JPH056048A - Image reading method and document feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accomplish the high speed processing of parallel copying by discriminating whether the number of document is even or odd as to the bundle of documents in the case of setting a parallel read mode and arranging two documents on a platen after changing their order. CONSTITUTION:When the parallel read mode is selected, the number of documents is counted in 1st circulation. Next, the order of the document is changed in 2nd circulation. Namely, in the case of even number 2m of document, actions that the paper is fed to the platen 15 two by two from a bottom paper 2m and ejected as it is are repeated, and the paper is stacked on the tray again. In the case that the number of documents is odd, only one bottom paper is allowed to circulate first, and then the paper is allowed to circuited two by two in the same manner as in the case that it is even. Actual copying actions are performed in 3rd circulation, and the paper is fed from the bottom paper two by two and carried to the platen 15 by shortening a space between two papers in the case that the number of documents is even. In the case that it is odd, copying is singly performed on one bottom paper and the paper is carried two by two, then copying is performed in the same manner as the 2nd circulation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming method, and more particularly to a copying method in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a laser beam printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method for copying two originals on the same side of one sheet by using an original processing apparatus, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-58242 is known.
0-2942, 60-84945 and 6
No. 0-93462 discloses a method of feeding two originals in parallel in the conveying direction on the original glass. (Hereinafter, referred to as a parallel reading mode.) By the way, when the original pages are processed from the first page, in order to make the page order uniform, the original discharge stack after copying and the stack of transfer paper should be directed downward on the image surface (face). Down), the visibility is reduced, and the discovery of mistakes is delayed. When the processing from the last page is performed, the above problem is solved, but when the number of originals is odd in the parallel reading mode, the first page (the first left side) of the transfer paper becomes blank. As a solution to this problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-55667 discloses a method in which an odd number setting button is arranged on the operation unit and the control is changed by the signal thereof. That is, when an odd number is selected by the setting button, the final page is not set to the parallel reading mode and only one sheet is image-formed on the transfer sheet, so that the blank of the first page described above can be avoided.

[0003]

(1) However, in the conventional example (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-55667), the operator has to determine whether the number of originals is odd or even.
As can be seen from the configuration of FIG. 21, there is an operational problem that the original is set face down on the image surface (face down), and a desired copy cannot be obtained unless the setting method is taken into consideration.

To be more specific, the document should be set upside down so that the final page is at the top when the document is set correctly. At this time, if the top and bottom are inadvertently set upside down, as shown in FIG.
In the case of the scan direction and the copy paper transport direction shown in FIG. 22, a desired copy as shown in FIG. 22B is obtained with respect to FIG.

When the image surface is placed downward, compared to when the image surface is placed upward, there is a great risk of turning upside down.

(2) As another problem, in the structure shown in FIG. 11 or the structure shown in FIG. 23, the side where the original enters the platen (right side in the figure) is the scan reference side (left side in the figure). On the other side, the distance from the document tray to the reference position is long during normal copying other than the parallel reading mode, so that there is a drawback that the first copy is delayed.
At present, shortening the first copy time is an important proposition as the speed of copying machines increases.

On the other hand, in the configuration shown in FIG. 24, since the original is introduced from the left side of the scanning reference, the problem of the first copy is eliminated, but this time, the parallel reading mode,
In particular, since the original setting order on the platen is as shown in Fig. 25, the left and right sides of the obtained copy are reversed and the transfer paper is
If post-processing such as folding and stapling is performed, there is a disadvantage that the page order is out of order. Further, as shown in FIG. 26, when the final page is set on the scan reference side on the platen, the copy paper becomes as shown in the figure, and a blank space is generated between the last page and the previous page. Further, even if post-processing such as folding the copy paper in two and stapling it, there is a drawback that a blank portion is formed in the middle.

[0008]

According to the present invention, the labor of the operator's operation is saved, the possibility of operation mistake is reduced, and the copy speed (first copy) in the normal copy mode is not lowered. The balance as a system can be maintained.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a circulation type document feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention. The configuration will be briefly described. Reference numeral 1 denotes a document tray on which an operator places a document bundle s. Reference numeral 2 denotes a document stopper, with which the leading edge of the document is abutted. 3 is a half-moon roller
The leading edge of the original is separated and the bottom sheet of the original is conveyed. Reference numeral 4 denotes a weight, which falls when the originals are difficult to enter the separating portion and presses the originals bundle s from above the half-moon roller 3 to assist in the conveyance of the originals. Denoted at 5 is a separation regulation plate, which prevents the document bundle s from protruding into the separation section at once. A paper feed roller 6 cooperates with a pair of separation rollers 7 and 8 and a separation belt 9 described below to separate the lowermost document from the document stack. The tip of the upper guide 10 guides the document so that the document easily enters the registration nip formed by the registration roller 11 and the reversing roller 12. Reference numeral 13 is an inner guide plate, and 14 is a middle guide, both of which form a document transport path II and guide the document onto the platen 15. The original is conveyed onto the platen 15 and stopped by the conveyor belt 18 stretched between the drive roller 16 and the tan roller 17 and the roller 19 which presses from the rear surface thereof.
After the copying is completed, the conveyor belt 18 is reversed, and the document is scooped up by the jump table 20 and the lower guide 21 and the middle guide 14
The discharge roller pair 24 reloads the sheet on the tray 1 through the pulse formed in step (3), the gap between the open / close guide 22 and the reversing roller 12, the flapper 23 and the upper guide 10.

During double-sided printing, the flapper 23 deflects and the original document passes through the reverse path V formed under the flapper, and is conveyed again onto the platen through the registration roller 11 and the reverse roller 12 and the path II.

Next, the operation in the parallel reading mode will be described. First, the operator selects the above mode on the operation unit,
When the copy key is pressed, the first circulation starts and counting of the number of sheets starts. First, the recycle lever 25 rides on the uppermost surface of the document stack from the back side of the document tray 1 (FIG. 2). Documents are counted while being conveyed in order from the bottom sheet, and are circulated (pass I → II → III → switchback → V
The I) document is reloaded on the upper side of the recycle lever 25 through the above-described transport path VI (FIG. 3). When all the originals are circulated, the recycle lever falls by its own weight, the interval between the originals is detected, and the number of originals is counted.

During the first circulation, the copy operation (reading of the original document) is not performed.

Next, the second circulation is performed. At this time also, the copying operation is not performed, and the order of the following originals is changed.

I) When the number of originals is an even number When the number of originals is an even number , the second circulation repeats the operation of feeding two sheets from the bottom sheet onto the platen and discharging them as they are. That is, if the original is 2 m (m = 1, 2, 3 ...), first, 2 m and 2m−1th sheet are placed on the platen (FIG. 4 (a)) and discharged (FIG. 4 (b)). Next, 2 (m-
1) = (2m−2) th sheet and 2 (m−1) −1 = (2m−)
3) The second sheet is placed on the platen (FIG. 4 (c)) and discharged and reloaded (FIG. 4 (d)). The steps are performed in the following order, and finally on the tray, the order is as shown in FIG.

Ii) When the number of originals is odd In the case of an odd number, first, only the bottom sheet is circulated, and then two sheets are circulated in the same manner as when the number is even. That is, when the number of originals is 2m + 1 (m = 1, 2, 3 ...), first, the (2m + 1) th sheet is independently fed (FIG. 5A) and discharged (FIG. 5B). Next, 2 sheets each, 2m and (2m-1)
The sheet is fed (Fig. 5 (c)) and discharged (Fig. 5 (d)).
The final result is as shown in FIG. 5 (e) on the tray.

When the rearrangement of the originals is completed in the second circulation,
Move to the third cycle. In the third cycle, the actual copy operation is performed to obtain copy paper in the parallel reading mode.

I) When the number of originals is an even number : From the bottom, the two sheets are conveyed from the bottom to the platen at intervals of two sheets, and the copy operation is performed. That is, since two sheets are fed from FIG. 4 (e), the platen has the form shown in FIG. 6 (a), and the copy paper has the form shown in FIG. 6 (b). With this output form, it is easy to add post-processing such as folding and stapling to the output paper to make a simple bookbinding form (the page order is not changed). Further, the originals copied two by two are ejected as they are, so that the originals are returned to the original order.

Ii) When the number of originals is an odd number When the number of originals is an odd number, as in the second circulation, first, the bottom one sheet is independently copied. In the most usual case, since the final paper is copied to a half size (A4 letter size B5 etc.) paper, the copy is stopped on the platen close to the scanning reference (FIG. 7A). However, for example, fold it into a bag,
In the case of a bookbinding shape, since copying is performed on a large size paper, the copying is stopped on the side farther from the scanning reference (FIG. 7B).

This switching may be performed by entanglement with a fold designation selection key, or by an operator selection method.

If the last sheet of paper is independently copied, then two sheets of paper are conveyed, copied, and discharged as in the case of an even number, the original order is restored.

The above operation is shown in the flow chart of FIG.

[Second Embodiment] In the above-described embodiment, three cycles of counting the number of documents, document sequence exchange, and mode copy operation are performed, but the following method may be used.

First, the number of originals is counted in the first circulation. Next, in the second time, when the number of originals is an even number, after the 2m-th sheet is conveyed and reaches the platen, the conveyor belt 18 is reversed and moved in the carry-out direction. The trailing edge of the document is the drive roller 1
It passes just below the axis of 6 and is temporarily stopped within the range on the platen (FIG. 8). Next, the (2m-1) th sheet is conveyed from the tray, and the rear end of the (2m-1) th sheet is the drive roller 16.
The reversing roller 12 is rotated in reverse at the timing immediately below the axis of, and the 2m-th sheet is conveyed back to the platen again (FIG. 9). After the copy is finished, it can be discharged as it is. The details will be described below.

The operation in the parallel reading mode will be described. First, when the operator selects the above mode on the operation unit 30 with the mode switch 32 and presses the copy key (the mode selection key may be in the original transport device or in the image processing device), the first key is pressed. The second circulation starts and the number of documents is counted. When the counting of the number of sheets starts, first, the recycle lever 25 rides on the uppermost surface of the document stack from the back side of the document tray 1 (FIG. 2). The originals that have been counted and circulated while being conveyed in order from the lowermost sheet are reloaded on the upper side of the recycle lever 25 through the above-described conveying path (FIG. 3). When all the originals are circulated, the recycle lever falls by its own weight, the interval between the originals is detected, and the number of originals is counted.

The copy operation is not performed during the first circulation.

By counting the number of originals, the total number of originals s can be known, and it is possible to discriminate odd and even originals.

In the above, even-odd number discrimination is performed by counting the number of originals. However, if the number of originals is small, the operator can easily grasp the number of originals to be processed in advance. Oddness of a bundle of documents
You only have to enter the distinction between the even numbers. FIG. 11 shows an operation unit on the image processing apparatus. The document number input key 31 in the figure includes an even number key 31 'and an odd number key 31 ", which are input to the document processing apparatus by pressing either odd or odd number according to the number of documents.

As described above, when the odd-even number of the document stack s is discriminated by either the document number counting operation by the document processing apparatus or the input by the operation unit, the copy operation in the parallel reading mode is started next. About copy operation,
The copy operations for even-numbered sheets and odd-numbered sheets will be described.

(I) When the number of document bundles s is an even number : Document bundle s on the document tray s The 2mth lowest document in FIG. 12A is fed, and the reversing roller 12 rotates forward to feed the document. After passing through the path II, the conveyor belt is rotated in the forward direction and conveyed onto the platen 15. When the 2m-th document is set at a predetermined position on the platen 15, the feeding of the next document (2m-1) -th document is started, the reversing roller 12 is rotated in the forward direction, and the leading end of the document is in the registration nip. Figure 12 (b) to enter. Next, the 2m-th document on the platen 15 is discharged to the discharge path VI by the reverse rotation of the conveyor belt 18, and the reverse roller 12
The reverse rotation of the conveyor belt 18 is stopped when it is gripped by the reverse roller 12 'that abuts against (Fig. 12 (c)). Also,
At the same time, the document (2m-1) held in the registration nip is stopped when the front end of the document is guided to the platen 15 by the reverse rotation of the reversing roller 12.
Accordingly, the leading edge of the 2m-th document is held by the reversing roller that contacts the reversing roller, and the leading edge of the (2m-1) -th document is guided onto the platen 15 almost at the same time. (FIG.12 (c)).

Further, the reversing roller 12 is rotated in the normal direction, the conveying belt 18 is switched to the normal rotation, and when the trailing edge of the 2m-th document comes near the edge of the platen 15, the normal rotation operation of the reversing roller 12 is stopped. To be done. At this time, the trailing edge of the (2m-1) th original is conveyed to a position on the platen that substantially coincides with the trailing edge of the 2mth original (FIG. 12).
(D)). At this time, since the conveying force of the reversing roller is set to be much stronger than the conveying force of the conveying belt, the 2m-th original document held by the reversing roller 12 and the reversing roller 12 'is conveyed by the conveying belt. Even if 18 rotates forward, it will not be returned to the platen.

Next, the forward rotation of the conveyor belt 18 and the reverse rotation of the reverse roller 12 are simultaneously started, and while maintaining the positional relationship between the 2mth sheet and the (2m-1) th sheet shown in FIG.
A single document is placed on the platen 15 at a predetermined position (FIG. 12E).

At this time, two sheets are conveyed from the lowermost portion in the state of FIG. 12A and the above-mentioned document replacement is performed.
The positional relationship of the originals on the platen 15 is as shown in FIG. 13A, and the copy paper is output in the form of FIG. 13B. With this output form, it is easy to add post-processing such as folding and stapling to the output paper to form a simple bookbinding form (the page order will not be wrong). Further, the originals copied two by two are ejected as they are, and thus the original order (FIG. 12A) is restored.

Ii) When the number of originals is an odd number When the number of originals is an odd number, the lowest one sheet is first copied independently. At this time, in the normal case, since the final paper is copied to a half-size (A4 letter size B5 etc.) paper, the platen is stopped near the scanning reference and copying is performed (FIG. 7A). As a result, the copy paper bundle of the finished product becomes as shown in FIG. However, for example, when the booklet is folded in two in a bag shape and copied to a large size paper, the copy is stopped on the side farther from the scan reference. (FIG.14 (b)). As a result, the copy paper bundle of the finished product becomes as shown in FIG.

This switching may be performed by entwining the selection key for specifying folding, or may be performed by the operator by inputting the final page output form input key 33 on the operation unit 30. Further, for example, a cassette 1 described later for storing copy paper
According to the size information (not shown) from 00 and 102, when a half-size copy paper is set in the cassette, the original is automatically stopped on the platen on the reference side of scanning, and the half-size paper is automatically selected ( 14A, if the half-size copy paper is not available, the document may be automatically stopped on the platen on the side far from the reference side of scanning, and an image may be formed on the large-size paper (FIG. 14B). )).

After the last sheet of one sheet is independently copied, the original order will be restored if two sheets are conveyed, copied and discharged as they are, as in the case of an even number.

The above operation is shown in the flow of FIG.

[Third Embodiment] In the above-described embodiment, the document processing apparatus has been described as the circulating type document processing apparatus in which the processed documents are stacked on the unprocessed document bundle.
Paper feed tray 1 for setting a bundle of unprocessed originals as shown in FIG.
It goes without saying that the present invention can be achieved even with a configuration in which processed documents are discharged and stacked on a discharge tray 1'provided separately. It should be noted that in this configuration, the odd / even determination of the number of documents is only input by the operator to the operation unit.

In the embodiment of FIG. 18, the processed document is discharged from the same side where the document is carried onto the platen, but as shown in FIG. 19, the document is carried onto the platen. The processed original may be discharged to the side.
In this case, if the originals of the two originals on the platen are ejected as they are onto the ejection tray, the originals on the ejection tray will be different from the originals on the paper tray before processing. Immediately before the paper (between the discharge tray and the platen), it is necessary to change the original order again. This means platen 15
A buffer path P ₂ is provided between the paper discharge tray 1 ′ and the normal paper discharge path P ₁ so that the (2m−1) th original document is kept waiting at the buffer P ₂ at 1 o'clock for the 2mth original document. It is discharged _first through the path P ₁ , and then (2 m-
1) By ejecting the first document onto the 2m-th document on the discharge tray 1 ', the page order is aligned.

The overall structure of the copying machine will be described with reference to FIG. The automatic document feeder 130 is shown in FIG.
Although it is another example different from the configuration of FIG.

In FIG. 20, reference numeral 100 denotes an upper cassette, and the sheets in the cassette are separated and fed one by one by the action of the separating claw and the feeding roller 101, and the registration roller 1
It is led to 06. Reference numeral 104 denotes a manual feed guide, which guides the sheet material one by one to a registration roller 106 via a roller 105. 108 is a sheet stacking device (deck type)
In addition, the intermediate plate 108a that moves up and down by a motor or the like is provided, and the sheet on the intermediate plate is
The sheets are separated and fed one by one and guided to the conveyance roller 110.

Reference numeral 112 is a photosensitive drum, 113 is a reading optical system, 114 is a developing device, 115 is a transfer charging device, and 116 is a separation charging device, which constitute an image forming section.

Reference numeral 117 is a conveyor belt for conveying the image-formed sheet material, 118 is a fixing device, 119 is a conveyor roller, and 120 is a flapper. The sheet material on which the image is formed is guided to the discharge roller 121 by the flapper 120 and is conveyed into the sorter 122. The sorter 122 includes a non-sort tray 122a, a sort bin tray 122b,
It has a non-sort tray discharge roller 122c and a sort bin tray discharge roller 122d, and the non-sort tray and sort bin tray move up and down to divide the sheets one by one.
A discharge tray may be attached instead of the sorter.

An automatic document feeder 130 has a tray 130a, a separating means 130b, a return path 130c, and a discharge roller 130d. Documents are positioned one by one on the platen 131 by the device 130 and read by the optical system. A conveyance belt 132 guides the document to the platen by forward rotation (arrow A) and discharges the document from the platen by reverse rotation.

An image is formed on the photosensitive drum in accordance with the set number of copies for one original placed on the platen, and the sheet material for the number of copies is set in the cassette 10.
An image is fed from any of 0, 102, and the deck 108 each time an image is formed on the photosensitive drum. The registration roller 106 aligns the image on the photosensitive drum with the sheet material.

When the required number of copies are formed, the original is ejected from the platen, and the next original is positioned on the platen. The same applies hereinafter.

Reference numeral 200 denotes an intermediate tray, which is used to form an image on both sides of a sheet material, or to form an image on one side of the sheet material (multiplexing), by once removing the sheet material on which the image is formed. To stock. 201 is a conveyance roller, 2
Reference numeral 02 is a conveyor belt, 203 is a flapper, 204 is a conveyor belt, and 205 is a conveyor roller. In the case of double-sided copying, the sheet is guided to the intermediate tray 200 through the path 206. The sheet has the image side facing up. In the case of multiple copy, the sheet material is guided to the intermediate tray 200 through the path 207. The image surface of the sheet material faces downward.

The sheet material stacked on the intermediate tray 200 includes auxiliary rollers 209, 210 and a pair of forward / reverse separating rollers 2
By the action of 11, the sheets are separated one by one from below and are re-fed. The re-fed sheet material is conveyed by the conveying rollers 213, 2.
14, 215, roller 110, registration roller 106
Is guided to the image forming unit via. After the image is formed, it is discharged in the same manner as described above.

According to the number of copies set for one original placed on the platen, one side is first copied, and these are stacked on the intermediate tray 200. After that, the front and back of the original on the platen are reversed, and the original is guided to the platen again, and this image is read by the number of copies. The read image is formed on the sheet material that is re-fed from the intermediate tray 200 each time it is read. They are the sorter 122
Are sorted by page.

On the other hand, the original is fed by the automatic original feeding device 1
There is also a method of making only one copy every cycle. According to this method, even when a plurality of copies are created, a copy group in which the page order is uniform is sequentially obtained, so that the required number of copies can be obtained separately without the sorter.
When performing double-sided copying by this method, read both sides of one original in succession, copy them on the front and back sides of the sheet material, and eject them, and then do the same for both sides of the next original. If you repeat it many times, you will get a group of separated double-sided copies.

[0050]

As described above, parallel copying is automatically performed only by the operator selecting a mode, and the possibility of making a mistake in the original setting direction can be reduced.

Further, since the first copy in the normal mode is not lowered so much that this mode is emphasized, it is possible to provide a balanced device for the entire system.

Further, according to the present invention, when the two-original one-sheet copy mode (parallel reading mode) is set, the order of the original-bundle odd-even discrimination means and the plurality of originals on which images are formed on the same surface of one sheet is set. By providing a means for changing the order of a plurality of originals before placing them on the platen,
Images of a plurality of originals can be formed on the same surface of a sheet of paper, and high-speed processing is possible.

Further, when the number of original bundles is odd, the final page original stop position on the platen is changed in accordance with the information of the means for inputting the image formation form of the final page, and the output of the matched copy set is obtained. Is possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a circulation type document feeder according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a simplified view of a recycling lever on a tray.

FIG. 3 is a simplified view of a recycling lever on a tray.

FIG. 4 is a continuous diagram of the document order changing process (when an even number of sheets is used)

FIG. 5 is a continuous diagram of the document order changing process (when odd number of sheets)

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a relationship between placement on a platen and a copy obtained.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a relationship between placement on a platen and a copy obtained.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a simple flowchart.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing an operation panel section of the second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a front view showing the feeding state of the original.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a relationship between placement on a platen and a copy obtained.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a relationship between placement on a platen and a copy obtained.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the relationship between the placement on the platen and the copy obtained.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the relationship between the placement on the platen and the copy obtained.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart of the same.

FIG. 18 is a front view of the third embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a front view of the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a front view showing the entire copying apparatus.

FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional device.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a relationship between a document set, a platen placement, and a copy.

FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional device.

FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional device.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a relationship between a document set, a platen placement, and a copy.

FIG. 26 is an explanation of a conventional example.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. When a mode is set in which two originals are copied on the same side of one sheet using a circulating original conveying apparatus, an original number counting step, an original exchange step and a reading step are performed. Image reading method. 2. An oddness discrimination for discriminating a strangeness of a bundle of originals in an original conveying device for automatically placing a plurality of originals on a platen for forming images of plural originals on the same surface of one sheet. An original conveying apparatus having means and means for changing the order in a plurality of originals on which images are formed on the same surface of one sheet before placing the plurality of originals on the platen. 3. In an image forming apparatus having an original processing device for sequentially reading the image from the lowermost original of a stack of originals onto a platen of the image forming apparatus, the two originals are the same for one sheet. A mode setting means for forming an image on the surface, a means for discriminating whether the number of original bundles is odd or even, and when the number of original bundles is odd, only the last page of the original bundle is conveyed onto the platen and one sheet of the last page is conveyed. An image forming apparatus comprising: means for changing a stop position of a document on the platen from that in a normal mode.