JPH0573095B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image by feeding a plurality of documents two sheets at a time from an automatic feeding position to a document reading position. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that feeds only one document to a document reading position when the total number of documents is an odd number.

(b) Conventional technology Conventional image forming apparatuses use an automatic document feeder (hereinafter abbreviated as ADF) to feed a document consisting of multiple sheets.
A method has been adopted in which two pages are fed at a time to a predetermined position on the document placement surface of the document reading device, and images are formed on the two pages at once. In this case, the originals set in the ADF are usually stacked with the side with the information to be read facing down, so the first page fed to the original reading position of the original reading device is stacked at the top. This is the final page of the manuscript. If images are formed on two pages of a document at a time, if the total number of documents is an odd number, for example,
As shown in FIG. 7, taking as an example a document consisting of three pages, an image is formed on the first page only, and the remaining half of the sheet on which the image is formed remains blank.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention By the way, as mentioned above, in the case of a document consisting of an odd number of sheets, the above-mentioned image forming apparatus forms images for two pages at a time, and the first page of the document is copied. Since half of the sheet was left blank, the binding of the front page including this blank area was awkward.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention is aimed at solving the above-mentioned problems, and is aimed at solving the above-mentioned problems. The automatic document feeding device is equipped with an automatic document feeding device that can separate and feed one document at a time and set two documents side by side at a document reading position, and reads the documents automatically fed by the automatic document feeding device. In an image forming apparatus that forms the read original image on one sheet, a detection means detects that the first sheet of the bundle of originals loaded on the entrance tray is fed; An even number mode in which a sheet of original is set at the original reading position and read, and the read original image is formed on one sheet each time, or the first original detected by the detection means. is set independently at the above document reading position and read, this read document image is formed on one sheet, and for each subsequent document, two sheets are placed at the above document reading position. a control means for controlling the automatic document feeder in an odd number mode for setting and reading the document image and forming the read document image on one sheet; an odd-even number information output means for inputting information on whether the image forming apparatus is in the control means to operate either the even number mode or the odd number mode.

(E) Effect By employing the above configuration, when odd-number information is input to the control means from the odd-even information output means and the odd-number mode is set, first one is output from the automatic document feeder.
A sheet of a document is fed to a document reading position, and only the last page is imaged on a one-page sheet. Then,
The second and subsequent documents are fed to the document reading position two by two, and images are sequentially formed on one sheet from each two documents.

Further, when even number sheet information is input to the control means from the odd-even number information output means and the even number mode is set, the automatic document feeder feeds the documents two sheets at a time to the document reading position. Images are sequentially formed on one sheet from each original document.

(F) Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

The image forming apparatus 1 includes a document reading device (hereinafter referred to as a reader) 2 and an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as an ADF).
3, and the ADF 3 is placed on the reader 2.

Inside the reader 2, there is a scanning table 10 equipped with an illumination lamp 5, a reflecting mirror 6 for directing the illumination light onto the original, and a lens array 9 for focusing the reflected light from the original onto a reading sensor 7 such as a CCD. It is placed on two rails 12, 12 supported by the main body case 11. This scanning table 10 has wires 13,1
3, it can be slid in the direction of arrow A by a motor 15.

The ADF 3 is a platen 16 that is placed on the upper surface of the reader 2 and has a loading area for two pages of originals of a predetermined size.
and paper feed belts 17 and 18 disposed above it via a sheet feeding space, an entrance tray 19 provided at one end for placing a sheet original, and an inlet tray 19 provided at the other end for discharging a sheet original. Exit tray 2
The document 21 placed on the entrance tray 19 is placed at the end of the entrance tray, and when a document feeding command is given, it is sandwiched between a pick-up roller 22 and a paper feed roller 23 that are movable up and down. Paper is fed in direction B. Note that the paper feed belt 17,1
8 consists of two endless belts that roughly divide the area of the platen 16 in half along the paper feeding direction, each of which has a size that can press one page of a document of a predetermined size onto the platen 16. Further, whether or not a document 21 is stacked on the entrance tray 19 is determined by a photo sensor (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 1, the operation unit 25 provided at the ADF 3 (not shown) includes an odd-even setting button 26 for setting whether the total number of originals is an even number or an odd number, and an odd-even setting button 26 for setting the total number of originals to be an even or odd number. A page mode designation button 27 is provided for selecting whether the number of pages to be fed is 1 page or 2 pages, and these buttons 26 and 27 are used to control the automatic document feeding drive device 29 of the ADF 3. 30. The control section 30 includes a page mode selection button 2 of the operation section 25.
A page mode switching means 31 linked to the page mode switching means 7 and an odd-even number information outputting means 32 linked to the odd-even setting button 26 are arranged. Even number mode, in which the original image is formed on one sheet each time, or the first original is set alone at the original reading position and read, and the read original image is formed on one sheet. However, each time after the second original, two originals are set at the original reading position and read, and the read original images are formed on one sheet. 33 are arranged. Further, the control means 33 includes means 35 for detecting that the automatic document feeder 3 is feeding the first sheet.
A signal from the control means 3 is inputted, and the control means 3
3 and the signals from the page mode switching means 31 are output to the automatic document feeding drive device 29.

In the case of the two-page mode, the page mode switching means 31 switches the odd-even number information output means 32 to operate, and furthermore, the odd-even number information output means 32 responds to the signal from the odd-even setting button 26. Based on this, the control means 33 is switched to odd number mode or even number mode.

Next, an image forming method of the present invention using the image forming apparatus 1 will be explained along with the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, depending on whether the page mode designation button 27 is designated to the 1-page mode or the 2-page mode (step 1), the page mode switching means 31 of the control section 25 is set to either side. When the one-page mode is specified (step 12), the ADF 3 feeds the originals 21 onto the platen 16 one by one regardless of the total number of originals, the reader 2 scans the originals, and records the original information in an appropriate format. Output. When the 2-page mode is specified, the original number odd-even setting button 26 is selected depending on whether the total number of originals is even or odd (step 2).
The presence or absence of a document on the paper feeder 9 is checked (step 3), and if there is a document, the pick-up roller 22 and paper feed belts 17, 18 are activated, and the paper feeder 22 is moved as shown in FIG.
The sheets of originals 21' and 21'' are sent to the original reading position on the platen 16. In this case, the image side of the original is facing downward, and the later pages of the original are stacked firmly on the entrance tray 19. Therefore, the original stacked on the upper side is 21', and the original stacked on the lower side is 22''. To transfer two pages of originals from the entrance tray 19 onto the platen 16, first drive the pick-up roller 22 and paper feed roller 23, stop the pick-up roller 22 after ₁ hour T, and start feeding the paper after ₂ hours T. When belts 17 and 18 are stopped, 1
The first original is set on the platen 16 on the entrance tray side. By repeating this operation twice, the first document is set on the exit tray side, and the second document is placed on the platen 16 on the entrance tray side.

When two pages of the original are set on the platen 16 in this way, the mode 15 of the reader 2 is turned forward to drive the scanning table 10 from the entrance tray side to the exit tray side, and during this time the lens array 9 etc. Scan the original (step 5). After scanning the original, the illumination lamp 5 is turned off, the motor 15 is reversed, and the scanning table 1 is turned off.
0 is returned to its original position, and the image information of this document is outputted by an appropriate method such as a printer (step 6).

This process is repeated until there are no more originals, and when there are no more originals, the paper feed belts 17 and 18 are driven,
Eject the original on the platen 16 (step 7),
Finish the image forming process.

If the 2-page mode is selected and the total number of originals is an odd number, confirm that the original 21 is on the entrance tray 19 (step 8), and first place only one final page of the original on the platen 16. to be sent to. That is, the pick-up roller 22, the paper feed belt 17
₁ hour later, pick up the propeller 2.
2, and after T ₂ hours, the paper feed belt 17 is stopped. As a result, the final page of the document is set on the platen 16 on the entrance tray side. Thereafter, the original is scanned in the same manner as steps 5 and 6 (step 10), and original information is output (step 11).
Since the passage of the last page of the original through the entrance tray 19 is detected by the first original feeding detection means 35 of the control unit 30, the process returns to step 3 for the second and subsequent originals, and the process in the even page mode is performed. I do.

Here, when outputting document information by copying, for example, for an A4 size document, steps 6 and 11.
If you output to an A3 sheet in step 11, you will get a copy image as shown in Figure 5. If you output to an A4 sheet of the same size as the original in step 11, you will get a copy image as shown in Figure 6. It will be done.

(G) Effects of the Invention As explained above, in the two-page mode in which two originals are placed side by side and set at the original reading position, the control means sets the odd number mode means based on the signal from the odd/even number information output means. Then, the automatic document feeder sets the first sheet independently at the document reading position and forms an image on one sheet.
There are no blank areas in the image-forming sheets of the pages, and even if they are stitched together, they will look good.

Note that if the image forming sheet for the last page of the original is made to have the same size as the original, the image forming sheet with the blank area cannot be created.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an apparatus to which the present invention can be applied, FIG. 3 is a flowchart according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a document with two pages of originals placed. Figure 5 is a sheet of the same size as two pages of a three-page manuscript, and Figure 6 is a sheet of the same original with the same size as the original. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a conventional image forming sheet for a three-page document. 1... Image forming device, 2... Original reading position, 3
... Automatic document recording device, 26 ... Odd-even setting button, 27 ... Page mode designation button, 31 ... Page mode switching means, 32 ... Odd-even number information output means, 3
3... Control means, 35... First sheet feeding detection means.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A plurality of originals stacked on an entrance tray and arranged in page order are separated and fed one by one starting from the end of the page, and two originals are lined up and brought to the original reading position. It is equipped with an automatic document feeder that can be set, reads the document automatically fed by the automatic document feeder,
In an image forming apparatus that forms the read original image on one sheet, a detection means detects that the first sheet of the bundle of originals loaded on the entrance tray is fed; An even number mode in which a sheet of original is set at the original reading position and read, and the read original image is formed on one sheet each time, or the first original detected by the detection means. is set independently at the above document reading position and read, this read document image is formed on one sheet, and for each subsequent document, two sheets are placed at the above document reading position. a control means for controlling the automatic document feeder in an odd number mode for setting and reading the document image and forming the read document image on one sheet; an odd-even number information output means for inputting information as to whether the mode is in the control means to switch the operation to either the even number mode or the odd number mode. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the first document is set alone at the document reading position, a document image is formed in the same size as the first document.