JPH0664848A - Automatic document conveying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a desired conveying device without increasing the manufacturing cost by providing each conveying device with a document turn-over passage and a document deflecting member, in an image processor capable of being selectively provided with a turn-over type or a simple type automatic document conveying device. CONSTITUTION:In a case a turn-over type automatic document conveying device 4 is mounted on the housing of a duplicator, when the opening closing dynamic frame body 16 of the device 4 is brought into a closed position, a document input passage 42 is formed between a guide plate 40 and a static frame body 18. A document on a transparent plate 8 is moved from an edge positioned downstream from the transparent plate 8 in a downstream direction and guided to a document turn-over passage 542 after the passage of it through the stepped part of a document placing regulating member 406. The document is turned over and re-inputted on the transparent plate 8 from the edge positioned downstream therefrom. Meanwhile, when a simple type automatic document conveying device is arranged, a document on the transparent plate 8 is moved from an edge positioned downstream from the transparent plate 8 in a downstream direction and deflected upward from the stepped part of the document placing regulating member 406 by means of a document deflecting member.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic document feeder applied to an image processing machine such as an electrostatic copying machine or an image reader.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to automate the handling of originals in image copying operations or image reading operations, it has been put to practical use to equip an image processing machine such as an electrostatic copying machine or an image reading machine with an automatic document feeder. There is. As a typical prior art document which discloses an automatic document feeder, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 53-917.
47, JP-A-60-118551 and JP-A-61-49348.

An image processing machine such as an electrostatic copying machine or an image reading machine has a housing, and a transparent plate on which an original to be processed is placed is provided on the upper surface of the housing. The automatic document feeder includes an opening / closing frame and a stationary frame. The opening / closing frame is mounted on the housing so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis extending along the rear edge of the transparent plate between a closed position for covering the transparent plate and an open position for exposing the transparent plate. . The stationary frame is mounted on the housing adjacent to the upstream edge of the transparent plate. A document table is arranged on the stationary frame. The automatic document feeder is also provided with a document carry-in path extending from the document table to the upstream edge of the transparent plate and a document carry-out path extending from the downstream edge of the transparent plate. Further, in an automatic document feeder having a so-called document reversing function of reversing the front and back of a document as required, a document reversing path that branches from the document carrying-out path to the downstream edge of the transparent plate is also provided. . The automatic document feeder is further provided with a document sending means for sending a plurality of sheet-like documents placed on the document table one by one to the document carry-in path, and to the document carry-in path. A document carrying-in means for carrying in a sheet-shaped document onto the transparent plate, a document-transporting device located opposite to the transparent plate, and a sheet-shaped document transported from the transparent plate to the document-transporting path. And a document discharge unit for storing the document. When the automatic document feeder has the document reversing function, the sheet-shaped document discharged to the document discharge path and the discharge position for discharging the sheet-shaped document discharged to the document discharge path and the sheet-shaped document discharged to the document discharge path. A discharge reversal control member that is selectively positioned at a reversing position for introducing from the document discharge path to the document reversing path is provided, and the document discharging means is a reversing means for returning a sheet-shaped document on the transparent plate through the document reversing path. Also works as. The document conveying means conveys the sheet-shaped document carried on the transparent plate to a predetermined position on the transparent plate, and also carries out the sheet-shaped document on the transparent plate to the document discharge path. Such document conveying means is generally composed of a conveyor belt unit including a driven shaft and a driven shaft and an endless belt wound around these shafts.

Therefore, the conventional automatic document feeder has the following problems to be solved.

That is, a reversible type automatic document feeder having the above-mentioned document reversing function and a simple type automatic document not having the above-mentioned document reversing function are provided on the housing of the image processing machine according to the demand of the user. Conveniently, the transport device can be selectively equipped. When the reversible automatic document feeder is installed on the housing of the image processing machine, the sheet-like document carried out from the downstream edge of the transparent plate disposed on the upper surface of the housing is transferred to the transparent plate. It is desirable to guide and deviate upward at a position separated from the downstream end by a required distance. On the other hand, when the simple automatic document feeder is installed on the housing of the image processing machine, it is sufficient for the downstream edge of the transparent plate. It is desirable to guide and deviate upward at a position close to (the reason for which will be described later). However, such demand cannot be satisfied without causing a large increase in manufacturing cost.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above facts, and its main technical problem is to provide a reversible automatic document feeder having a document reversing function and a document reversing function. Image processing machine with simple automatic document feeder selectively installed on the housing according to customer's request, equipped with reversible automatic document feeder without a significant increase in manufacturing cost. In this case, the sheet-shaped document conveyed from the downstream edge of the transparent plate is guided and deflected upward at a position separated from the downstream edge of the transparent plate by a predetermined distance, and the simple automatic document feeder is installed. In this case, the sheet-like document conveyed from the downstream edge of the transparent plate is guided and deflected upward at a position sufficiently close to the downstream edge of the transparent plate.

[0007]

In order to solve the above technical problems, according to the present invention, a transparent plate on which an original to be processed is placed is provided with a housing having an upper surface.
An image processor in which a reversible automatic document feeder having a document reversing function and a simple automatic document feeder having no document reversing function are selectively mounted on the housing,
The reversible-type automatic document feeder is rotatable about a rotation axis extending along one edge of the transparent plate between a closed position for covering the transparent plate and an open position for exposing the transparent plate. A loading action for loading the sheet-shaped document to be copied onto the transparent plate from its upstream edge side, when the opening / closing frame is mounted in the housing, and the opening / closing frame is positioned at the closed position; Carrying out the original existing on the transparent plate from the downstream edge side of the transparent plate, and guiding the original existing on the transparent plate from the downstream edge side of the transparent plate to the original inversion path to reverse the front and back sides. It is possible to carry out a reversal action of re-loading onto the transparent plate from the downstream edge side thereof, and the simple automatic document feeder is configured to move the transparent plate around the turning axis extending along one edge of the transparent plate. Between the closed position for covering and the open position for exposing the transparent plate An opening / closing frame that is rotatably attached to the housing is provided, and when the opening / closing frame is positioned at the closed position, the sheet-like document to be copied is placed on the transparent plate from the upstream edge side thereof. A carrying-in function of carrying in and a carrying-out function of carrying out a document existing on the transparent plate from the downstream edge side of the transparent plate can be performed, and the upper surface of the housing is adjacent to the downstream edge of the transparent plate. And a document placement regulating member is provided, and the document placement regulating member is raised so that its upstream edge which is close to or in contact with the downstream edge of the transparent plate is located above the upper surface of the transparent plate. A position and an upstream edge of the transparent plate are pivotally mounted between a lower position and a lower position below the upper surface of the transparent plate, and are elastically biased to the raised position by spring means. A step is formed on the upper surface of the member with the downstream side lowered. When the opening / closing moving frame body is set to the closed position, the opening / closing moving frame body of the reversing type automatic document feeder is made to prevent the original document placement restricting member from being elastically biased by the spring means. The sheet-like original, which is moved in the downstream direction from the downstream edge of the transparent plate for carrying out or reversing, is passed through the step portion. When the opening / closing moving frame body is moved to the closed position by moving the opening / closing moving frame body of the simple automatic document feeder, the original placement restriction member is moved to the closing position. Forcible lowering means for forcing the lowering position against the elastic biasing action of the spring means, and a document deflecting member whose leading edge is positioned at the stepped portion of the document placement restricting member are provided. Sheet-like originals that are moved in the downstream direction from the downstream edge of the transparent plate for the purpose of Is provided, wherein the document is deflected upward by the document deflecting member from the stepped portion of the document placement regulating member.

[0008]

When the reversible type automatic document feeder is installed, the sheet-like document to be copied is carried into the transparent plate from the upstream edge side thereof, and the document existing on the transparent plate is transferred to the transparent plate. A simple automatic document is moved from the downstream edge to the downstream direction, passes through the stepped portion of the document placement regulating member, is guided to the document reversing path, and is turned upside down to be re-carried on the transparent plate from the downstream edge side. In the case where the transport device is equipped, the sheet-shaped original to be copied is carried into the transparent plate from its upstream edge side, and the original existing on the transparent plate is moved from the downstream edge of the transparent plate in the downstream direction. The document is moved and deflected upward from the stepped portion of the document placement regulation member by the document deflection member.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An image processing machine equipped with a preferred embodiment of an automatic document feeder constructed according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Overview of overall configuration

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an electrostatic copying machine indicated by reference numeral 2 in its entirety and an automatic document feeder indicated by reference numeral 4 by its entirety in the electrostatic copying machine 2. The electrostatic copying machine 2, which may have a known form per se, includes a housing 6 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a glass transparent plate 8 (FIG. 2), which may be rectangular, is provided at the center of the upper surface of the housing 6. It is arranged. On one side of the housing 6 (on the right side when viewed from the front), as shown by a chain double-dashed line, copy paper cassettes 10 and 1 containing a plurality of sheet-like copy papers which may be normal papers.
2 is detachably attached. On the other side of the housing 6 (on the left side when viewed from the front), a tray or a sorter (neither is shown) for collecting the copy paper discharged from inside the housing 6 is arranged. At the front edge of the upper surface of the housing 6,
An operation panel 14 in which a plurality of operation switches and indicators are arranged is provided. Although not shown, various components including a rotating drum having an electrostatic photosensitive layer on its surface are arranged in the housing 6. As is well known, an operation including original scanning exposure in which an original placed on a transparent plate 8 (FIG. 2) is optically scanned with the surface to be copied facing downward and the reflected image is projected on a rotating drum. In the image process, a toner image is formed on the rotating drum, the toner image is transferred to the copy paper supplied from the copy paper cassette 10 or 12, and the transferred toner image is fixed, and then the copy paper is received on a tray or a tray. It is discharged to the sorter.

The illustrated automatic document feeder 4 having various improvements according to the present invention includes an opening / closing frame 16 and a stationary frame 18. The open / close frame 16 is mounted on the housing 6 via a pair of mounting mechanisms 20 which are mounted on the rear edge of the housing 6 at intervals in the longitudinal direction and which may be of a known form. A pair of mounting mechanisms 20
Each having a depending leg 19 (FIG. 5), while the other housing 6
A pair of mounting openings 21 (FIG. 4) are formed in the rear edge portion at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction, and the hanging legs 19 of each of the pair of mounting mechanisms 20 are inserted into each of the pair of mounting openings 21. To be done. The opening / closing frame 16 extends along the rear edge of the transparent plate 8 (more specifically, extends slightly rearward and upward in parallel with the rear edge of the transparent plate 8), with reference to FIG. Is pivotable between a closed position shown in FIG. 2 and an open position shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, a permanent magnet 23 is provided at the front edge of the opening / closing moving frame body 16. When the opening / closing moving frame body 16 is moved to the closed position, the magnet 23
Are magnetically attracted to the upper metal wall of the housing 6. The transparent plate 8 is covered by the opening / closing frame 16 when the opening / closing frame 16 is positioned at the closed position, and the transparent plate 8 is exposed when the opening / closing frame 16 is positioned at the open position. When the original to be copied is manually placed on the transparent plate 8, it is necessary to manually open / close the opening / closing frame 16.

The stationary frame 18 has a downstream edge (left edge).
Is mounted on the housing 6 so that it is adjacent to the upstream edge of the transparent plate 8. The upstream portion of the stationary frame body 18 extends rightward beyond the right end of the housing 6. As shown in FIG. 1, when the opening / closing frame 16 is moved to the closed position, the downstream part of the stationary frame 18 is covered by the opening / closing frame 16, but the upstream part of the stationary frame 18 is opened / closed. It is not covered by the body 16.

Document table, document carry-in path, document sending means
And document loading means

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 together with FIGS. 1 and 2, the stationary frame body 18 has a base portion 22 fixed to a predetermined position on the housing 6, and extends from the base portion 22 to the right. And an extending portion 24 that extends. The downstream end (left end) of the extension portion 24 is connected to the upstream end (right end) of the base portion 22 via a connecting pin 25, and from the normal position shown in FIG. Counterclockwise). The upper surface of the base portion 22 has an upstream portion 26 that extends downward with a slight inclination, an intermediate reverse inclined portion 28 that extends upward with an inclination toward the downstream, and an inclination slightly downward toward the downstream. It has a downstream portion 30 that extends. The upper surface of the extending portion 24 extends downward with a slight inclination, and smoothly follows the upper surface upstream portion 26 of the base portion 22. The upper surface of the extending portion 24 and the upper surface upstream portion 26 of the base portion 22
The intermediate reverse tilt portion 28 constitutes a document table 32 on which a plurality of sheet-shaped documents to be copied are placed. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of width regulating members 34 are mounted on the upper surface of the extending portion 24 at intervals in the width direction. A pair of width regulating members 34, which may have a known shape per se.
Are movable corresponding to each other in a direction toward each other and in a direction away from each other, and a distance between the two is manually set to a length corresponding to a width of a sheet-like document placed on the document table 32. Is set by.

Continuing the description with reference to FIG. 5 together with FIGS. 1 to 3, the opening / closing frame 16 has a box shape as a whole, and its lower surface is open. Opening and closing frame 16
Can be formed from an appropriate synthetic resin. As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 3, the main portion 36 of the opening / closing frame 16 is immersed, and the upper surface of the main portion 36 is inclined upward from left to right. The upper surface of the main portion 36 constitutes a document receiving surface, and as will be further described later, the sheet-shaped original document carried out from the transparent plate 8 is discharged onto the upper surface of the main portion 36. As clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a concave portion 38 is formed in the lower center of the front surface of the opening / closing frame 16 so that a finger can be hooked when the opening / closing frame 16 is manually opened / closed. .

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, a guide plate 40 is attached to the lower surface upstream end (right end) of the opening / closing frame 16 so as to extend slightly downward toward the downstream side.
When the opening / closing frame 16 is positioned at the closed position, the guide plate 40 cooperates with the downstream portion 30 on the upper surface of the base 22 of the stationary frame 18 to define the document carry-in path 42 therebetween.

Explaining with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6, a document sending means 44 for sending out a plurality of sheet-like documents placed on the document table 32 one by one to the document carry-in path 42. Is provided. This document sending means 44
Includes a delivery roller mechanism 46 and a separation roller mechanism 48. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the opening / closing moving frame 16
Support side plates 50 and 52 are provided on both sides in the width direction of the guide plate 40 disposed at the upstream end of the bearing plate 54 and 5 between the support side plates 50 and 52.
The upper rotary shaft 58 is rotatably mounted via 6 (FIG. 6). Then, three feeding rollers 60 are fixed to the upper rotary shaft 58 at appropriate intervals in the axial direction. The feeding roller 60, which may be formed of a suitable material such as synthetic rubber, projects through an opening formed in the guide plate 40. As understood by referring to FIG. 3, the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 60 is not a perfect circle, and a substantially crescent-shaped notch is formed at a specific angle portion of the feeding roller 60. Corresponding to the upper rotary shaft 58, a lower rotary shaft 62 is rotatably mounted between the front side wall and the rear side wall of the base portion 22 of the stationary frame body 18. The rotary shaft 62 is mounted movably in the vertical direction over a range of some extent, and the spring member 63 is
(FIG. 4) is elastically biased upward. Four reversing rollers 64 are fixed to the rotating shaft 62 at appropriate intervals in the axial direction. The reversing roller 64, which can be formed of a suitable material such as synthetic rubber or synthetic resin, projects upward through an opening formed in the top wall of the base 22 of the stationary frame 18. The feeding roller 60 and the reverse rotation roller 64 are arranged alternately with each other in the axial direction, and each of the feeding rollers 60 is located between the adjacent reverse rotation rollers 64. The feeding roller 60 and the reverse rotation roller 64 cooperate with each other to form the separation roller mechanism 48.

As shown in FIG. 5, supporting side plates 50 and 5
Protrusions 66 and 68 are fixed to bearing members 54 and 56, which are fixed to No. 2 and rotatably support the upper rotary shaft 58. Correspondingly, as shown in FIG. 4, both ends of the lower rotary shaft 62 (these ends project forward and backward through the front and rear side walls of the base 22 of the stationary frame 18). ), Small discs 70 and 72 are rotatably mounted. When the opening / closing frame 16 is brought to the closed position, the protrusions 66 and 68 contact the discs 70 and 72, and thus the lower rotary shaft 6
2 is slightly lowered against the elastic biasing action of the spring member 63 (FIG. 4), and the upper rotary shaft 58 and the lower rotary shaft 6 are
2 is set to a predetermined value, and therefore the relative relationship between the feeding roller 60 and the reverse rotation roller 64 is set as required. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a connecting gear 74 is fixed to a rear portion of the upper rotary shaft 58 extending rearward through the supporting side plate 52, and a bracket piece 76 is also swung over a predetermined range. It is installed freely. A shaft 78 is fixed to the bracket piece 76, and an idle gear 80 and a small disc 82 are rotatably mounted on the shaft 78.
The idle gear 80 is engaged with the gear 74. A spring member (not shown) that elastically biases the bracket piece 76 clockwise when viewed from the front is interposed between the upper rotary shaft 58 and the bracket piece 76. The bracket piece 76 is elastically biased to a specific angular position. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, a connecting gear 84 is fixed to the rear portion of the lower rotary shaft 62, and a small disc 86 is rotatably mounted. When the opening / closing frame 16 is brought to the closed position, the idle gear 80 and the connecting gear 84 are engaged with each other, and thus the connecting gear 74 and the connecting gear 84 are connected via the idle gear 80. . Thus, when the upper rotary shaft 58 is rotated clockwise as seen from the front as described later, the lower rotary shaft 62 is also rotated clockwise as seen from the front. When the opening / closing frame 16 is moved to the closed position, the small disk 82 abuts on the small disk 86, which causes the bracket piece 76 to somewhat resist the elastic biasing action of the spring member. It is turned counterclockwise and thus idle gear 80 and connecting gear 8
The degree of mutual engagement with 4 is set to a required value.

Further, the base ends of a pair of support arms 88 are rotatably mounted on the upper rotary shaft 58. The pair of support arms 88 extend upstream (to the right in FIG. 3), and a rotary shaft 90 is rotatably attached to their free ends. And on this rotating shaft 90,
Two delivery rollers 92 are fixed at appropriate intervals in the axial direction. The delivery roller 92 can be formed of an appropriate material such as synthetic rubber. 5 and 6
As shown in the figure, a toothed pulley 94 is also fixed to the upper rotary shaft 58 so as to be adjacent to the base ends of the pair of support arms 88. Corresponding to the toothed pulley 94, toothed pulleys 96 are fixed to both ends of the rotary shaft 90, and a timing belt 98 is wound around each of the toothed pulleys 94 and each of the toothed pulleys 96. Has been. Therefore, when the upper rotary shaft 58 is rotated clockwise as viewed from the front as described later, the upper rotary shaft 58 is rotated.
Is transmitted to the rotating shaft 90 via the toothed pulley 94, the timing belt 98 and the toothed pulley 96, and the rotating shaft 9 is rotated.
0 is also rotated clockwise when viewed from the front. The supporting side plate 50 arranged at the upstream end of the opening / closing frame 16.
Between 52 and 52, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, a cam shaft 100 is also rotatably mounted. A pair of cams 102 are fixed to the cam shaft 100 so as to correspond to the pair of support arms 88. An actuating projection 104 is formed on each of the pair of cams, and a flat constrained surface 106 is formed near the base ends of the pair of support arms 88. When the cam 102 is located at the restrained position shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the operating protrusion 104 of the cam 102 engages with the restrained surface 106 of the support arm 88,
As a result, the support arm 88 is restrained in the raised position shown in FIG. When the support arm 88 is constrained to such a raised position, the feed roller 92 is separated upward from the upper surface of the original table 32 by a required distance. When the cam shaft 100 and the cam 102 fixed to the cam shaft 100 are rotated clockwise in FIG. 3 as described later, the actuating protrusion 104 of the cam 102 is separated from the constrained surface 106 of the support arm 88. Thus, the pair of support arms 88 are pivoted clockwise in FIG. 3 about the upper rotary shaft 58 due to the weight of the rotary shaft 90 and the like mounted between themselves and their free ends. The rotary shaft 90 and the delivery roller 9 mounted on the rotary shaft 90.
2 is moved down, and the feeding roller 92 is brought into contact with the sheet-shaped document placed on the document table 32. When the cam shaft 100 and the cam 102 fixed to the cam shaft 100 are rotated once and returned to the restrained position shown in FIG.
The actuating projection 104 of No. 02 is the constrained surface 10 of the support arm 88.
6, the support arm 88 is returned to the raised position and is restrained in the raised position.

Continuing the description with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5,
The guide plate 40 arranged at the upstream end of the opening / closing frame 16 has three document detectors, that is, the placed document detector 10.
8, a carry-in document detector 110 and a carry-in document detector 112 are mounted. Each of the detectors 108, 110 and 112 has a detection arm projecting downward through an opening formed in the guide plate 40, and the tip of the detection arm is formed on the upper surface of the base 22 of the stationary frame body 18. Has entered the opening that is being opened. The detection arm of the detector 108 is arranged in association with the downstream end of the document table 32. When a sheet-shaped document is placed on the document table 32, the detector 1 is detected.
08 detects such sheet-like originals (for a plurality of sheet-like originals, their front edges are set at the base portion 22 of the stationary frame 18).
Is placed on the original table 32 so as to be in contact with or close to the intermediate reverse inclined portion 28 on the upper surface of the document. The detection arm of the detector 110 is arranged at the upstream end of the document carry-in path 42 and in association with the position displaced rearward in the width direction, and a sheet-like document having a width of a predetermined value or more is provided in the document carry-in path 42. When sent out, the detector 110 detects this. The detection arm of the detector 112 is arranged in association with the center of the downstream portion of the document carry-in path 42. The detector 112 is a sheet-like document conveyed through the document carry-in path 42, more specifically the document carry-in path 4
The leading edge and the trailing edge of the sheet-like document conveyed through the sheet 2 are detected. The length of the sheet-shaped document is detected based on the detection of the leading edge and the trailing edge of the sheet-shaped document by the detector 112, and also based on whether the detector 110 detects the sheet-shaped document. Whether or not the width is equal to or larger than a predetermined value is detected, and thus, the size of the sheet-shaped document (for example, B5, A4 or B4 according to the JIS standard) is detected.

In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the document sending-preventing member 114 is attached to the guide plate 40 provided at the upstream end of the opening / closing frame 16 in association with the downstream end of the document table 32. Has been done. As shown in FIG. 3, the document feeding prevention member 114 is fixed to a rotatable pin 115 extending in the width direction (direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 3). This original document feeding prevention member 11 located at the center in the width direction
4, a spring member (not shown) and an electromagnetic solenoid 116 are attached. The spring member elastically biases the document feed blocking member 114 counterclockwise in FIG.
Elastically maintained in the blocking position illustrated in FIG. When the document delivery blocking member 114 is positioned at the blocking position, the hanging leg of the document delivery blocking member 114 is positioned at the guide plate 4 as described above.
It extends downward through the opening formed in 0, thus reliably preventing the sheet-like document placed on the document table 32 from moving downstream beyond the document delivery blocking member 114. When the electromagnetic solenoid 116 constituting the blocking member control means is urged, the document feeding blocking member 114 is pivoted clockwise in FIG. 3 to the retracted position against the elastic biasing action of the spring member. When the document delivery blocking member 114 is moved to the retreat position, its hanging leg retreats upward from the guide plate 40, thus allowing the sheet-like document on the document table 32 to be delivered to the document carry-in path 42. . When the electromagnetic solenoid 116 is deenergized, the original document feeding blocking member 114 is returned to the blocking position by the elastic biasing action of the spring member.

Continuing the description with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6,
The document carry-in path 42 is provided with a document carry-in means 118 for carrying in the sheet-like document sent from the document table 32 to the document carry-in path 42 toward the transparent plate 8. As shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, an upper rotary shaft 120 is rotatably mounted between the support side plates 50 and 52 arranged at the upstream end of the opening / closing frame 16. Two driven carry-in rollers 122 are fixed to the upper rotary shaft 120 at appropriate intervals in the axial direction. The driven carry-in roller 122, which can be formed of an appropriate material such as synthetic rubber, projects through an opening formed in the guide plate 40. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a lower rotation shaft 124 is rotatably mounted below the upper surface wall of the base portion 22 of the stationary frame body 18, and the lower rotation shaft 124 is provided with an appropriate interval. Two driven carry-in rollers 126 are rotatably mounted. The lower rotation shaft 124 is mounted so as to be movable up and down over a predetermined range, and is elastically biased upward by a spring member 125. The driven carry-in roller 126, which may be formed of a suitable material such as synthetic rubber or synthetic resin, projects upward through an opening formed in the upper wall of the base portion 22. As will be understood by referring to FIG. 3, when the opening / closing frame 16 is brought to the closed position, the driven carry-in roller 122 abuts the driven carry-in roller 126, and thus the driven carry-in roller 126 and the lower rotary shaft. 12
4 is slightly lowered against the elastic biasing action of the spring member. As will be described later, when the upper rotary shaft 120 and the driven carry-in roller 122 fixed to the upper rotary shaft 120 are rotationally driven in the clockwise direction in FIG.
24 and the carry-in roller 126 attached thereto are rotated counterclockwise in FIG.
The sheet-like original is conveyed in the downstream direction by the cooperation of the and 126.

As shown in FIG. 3, a static elimination brush 128, which is known per se, is attached to the downstream end of the guide plate 40. This static elimination brush 128 extending in the width direction is
It acts on the upper surface of the sheet-shaped document carried on the transparent plate 8 from the document carrying-in path 42 to remove static electricity from the upper surface.

In the illustrated automatic document feeder, the document carry-in path 42 has a lower surface of the upstream end of the opening / closing frame 16 (more specifically, of the guide plate 40) when the opening / closing frame 16 is in the closed position. It is defined between the lower surface) and the upper surface of the downstream portion of the stationary frame 18 (more specifically, the upper surface of the downstream portion of the upper wall of the base 22). Then, the sending roller 92, the feeding roller 60 that cooperates with each other and the feeding roller 60 that is located above the reverse rotation roller 64, and the carry-in roller 122 that cooperates with each other.
And the carry-in roller 1 located above the carry-in roller 126
22 is mounted on the opening / closing frame 16, while the feed roller 60 and the reverse roller 64 located below the reverse roller 64 cooperate with each other, and the carry-in roller 12 cooperate with each other.
2 and the carry-in roller 126 located below the carry-in roller 126 are mounted on the stationary frame 18. Therefore,
When the open / close moving frame 16 is opened, the original carry-in path 42 is completely opened. Therefore, when the sheet-like original is closed in the original carry-in path 42, the open / close moving frame 16 is opened and the original carry-in path 42 is opened. Can be removed easily and quickly without fear of damaging the closed sheet-shaped document. Further, when the feeding roller 60, the reverse rotation roller 64, and the like are contaminated, they can be cleaned sufficiently easily.

Document conveying means (conveying belt unit)

Inside the main part of the opening / closing frame 16, a conveyor belt unit generally designated by the numeral 130 is mounted. This conveyance belt unit 1 which constitutes the document conveyance means
30 is as understood by referring to FIG.
When the opening / closing frame 16 is moved to the closed position, it is positioned to face the transparent plate 8. Explaining with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the illustrated conveyance belt unit 130 includes a unit frame 132. The unit frame 132 includes a front frame member 134 and a rear frame member 136 which are arranged at a predetermined interval in the width direction. The front frame member 134 includes a driven side support plate 138 and a driven side support plate 140, and similarly, the rear frame member 136 also drives the driven side support plate 142 and the driven side support plate 14.
Includes 4 and. Driven side support plate 1 of front frame member 134
38 and the driven-side support plate 142 of the rear frame member 136, two horizontal members 14 are provided at appropriate intervals in the transport direction.
6 and 148 are fixed by appropriate means such as a set screw (not shown), and the driven side support plate 140 of the front frame member 134 and the driven side support plate 1 of the rear frame member 136.
One horizontal member 150 is fixed to the unit 44 by appropriate means such as a set screw (not shown). Thus, the driven-side support plates 138 and 142 and the horizontal members 146 and 148 form a driven-side unit half frame, and the driven-side support plates 140 and 144 and the horizontal member 1
50 constitutes a half frame of the driven unit. The horizontal member 1
Each of 46, 148 and 150 has a channel-shaped cross-section with an open top, as can be seen by referring to FIG. Horizontal members 146, 148 and 1
A plurality of openings 152, 154, and 156 are formed on the bottom wall of each 50 at appropriate intervals in the width direction.

The manner of connecting the driven-side unit half-frame and the driven-side unit half-frame is as follows. Two screw holes 158 and 160 are formed at the downstream end of each of the driven-side support plates 138 and 142 in the driven-side unit half frame at predetermined intervals in the transport direction. Conveniently, the screw holes 158 and 160 are formed by burring and subsequent tapping. On the other hand, at the upstream end of each of the driven-side support plates 140 and 144 in the driven-side unit half frame, a hole 162 having a relatively large diameter and a slot 164 elongated in the carrying direction are formed at predetermined intervals in the carrying direction. Has been done. Hole 162
Is preferably formed by burring. The slot 164 can be formed by a normal punching process. A coupling screw pin 166 is combined with the slot 164 and the screw hole 158. The pin 166 has a large diameter head portion 168, an intermediate cylindrical portion 170, and a tip small diameter screw portion 172. The outer diameter of the intermediate cylindrical portion 170 corresponds to the vertical dimension of the slot 164. As shown in FIG. 7, the intermediate cylindrical portion 170 of the pin 166 is inserted into the slot 164, and the tip small diameter screw portion 17 thereof is inserted.
2 is screwed into the screw hole 158. Thus, each of the driven side support plates 138 and 142 is connected to the driven side support plates 140 and 144, respectively. Pin 166, slot 164
In the connection method as described above by the connection means including the screw holes 158 and the screw holes 158, the intermediate cylindrical portion 170 of the pin 166 is used.
Can move in the slot 164 in the transport direction,
Therefore, the driven-side support plates 138 and 142 and the driven-side support plates 140 and 144 are connected so as to be relatively movable over a predetermined distance in the transport direction. A captive screw pin 174 is combined with the relatively large hole 162 and the screw hole 160. The pin 174 has a cylindrical portion 176 and a tip small diameter threaded portion 178. The outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 176 corresponds to the inner diameter of the hole 162. As shown in FIG. 7, the pin 174 has its cylindrical portion 176 inserted into the hole 162, and its tip small diameter screw portion 178 is screwed into the screw hole 160, thus supporting the driven side support plates 138 and 142 and the driven side support plate. Board 140
Relative movement with respect to the transporting direction of the vehicle is restrained. That is, the pin 174, the hole 162, and the screw hole 160 constitute a restraint means, and the relative movement of the driven side support plates 138 and 142 and the driven side support plates 140 and 144 in the transport direction is releasably restrained. At the upstream ends of the driven-side support plates 140 and 144, the grip pieces 17 protruding outward in the width direction are provided.
7 and 179 are formed.

A bearing member 180 is mounted on the upstream end of each of the driven side support plates 138 and 142 in the driven side unit half frame, and the driven shaft 182 is rotatably mounted by the bearing member 180. Has been done. The contact member 184 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of each of the bearing members 180.
Is fixed (for the contact member 184,
Further reference later). A belt wheel 186 is fixed to a driven shaft 182 extending in the width direction. On the other hand, a driven shaft 188 is rotatably mounted between the downstream end portions of the driven support plates 140 and 144 in the driven unit half frame. More specifically, the mounting openings 19 extending in the transport direction are provided at the downstream end portions of the driven-side support plates 140 and 144, respectively.
0 is formed. A bearing member 192 is mounted in each of the mounting openings 190. A flat lower surface and an upper surface are formed on each main portion of the bearing member 192, and a dimension between the lower surface and the upper surface which are parallel to each other corresponds to a vertical dimension of the mounting opening 190. The main part of each of the bearing members 192 is inserted into the mounting opening 190, and thus each of the bearing members 192 is mounted on the driven side support plates 140 and 144 so as to be movable along the extending direction of the mounting opening 190, that is, the conveying direction. To be done. The driven shaft 188 is supported by the bearing member 192. A belt wheel 194 is fixed to the driven shaft 188. A projecting piece 196 protruding in the downstream direction is formed on the upstream side edge of each of the mounting openings 190, while a projecting piece 198 projecting in the upstream direction is formed on each main portion of the bearing member 192. There is. The compression coil spring 200 is provided between the protrusion 196 and the protrusion 198.
Is provided. One end of each of the compression coil springs 200 is fitted to the projecting piece 196, and the other end is fitted to the projecting piece 198, and thus the compression coil spring 200 is securely held at a required position. The compression coil spring 200 has the bearing member 192.
Therefore, the driven shaft 188 and the belt wheel 194 fixed thereto are elastically biased in the downstream direction. The bearing member 1
A contact member 202 is integrally formed with each of the members 92 (the contact member 202 will be further referred to later).

As shown in FIG. 7, the endless belt 204 is wound around the belt wheel 186 fixed to the driven shaft 182 and the belt wheel 194 fixed to the driven shaft 188. The outer peripheral surface of the endless belt 204 is white. As described above, the compression coil spring 200 elastically biases the driven shaft 188 and the belt wheel 194 fixed to the driven shaft 188 in the downstream direction, that is, in the direction away from the driven shaft 182 and the belt wheel 186 fixed to the driven shaft 182, and thus the endless wheel is formed. The required tension is generated on the belt 204. In the illustrated conveyance belt unit 130, the winding operation of the endless belt 204 can be performed as follows at the time of initial assembly or belt replacement when the endless belt 204 is contaminated or damaged. it can. First, the captive screw pin 174 is disengaged from the screw holes 160 and 162,
Thus, the driven-side unit half-frame and the driven-side unit half-frame are made relatively movable in the transport direction. Next, the driven-side unit half frame and the driven-side unit half frame are relatively moved in a direction of approaching each other, and the driven shaft 182 and the belt wheel 186 fixed to the driven shaft 182 and the driven shaft 188 and the fixed shaft are fixed to the driven shaft 182. The belt wheel 194 that has been set is brought closer to each other. At this time, the gripping pieces 177 and 179 formed on the driven unit half frame can be gripped to move the driven unit half frame. After that, the endless belt 204 is wound around the belt wheel 186 and the belt wheel 194. At this time, the belt pulley 186 and the belt pulley 194 are brought closer to each other than in the required state, and the belt pulley 186 and the belt pulley 194 are shorter than the entire length of the endless belt 204.
Since the distance between the endless belt 204 and the belt 4 is small, the endless belt 204 can be wound sufficiently easily and quickly.
Then, the driven-side unit half frame and the driven-side unit half frame are relatively moved in a direction in which they are separated from each other, so that the distance between the belt wheel 186 and the belt wheel 194 becomes a required value.
Thus, the endless belt 204 is made to generate the required tension.
Then, the captive screw pin 174 is inserted into the hole 162,
It is screwed into the screw hole 160 and thus restrains the relative movement of the driven-side unit half frame and the driven-side unit half frame. In this way, the winding operation of the endless belt 204 can be performed sufficiently easily and quickly.

Continuing the description with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8,
In the illustrated conveyor belt unit 130, guide roller means 206, 208 and 210 are further provided in association with each of the above-mentioned three horizontal members 146, 148 and 150. Guide roller means 206, 208 and 2
Each of the 10 includes support shafts 212, 214 and 216 extending in the width direction. The support shafts 212, 214 and 216 are mounted on the unit frame 132 so as to be rotatable and movable up and down within a predetermined range. More specifically, two elongated holes 218 and 220 are formed in each of the driven side support plates 138 and 142 at intervals in the transport direction. The elongated holes 218 and 220 are elongated in the vertical direction (that is, in the direction perpendicular to the transparent plate 8 when the opening / closing frame 16 is in the closed position). The slot 218 extends above the slot 220, and the vertical dimension of the slot 218 is somewhat larger than the vertical dimension of the slot 220.
A projecting piece 222 that hangs downward is formed on the upper edge of the elongated hole 218. One elongated hole 224 is also formed in each of the driven-side support plates 140 and 144. The elongated hole 224 may be substantially the same as the elongated hole 218, and a projecting piece 226 hanging downward is formed at the upper end edge thereof. At both ends of each of the support shafts 212, 214 and 216,
Bearing members 228, 230 and 232 are arranged respectively. In other words, the two ends of each of the support shafts 212, 214, and 216 have bearing members 228, 230, and 23, respectively.
It is rotatably supported by 2. The bearing member 228 has an enlarged head portion 234 and a main portion 236. Both side surfaces of the main portion 236 are flat surfaces parallel to each other, and the dimension between the flat surfaces corresponds to the lateral dimension of the elongated hole 218. A protrusion 238 protruding upward is also formed on the main portion 236 of the bearing member 228. The main portion 236 of the bearing member 228 is the long hole 21.
8 and thus the support shaft 212 is mounted so as to be vertically movable along the elongated hole 218. The projecting piece 2 of the long hole 218
A compression coil spring 240 is arranged between the bearing 22 and the protrusion 238 of the bearing member 228. A compression coil spring 2 having one end fitted to the protruding piece 222 and the other end fitted to the protruding piece 238.
40 elastically biases the bearing member 228 and thus the support shaft 212 downwardly. A plurality of rollers 242 are fixed to the support shaft 212 at appropriate intervals in the axial direction. The roller 242 protrudes downward through the opening 152 formed in the horizontal member 146 and is pressed against the inner surface of the working running portion of the endless belt 204, thus moving the working running portion of the endless belt 204 downward. It is elastically biased and pressed against the transparent plate 8. The bearing members 230 arranged at both ends of the support shaft 214 also have an enlarged head portion 244 and a main portion 246. Both side surfaces of the main portion 246 are flat surfaces parallel to each other, and the dimension between the flat surfaces is the long hole 220.
It corresponds to the horizontal dimension of. Main part 2 of bearing member 230
46 is inserted into the long hole 220, and thus the support shaft 214 is mounted so as to be vertically movable along the long hole 220. Support shaft 2
A plurality of rollers 248 are fixed to the shaft 14 at appropriate intervals in the axial direction. The roller 248 protrudes downward through the opening 154 formed in the horizontal member 148 and is pressed against the inner surface of the working running portion of the endless belt 204. Support shaft 214 and bearing member 230
No spring member is provided for the roller 248.
Are their own weight and the support shaft 214 and the bearing member 2
The weight of 30 pushes the endless belt 204 against the inner surface of the working run. The bearing members 232 disposed at both ends of the support shaft 216 are substantially the same as the bearing members 228 disposed at both ends of the support shaft 212, and have an enlarged head 250 and a main portion 252. Both side surfaces of the main portion 252 are flat surfaces parallel to each other, and the dimension between the flat surfaces corresponds to the lateral dimension of the elongated hole 224. Bearing member 23
The second main portion 252 is also formed with a protruding piece 254 protruding upward. The main portion 252 of the bearing member 232 is inserted into the elongated hole 224, and thus the support shaft 216 is mounted so as to be vertically movable along the elongated hole 224. The projecting piece 226 of the long hole 224
A compression coil spring 256 is disposed between the protrusion 254 of the bearing member 232. A compression coil spring 256, one end of which is fitted to the projecting piece 226 and the other end of which is fitted to the projecting piece 254.
Elastically biases the bearing member 232 and thus the support shaft 216 downward. A plurality of rollers 258 are fixed to the support shaft 216 at appropriate intervals in the axial direction. The roller 258 protrudes downward through the opening 156 formed in the horizontal member 150, and is pressed against the inner surface of the working running portion of the endless belt 204, thus moving the working running portion of the endless belt 204 downward. It is elastically biased and pressed against the transparent plate 8.

Next, the conveyor belt unit as described above.
A mounting manner for mounting the 130 at a required position in the opening / closing frame 16 will be described. As clearly shown in FIG. 7, the driven-side support plate 138 and the driven-side support plate 140 of the front frame member 134 and the driven-side support plate of the rear frame member 136 that form the unit frame 132 of the conveyor belt unit 130. Each of the 142 and the driven-side support plate 144 is formed with a mounting projection piece 260 that is projected outward in the width direction from the upper end edge (the driven support plate 142 and the driven-side support plate 144 of the rear frame member 136). Mounting protrusion 260 formed on
(Only shown in Figure 7). The mounting protrusion 260 has an elongated slot 262 extending in the transport direction.
Are formed. The central main portion of the slot 262 has a predetermined width. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 3, a mounting block portion 264 is formed on the inner surface square portion of the main portion 36 of the opening / closing frame 16 so as to correspond to the mounting protruding piece 260. Such mounting block 264
A cylindrical screwing protrusion 266 is formed in the center of the lower surface of each of the above, and a screw hole is formed in the screwing protrusion 266. Further, on the lower surface of each of the mounting blocks 264,
A pair of cylindrical positioning protrusions 268 located on both sides of the threaded protrusion 266 are also formed. As clearly shown in FIG. 5, each of the mounting protrusions 260 has a spring member 27.
0, the collar member 272, and the screw member 274, and each of the mounting blocks 264 is mounted. The spring member 270 forming the elastic biasing means is formed of a spring steel plate, and has a rectangular main portion and legs extending outward and inclined downward from both end edges of the main portion. In the main part of the spring member 270, a circular hole 276 located at the center and the circular hole 2
Elongated holes 278 extending in the transport direction are formed on both sides of 76. The collar member 272, which is conveniently made of synthetic resin, has a head portion 280 and a shaft portion 282. Flat surfaces are formed on both front and rear sides of the shaft portion 282, and the dimension between the flat surfaces corresponds to the width of the central main portion of the slot 262 formed on the mounting protrusion 260. The axial length of the shaft portion 282 is the same as the mounting projection piece 2 described above.
Well longer than 60 thickness. The outer diameter of the head 280, which may be circular, is larger than the width of the central main portion of the slot 262. The collar member 272 is further formed with a through hole 284 that extends through the head portion 280 and the shaft portion 282. As described later, the screw member 274 is combined with the collar member 272 by penetrating the screw shaft portion into the through hole 284 of the collar member 272. However, if desired, the collar member 272 and the screw member 274 may be integrally formed. it can. As can be seen by referring to FIGS. 3 and 9 in conjunction with FIG. 5, mounting block 264 and mounting protrusion 26
A spring member 270 is interposed between the spring member 270 and zero. The positioning protrusion 268 formed on the lower surface of the mounting block 264 is an elongated hole 278 formed in the spring member 270.
Thus, the spring member 270 is allowed to elastically bend and expand or contract to some extent in the carrying direction (in this case, the elongated hole 278 is relative to the positioning protrusion 268 in the carrying direction. Move) but mounting block 264
The spring member 270 is prevented from moving as a whole. The shaft portion 280 of the collar member 272 is inserted into the central main portion of the slot 262 formed in the mounting projection piece 260, and the tip end of the shaft portion 280 is brought into contact with the main portion of the spring member 270. The shaft portion of the screw member 274 has a through hole 284 of the collar member 272 and a circular hole 2 of the spring member 270.
It is inserted through 76 and is screwed into the screw hole of the screwing protrusion 266 formed in the mounting block 264. In this way, the mounting projection piece 260 of the transport belt unit 130 is mounted on the mounting block portion 264 of the opening / closing frame 16. Since the length of the shaft portion 282 of the collar member 272 is sufficiently longer than the thickness of the mounting protrusion piece 260, the mounting protrusion piece 260 can move along the shaft portion 282 of the collar member 272. The spring member 270 elastically biases the mounting protrusion 260 downward. The collar member 272 extends in the vertical direction, that is, in the direction substantially perpendicular to the transparent plate 8 in the state where the opening / closing frame 16 is in the closed position. In this state, the transparent plate 8 can be moved over a predetermined range in a direction substantially perpendicular to the transparent plate 8. Further, the slot 262 formed in the mounting projection piece 260 is elongated in the transport direction, and the mounting projection piece 260 is movable in the transport direction within a predetermined range with respect to the shaft portion 282 of the collar member 272. Therefore, the transport belt unit 130 is also movable in the transport direction over a predetermined range.

As can be seen by referring to FIG. 7 in conjunction with FIGS. 3 and 5, the conveyor belt unit 130 is shown when the open / close frame 16 is in the closed position shown in FIG.
Of the driven shaft 182, the lower end of the contact member 184 disposed at both ends of the driven shaft 182 and the lower end of the contact member 202 disposed at both ends of the driven shaft 188 contact the upper surface of the transparent plate 8. As a result, the conveyor belt unit 130 opens and closes the opening / closing frame 1 against the elastic biasing action of the spring member 270.
6 is displaced relatively upward. In order for the conveyor belt unit 130 to function as required, the conveyor belt unit 130, particularly the driven shaft 182 and the driven shaft 18 thereof, are required.
8 and the endless belts 204 wound around them are positioned in a required state with sufficient precision with respect to the upper surface of the transparent plate 8. However, the conveyor belt unit 130 as described above is constructed according to the present invention. In
Even if there is some error in the mounting of the opening / closing moving frame body 16 on the housing 6 in which the transparent plate 8 is arranged or the mounting of the conveying belt unit 130 on the opening / closing moving frame body 16, etc., the conveying belt unit 130. Since the contact members 184 and 202 disposed on itself directly contact the upper surface of the transparent plate 8, the conveyor belt unit 130 is sufficiently precise and stable with respect to the upper surface of the transparent plate 8 in a desired state. Located in.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 9, a short mounting shaft 286 is fixed to the support plate 52 disposed at the rear portion of the upstream end of the opening / closing frame 16. A transmission gear 288 is rotatably mounted on the mounting shaft 286. As will be further mentioned below, this transmission gear 288 is drivingly connected to a drive source 290, which may be an electric motor, and is rotationally driven by the drive source 290 as required. On the other hand, the driven shaft 182 in the conveyor belt unit 130.
Extends rearward through the driven side support plate 142, and an input gear 292 is fixed to the rear end thereof. The input gear 292 is engaged with the transmission gear 288, and thus the driven shaft 182 of the conveyor belt unit 130 is drivingly connected to the drive source 290.
As described above, the conveyor belt unit 130 is moved relative to the open / close moving frame body 16 and positioned in a predetermined state with respect to the transparent plate 8. The transmission gear unit 288 and the input gear unit In order to maintain the required engagement state with 292, as will be easily understood, even if the conveyor belt unit 130 moves relative to the opening / closing frame 16, the mounting shaft 286 and It is important that the distance between the driven shaft 182 and the shaft is always constant. Therefore, in the illustrated specific example, the following configuration is adopted. The short shaft 294 is also fixed to the support plate 50 arranged at the front end of the upstream end of the opening / closing frame 16. The short shaft 294 is axially aligned with the mounting shaft 286. Of course, if desired, the mounting shaft 286 and the short shaft 294 may be integrated. Between the rear end of the driven shaft 182 and the mounting shaft 286, and between the front end of the driven shaft 182 extending forward through the driven side support plate 138 and the short shaft 294. Has
A connecting link 296 is arranged in each case. The connecting link 296, which is conveniently made of synthetic resin, has a cylindrical connecting portion 29 at one end, as clearly shown in FIG.
8 and the other end has a connecting portion 300 having an arc-shaped cross section.
Have. The cross-sectional shape of the connecting portion 300 is 180 degrees or more,
For example, it has an arc shape extending over an angle range of about 270 degrees. The connecting portion 300 has a rectangular gripping piece 302.
Is attached. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, one end of the connecting link 296, that is, a cylindrical connecting portion 298.
Is rotatably fitted on the mounting shaft 286 and the short shaft 294. The other end of the connecting link 296, that is, the connecting portion 300 having an arc-shaped cross section is rotatably and detachably connected to the rear end and the front end of the driven shaft 182. The connecting portion 300 is connected to or separated from the rear end portion and the front end portion of the driven shaft 182 by elastically deforming the arc shape. The gripping piece 302 can be gripped during the connecting or disconnecting operation.
When the conveyor belt unit 130 moves relative to the opening / closing frame 16, the connecting link 296 is attached to the mounting shaft 2.
The distance between 86 and the minor shaft 294 and the driven shaft 182 is maintained constant. That is, when the conveyor belt unit 130 moves relative to the opening / closing frame 16, the driven shaft 182 is attached to the mounting shaft 2 due to the existence of the connecting link 296.
It is swung about 86 and the short shaft 294.
As described above, the transport belt unit 130 is provided with the opening / closing frame 1.
6, the driven shaft 182 is movable in the vertical direction and also in the transport direction.
6 and a minor axis 294 are allowed to pivot.

As a further remark regarding the conveyor belt unit 130, as shown in FIG. 3, in the opening / closing frame 16, there is also a static elimination brush 304 which is in contact with or close to the surface of the endless belt 244 above the driven shaft 182. It is arranged. The static elimination brush 304 may be substantially the same as the static elimination brush 128 arranged in the original carry-in path 42, extends in the width direction, and removes static electricity generated on the endless belt 204.

Drive unit

Continuing the explanation with reference to FIG. 12 together with FIG. 6, a drive unit generally designated by reference numeral 306 is disposed at the rear portion of the opening / closing frame 16 (rearward of the conveyor belt unit 130). (In FIG. 5, the cover plate 3
08 covers the drive unit 306). As clearly shown in FIG. 12, the drive unit 306 includes a support frame 310 mounted on the inner surface of the upper wall of the opening / closing frame 16 so as to be positionally adjustable in the transport direction. This support frame 310 is the first
And a second support member 314.
The first support member 312 includes a bottom wall 316 and the bottom wall 31.
6, a support leg wall 318 extending upward from the front edge of the connecting flange wall 318, a connecting flange wall 320 extending forward from the upper edge of the support leg wall 318, and some upward extension from the rear edge of the bottom wall 316. It has a connecting wall 322. The second support member 314 includes a support leg wall 324 extending to face the support leg wall 318, a connecting flange wall 326 extending rearward from an upper end edge of the support leg wall 324, and one side edge of the support leg wall 324. A support sidewall 328 extending from the support sidewall 328
Has a support addition wall 330 extending in a direction perpendicular to the support side wall 328 from the front edge of the. The first support member 312 and the second support member 314 are connected to each other by an appropriate means (not shown) such as a connecting screw. The connection flange wall 3 of the first support member 312
20 and the connection flange wall 32 of the second support member 324.
Two holes 332 having a relatively large diameter are formed in each of the holes 6 and 6 at intervals in the transport direction. Further, on the inner surface of the support leg wall 318 of the first support member 312, a position adjusting member 3 having a driven piece 334 at one end and a guide piece 336 at the other end.
38 is fixed by suitable means (not shown) such as welding adhesion or screwing. A screw hole 340 is formed in the driven piece 334, and a hole 3 is formed in the guide piece 336.
42 is formed. Center axis of screw hole 340 and hole 3
The central axis of 42 coincides with each other and extends in the carrying direction.
The support substrate 344, which is fixed to the inner surface of the opening / closing frame 16 in an appropriate manner, has four screw holes 346 corresponding to the holes 332 formed in the coupling flange walls 320 and 326. There is. A stationary piece 350 is fixed to the support substrate 344 with a set screw 348. A hole 352 is formed in the main portion of the stationary piece 350 that hangs from the support substrate 344. The manner of mounting the support frame 310 on the support substrate 344 is as follows. Support frame 3
10 connecting flange walls 320 and 326 to support substrate 34
4 and then the set screw 354 is inserted into the hole 332 formed in the connection flange walls 320 and 326 to form the screw hole 34 formed in the support substrate 344.
Screw to 6. The upper and lower surfaces of the connecting flange walls 320 and 326 respectively have a rubber ring 35 for absorbing vibration.
It is convenient to provide 6. As a result, the stationary piece 350 fixed to the support substrate 344 is attached to the support frame 31.
Positioned adjacent to the zero guide piece 336, the hole 352 of the stationary piece 350 is aligned with the hole 342 of the guide piece 336 and the screw hole 340 of the driven piece 334. Then the adjusting screw 3
58 is inserted into the hole 352 of the stationary piece 350 and the hole 342 of the guide piece 336, and screwed into the screw hole 340 of the driven piece 334. Head of adjusting screw 358 and stationary piece 350
A spring washer 360 is interposed between and. At this point, if the set screw 354 is relatively loosely screwed into the screw hole 346 without being screwed firmly, the inner diameter of the hole 332 of the connecting flange walls 320 and 326 is larger than the shaft diameter of the set screw 354. Is set to be slightly larger, the support frame 310 is movable in the transport direction over a range of some extent. Therefore, if the screwing degree of the adjusting screw 358 with respect to the screw hole 340 of the driven piece 334 is changed, the conveyance direction positions of the guide piece 336 and the driven piece 334 with respect to the stationary piece 350 are changed, and thus, the support substrate. Support frame 31 for 344
The position of 0 in the transport direction is changed. Therefore, by adjusting the screwing degree of the adjusting screw, the supporting frame 3
It is possible to adjust the position of the conveying direction 10 and then firmly screw the set screw 354 into the screw hole 346 to firmly fix the support frame 310 at the adjusted predetermined position (of the support frame 310). For position adjustment in the transport direction,
Further reference later).

Continuing the description with reference to FIG. 12, the drive source 290 is mounted on the support frame 310. The main body case of the drive source 290, which may be an electric motor, is fixed to the outer surface of the support side wall 328 of the second support member 314, and the output shaft 362 of the drive source 290 extends through the support side wall 328. . A worm gear 364 is fixed to the output shaft 362. As shown in FIG. 6, a detected disc 366, which may be of a known form per se, is also fixed to the output shaft 362, and in association with the detected disc 366, the support substrate 344 similarly has the same structure. An optical detector 368, which may be of a known form per se, is mounted (in FIG. 12, the disc to be detected 366 and the detector 368 are not shown for convenience of illustration). The detected disk 366 has a plurality of openings formed at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction. The detector 368 is the detected disc 366.
Has a light emitting element and a light receiving element arranged on both sides of,
By detecting the opening of the detected disc 366, the rotation amount of the detected disc 366, and thus the output shaft 36 of the drive source 290.
The rotation amount of 2 is detected. Referring to FIG. 6 together with FIG. 12, the shaft 3 is provided between the supporting leg wall 318 of the first supporting member 312 and the supporting leg wall 318 of the second supporting member 344.
70 is rotatably mounted. This shaft 370 has
The rotating body 374 is mounted via the one-way clutch 372. A worm gear 376 is provided at one end of the rotating body 374.
A gear 378 is integrally formed at the other end. The worm gear 376 is engaged with the worm gear 364. The one-way clutch 372 does not transmit the rotation of the rotating body 374 to the shaft 370 when the driving source 290 is normally rotated and the rotating body 374 is rotated counterclockwise when viewed from the front, but the driving source 290 is rotated in the reverse direction. Rotating body 374
When is rotated clockwise when viewed from the front, the rotation of the rotating body 374 is transmitted to the shaft 370. A spring clutch 380 and a toothed pulley 382 are also mounted on the shaft 370. The spring clutch 380 is controlled by the control solenoid 384 (FIG. 6), and when the solenoid 384 is energized, it connects the rotating body 374 and the shaft 370. The toothed pulley 382 is fixed to the shaft 370,
It is made to rotate integrally with the shaft 370. The shaft 386 is also provided between the supporting leg wall 318 of the first supporting member 312 and the supporting additional wall 330 of the second supporting member 314 in the supporting frame 310.
Is rotatably attached. A gear 390 is attached to the shaft 386 via a one-way clutch 388. The gear 390 is engaged with the gear 378 formed on the other end of the rotating body 374. In the one-way clutch 388, the drive source 290 is rotated in the normal direction and the rotating body 37 is rotated.
When the gear 390 is rotated counterclockwise when viewed from the front when the gear 390 is rotated clockwise when viewed from the front, the rotation is transmitted to the shaft 386, but the drive source 290 is reversed and the rotating body 374 is viewed from the front. When the gear 390 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the front, the rotation of the gear 390 is not transmitted to the shaft 386. The shaft 386 is further provided with a toothed pulley 39
2 is fixed.

On the other hand, the input gear 292 fixed to the driven shaft 182 of the conveyor belt unit 130 is engaged with the transmission gear 288 fixed to the mounting shaft 286 as described above. Is integrally formed with a toothed pulley 393. An endless timing belt 394 is wound around the toothed pulley 393 and the toothed pulley 382 fixed to the shaft 370. Further, in addition, the above-mentioned document carrying-in means 1
At the rear end of the upper rotary shaft 120 of the input gear 18,
96 is fixed, and the input gear 396 is also engaged with the transmission gear 288. As such, the drive source 290 is rotated forward and the solenoid 384 is rotated.
When the sheet is energized, the rotation of the drive source 290 is transmitted to the driven shaft 182 of the conveyance belt unit 130 and the upper rotation shaft 120 of the document carry-in means 118 via the transmission mechanism including the timing belt 394, and thus the conveyance belt. The unit 130 is driven in the normal rotation direction (the direction in which the sheet-shaped original is conveyed on the transparent plate 8 in the downstream direction), and the original carry-in means 118 is provided.
Are driven in the normal rotation direction (the direction in which the sheet-shaped document is carried onto the transparent plate 8). When the drive source 290 is rotated in the reverse direction, the rotation of the drive source 290 causes the timing belt 394 to rotate.
Driven shaft 182 of the conveyor belt unit 130 and the upper rotary shaft 12 of the document carry-in means 118 via a transmission mechanism including
0, and thus the conveyor belt unit 130 is driven in the reverse direction (the direction in which the sheet-shaped original is conveyed on the transparent plate 8 in the upstream direction), and the original carry-in means 118 is driven in the reverse direction.

Continuing the description with reference to FIGS. 6 and 12, the upper rotary shaft 58 of the separation roller mechanism 48 disposed in association with the original table 32 is the supporting side plate 5 described above.
2 extends rearward and extends through the upper rotary shaft 58.
A toothed pulley 398 is rotatably attached to the rear end of the rear end portion, and a spring clutch 400 is attached to the rear end portion.
This spring clutch 400 is controlled by a control solenoid 402 (FIG. 6), and when the solenoid 402 is energized, it connects the toothed pulley 398 with the upper rotary shaft 58. An endless timing belt 404 is wound around the toothed pulley 398 and the toothed pulley 392 fixed to the shaft 386. Therefore, the drive source 29
When 0 is normally rotated and the solenoid 402 is energized, the rotation of the drive source 290 causes the timing belt 404 to rotate.
Is transmitted to the upper rotation shaft 58 of the separation roller mechanism 48 via a transmission mechanism including the above, and the upper rotation shaft 58 and the feeding roller 60 fixed thereto are rotated clockwise when viewed from the front. Then, when the upper rotary shaft 58 is rotated in this way, the lower rotary shaft 62 of the separation roller mechanism 48 and the reverse roller 64 fixed to the lower rotary shaft 62 are, as described above with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. It is rotated clockwise when viewed from the front. Further, as already mentioned, while the upper rotation shaft 58 is rotated once clockwise when viewed from the front, the feeding roller 92 is
Is temporarily lowered and rotated clockwise when viewed from the front. As will be further described below, the solenoid 402 is energized for some time to cause the upper rotary shaft 58 and the lower rotary shaft 62 to rotate once. When the drive source 290 is rotated in the reverse direction, the presence of the one-way clutch 388 causes the shaft 3 to move.
The rotation is not transmitted to 86, and therefore the timing belt 404 is not driven.

Thus, in order for the transmission mechanism including the timing belts 394 and 404 to function well as required,
It is important that the timing belts 394 and 404 are stretched to the required tension. In the illustrated embodiment modified according to the invention, as described above, the toothed pulley 3
The support frame 310 to which 82 and 392 are mounted is mounted so that the position thereof can be adjusted in the carrying direction. Therefore, the tension of the timing belts 394 and 404 can be set to a required value by operating the adjusting screw 358 and appropriately adjusting the position of the support frame 310. Thus, the tensioned state of the timing belts 394 and 404 can be set easily and quickly as required without the need for an additional structure such as an idler for adjusting belt tension that has been conventionally used.

Document Placement Restricting Member

Referring to FIG. 13 together with FIGS. 3 and 4, the original is placed on the upper surface of the housing 6 of the electrostatic copying machine 2 so as to be adjacent to the downstream edge (the left edge in FIG. 3) of the transparent plate 8. A placement restriction member 406 is also provided. As shown in FIG. 13, a settling region 408 is formed on the upper surface wall of the housing 6 so as to be adjacent to the downstream edge of the transparent plate 8, and the document placement restriction member 406 is arranged in the settling region 408. There is. On both sides in the width direction of the document placement restriction member 406, a short shaft 410 protruding forward and backward at the downstream end portion.
Is provided. The minor axis 410 is the above-mentioned subsidence region 4
The front side and the rear side of 08 are rotatably supported by holding members (not shown) arranged on the upper surface wall of the housing 6, and thus the document placement restricting member 406 is in the raised position shown in FIG. It is mounted so as to be rotatable about the short shaft 410 between the lower position shown in FIG. The upstream edge of the document placement restriction member 406 is brought into close proximity to or in contact with the downstream edge of the transparent plate 8. As shown in FIG.
Spring means 412, which may be a spiral spring or a leaf spring, is arranged between the document placement restriction member 406 and the settling flow region 408 on the upper wall of the housing 6. The spring means 412 elastically biases the document placement regulation member 406 counterclockwise when viewed from the front, and the document placement regulation member 406 is moved.
Is elastically maintained in the raised position. At this raised position, the projecting pieces 414 formed on both sides of the document placement regulating member 406 in the width direction come into contact with a predetermined portion of the holding member (not shown). At the raised position, the upstream edge of the document placement restriction member 406 projects somewhat above the upper surface of the transparent plate 8. As described above, when the opening / closing frame 16 is opened and the sheet-shaped original is manually placed on the transparent plate 8, the front edge of the sheet-shaped original is placed on the original-placement regulating member 406.
The sheet-shaped document can be positioned at a predetermined position in the left-right direction in FIG. Standard dimensions (for example, B5, A4, B4, etc. according to JIS standard) are provided on the upstream end of the upper surface of the document placement regulation member 406.
Appropriate symbols or signs indicating the widthwise placement position of the sheet-shaped document can be described. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, a supporting plate 416, which may be made of metal, is fixed to the downstream end of the opening / closing frame 16, and the width direction ends of the lower surface of the supporting plate 416 extend in the width direction. A hanging piece 418 forming a forced lowering means is formed on the portion. As will be understood by referring to FIG. 3, when the opening / closing frame 16 is brought to the closed position, the hanging piece 418 comes into contact with the upper surface of the document placing restriction member 406, and the elastic biasing action of the spring means 412 is exerted. On the other hand, the document placement restriction member 406 is turned clockwise in FIG. 3 to the lowered position. In this lowered position, the upstream edge of the document placement restricting member 406 is located below the upper surface of the transparent plate 8, and thus is conveyed in the downstream direction from above the transparent plate 8 by the action of the conveyor belt unit 130 as described later. The carrying-out of the sheet-shaped document is not obstructed by the document placement regulation member 406. Figure 4
As clearly shown in FIG. 13 and FIG.
On the upper surface of 06, a step portion 420 is formed, the downstream side of which is lowered. As will be described later in detail, in the illustrated example, the reversible automatic document feeder 4 having the document reversing function and the simple automatic document feeder having no document reversing function are selectively mounted on the housing 6. The stepped portion 420 formed on the upper surface of the document placement restricting member 406 is useful when the simple type automatic document feeder is installed. When the conveyance device is installed, the sheet-shaped document conveyed from the transparent plate 8 is deflected upward from the step portion 420.

Document discharge path, document inversion path, document discharge / reversal
Means and discharge reversal control member

As will be understood by referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, in relation to one end (the left end in FIG. 3) of the immersing main portion 36 existing on the upper surface of the opening / closing frame 16,
The opening / closing frame 16 is provided with a document discharge opening 422 extending in the width direction of the upright wall portion. The upper and left sides of the document discharge opening 422 are defined by a cover member 424 formed separately from the main body of the opening / closing frame 16. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 16, a hanging connecting piece 425 is formed at the front end and the rear end of one end edge that defines the upper edge of the discharge opening 422 in the cover member 424, and the hanging connecting piece 425 is formed. It is rotatably mounted on the main body of the opening / closing frame 16 by a support pin 426. Thus, the cover member 424 has the support pin 426 between the closed position shown by the solid line in FIG. 3 and the open position shown by the chain double-dashed line.
It is mounted so that it can be turned around. Cover member 4
Reference numeral 24 has an upper wall portion 428 extending from the portion of the document discharge opening 422 and a hanging wall portion 430 hanging from the leading edge of the upper wall portion 428. As clearly shown in FIG. 5 together with FIG. 3, two permanent magnets 432 are fixed to the lower end portion of the inner surface of the hanging wall portion 430 at intervals in the width direction.
On the other hand, the metal support plate 4 is provided in the downstream end of the opening / closing frame 16.
33 is provided, and the support plate 433 has a bottom wall portion 434 extending along the upper surface of the housing 6 and an upright wall portion 436 extending upward from one end edge of the bottom wall portion 434 (FIG. 5). When the cover member 424 is closed, the magnet 432 causes the upright wall 436 of the support plate 433 to move.
Magnetically attracted to the outer surface of the cover member 424, thus holding the cover member 424 in the closed position.

Referring to FIG. 14 together with FIG. 3,
Inside the downstream end of the opening / closing frame 16 (hence the cover member 4
A transport roller mechanism 438, which constitutes a document discharging / reversing means, is disposed in a portion (covered by 24). More specifically, as shown in FIG. 14, the opening / closing moving frame 1
Support side plates 440 and 442 located on both sides of the support plate 433 in the width direction are disposed in the downstream end portion of 6.
A driven rotation shaft 444 is rotatably mounted between the support side plates 440 and 442. A plurality of these rotary shafts 444 are arranged at appropriate intervals in the axial direction (see FIG.
In FIG. 4, 9 driven rollers 446 are fixed. Conveniently, such driven roller 446 is made of synthetic rubber. A drive source 448, which may be an electric motor, is disposed behind the support side plate 442. The output shaft 450 of the drive source 448 extends forward, and the output shaft 4
A detection target disc 452 and a gear 454 are fixed to 50. A plurality of openings are formed at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction on the disc to be detected 452, which is a known form per se, and an optical detector 456 is associated with the disc to be detected 452. It is arranged. The detector 456 has a light emitting element and a light receiving element which are arranged on both sides of the detection target disc 452.
The rotation amount of the eight output shafts 450 is detected. The driven rotary shaft 444 extends rearward through the support side plate 442, and an input gear 458 is fixed to the rear end of the rotary shaft 444. The gear 458 is engaged with the gear 454, so that the driven rotary shaft 444 is driven by the drive source 4
48 is drivingly connected. The supporting side plates 440 and 442
A driven rotary shaft 460 is also rotatably mounted in between. A plurality of (for example, ten, only half of which are shown in FIG. 14) discharge rollers 462 are fixed to the rotating shaft 460 at appropriate intervals in the axial direction. . The rotary shaft 460 penetrates the support side plate 440 and extends forward, and a gear 464 is fixed to the front end portion of the rotary shaft 460. On the other hand, the driven rotary shaft 444 also extends forward through the supporting side plate 440, and the gear 468 is also fixed to the front end portion of the rotary shaft 444. Further, a short shaft 470 protruding forward is fixed to the supporting side plate 440, and a gear 472 is rotatably mounted on the short shaft 470. Such gear 47
2 is engaged with both the gears 464 and 468, and thus the rotary shaft 460 to which the discharge roller 462 is fixed is the rotary shaft 4 to which the driven roller 446 is fixed.
It is drivingly connected to the driving source 448 via 44.

Continuing the description with reference to FIG. 15 together with FIGS. 3 and 14, a guide member 474 which can be formed of synthetic resin is disposed on the support plate 433. As clearly shown in FIG. 15, the guide member 474 has a plurality of upright guide ribs 476 formed at appropriate intervals in the width direction. The upper edge of the guide rib 476 is gradually raised in the downstream direction (leftward in FIG. 3). An elongated engaging portion 478 is formed in the width direction at every other portion between the guide ribs 476.
A cylindrical protrusion 480 protruding downward is formed on the lower surface of the locking portion 478 (the protrusion 480 will be further referred to later). In addition, a width direction connecting wall 481 is formed between the downstream ends of the adjacent specific guide ribs 476, and a notch 482 that is open upward is formed in the middle portion of the connecting wall 481. There is. On the other hand, the bottom wall portion 434 of the support plate 433 is formed with a locking piece 484 corresponding to the locking portion 478 of the guide member 474 and protruding upward and then in the upstream direction. Adjacent to 484 is formed an opening 486 for receiving the protrusion 480 of the guide member 474. Further, the upright wall portion 436 of the support plate 433 is provided with a screw hole 488 corresponding to the notch 482 of the guide member 474. The guide member 474 is positioned on the support plate 433, the locking portion 478 of the guide member 474 is inserted into the locking piece 484 of the support plate 433, and the guide member 474 is passed through the notch 482 to support the support plate 433. A set screw 490 is screwed into the screw hole 488, thus fixing the guide member 474 on the support plate 433. The protrusion 480 formed on the lower surface of the locking portion 478 of the guide member 474 is located in the opening 486 of the support plate 433.

As will be understood by referring to FIG. 15, prior to fixing the guide member 474 to the support plate 433, each of the locking portions 478 of the guide member 474 is provided with a support member 492. Then, the driven roller 494 is mounted. In other words, the locking portion 478 of the guide member 474 constitutes a mounting portion for the driven roller 494. At one end of the support member 492 formed of a spring steel plate, support pieces 496 that stand upright from both sides in the width direction are formed.
The driven roller 4 is provided between the supporting pieces 496 by the shaft 498.
94 is rotatably mounted. The other end 500 of the support member 492 is bent into a channel shape, and the other end 500 is the locking portion 478 of the guide member 474.
Is elastically fitted from the upstream side edge thereof, and thus the support member 492 is attached to the locking portion 478 of the guide member 474. A hole 502 is formed in the other end portion 500 of the support member 492, and the protrusion 480 formed on the lower surface of the locking portion 478 of the guide member 474 is inserted into the hole 502, whereby the guide member 474. The support member 492 is positioned as required with respect to the locking portion 478 of the guide member 474, and the support member 492 is moved from the locking portion 478 of the guide member 474.
Is reliably prevented from being accidentally detached. As will be understood by referring to FIG. 3, the driven roller 494 can be formed of synthetic resin or synthetic rubber.
Is elastically pressed against the driven roller 446 by the elastic biasing action of the support member 492 itself formed of a spring steel plate.

Referring to FIG. 16 together with FIG. 3,
A plurality of guide ribs 504 are formed on the inner surface of the cover member 424 at appropriate intervals in the width direction. Each of the guide ribs 504 extends over both the inner surface of the upper wall portion 428 of the cover member 424 and the inner surface of the depending wall portion 430. Further, on the inner surface of the hanging wall portion 430 of the cover member 424, a pair of protrusions 506 are formed at intervals in the width direction in each of the regions between the adjacent guide ribs 504. A driven roller 510 is mounted between the protrusions 506 via a support member 508. In other words, the area between the guide ribs 504 in the hanging wall portion 430 of the cover member 424 constitutes an attachment portion for the driven roller 510. As shown in the left part of FIG. 16, a relatively large cylindrical projection 512 and a relatively small cylindrical projection 514 are formed between the pair of protrusions 506 on the inner surface of the hanging wall portion 430. . On the other hand, the supporting member 508 formed of a spring steel plate has a fixing portion 516 and a supporting portion 518 that are mutually bent. The support portion 518 of the support member 508 is provided with support pieces 520 standing upright from both sides in the width direction, and a driven roller 510 is rotatably mounted by a shaft 522 between the support pieces 520. A hole 528 is formed in the fixing portion 516 of the supporting member 508.
And a notch 530 that is open at the free end. As shown in the central portion of FIG. 16, the cover member 42
The protrusion 5 formed on the inner surface of the hanging wall portion 430 of FIG.
14 is inserted into the hole 528 formed in the fixing portion 516 of the support member 508, and the projection 512 formed on the inner surface of the hanging wall portion 430 is formed in the notch 530 formed in the fixing portion 516. Then, as shown in the right part of FIG. 16, the tip end of the protrusion 512 inserted into the hole 528 is heated and pressed by an appropriate tool to be crushed. Thus, the support member 508 is fixed at the required position, and the driven roller 510 is mounted as required. As will be understood with reference to FIG. 3, the driven roller 510, which may be formed of synthetic resin or synthetic rubber, is driven by the elastic biasing action of the support member 508 itself formed of a spring steel plate. 446 is elastically pressed.

Continuing the description with reference to FIGS. 3 and 14, a support shaft 532 is further provided between the support side plates 440 and 442 disposed in the downstream end portion of the opening / closing frame 16.
Is rotatably attached. And this support shaft 53
2, a plurality of discharge reversal control members 534 are fixed at appropriate intervals in the axial direction (only two discharge reversal control members 534 are shown in FIG. 14). The output shaft of the control solenoid 536 (FIG. 3) is connected to the support shaft 532 via an appropriate connection link mechanism (not shown). When the solenoid 536 is deenergized, the discharge reversal control member 534 is positioned at the discharge position shown by the solid line in FIG.
When 36 is urged, the discharge reversal control member 534 is positioned at the reversal position shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 14
As clearly shown in FIG.
There is the support plate 416 extending in the width direction, and a plurality of guide ribs 540 are arranged on the support plate 416 at appropriate intervals in the width direction. As will be further referred to later, such guide ribs 540 are provided on the discharge reversal control member 53.
4 defines the original reversing path 542. A guide plate 544 extending in the upstream direction from the upstream edge (the right edge in FIG. 3) is also fixed to the support plate 416. The free end of the guide plate 544, which is preferably made of a synthetic resin film (which may be, for example, a synthetic resin film sold under the trade name “Lumirror”), has an endless belt in the conveyor belt unit 130 as shown in FIG. It is brought into contact with or close to the surface of the downstream end portion of the working traveling portion of 204. A reverse document detector 546 is attached to the document reverse path 542. The detector 546 has a detection arm that projects into the document inverting path 542, and detects a sheet-like document that moves through the document inverting path 542. Further, when the discharge reversal control member 534 is positioned at the discharge position, a discharge document detection for detecting a sheet-like document moving to the document discharge opening 422 along the upper edge of the discharge reversal control member 534. A container 548 is also provided.

When the solenoid 536 is deenergized,
When the discharge reversal control member 534 is positioned at the discharge position, the sheet shape is carried out from the transparent plate 8 through the document placement restricting member 406 by the action of the transport belt unit 130 which is normally rotated. The manuscript is shown in Figure 3.
Driven roller 4 being driven to rotate clockwise in
46 and the driven action of the driven rollers 494 and 510 cooperating with the driven roller 446, the sheet is conveyed through the document discharge path 550 defined between these rollers 446 and 494 and 510, and further positioned at the discharge position. It passes over the upper edge of the discharge reversal control member 534, and is further conveyed by the action of the discharge roller 462, and passes through the document discharge opening 422 and onto the upper surface of the opening / closing frame 16, more specifically, the submergence. It is discharged onto the upper surface of the main portion 36. On the other hand, when the solenoid 536 is energized and the discharge reversal control member 534 is positioned at the reversal position, the sheet-shaped document conveyed through the document discharge path 550 by the cooperation of the driven roller 446 and the driven rollers 494 and 510. Is the discharge reversal control member 5
34 is defined between the discharge reversal control member 534 positioned at the reversal position and not guided to the upper edge of the discharge reversal control member 34 and the guide rib 540 disposed below the discharge reversal control member 534. It is introduced into the original reversing path 542. Then, the document is re-carried on the transparent plate 8 through the original reversing path 542. When such re-loading is performed, the front and back sides of the sheet-shaped document are reversed, as is easily understood. When the sheet-shaped document is introduced from the document reversing path 542 onto the transparent plate 8, the sheet-shaped document collides with the downstream edge of the transparent plate 8 and is blocked there by the guiding action of the guide plate 544. Instead, it is surely guided onto the transparent plate 8. As will be further referred to later, when the sheet-shaped document is reloaded onto the transparent plate 8, the transport belt unit 13
The endless belt 204 of 0 is driven in reverse and the transparent plate 8
The sheet original introduced above is conveyed by the conveyor belt unit 1.
By the action of 30, it is conveyed on the transparent plate 8 in the upstream direction to a required position.

Simple automatic document feeder

FIG. 17 shows another automatic document feeder 604 which can be mounted on the housing 6 of the electrostatic copying machine 2 in place of the automatic document feeder 4 described above.
The above-described automatic document feeder 4 has a document reversing function of reversing the front and back and re-carrying the sheet-shaped document carried out from the transparent plate 8 on the transparent plate 8 without discharging the sheet-shaped document as it is, if necessary. However, the automatic document feeder 604 shown in FIG. 17 is a simple type that does not have such a document reversing function.

The automatic document feeder 604 shown in FIG.
Also includes an opening / closing moving frame body 616, and the opening / closing moving frame body 616 may be substantially the same as the opening / closing moving frame body 16 in the automatic document feeder 4 described above. A support member 652 having an L-shaped cross section is fixed in the downstream end of the opening / closing frame 616. The support member 652 extending in the width direction is provided with a plurality of guide ribs 654 at appropriate intervals in the width direction. Corresponding to the guide ribs 654, a plurality of guide ribs 65 are provided on the inner surface of the rotatable cover member 656 of the opening / closing moving frame body 616 at appropriate intervals in the width direction.
8 is formed. Guide rib 654 and guide rib 658
Defines a document discharge path 660 between them. A support plate 662 extending in the width direction is provided at the downstream end of the opening / closing frame 616.
(The supporting plate 662 may be substantially the same as the supporting plate 433 in the automatic document feeder 4), and a plurality of supporting ribs 664 are provided on the supporting plate 662 at intervals in the width direction. Are arranged. Support rib 66
The right end of 4 is inclined downward to the right, and a document deflecting member 666 extending in the width direction is fixed to the right end. The document deflecting member 666 extends downward from the right end of the supporting rib 664. The document deflecting member 666 is formed of a flexible synthetic resin film (for example, a synthetic resin film sold under the trade name “Lumirror” may be used). A rotary shaft 670, which extends in the width direction in the vicinity of the document discharge opening 668, is rotatably mounted inside the downstream end of the opening / closing frame 616. A plurality of discharge rollers 672 are fixed at intervals of. Rotating shaft 6
70 is drivingly connected to a driven shaft 632 of the conveyor belt unit 630 via an appropriate transmission means (not shown) such as a transmission belt mechanism, and is driven in association with the driving of the conveyor belt unit 630. . Further, a discharged document detector 674 for detecting the sheet-shaped document discharged through the document discharge path 660 is also provided.

Continuing the description with reference to FIG. 17, as in the case of the automatic document feeder 4 described above, the support plate 6 is used.
A forced lowering means composed of hanging pieces 676 extending downward from both widthwise side portions of 52 is provided, and when the opening / closing moving frame body 616 is brought to the closed position shown in FIG. The forcible lowering means acts on the document placement restricting member 406 disposed on the housing 6 of the above, and the document place restricting member 406 is lowered from the raised position shown in FIG. 13 to the lowered position shown in FIG. Excuse me. Then, in this state, as clearly shown in FIG. 17, the lower end portion or the free end portion of the document deflecting member 666 is the step portion 420 formed on the upper surface of the document placement regulating member 406.
It is located in. Therefore, when the automatic document feeder 604 shown in FIG. 17 is installed, the sheet-like document carried out from the transparent plate 8 in the downstream direction does not pass over the document placement restricting member 406 and the document deflecting member 406 is passed. Due to the action of 666, the stepped portion 420 of the document placement regulation member 406.
Is guided upward between the guide ribs 654 and 658.

In the reversible automatic document feeder 4 described above, as shown in FIG. 3, a transport roller mechanism 438 constituting a document discharging / reversing means is disposed downstream of the transparent plate 8 and is transparent. It is necessary to move the sheet-like document carried out from the plate 8 to the left side of the transport roller mechanism 438 and then deflect it upward. Therefore, it is necessary to deflect the sheet-shaped original document upward after it has been conveyed in the downstream direction by a relatively long required distance from the downstream edge of the transparent plate 8. Therefore, in the above-described reversible automatic document feeder 4, the sheet-shaped document carried out from the transparent plate 8 is completely passed through the document placement regulation member 406 and then carried by the action of the guide rib 476. Deflected upwards. On the other hand, in the simple type automatic document feeder 604 shown in FIG. 17, it is desirable that the path length of the document carry-out path 660 be as short as possible, and therefore the sheet is placed at a position close to the downstream edge of the transparent plate 8. It is desired to deflect the original document upward. Therefore, in the simple type automatic document feeder 604 shown in FIG. 17, as described above, the sheet-like document carried out from the transparent plate 8 does not completely pass through the document placement regulation member 406, and the document is read. The document placement regulating member 40 is operated by the action of the deflecting member 666.
It is deflected upward from the step portion 420 provided on the upper surface of 6.

The configuration of the simple type automatic document feeder 604 shown in FIG. 17 is substantially the same as that of the reversible type automatic document feeder 4 except the above-mentioned points, and therefore,
The description of the configuration other than the above points is omitted.

Operation control

The operation of the reversible type automatic document feeder 4 described above may be a microprocessor.
(FIG. 18), for example, it is controlled as follows.

Simple (non-inverted) mode:

First, the simple (non-reverse) mode in which only the image on one side of the sheet-like document is copied will be mainly described with reference to FIG.
And FIG. 19 will be described. A plurality of sheet-shaped originals on one side of which an image is to be copied are placed on the original table 32 with one side thereof facing downward.
The front edge of the sheet-like document is brought into close proximity or contact with the hanging leg of the document delivery blocking member 114 located at the blocking position shown in FIG. When the sheet-shaped original is placed on the original table 32 as required, the placed original detector 1
08 detects this. After that, a copy start switch 562 arranged on the operation panel 14 of the electrostatic copying machine 2
When (S4) is pressed, an operation start signal is sent to the operation control means 560. As a result, the solenoid 116 (blocking member control means), which is a self-holding type, is urged, and the document delivery blocking member 114 is forced to the retracted position to permit the delivery of the sheet-shaped document. Next, after a predetermined time (for example, 200 ms) has passed, a drive source (electric motor) 290
The forward rotation of (FIG. 6) is started. Solenoid 402 at the same time
(FIG. 6) is activated for a predetermined time (for example, 200 ms). As a result, the spring clutch 400 (FIG. 6) is connected for one rotation, the feeding roller 92 is temporarily lowered and rotated one rotation in the feeding direction, and the feeding roller 60 of the separating roller mechanism 48 is also fed. The reverse rotation roller 64 is rotated once in the counter feeding direction in the feeding direction. Thus, the uppermost sheet-like document on the document table 32 is separated from the sheet-like document existing therebelow, and the document carry-in path 42 is provided.
The document carrying-in means 1 that has been sent to the document and has its leading edge stopped.
18 (rollers 122 and 126) are brought into contact with the nip portion. Then, after a lapse of a predetermined time (for example, 540 ms), the solenoid 384 (FIG. 6) is energized, the driving of the document carry-in means 118 is started in the forward direction, and the forward rotation of the transport belt unit (document transporting means) 130 is started again. Directional drive is started. Thus, the sheet-shaped document is carried on the transparent plate 8 through the document carry-in path 42. At this time, whether or not the width of the sheet-shaped document is equal to or larger than a predetermined value is detected depending on whether the carried-in document detector 110 (FIG. 5) detects the sheet-shaped document, and the carried-in document detector 112 detects the sheet. The size of the sheet-shaped document in the conveyance direction is detected depending on the time during which the sheet-shaped document is detected. The carried-in document detector 11
2 starts detecting the sheet-like document (in other words,
When the drive source 290 is rotated forward by a predetermined amount (when the front edge of the sheet-like document is detected) (the forward rotation amount of the drive source 290 is detected by the optical detector 368), the solenoid 384 is rotated. Is de-energized, and thus the document feeding means 1
The normal rotation drive of 18 and the normal rotation drive of the conveyor belt unit 130 are stopped. At this point of time, the sheet-shaped document is positioned at a required position on the transparent plate 8, more specifically, at a position where the front edge of the sheet-shaped original matches or is close to the downstream edge of the transparent plate 8. Then, when a predetermined time (for example, 200 ms) elapses,
Drive source 290 is de-energized. After that, the electrostatic copying machine 2
At, the copying process is performed. This copying process includes optical scanning of the sheet-shaped original document positioned on the transparent plate 8.

When a predetermined time (for example, 200 ms) elapses from the time when the drive source 290 is deenergized, the normal rotation of the drive source 290 is started, and at the same time, the solenoid 402 (FIG. 6) is energized for a predetermined time (for example 200 ms). It As a result, as in the case described above, the delivery roller 92 is temporarily lowered and is rotated once in the delivery direction.
Then, the feeding roller 60 of the separating roller mechanism 48 is rotated once in the feeding direction and the reverse rotation roller 64 is rotated once in the counter feeding direction. Thus, the next sheet-like document on the document table 32 is separated from the sheet-like document existing therebelow and sent to the document carry-in path 42, and the leading edge thereof is brought into the nip portion of the document carry-in means 118 in the stopped state. It is made to abut. Drive source 2
90 is a predetermined time (for example, 650 ms) from the start of normal rotation
When the time elapses, it is de-energized.

When the above-mentioned copying process for the first sheet-shaped document is completed, a document exchange signal is generated at an appropriate time thereafter. Thus, drive source 2
When the forward rotation of 90 starts, the solenoid 384 (FIG. 6) is energized. Therefore, the normal rotation drive of the document carry-in means 118 is started, and the transport belt unit 130 is again driven.
The forward rotation drive is started, and thus, the second sheet-shaped document that has already been sent to the document carry-in path 42 begins to be carried toward the transparent plate 8. At this time, as in the case described above, it is detected whether or not the width dimension of the sheet-shaped document is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, depending on whether or not the carried-in document detector 110 (FIG. 5) detects the sheet-shaped document. The size of the sheet original in the conveying direction is detected depending on the time during which the incoming original detector 112 detects the sheet original. When the forward rotation drive of the transport belt unit 130 is started as described above, in addition to the start of loading the second sheet-shaped document, the transparent plate 8
The first sheet-like document positioned above starts to be carried out from the transparent plate 8. When a predetermined time (for example, 170 ms) elapses from the time when the exchange start signal is generated, the transport roller mechanism 43 that constitutes the document discharging / reversing means.
The forward rotation of the drive source (electric motor) 448 (FIG. 14) for drive No. 8 is started. In this way, the sheet-shaped document discharged from the transparent plate 8 to the document discharge path 550 is transferred to the document discharge path 550.
And is discharged from the document discharge opening 422. The discharged document detector 548 detects the sheet-shaped document discharged through the document discharge path 550. When the drive source 290 is rotated forward by a predetermined amount, which is measured from the time when the carry-in document detector 112 starts to detect the sheet-like document, the solenoid 384 is deenergized, thus driving the document carry-in means 118 in the normal direction. The forward rotation drive of the conveyor belt unit 130 is stopped. At this point, the second sheet-shaped document is positioned at the required position on the transparent plate 8. Next, when a predetermined time (for example, 200 ms) has elapsed, the drive source 290 is deenergized. The drive source 448 is rotated forward by a predetermined amount (measurement from the time when the discharged document detector 548 finishes detecting the sheet-like document, in other words, the time when the trailing edge of the sheet-like document is detected). The forward rotation of 448 is the optical detector 4 described above.
Drive source 448 (FIG. 14).
Is also de-energized. After that, the copying process in the electrostatic copying machine 2 is performed on the second sheet-shaped original newly loaded on the transparent plate 8. Further, the loading and unloading as described above is repeated for all the sheet-shaped originals placed on the original table 32. When all the sheet-like originals placed on the original table 32 are sent out and the placed original detector 108 stops detecting the sheet-like originals,
The solenoid 116 (blocking member control means) is deenergized to return the document blocking member 114 to the blocking position.

Inversion mode:

Next, the reversing mode in the case where it is desired to copy the images on both sides of the sheet-like original will be described mainly with reference to FIGS. 3 and 20. In this case as well, a plurality of sheet-shaped originals are stacked and placed on the original table 32. The front edge of the sheet-shaped document is brought close to or in contact with the hanging leg of the document delivery blocking member 114 positioned at the blocking position shown in FIG. When the sheet original is placed on the original table 32 as required, the placed original detector 108 detects this.
When the reverse mode is set (the setting is manually performed by operating the necessary switches or keys provided on the operation panel 14 of the electrostatic copying machine 2), Copy start switch 562 of the electrostatic copying machine 2
When (FIG. 4) is pressed, an inversion signal is supplied to the operation control means 560 together with the operation start signal. As a result, the solenoid 116 (blocking member control means), which is a self-holding type, is urged, and the document delivery blocking member 114 is forced to the retracted position to permit the delivery of the sheet-shaped document. Then
After a lapse of a predetermined time (for example, 200 ms), the drive source (electric motor) 290 (FIG. 6) starts to rotate normally. At the same time, the solenoid 402 (Fig. 6) is turned on for a predetermined time (for example, 200 ms).
Only is urged. As a result, the spring clutch 400 (FIG. 6) is connected for one rotation, the feeding roller 92 is temporarily lowered and rotated one rotation in the feeding direction, and the feeding roller 60 of the separating roller mechanism 48 is also fed. The reverse rotation roller 64 is rotated once in the counter feeding direction in the feeding direction. Thus, the uppermost sheet-like document on the document table 32 is separated from the sheet-like document existing therebelow and sent to the document carry-in path 42, and the leading edge of the document carry-in means 118 (roller 122) is stopped. And 126). Then, after a lapse of a predetermined time (for example, 540 ms), the solenoid 384 (FIG. 6) is energized, the driving of the document carry-in means 118 is started in the forward direction, and the forward rotation of the transport belt unit (document transporting means) 130 is started again. Directional drive is started. Thus, the sheet-shaped document is carried on the transparent plate 8 through the document carry-in path 42. At this time, whether or not the width of the sheet-shaped document is equal to or larger than a predetermined value is detected depending on whether the carried-in document detector 110 (FIG. 5) detects the sheet-shaped document, and the carried-in document detector 112 detects the sheet. The size of the sheet-shaped document in the conveyance direction is detected depending on the time during which the sheet-shaped document is detected. When a predetermined time (170 ms, for example) has elapsed from the time when the solenoid 384 (FIG. 6) was energized and the loading of the sheet-shaped document was started, the drive source 448 (for the transport roller mechanism 438 constituting the document discharging / reversing means) ( The normal rotation of FIG. 14) is also started. Further, when a predetermined time (for example, 530 ms) has elapsed from the time when the drive source 448 was energized, the solenoid 536 is energized and the discharge reversal control member 534 (FIG. 14).
Is switched from the discharge position to the reverse position. Even when the sheet-shaped document is conveyed to a required position on the transparent plate 8, the solenoid 384 is continuously energized without being deenergized, and thus the sheet-shaped document is conveyed on the transparent plate 8 by the action of the conveyance belt unit 130. Then, it is carried out from the transparent plate 8 to the document carry-out path 550. Further, it is further conveyed by the conveying roller mechanism 438, and is introduced into the document reversing path 542 by the action of the discharge reversing control member 534 positioned at the reversing position, and is directed toward the downstream end of the transparent plate 8 through the document reversing path 542. Be transported. When the sheet original is conveyed through the original inversion path 542 as described above, the inverted original detector 546 detects the sheet original. The reverse document detector 546 starts detection of the sheet document (in other words, detects the leading edge of the sheet document).
Then, the normal rotation of the drive source 290 (FIG. 6) is stopped. Then, after a lapse of a slight delay time (for example, 100 ms), the reverse rotation of the drive source 290 is started. Thus, the conveyor belt unit 130 (and the document carry-in means 118) starts to be driven in the reverse direction. In this way, the sheet-shaped document conveyed from the downstream end side onto the transparent plate 8 through the document inversion path 542 is driven in the reverse direction by the transport belt unit 13.
By the action of 0, it is conveyed on the transparent plate 8 in the upstream direction (rightward in FIG. 3). The drive source 290 is reversed by a predetermined amount (measured from the time when the reverse document detector 542 finishes detecting the sheet document (in other words, the trailing edge of the sheet document is detected) (the reverse amount of the drive source 290 is also measured. Detected by the optical detector 368) and, for example, the drive source 290.
By grounding both the reverse rotation current path and the forward rotation current path, a braking action is generated in the drive source 290, which is an electric motor, so that the reverse rotation drive of the conveyance belt unit 130 (and the document carry-in means 118) is quick. To be stopped.
At this point, the sheet-like document introduced onto the transparent plate 8 from the downstream end side has a required position on the transparent plate 8, more specifically, its left edge matches the downstream edge (left edge) of the transparent plate 8. To a position that is close to it, and is positioned to the right of that. Since the sheet-shaped document thus positioned on the transparent plate 8 is once conveyed from the document unloading path 550 through the document reversing path 542, its front and back sides are different from those placed on the document table 32. It has been inverted. When a predetermined time (for example, 200 ms) has elapsed from the time when the braking action was generated in the drive source 290, the drive source 29
0 is stopped. And for a predetermined time (for example, 200m
After elapse of s), the normal rotation of the drive source 290 is restarted. Then, a slight delay time (for example, 30 m from this point)
After s), the solenoid 384 is deenergized. During such a slight delay time, the sheet-shaped original is conveyed to the left by the forward rotation of the conveyor belt unit 130, and thus the sheet-shaped original is positioned at a desired position on the transparent plate 8. Simultaneously with the deenergization of the solenoid 384, the solenoid 536
Is also deenergized, and the discharge reversal control member 534 is returned to the discharge position. After this time, a predetermined time (eg 170m)
After s), the forward rotation of the drive source 290 is stopped. Further, the forward rotation of the drive source 448 is also stopped. Drive source 2
The following facts should be noted regarding the resumption of normal rotation in 90 as described above only for a short time (for example, 200 ms).
That is, as shown in FIG. 21, the spring clutch 380 controlled by the solenoid 384 has a ratchet wheel 564 having a plurality of pawls 562 formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof, and when the solenoid 384 is deenergized, the solid line Lock lever 5 as shown in
66 is locked to the claw 562. However, if the solenoid 384 is deenergized without restarting the driving of the driving source 290, the probability is small, but the locking lever 56 is not established.
6 does not engage the pawl 562 as required,
As shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 1, there is a risk of contact with the tip surface of the claw 562. When the locking lever 566 abuts on the tip surface of the pawl 562 without being locked to the pawl 562 as required, the solenoid 384 is attached when the forward rotation drive of the drive source 290 is started as described later. Although not biased, the ratchet wheel 564 is rotated slightly until the locking lever 566 locks the pawl 562 as desired. As a result, the transport belt unit 130 (and the document carry-in means 11)
8) is slightly rotated in the forward direction, so that the sheet-like document positioned at the required position on the transparent plate 8 is slightly displaced in the downstream direction from the required position. In the illustrated embodiment, since the driving source 290 is restarted and the solenoid 384 is deenergized as described above, the locking lever 566 is reliably locked to the pawl 562 as required, and thus There is no fear of street problems.

After that, a copying process is performed in the electrostatic copying machine 2, and the back surface of the sheet-shaped document (the surface facing upward when placed on the document table 32) is positioned on the transparent plate 8. A duplicate image is generated.

When the copying process is completed, an inverted signal is generated. Thus, the normal rotation drive of the drive source 290 (FIG. 6) is started, and the solenoid 384 is energized again. Therefore, the forward rotation of the transport belt unit 130 (and the document carry-in means 118) is started, and the sheet-shaped document on the transparent plate 8 is started to be carried out to the document carry-out path 550. A predetermined time (eg, 170 ms) from the time when the inversion signal is generated
After a lapse of time, the drive source 448 (FIG. 14) also starts to rotate normally, and the solenoid 536 is energized to position the discharge reversal control member 534 at the reversal position. Therefore, the sheet-shaped document discharged from the transparent plate 8 to the document discharge path 550 continues to be transported by the transport roller mechanism 438, and is discharged from the document discharge path 550 by the discharge / reverse control member 534 positioned at the reverse position. It is introduced into 542 and is conveyed toward the downstream end of the transparent plate 8. When the reverse original detector 546 detects the leading edge of the sheet original introduced into the original reverse path 542, the normal rotation drive of the drive source 290 is stopped. And some delay time (eg 100ms)
After the lapse of time, the reverse rotation drive of the drive source 290 is started. Thus, the transport belt unit 130 (and the document carry-in means 11)
8) starts to be driven in the reverse direction, and the sheet-like document conveyed from the downstream end side onto the transparent plate 8 through the document inversion path 542 is operated by the transport belt unit 130 which is driven in the reverse direction. 8 is conveyed upstream (to the right in FIG. 3). When the reverse document detector 546 detects the trailing edge of the sheet document and the drive source 290 is rotated in the reverse direction by a predetermined amount, a braking action is generated in the drive source 290, which is an electric motor. The reverse rotation driving of 130 (and the document carry-in means 118) is quickly stopped. At this time, the sheet-like original introduced onto the transparent plate 8 from the downstream end side is the transparent plate 8
The above required position, more specifically, the left edge of the transparent plate 8 is located at a position slightly to the right of the downstream edge (left edge) of the transparent plate 8. The sheet-shaped document thus repositioned on the transparent plate 8 is once conveyed from the document unloading path 550 through the document inverting path 542, and therefore the front and back sides thereof are re-inverted (hence,
(Same as when placed on the original table 32). The drive source 290 is stopped when a predetermined time (for example, 200 ms) has elapsed from the time when the braking action was generated in the drive source 290. Then, when a predetermined time (for example, 200 ms) has further elapsed, the normal rotation of the drive source 290 is restarted. Then, after a slight delay time (for example, 30 ms) has elapsed from this point, the solenoid 384 is deenergized. During such a slight delay time, the sheet-shaped document is conveyed to the left by the forward rotation of the conveyance belt 130, and thus the sheet-shaped document is positioned at a desired position on the transparent plate 8. Simultaneously with the deenergization of the solenoid 384, the solenoid 536 is also deenergized, and the discharge reversal control member 534 is returned to the discharge position. When a predetermined time (for example, 170 ms) elapses from this time point, the normal rotation of the drive source 290 is stopped. And again, the drive source 448
The forward rotation of is also stopped.

After that, a copying process is performed in the electrostatic copying machine 2, and the surface of the sheet-like document (the surface facing downward when placed on the document table 32) is positioned on the transparent plate 8. A copied image is generated, and thus the copying of the front and back surfaces of the first sheet-shaped document is completed.

On the other hand, when the copying process for the front surface of the first sheet-shaped original is started as described above, the forward rotation of the drive source 290 is started at the same time or after a lapse of some time. , The solenoid 402 (FIG. 6) is energized for a predetermined time (for example, 200 ms). Thus,
The spring clutch 400 (FIG. 6) is connected for one rotation,
The delivery roller 92 is temporarily lowered and rotated once in the delivery direction, and again the separating roller mechanism 4
The feed roller 60 of No. 8 is rotated in the feed direction and the reverse rotation roller 64 is rotated once in the opposite feed direction. Therefore, the next sheet-like document on the document table 32 is separated from the sheet-like document existing therebelow and sent out to the document carry-in path 42, and its front edge is at the nip portion of the document carry-in means 118 in the stopped state. It is made to abut. The drive source 290 is stopped when a predetermined time (for example, 650 ms) elapses from the time point when the normal rotation starts. Thus, the next sheet-shaped document is sent out as described above in the copying process for the back surface of the first sheet-shaped document (that is, the first copying process for the first sheet-shaped document). It may also be intended to be carried out. However, this causes the following problems. That is, in the illustrated specific example, the conveyor belt unit 130 and the document carry-in means 118 are the same clutch 3 from the viewpoint of reduction in manufacturing cost.
The same drive source 290 is connected via 80. Therefore, after performing the copying process on the back surface of the first sheet-shaped document, the solenoid 384 is energized to connect the clutch 380 and the drive source 290 is turned on in order to reverse the sheet-shaped document. When it is driven to rotate and then to reverse,
The original carry-in means 118 is also driven in the forward direction and then in the reverse direction together with the transport belt unit 130. Therefore, at this point, the next sheet-like document has already been fed into the document carry-in means 118.
When the original sheet is carried in up to that point, the next sheet-shaped original document is adversely affected by the forward and reverse rotations of the original document carrying means 118. On the other hand, the sending of the next sheet-like original is delayed until the copying step for the front surface of the first sheet-like original (that is, the second copying step for the first sheet-like original) is performed. If possible, the occurrence of the above problems can be avoided. By delaying the sending of the next sheet-shaped document until the copying process on the front surface of the previous sheet-shaped document, the start of the next copying process is not delayed.

When the copying process for the front surface of the first sheet-shaped document is completed, an inversion signal and an exchange signal are generated. Thus, the normal rotation drive of the drive source 290 is started, and the solenoid 384 is energized again. Therefore, the transport belt unit 130 and the document carry-in means 118.
Is started, the first sheet-shaped document on the transparent plate 8 is carried out to the document carry-out path 550, and the second sheet-shaped document sent to the document carry-in path 42 is transparent. It is loaded onto the plate 8. Then, a predetermined time (for example, 170
ms), the forward rotation drive of the drive source 448 is also started. Thus, the first sheet-shaped document discharged to the document discharge path 550 is positioned at the discharge position without being introduced into the document inversion path 542, and the discharge inversion control member 5 is positioned at the discharge position.
34 continues to be conveyed along the upper edge of the document 34, and the document discharge opening 422
Exhausted through. When the discharged document detector 548 detects the trailing edge of the first sheet-shaped document, the solenoid 536 is energized to switch the discharged reversal control member 534 to the reversal position. The second sheet-shaped document loaded on the transparent plate 8 continues to be further transported, and the document unloading path 5 from the transparent plate 8 is continued.
The document 50 is unloaded to the document reversing path 542 from the document unloading path 550 by the discharge reversing control member 534 positioned at the reversing position. Reversed document detector 546
Detects the leading edge of the second sheet of document, the drive source 2
The forward rotation of 90 is stopped. Then, after a lapse of a slight delay time (for example, 100 ms), the reverse rotation of the drive source 290 is started. Thus, the conveyance belt unit 130 (and the document carry-in means 118) starts to be driven in the reverse direction, and the second sheet-like document carried in from the downstream end side onto the transparent plate 8 through the document reverse path 542 is in the reverse direction. The operation of the transport belt unit 130 driven by the transparent plate 8
The sheet is conveyed in the upstream direction (to the right in FIG. 3). When the reverse original detector 546 detects the trailing edge of the sheet-like original and the drive source 290 is rotated in the reverse direction by a required amount, a braking action is generated in the drive source 290, which is an electric motor, and the conveyor belt is thereby generated. The reverse drive of the unit 130 (and the document carry-in means 118) is quickly stopped. At this point, 2 which was introduced onto the transparent plate 8 from the downstream end side
The sheet-shaped document of the first sheet passes through a required position on the transparent plate 8, more specifically, at a position where its left edge matches or is close to the downstream edge (left edge) of the transparent plate 8 and passes through it somewhat. Is also positioned to the right somewhat. The second sheet-shaped document thus positioned on the transparent plate 8 is temporarily moved to the document discharge path 55.
Since it is being conveyed from 0 through the original reversing path 542,
The front and back are reversed. The drive source 290 is stopped when a predetermined time (for example, 200 ms) has elapsed from the time when the braking action was generated in the drive source 290. Then, when a predetermined time (for example, 200 ms) has further elapsed, the normal rotation of the drive source 290 is restarted. Then, after a slight delay time (for example, 30 ms) has elapsed from this point, the solenoid 384 is deenergized. During such a slight delay time, the sheet-shaped original is conveyed to the left by the forward rotation of the conveyor belt unit 130, and thus the sheet-shaped original is positioned at a desired position on the transparent plate 8. Simultaneously with the deenergization of the solenoid 384, the solenoid 536 is deenergized, and the discharge reversal control member 5
34 is returned to the discharge position. When a predetermined time (for example, 170 ms) elapses from this time point, the normal rotation of the drive source 290 is stopped. Further, the forward rotation of the drive source 448 is also stopped.

After that, a copying process is performed in the electrostatic copying machine 2 to generate a copied image on the back surface of the second sheet-shaped original. Then, with respect to all the sheet-shaped originals placed on the original table 32, the carry-in and carry-out as described above are repeatedly performed. All the sheet-shaped originals placed on the original table 32 are sent out, and the placed original detector 1
When 08 does not detect the sheet original, the solenoid 1
16 (blocking member control means) is de-energized and the document blocking member 1
14 is returned to the blocking position.

The operation control of the simple type automatic document feeder 604 shown in FIG.
The operation control is substantially the same as the operation control in the simple (non-reversal) mode in FIG. The energizing and deenergizing controls of the drive source 448 and the solenoid 536 are omitted.)
Therefore, description of this operation control is omitted.

The preferred embodiments of the automatic document feeder and the electrostatic copying machine equipped with the same according to the present invention have been described above in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention is not limited to such specific examples, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0074]

The automatic document feeder according to the present invention is configured as described above, and when the reversible automatic document feeder is installed, the sheet-like document existing on the transparent plate is transferred to the transparent plate. Of the document, moving in the downstream direction, passing through the stepped portion of the document placement restricting member, being guided to the document reversing path, reversing the front and back sides, and re-carrying it onto the transparent plate from its downstream edge side.
When the simple type automatic document feeder is installed, the sheet-like document existing on the transparent plate is moved in the downstream direction from the downstream edge of the transparent plate to move the document from the step portion of the document placement regulating member. Since the deflecting member is used to deflect upward, the reversible automatic document feeder and the simple automatic document feeder can be mounted on the housing according to the demand of the user without a significant increase in manufacturing cost. An image processor that can be selectively installed can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a specific example of a reversible automatic document feeder and an electrostatic copying machine equipped with the same, which is configured according to the present invention.

2 is a perspective view showing the specific example of FIG. 1 in a state in which an opening / closing frame of the automatic document feeder is opened. FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an automatic document feeder in the specific example of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view showing the stationary frame of the automatic document feeder together with the upper surface of the housing of the electrostatic copying machine in the specific example of FIG.

5 is a perspective view showing an opening / closing frame of the automatic document feeder and various components mounted therein according to the specific example of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing drive-related components of the automatic document feeder in the specific example of FIG.

7 is a perspective view showing a conveyor belt unit arranged in the automatic document feeder in the specific example of FIG.

8 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the conveyor belt unit of FIG.

9 is a side view showing a part of the conveyor belt unit of FIG.

10 is a perspective view showing a connecting link used in the conveyor belt unit of FIG.

11 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a connecting link used in the conveyor belt unit of FIG. 7 and its related configuration.

12 is an exploded perspective view showing a drive unit arranged in the conveyor belt unit of FIG.

13 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a document placement restricting member provided on the upper surface of the housing of the electrostatic copying machine in the specific example of FIG.

14 is a partial perspective view showing a document discharging / reversing unit used in the conveyor belt unit of FIG. 7 and its related configuration.

FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of a fourteenth document discharging / inverting unit.

16 is a perspective view showing a part of the document discharging / reversing means of FIG. 14 in a partially disassembled state.

17 is a cross-sectional view showing a simple automatic document feeder that can be installed in an electrostatic copying machine in place of the reversible automatic document feeder in the specific example of FIG.

18 is a simplified diagram showing control-related elements in the specific example of FIG. 1. FIG.

19 is a time chart showing a simple (non-reversal) mode operation procedure of the automatic document feeder in the specific example of FIG.

FIG. 20 is a time chart showing the reverse mode operation procedure of the automatic document feeder in the specific example of FIG. 1.

21 is a simplified partial view showing a part of a spring clutch used in the automatic document feeder of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2: Electrostatic copying machine 4: Automatic document feeder (reversible type) 6: Housing 8: Transparent plate 16: Open / close moving frame body 18: Still frame body 32: Document table 42: Document carry-in path 44 / Document sending means 46 : Sending Roller Mechanism 48: Separation Roller Mechanism 114: Document Sending Blocking Member 118: Document Feeding Means 130: Conveying Belt Unit (Document Feeding Means) 132: Unit Frame 290: Drive Source 306: Drive Unit 310: Support Frame 406: Document Placement Position regulating member 412: Spring means 418: Forced lowering means 420: Step portion 422: Document discharging opening 438: Conveying roller mechanism (document discharging and reversing means) 448: Drive source 534: Discharge reversing control member 542: Document reversing path 550: Document discharge path 604: Automatic document feeder (simple type) 616: Open / close moving frame body 630: Conveying belt unit (document conveying Stage) 660: the document delivery passage 666: the document deflecting member 668: the document discharge opening

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kiyoshige Kameda 1-2-2 Tamatsukuri, Chuo-ku, Osaka Mita Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Fujita 1-228 Tamatsukuri, Chuo-ku, Osaka Mita Kogyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Katsunori Masai 1-22 Tamatsukuri, Chuo-ku, Osaka Mita Kogyo Co., Ltd.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A reversible automatic document feeder having a document reversing function and a document reversing function, the housing having a transparent plate on which a document to be processed is placed. And a simple type automatic document feeder which does not have an image forming apparatus, wherein the reversible type automatic document feeder has a rotary axis extending along one edge of the transparent plate. An opening / closing frame is mounted on the housing so as to be pivotally movable between a closed position for covering the transparent plate and an open position for exposing the transparent plate, and the opening / closing frame is located at the closed position. And a carrying-in action for carrying in the sheet-shaped document to be copied onto the transparent plate from the upstream edge side thereof, a carrying-out action for carrying out the document existing on the transparent plate from the downstream edge side of the transparent plate, and the transparent plate. The original existing above is placed on the downstream edge side of the transparent plate It is possible to carry out a reversing action in which the front and back sides are guided to the original reversing path and re-carried on the transparent plate from the downstream edge side thereof. An opening / closing frame that is mounted on the housing so as to be pivotable between a closed position that covers the transparent plate and an open position that exposes the transparent plate around a pivot axis that extends as a center. Is placed in the closed position, the carrying-in action of loading the sheet-like document to be copied onto the transparent plate from the upstream edge side thereof, and the document existing on the transparent plate from the downstream edge side of the transparent plate. A document placing restriction member is disposed on the upper surface of the housing adjacent to the downstream end edge of the transparent plate, and the document placing restriction member is transparent. The upstream edge of the transparent plate is close to or in contact with the downstream edge of the plate. A rising position located above the upper surface and a downstream end position of the upstream edge of which is located below the upper surface of the transparent plate are pivotably mounted and elastically biased to the rising position by spring means. On the upper surface of the document placement restricting member, a step portion whose downstream side is lowered is formed, and the opening / closing moving frame body is provided on the opening / closing moving frame body of the reversing type automatic document feeder. When it is brought to the closed position, there is provided a forced lowering means for forcing the document placement regulating member to the lowering position against the elastic biasing action of the spring means, and the transparent plate for carrying out or reversing. The sheet-shaped document that is moved in the downstream direction from the downstream edge of the document is passed through the step and is moved on the document placement regulation member, and the opening-and-closing frame of the simple automatic document feeder is , When the opening / closing frame is moved to the closed position, Arranged are forcible lowering means for forcing the placement restricting member to the lowered position against the elastic biasing action of the spring means, and a document deflecting member whose leading edge is positioned at the step of the document placing restriction member. The sheet-like document that is moved downstream from the downstream edge of the transparent plate for carrying out is deflected upward from the stepped portion of the document placement regulation member by the document deflection member. An automatic document feeder. 2. The original document placement regulating member is mounted so as to be pivotally movable between the raised position and the lowered position about a pivot axis extending in the width direction near the downstream end thereof.
The described automatic document feeder. 3. The automatic document feeder according to claim 1, wherein the document deflecting member arranged on the opening / closing frame of the simple type automatic document feeder is made of a flexible synthetic resin film. 4. The forced lowering means disposed on the opening / closing frame of the reversing type automatic document feeder and the forced lowering means disposed on the opening / closing frame of the simple type automatic document feeder. 4. The automatic document feeder according to claim 1, each of which is arranged on both sides in the width direction and is composed of a pair of abutting pieces that abut the document placement regulating member.