JPH0580621A - Copying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To individually and automatically set a copying operation mode against each document where different types of documents exist mixed. CONSTITUTION:The device is constituted so that the type of each document is discriminated and detected individually by CCD line sensor 109 and 110 while each document of differing types which are existing mixed is fed from an automatic document feeder RDF, and the copying operation modes such as both side copying and black and white/color copying are automatically set against each document by a controller CONT.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a copying apparatus which discriminates a type of an original and executes a copying sequence in a desired copying style.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a copying apparatus for automatically discriminating a black-and-white original from a color original or automatically discriminating an original size functions as an image reading apparatus as shown in Japanese Patent Application No. 2-137048. An original reading unit is provided, and the original size and the original color are automatically determined by prescanning the original on the original stack.

[0003]

However, in the conventional copying apparatus as described above, if a document is placed on the document table and prescanning is not performed once, a monochrome document and a color document are automatically distinguished. However, there is a problem in that the size of the original cannot be automatically determined, and further, the one-sided original and the two-sided original cannot be automatically determined.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the original types are mixed and detected by detecting the original types during the feeding of the originals. It is an object of the present invention to obtain a copying apparatus capable of automatically setting a copy operation mode for a document individually.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A copying apparatus according to the present invention includes a feeding means for feeding respective originals mixed with different original types to a predetermined position, and an original being fed from the feeding means. A detection means for detecting the type of the original and a first mode setting means for automatically setting the copy operation mode for each original according to the type detected by the detection means are provided.

Further, a second mode setting means for automatically setting the copy mode while reading the sheet medium which can be fed from the feeding means by the reading means is provided.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the detecting means individually identifies and detects the type of each original while the originals of different original types are mixed and fed from the feeding means, and the first mode setting is performed. It is possible to automatically set the operation modes for the reading unit and the feeding unit according to the type detected by the unit, and to automate the copy operation mode setting for each original of different types.

When a sheet medium that can be fed from the feeding means is read by the reading means, the second mode setting means can automatically set the copy mode and the operation mode setting for each original can be automated. To do.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a detailed sectional view for explaining the structure of a copying machine showing an embodiment of the present invention. The configuration and operation will be described below.

Documents are sequentially stacked and placed on the document stacking table 101 with the copy surface facing upward. The presence or absence of a document is known by the light emitting element 102 and the light receiving element 103, and when there is a document, a paper feed roller 104 and a separation belt 10 are generated by a copy start signal.
5, the conveying roller 106 is rotated in the direction of the arrow to send out the document at the bottom (placed at the bottom), and the light emitting element 1
The document is detected by 07, 108 and CCD line sensors 109, 110, and images on both the front and back sides of the document are read. The read image information is sent as a signal to a document feeding control device (not shown), and the document feeding control device discriminates a monochrome document, a color document, a single-sided document, a double-sided document, a document size, and the like. The original is the registration rollers 111, 112
Conveyor belt 11 running on the document platen 2 via the
It is sandwiched by 3 and fed out, and stopped at an appropriate position according to the document size. The conveyor belt 113 has a roller 114 for driving the conveyor belt 113, a driven roller 115, and a pressing roller 118 for stably feeding the original 100. After scanning the originals, the single-sided originals are placed on the original placing table 101 via the sheet discharging / reversing rollers 117 by reversing the conveying belt 113 and placed on top of the originals (the uppermost one is placed).
Is discharged to. In the case of a two-sided original, the paper deflector 116 is moved to the dotted line portion to re-register the registration roller 11.
After the original 100 is conveyed onto the original platen 2 via 1, 112 and the rear surface is scanned, the original is inverted again via the paper discharge / reverse roller 117, and then the original is stacked on the original table 101. The document is ejected to the top (placed on top). RDF is an automatic document feeder.

The copying apparatus 1 is provided with an original placing table (original platen) 2, a light source 3, two cassettes 14 and 15, a manual sheet feeding port 51 and the like, and a photoconductor is provided substantially at the center of the copying apparatus 1. A copying section including 11 and the like is provided. In the vicinity of the periphery of the photoconductor 11, four developing devices 212 to 215 each containing a toner of a different color are provided, and further on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the photoconductor 11, a transfer charger 25 and a separating device. A charger 16 is provided. Paper feed rollers 28 and 29 are provided in the cassettes 14 and 15,
The transfer sheet S is configured to be guided to the registration roller pair 33 via the conveyance roller pairs 30, 31 and the path 32, respectively. Reference numerals 5 to 7 are scanning mirrors, and 8 is an image forming lens.

The manual feed port 51 has a paper feed roller 4
9 is provided, and the transfer paper S is configured to be guided to the registration roller pair 33 via the path 32. Then, the transfer paper transport path 2 disposed below the main body of the copying apparatus 1
A transfer sheet S which is to be multi-copyed or double-sided copied via 4 is guided to the registration roller pair 33. Further, a fixing device 17 is provided at the rear of the carrying device 34 having a carrying belt following the separation charging device 16.
Further, on the rear side of the fixing device 17, the transfer paper S is arranged to be discharged from the first discharge roller pair 35 to the tray outside the machine via the second discharge roller pair 18. A flapper 21 is arranged between the first discharge roller pair 35 and the second discharge roller pair 18, and the transfer sheet S discharged from the first discharge roller pair 35 is normally in a solid line position. Is configured to be conveyed along the upper side of the flapper 21 and to operate the transfer sheet detection sensor 19 to detect the passage of the transfer sheet and to be ejected to the outside of the machine by the second ejection roller pair 18 which rotates in the normal direction. ing. On the other hand, when performing double-sided copying, the transfer sheet S is partially transferred to the second
However, when the trailing edge of the transfer paper leaves the flapper 21, the transfer paper detection sensor 19 operates so that the second discharge roller pair 18 is discharged. The transfer sheet S is driven in the reverse direction and guided to the path 22 by being guided by the left side portion of the flapper 21. Therefore, during double-sided copying, the transfer sheet S is re-fed by the second discharge roller pair 18, the transfer sheet detection sensor 19, and the path 22. 26 is a developing device, and 27 is a primary charging device.

Further, in the case of multiple copying, the flapper 21
Is switched to the dotted line position, and the transfer sheet S discharged from the first discharge roller pair 35 is directly introduced into the path 22 by the guide action of the right side portion of the flapper 21. Then, the transfer sheet S introduced into the path 22 is conveyed by the conveying roller pair 36 and the conveying roller pair 37 which constitutes a conveying means.
Through the transfer paper transport path 24 having
It is configured to be guided by the pair of la 33.

In the transfer paper transport path 24, the transport roller pair 36 is driven in synchronization with the main body of the copying apparatus 1 by a driving means (not shown), and while the copying apparatus 1 is operating, it always rotates in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure. A transfer paper detection sensor 38 is provided immediately after the pair of transport rollers 36. The upper guide plate 3 is provided between the conveyance roller pair 36 and the conveyance roller pair 37.
9 and the lower guide plate 40 are arranged, the upper guide plate 39 guides the transfer paper that has passed through the conveying roller pair 36 to the conveying roller pair 37, and one end of the lower guide plate 40 is between the conveying roller pair 36. The retreat portion 41 is formed, and the transfer paper detection sensor 42 is formed.
A conveyance roller pair 43 is provided at the end of the sheet, and a flapper 45 for separating the transfer sheet bundle is provided at the end thereof.
A transport roller pair 44 is disposed below the flapper 45, and is configured to be guided to the registration roller pair 33 via a path 47. A guide plate 46 is provided above the flapper 45, and an upper portion of the flapper 45 is a retreat portion 48 for the transfer sheet bundle. Reference numeral 50 is a manual paper feed sensor.

In the copying apparatus configured as described above,
Detection means (in this embodiment, CCD line sensors 109, 1
10) individually identifies and detects the type of each document while feeding each document of different document types mixed from the feeding means (automatic document feeder RDF), and sets the first mode. It is possible to automatically set the operation mode for the reading unit and the feeding unit according to the type in which the means (the controller CONT in this embodiment) is detected, and to automate the operation mode setting for each original of a different type. ..

Further, when a sheet medium which can be fed from the feeding means is read by the reading means, the second mode setting means (the controller CONT in this embodiment) automatically sets the copy mode, and the copy mode is set for each original. It is possible to automate the operation mode setting.

Further, the detecting means detects the document size type, and the first mode setting means automatically sets the operation mode for the reading means and the feeding means according to the detected document size type, and the different document size types. It is possible to automate the operation mode setting for each document.

Further, the detecting means detects the hue type of the original,
The first mode setting unit automatically sets the operation mode for the reading unit and the feeding unit according to the detected document hue type, and can automate the operation mode setting for each document having a different document hue type.

Further, the detecting means detects the document surface type, and the first mode setting means automatically sets the operation mode for the reading means and the feeding means according to the detected document surface type, and the document surface type is different. It is possible to automate the operation mode setting for each document.

Next, the image forming process on the transfer paper will be described.

Image sensor (CCD line sensor) 9
The image signal input to (1) is converted into an optical signal by the exposure unit (scanner) 10 that has been subjected to the processing, and irradiates the photoconductor 11 converted into an image signal. The latent image formed on the photoconductor 11 by the irradiation light is developed by the developing devices 212 to 215. Matching the timing with the latent image, at the transfer section,
The developed image is transferred to a transfer paper. The transferred image is fixed by the fixing device 17 and then discharged to the outside of the apparatus by the pair of discharge rollers 35 and 18, or is sent to a multiple pass in the case of double-sided copying and multiplex copying.

Next, with respect to the main part of the present invention, for example, a single-sided original and a double-sided original are placed on the original stacking table 101 in a mixed manner, and all originals are set to be copied on both sides of a transfer sheet. The operation when the operation unit of the main body of the copying apparatus 1 is used will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

FIG. 2 shows the first part of the copying apparatus according to the present invention.
5 is a flowchart showing an example of the document identification / copying process procedure. Note that (1) to (19) indicate each step.

First, when a copy mode key (not shown) on the operation unit is pressed, the controller CONT sets the double-sided copy mode in the copying apparatus 1 (1). Next, when the copy start key is pressed, the presence or absence of the document is checked by the light emitting element 102 and the light receiving element 103 (2). If NO, the process is ended, and if YES, the document is read from the bottom of the document stacking table 101. Start feeding, CCD line sensor 109, 1
Read the manuscript at 10 (3), judge whether the following manuscript judgment conditions are satisfied, and judge whether the fed manuscript is a single-sided manuscript (4). If YES, continue feeding the manuscript. ,
The document is placed on the document platen 2 and the scanning unit 4 is moved at a predetermined speed to scan the document surface (5). Then
The discharge / reverse roller 117 is driven to discharge the document 100 placed on the document platen 2 onto the document stacking table 101 (6).

In the present embodiment, the one-sided document determination condition is that the following expression (1) is satisfied.

For all d, Xd> A (1) where A is the threshold of the CCD line sensors 109 and 110, and Xd is the CCD line sensors 109 and 110.
Each of the read pixel outputs is shown. Further, d is assumed to satisfy d1 <d <d2 which is larger than the constant d1 and smaller than the constant d2.

Then, the latent image formed on the photoconductor 11 is developed by the laser beam which is scanned and exposed by the scanner 10 based on the document image information output from the CCD line sensor 9 to form a transfer sheet. Copy the image of the original (7). Next, it is judged whether the transfer paper has been used on both sides (8), and N
If it is O, it is inverted via the path 24 (9) and step (2)
Return to and prepare for the next document reading.

On the other hand, if the result of the judgment in step (8) is YES, after the paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray 20 without passing through the judgment loop (10), the process returns to step (2) to read the next original. Prepare

On the other hand, if the determination in step (4) is NO,
That is, when it is determined that the original is a double-sided original, the original platen 2
The front side is placed as the lower side, and the scanning unit 4 is moved at a predetermined speed to scan the surface of the document (11). Next, the sheet discharge / reversing roller 117 is driven to drive the original platen 2
The document placed on the document is driven again in the determination direction by the paper discharge / reversal roller 117, and the document is fed again so that the back surface of the document is the lower surface of the document platen 2 (12). Meanwhile, CCD
The latent image formed on the photoconductor 11 is developed by the laser beam which is scanned and exposed by the scanner 10 on the basis of the document surface image information output from the line sensor 9, and the document is printed on the fed transfer paper. Copy the front image (13). Here, it is judged whether or not images are formed on both sides of the transfer paper (14), and N
If it is O, the transfer paper is inverted through the inversion loop (15) and the process proceeds to step (17).

On the other hand, if the reversal of step (14) is YES, the transfer paper is ejected outside the machine (16) and output to the paper ejection tray 20. Next, the scanning unit 4 is moved at a predetermined speed with respect to the back surface of the double-sided original that is inverted and placed on the original platen 2 to scan the front surface of the original (17), and the original is inverted by the paper discharge / reverse roller 117. (1
8), the latent image formed on the photoconductor 11 is developed by the laser beam which is scanned and exposed by the scanner 10 based on the already read image information on the back surface of the document, and the latent image is formed on the fed transfer paper. Copy the image on the back of the document (19) and return to step (8).

Similarly, when a single-sided original and a double-sided original are mixedly placed on the original stacking table 101 and all originals are set to be copied on one side of the transfer paper, the same procedure is performed. To be done. Further, a single-sided original and a double-sided original are mixedly placed on the original stacking table 101, and a setting such that a single-sided original is copied on one side and a double-sided original is copied on both sides is made by an operation unit of the main body of the copying apparatus 1. In the case, it can be processed by the same procedure.

In the above-described embodiment, the case of executing the double-sided or single-sided copying when the both-sided or single-sided black-and-white originals are mixed on the original stacking table 101 has been described. The present invention can be applied even when color / monochrome originals are mixed. Hereinafter, description will be given with reference to FIG.

FIG. 3 shows the second part of the copying apparatus according to the present invention.
5 is a flowchart showing an example of the document identification / copying process procedure. Note that (1) to (8) indicate each step.

First, when a copy mode key (not shown) in the operation unit is pressed, the controller CONT sets a black / white mode in which a black / white original is copied in black and white and a color original is copied in color in the copying apparatus 1. (1). Next, when the copy start key is pressed, the presence or absence of the document is checked by the light emitting element 102 and the light receiving element 103 (2). If NO, the process is ended, and if YES, the document is read from the bottom of the document stacking table 101. Start feeding, CCD line sensor 10
The document is read at 9,110 (3), it is determined whether the following document determination conditions are satisfied, and it is determined whether the fed document is a black and white document (4). If YES, the document is placed on the document platen 2. Then, the scanning unit 4 is moved at a predetermined speed to scan the document in black and white (5), and the developing device 212 selected on the fed transfer paper makes a black and white copy (6).
Return to (2).

On the other hand, if the determination in step (4) is NO, color scanning is performed in which the original is placed on the original platen 2, the scanning unit 4 is moved at a predetermined speed, and the original is scanned a predetermined number of times while performing color separation. Then, the color image is copied onto the transfer paper by the developing devices 212 to 215 which are sequentially selected (7), and the process returns to step (2).

In the present embodiment, the color original determination condition is to satisfy the following expressions (2) and (3).

Rx / (Rx + Gx + Bx) = A * Gx / (Rx + Gx + Bx) ... (2) Rx / (Rx + Gx + Bx) = B * Bx / (Rx + Gx + Bx ) ... (3) where Rx is the red output of the CCD line sensor and Gx
Indicates the green output of the CCD line sensor, and Bx indicates the blue output of the CCD line sensor. A and B are constants.

Similarly, for example, when a black-and-white original and a color original are mixedly placed on the original stacking unit 101 and the mode is set to copy the original in black and white by the operation unit of the copying apparatus 1 main body. Can be processed by the same procedure.

In the above-described embodiment, the document identification / copy processing operation in the case where a black-and-white original and a color original are mixedly placed has been described. However, originals having different original sizes are mixedly placed on the original stacking unit 101. The present invention can be applied even when it is installed. Below, the flow shown in FIG.
The third document identifying and copying processing operation in the copying apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the chart.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the copying apparatus according to the present invention.
5 is a flowchart showing an example of the document identification / copying process procedure. Note that (1) to (6) indicate each step.

First, when a copy mode key (not shown) on the operation unit is depressed, the controller CONT depresses a key corresponding to the mode in which all the originals are copied to the copying apparatus 1 in A4 size. Set (1). Next, when the copy start key is pressed, the light emitting element 10
2. Check the presence or absence of the original by the light receiving element 103 (2), NO
If so, the process is ended, and if YES, document feeding is started from the lowermost portion on the document stacking table 101, the document size is detected by the CCD line sensors 109 and 110 (3), and the detected document size signal is sent. The document is output to the controller CONT and the controller of the automatic document feeder RDF, and the document is stopped at an appropriate position on the document platen 2. In addition,
The LaCONT detects the document size by analyzing the outputs of the CCD line sensors 109 and 110 in the main scanning direction (see the pixel output shown in FIG. 5) and the sub-scanning direction (see the document detection time shown in FIG. 6).

Then, after scanning the original placed on the original platen 2 by moving the scanning unit 4 at a predetermined speed (4), the image information output from the CCD line sensor 9 is transferred to the selected transfer paper size. (In this embodiment, A4
The copy magnification that can be appropriately copied is calculated to determine the copy magnification, and the image information is scaled in the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction. During this period, the document placed on the document platen 2 is reversed and discharged by the discharge / reversal roller 117 (5), and the laser beam is scanned and exposed by the scanner 10 based on the image information that has been subjected to the scaling processing. The latent image formed on the photoconductor 11 is developed by the drum, the scaled image is copied on the fed transfer paper (6), and the process returns to step (2).

The vertical axis shown in FIG. 5 shows the pixel output level, the horizontal axis shows the pixel number, the vertical axis shown in FIG. 6 shows the pixel output level, and the horizontal axis shows the detection time.

Similarly, for example, originals of different sizes are mixedly placed on the original stacking table 101, and the setting is made so that all the originals are copied in the same size as the originals. The present invention can be applied to the case where the setting is made in step 1.

In the above embodiment, the case of inputting an instruction to set each copy mode from the operation unit of the main body of the copying apparatus 1 has been described, but the copy mode can be set by reading a card medium as shown in FIG. The present invention can be applied to various copying machines.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the structure of a sheet medium for setting another copy mode in the copying machine shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the case where the card medium is a mark sheet type sheet medium MSH is shown, and when the sheet medium MSH is fed from the automatic document feeder RDF, the mark rows read by the CCD line sensors 109 and 110. The copy mode is automatically set based on the above.

The sheet medium MSH is placed at the bottom of the originals placed on the original placing table 101, and the originals are sequentially stacked on the original placing table 101 with the copy surface facing upward. The presence or absence of the original is known by the light emitting element 102 and the light receiving element 103, and when the original is present, the paper feed roller 104, the separation belt 105, and the conveying roller 106 are rotated in the arrow direction by the copy start signal, and the bottom mark sheet is sent out Light emitting element 10
7 and 108 and CCD line sensors 109 and 110 detect the sheet medium MSH, and the light emitting element 1
07 and 108 and CCD line sensors 109 and 110
The mark content is read by the sheet medium MSH.
The sheet medium MSH is sent out by being sandwiched by the conveyance belt 113 running on the original platen 2 via the registration rollers 111 and 112. The conveyor belt 113 has a roller 114 for driving, a driven roller 115, and a pressing roller 118 for stably feeding the original 100.
When the sheet medium MSH is conveyed onto the document platen 2, the conveyance belt 113 is reversed, and the sheet medium MSH is conveyed by the sheet ejection / reversal roller 117 and ejected to the top of the documents stacked on the document placing table 101. To be done. The marking information of the mark sheet read by the CCD line sensors 109 and 110 is converted into a predetermined signal and sent to the controller CONT of the copying apparatus 1 to set the copy mode in exactly the same manner as the copy mode set by the operation unit. Set automatically.

Therefore, also in each of the above-described embodiments, the setting of the copy mode set by the operation unit according to the mark state on the sheet medium MSH can be automatically set by writing the mark on the sheet medium MSH.

In FIG. 7, the sheet medium MSH
Is a mark row an (n = 1) facing the sheet conveying direction X.
~ 3) and mark rows bn (n =
1 to 9), “■” is an optical gray-scale image, which the user marks while referring to a preset copy mode list or the like. The mark row a
The part 1 is for generating a mark position signal,
It is printed in advance. The mark columns a2 and a3 are columns corresponding to the number of sheets set, and the mark column a2 indicates the "tens" position and the mark column a3 indicates the "one" position.

Further, in the mark row bn, the mark row b3 ...
b9 is 2 ⁰ , 2 ¹ , 2 ² , 2 ³ , 2 ⁴ , 2 respectively
Corresponds to ⁵ and 2 ⁶ .

[0051]

As described above, according to the present invention, the feeding means for feeding the respective originals mixed with different original types to a predetermined position, and the originals being fed during the feeding of the originals from the feeding means. Since the detecting means for detecting the type and the first mode setting means for automatically setting the copy operation mode for each original according to the type detected by the detecting means are provided, it is possible to mix different original types. Even if there is, it is possible to automatically set the copy operation mode for each document fed from the document feeding means.

Further, since the second mode setting means for automatically setting the copy mode while reading the sheet medium which can be fed from the feeding means by the reading means is provided, the complicated copy mode can be automatically set.

Further, since the detection means is configured to detect the document size type, even if the document sizes are different and mixed, the copy operation mode for each document can be automatically set.

Further, since the detection means is constructed to detect the document hue type, it is possible to automatically set the copy operation mode for each document even if the document hues are different and mixed.

Further, since the detecting means is configured to detect the document surface type, even if there are mixed originals having both sides or one side, the copy operation mode for each original can be automatically set.

Therefore, even if different types of originals are mixed, the copy sequence can be executed without performing the prescanning of the originals, and the burden of complicated copy mode setting operation can be greatly reduced, and the copy processing can be performed in a short time. There is an effect that it can be completed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a detailed cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a copying apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an example of a first original identification copy processing procedure in the copying apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an example of a second original identification copy processing procedure in the copying apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an example of a third document identification copying process procedure in the copying apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a characteristic diagram showing a method of detecting a document size when feeding a document.

FIG. 6 is a characteristic diagram illustrating a method of detecting a document size when feeding a document.

7 is a plan view showing the configuration of a sheet medium for setting another copy mode in the copying apparatus shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 109 CCD line sensor 110 CCD line sensor RDF automatic document feeder CONT controller

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location G03G 15/04 119 120 9122-2H H04N 1/00 108 H 4226-5C (72) Inventor Koya Hideo, 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Kento Utsunomiya 3-30-2, Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A reading unit that optically scans a document to read document information and a copying apparatus that copies an image onto a storage medium based on image information output from the reading unit have different document types. A feeding means for feeding mixed originals to a predetermined position, a detecting means for detecting the type of the original while the original is being fed from the feeding means, and a detecting means for detecting the type of each original according to the type detected by the detecting means. A copying machine comprising: a first mode setting means for automatically setting a copying operation mode for a document. 2. A copying machine according to claim 1, further comprising a second mode setting means for automatically setting a copying mode while the reading means reads the sheet medium which can be fed from the feeding means.