document Pa. Then, when the trailing edge of the sheet document Pa is detected by the leading edge detection sensor _S4 , the rotation of the feed roller 26 and the pick-up roller 29 is stopped, and the next sheet document is not fed. Then, at a predetermined timing determined by the photo interrupter,
The full surface belt 22 is stopped, and the sheet document Pa conveyed by the full surface belt 22 is placed on the platen glass 2.
1 at a predetermined position. Immediately, the exposure operation of the copying apparatus M is started. Then, in response to a copy end signal from the copying device M, the full-surface belt 22 starts rotating and conveyance of the sheet original Pa is started, and the sheet original Pa is held between a pair of lower ejection rollers 39 and guided to a pair of ejection original guides 41. The paper is then held between the pair of upper discharge rollers 40 and discharged. After the sheet document Pa is discharged, the entire surface sheet 22 stops rotating. Note that when the next sheet document is detected by the document presence/absence sensor _S1 , feeding of the next sheet document is started after the discharge detection sensor _S2 detects the leading edge of the sheet document Pa.

Next, when specifying an area using the sheet original Pb, place the sheet original Pb on the digitizer 42 with the image side facing up, and touch the right end of the original against the original abutment 43, and place the sheet original Pb on the back side of the sheet original Pb. is placed in contact with an abutment (not shown). Then, a desired area on the document screen is designated and inputted using a means such as a stylus pen. After the input is completed, a function key (not shown) is used to set a mode such as whether to display the image of the specified area or not. Next, the sheet document Pb is released from the document abutment 43 with its leading edge in contact with the document abutment 43, is inserted into the document carrying path 47 with its leading edge leading, and is pushed into the nip portion of the carrying roller pair 46. Can be guessed. that time,
The document feed section sensor _S3 detects the document Sb, and after a predetermined time has elapsed from the detection by the sensor _S3 , the drive roller 35
rotates, and the entire surface belt 22 rotates. after that,
The carry-in roller pair 46 rotates, and the sheet original Pb is guided by the carry-in sheet guide pair 45 and is conveyed toward the platen glass 21. Then, when the leading edge of the sheet original Pb is detected by the leading edge detection sensor _S4 , the photo interrupter starts timing the conveyance of the sheet original Pb. Then, the sheet original Pb is transferred to the entire surface belt 22 and the platen glass 2.
1, is conveyed by the entire surface belt 22, and is attached to the platen glass 21 at a predetermined timing.
It is stopped and placed at a predetermined position above. Note that when the rear end of the sheet original Pb is detected by the leading edge detection sensor _S4 , the pair of carry-in rollers 46 stops rotating. Then, the exposure operation of the copying machine M is started. Then, in response to a copy end signal from the copying device M, the full-surface belt 22 starts rotating, and as described above, the sheet original
Pb is discharged.

(c) Problems to be solved by the invention By the way, the automatic document feeder 20 described above has the following problems:
After specifying and inputting the area of the sheet original Pb on the digitizer 42, the sheet original Pb is manually fed into the conveyance path, but since this work is very troublesome, the sheet original Pb is automatically transferred from the digitizer 42. An automatic document feeder that feeds the document into the conveyance path is conceivable, but according to this automatic document feeder, the operation switch of the copying machine main body M is turned on before the input of the coordinate position by the digitizer 42 is completed, and the automatic document feeder 20 is turned on. If activated, not only will the coordinate position be incorrectly entered during input work, but also
The discharged sheet original is stacked on the digitizer 42. At this time, the sheet original loaded on the digitizer 42 is heated by radiant heat from the halogen lamp of the optical system of the copying machine main body M, which causes the digitizer 42 to malfunction or be damaged due to friction with the sheet original. There is a possibility that

(d) Means for solving the problem The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems, and includes installing a protection member detection means for detecting the position of the protection member, and detecting the position of the protection member. an operation for controlling the document feeding means based on a signal of
A stopping means is installed to disable the document feeding means when the protective member is in a position away from the coordinate position detecting device, and when the protective member is in a position covering the coordinate position detecting device. , the feeding means is configured to be operable.

(e) Effect Based on the above-described configuration, when the protective member is located at a position separated from the coordinate position detection device, the protective member detection means is disconnected, and the actuating/stopping means thereby stops the document feeding means under its control; In this state, the area of the sheet document at the time of image formation can be specified by the coordinate position detection means. When the protection member is moved by the operator to a position covering the coordinate position detection device, the protection member detection means is connected by the protection member, and thereby the actuation/stopping means is controlled by the document feeding device. Release the sending means. Therefore, the sheet original placed on the coordinate position detection device or the like is brought into a state where it can be transported by the original transport means.

(f) Examples Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the same parts as those of the automatic document feeder 20 described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the automatic document feeder 59 has a cover member 60 rotatably installed at one end above the digitizer 42 via a hinge 61. There is a micro switch 62 in the lower part of the
is installed, and the arm portion 62 of the switch 62
A is configured such that when the cover member 60 is rotated toward the digitizer 42 and placed on the digitizer 42, it is pressed by the back surface of the cover member 60 to turn on the micro switch. Further, a feed regulating section 63 is disposed at the other end above the digitizer 42, that is, above the drive roller 35, and a document abutting member 65 is disposed in the regulating section 63.
is rotatably installed around a support shaft 66, and a regulating plate 65a is provided on one side of the corresponding contact member 65 and extending in the rearward direction. Furthermore, the corresponding contact member 65
A feed roller 67 is rotatably installed at one end of the feed roller 67, and is biased by a spring 69 slightly closer to the support shaft 66 of the feed roller 67. Further, the end opposite to the feed roller 67 is supported by a plunger 70a of a solenoid 70, so that when the solenoid 70 is not energized, the abutment member 65 moves around the support shaft 66 as shown in FIG. The feed roller 67 is rotated clockwise and lifted upward. In this state, the regulation plate 6
The lower end portion of the digitizer 5a is configured to be in a position to restrict one end of the sheet original Pb placed on the digitizer 42.

On the other hand, the automatic document feeder 59 has a control unit C.
The control section C is further provided with an actuation/stopping means 71. The activation/stopping means 71 is based on the micro switch 62,
When the cover member 60 is open and the digitizer 42 is open, the feed regulating section 63 is in a position to regulate the sheet original, and the feed roller 26 is held in a stopped state. In addition, when the cover member 60 is in the closed state and the cover member 60 has not been rotated or separated from the digitizer 42 even once after the previous copying operation, the feed roller 26, drive roller 35, ejection roller 39, 40 etc. to be in an operable state, and the cover member 60
is rotated and separated from the digitizer 42 and then placed on the digitizer again.
2 so that it can be operated.

Since the present embodiment has the above-described configuration, its operation will be explained along the flowchart shown in FIG.
It is detected whether or not there is an opening operation of 0 (S2). If the opening operation of the cover member 60 is not detected, that is, if the cover member 60 has not been separated from the digitizer 42 since the end of the previous copying operation, an operation switch (not shown) is operated in this state to generate the next copying signal. is input (S3),
The automatic document feeder 59 is started in the automatic document feeder mode (S4), and the sheet document Pa is transferred from the entrance tray 23 to the feed roller 26 and drive roller 3.
5 is placed at a predetermined position on the platen glass 21. Immediately, a copy start signal is sent to the copying apparatus main body M to start copying, and exposure of the apparatus main body M starts (S5). and,
The entire surface belt 2 is activated by the copying operation end signal of the main body M.
2 begins to eject the sheet original Pa, and the sheet original Pa is delivered to the cover member 6 by the ejection roller pair 39, 40.
Ejected onto 0.

Then, when the opening operation of the cover member 60 is detected, the copy start signal is not accepted until the next closing operation is detected. Then, the operator places the sheet document Pb on the digitizer 42, presses a desired area of the digitizer 42 with a stylus pen, etc. to complete the area designation input, and then rotates the cover member 60 to press the desired area of the digitizer 42. 4
2 (S6), the arm portion 62a of the microswitch 62 is pressed by the back surface of the cover member 60, thereby turning on the microswitch 62. Furthermore, in this state, the solenoid 70 is energized by the copy start signal (S7) of the copying apparatus main body M, and the plunger 70a pulls the original contact member 65. As a result, the corresponding contact member 65 resists the biasing force of the spring 69 and moves toward the support shaft 66.
As shown in FIG.
It is pressed onto the top (S8). At this time, the original contact member 6
The regulating plate 65a of No. 5 serves as a guide plate that is retracted from the transport path of the sheet original Pb and guides the sheet original Pb upward. Therefore, in this state, the regulating plate 65a guides the upper surface of the sheet document sent by the feed roller 67, and even if the leading edge of the document Pb is curled, it reliably guides the document Pb to the document carrying path 47. Can be sent. Then, after a certain period of time has elapsed, the drive roller 35 is driven, and further the feed roller 67 and the pair of carry-in rollers 46 are driven. Then, the sheet original Pb is sent to the carry-in roller pair 46 by the feed roller 67, further sent to the drive roller 35 along the carry-in sheet guide pair 45, and placed on the platen glass 21 by the full-surface belt 22. Immediately, a copy signal is sent to start the copying operation (S9), and exposure of the main body M of the copying apparatus starts. Further, in response to the copy end signal from the main body M, the full-surface belt 22 starts to eject the sheet original Pb, and the ejection roller pair 39, 40 removes the sheet original Pb.
Pb is discharged onto the cover member 60.

In this embodiment, the microswitch 62 is operated by a cover member 60 installed on the automatic document feeder 59 so as to be openable and closable, and the document feed roller 67 etc. is operated only when the cover member 60 covers the digitizer . The transport means is configured to operate, and as shown in FIG. 4, a protrusion 71 is installed on the back surface of the cover member 60, and the protrusion 71 is configured to press the input surface of the digitizer 42. Then, it may be configured to detect whether the cover member 60 is located on the digitizer 42 based on whether the protrusion 71 is pressing the input surface of the digitizer 42.

(g) Effects of the Invention As explained above, according to the present invention, the coordinate position detection device is disposed above the image reading position and on the top surface of the automatic document feeder.
When specifying an area on a document, the operator only has to do so while placing the document on the top surface of the device, which improves the tactile sensation and accuracy when specifying the document.

Further, since the coordinate position detection device is arranged at the position of the document storage table on the upper surface of the automatic document feeder, it does not interfere with miniaturization of the automatic document feeder. Then, a protection member detection means for detecting the position of the protection member and an actuation/stopping means for controlling the document feeding means based on the signal from the detection means are installed, so that the protection member is separated from the coordinate position detection device. Since the document feeding means is made inoperable at the time of the operation, and the document feeding means is made operable when the detecting device is covered with the protective member, the protective member is separated from the coordinate position detecting device when inputting data. It is possible to reliably prevent sheet documents from being ejected onto the detection device due to accidentally turning on the operation switch while copying. Preventing the heated sheet document from being ejected onto the coordinate position detection device and damaging the detection device due to the heat or friction of the document;
It is possible to eliminate malfunctions due to malfunctions of the detection device, and furthermore, since the sheet original is not ejected when the protective member obstructs the ejection path of the sheet original, jams of the sheet original can be reliably prevented. be able to. Further, it is possible to reliably prevent problems such as an operator inputting incorrect information due to interference by other sheet documents sent to the coordinate position detection device during input to the coordinate position detection device.

Furthermore, based on the detection of the presence or absence of the protective member since the end of the previous image forming operation, if the protective member has never been separated from the coordinate position detecting device, a second document feeder that feeds out the document from a source other than the coordinate position detecting device is activated. When the means can be designated and the protective member is spaced from and placed in a position covering the coordinate position detecting device, the coordinate position detecting device operates together with the first document feeding means for feeding the document from the coordinate position detecting device. By configuring the system so that the automatic document feeder does not use a coordinate position detection device, it is possible to distinguish between the operation of an automatic document feeder that does not use a coordinate position detection device and the operation of an automatic document feeder that uses a coordinate position detection device, and the device is operated only when a coordinate position detection device is used. As a result, malfunction of the coordinate position detection device can be more reliably prevented.

Furthermore, when the protection member detection means is composed of a protrusion installed on the protection member and a coordinate position detection device,
By simply providing a simple protrusion on the protection member, the existing coordinate position detection device can be effectively used as the protection member detection means, thereby reducing the number of parts and reducing costs.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an automatic document feeder according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing its operating state, FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing its operation, and FIG. 4 is another embodiment. FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing an automatic document feeder devised by the applicant. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a conventional automatic document feeder. 21... Image reading position (platen glass), 2
2... Conveying means (full-surface belt), 26, 46, 6
7...Document feeding means (feed roller, drive roller,
carry-in roller pair, feed roller), 42...coordinate position detection device (digitizer), 59...automatic document feeder, 60...protective member (cover member), 62...
...Protective member detection means (micro switch), 71
...Activation/stopping means.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In an automatic document feeder having a conveying means for conveying a document to an image reading position, an image forming apparatus disposed above the image reading position and on the upper surface of the automatic document feeder, and configured to form an image. a coordinate position detection device that specifies a region of time, and is installed so as to move between a position covering the coordinate position detection device and a position away from the detection device,
a protection member that protects the coordinate position detection device and serves as a document storage stand that collects documents ejected from above the image reading position; document feeding means that feeds the documents toward the conveyance device; a protection member detection means for detecting the position of the protection member; and an actuating/stopping means for controlling the document feeding means based on a signal from the detection means, when the protection member is separated from the coordinate position detection device. When the protection member is in a position covering the coordinate position detection device, the document feeding means is made inoperable, and when the protection member is in a position covering the coordinate position detection device, the document feeding means is enabled. Automatic document feeder. 2. The document feeding means includes a first document feeding device that feeds the document from the coordinate position detection device and a second document feeding device that feeds out the document from a source other than the coordinate position detection device. If the protective member is not separated from the coordinate position detecting device even once after the completion, the second document feeding means can be operated, and the protective member is separated from the coordinate position detecting device and moved to a covering position. If the first
2. The automatic document feeder according to claim 1, wherein said document feeding means is operable and said coordinate position detecting device is operable. 3. The automatic document feeder according to claim 1, wherein the protection member detection means is comprised of a protrusion installed on the protection member and the coordinate position detection device.