JPH07277544A - Sheet material transport device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a sheet material transport device which can transport the document of an image reader (a scanner), the paper of an image formation device (a printer) or the like by one transport means. CONSTITUTION:The device consists of transport rollers 5, 6 that act as transport means to transport a sheet material 1 (a document 1a), and a reading unit 10 that is a, unit fitted to the transport passage of the roller 5, 6, and this reading unit 10 is exchangeable for other units, for example, a unit having an image forming means.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet material conveying apparatus applied to an image reading apparatus, an image forming apparatus or the like for reading an original while feeding the original or printing an image on a sheet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a reading device for reading an original while conveying the original and a printer for printing on a paper are as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, respectively.

FIG. 6 shows a reading device.

The original 101a is placed on the paper feed table 119, and a reading start signal is sent from the computer (not shown) to the controller 110.

The control unit 110 drives the conveying roller 111 and the conveying belt 116 to send the original 101a to the reading unit. In the reading unit, the original 101a illuminated by the illumination lamp 112 is read by the CCD 115 via the mirror 113 and the lens 114, and the image data thereof is sent to the computer through the control unit 110. The original 101a from which the image has been read is further fed, and the paper output unit 1
Reach eighteen.

FIG. 7 shows a printer.

When a print command and image data are sent from the computer to the controller 120, the controller 120 drives the conveyor roller 111 and the conveyor belt 116 to start the conveyance of the paper 101b on the paper feed tray 119. Next, when it is detected that the paper 101b is below the printing unit 122, the image data sent from the computer first is printed on the paper 101b using the printing unit 122. The printed paper 101b is further conveyed and discharged to the paper discharge unit 118.

[0008]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the conveying means for conveying the original 101a and the sheet 1 are used.
Although the reading means and the printing means are fixed to the feeding portion, even though the feeding means for feeding 01b is almost the same, the person who needs both the reading means and the printing means needs an image reading device (scanner) having the same feeding means. It was necessary to have both an image forming device (printer) and an image forming apparatus (printer), which cost more than necessary and space.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and its purpose is to provide a document of an image reading apparatus (scanner) and an image forming apparatus (printer) with one conveying means. It is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet material conveying device capable of conveying a sheet or the like.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a conveying means for conveying a sheet material,
And a unit attached to the conveying path of the conveying means, wherein the unit is replaceable with another unit.

It is characterized in that it comprises a conveying means for conveying the sheet material and a plurality of units attached to the conveying path of the conveying means, and the plurality of units can be replaced with other units.

The replaceable unit includes a unit having an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet material, a unit having a reading means for reading an image on the sheet material, and a print erasing means for erasing an image printed on the sheet material. It is good to include the unit which has.

It is preferable that the conveying means can convey the sheet material from the downstream side as opposed to the usual conveying direction of the sheet material.

It is preferable to have a plurality of feeding portions for feeding the sheet material and a plurality of discharging portions for discharging the sheet material.

[0015]

In the sheet material conveying apparatus constructed as described above, the unit attached to the conveying path of the conveying means can be replaced with another unit, so that a plurality of units can use the common conveying means.

By attaching a plurality of units to the transport path and allowing the plurality of units to be exchanged with other units,
You can change the combination of multiple units.

The replaceable unit has a unit having an image forming means for forming an image on the sheet material, a unit having a reading means for reading the image of the sheet material, and a print erasing means for erasing the image printed on the sheet material. By including the unit, a common conveying means can be applied to the image forming apparatus, the image reading apparatus, the sheet material reproducing apparatus, and the like.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention.

The apparatus is such that an original 1 which is a sheet material is placed on a paper feed table 2.
Standby with a loaded. Here, when a command is given to the control unit 11 from the outside, the feeding and conveying of the original 1a is started. First, the originals 1a fed into the apparatus one by one by the feed roller 3 and the separation roller 4 are fed below the sensor 8 by the feed rollers 5 and 6 as feed means and the feed belt 7. Here, the original 1a is detected, and its signal is sent to the control unit 11. The control unit 11 sends a signal to start reading to the control unit 26 based on this signal.

The reading unit (unit having a reading means) 10 is an illumination lamp 2 for illuminating the original 1a.
2, reading guide 21, mirror 23, lens 24, C
It is composed of a CD 25, and the control unit 26 controls them. When the reading start signal comes, the control unit 26
Image data obtained by photoelectrically converting an optical image obtained from the original 1a illuminated by the illumination lamp 22 by the CCD 25 is captured and recorded in the memory 12 via the control unit 11. This data is transferred to the outside when one document 1a is completely read. On the other hand, the document 1a that has been read is ejected to the paper ejection unit 9 as it is.

FIG. 2 shows a case where a print unit (unit having image forming means) 20 is mounted instead of the reading unit 10 of FIG. 1, and this print unit 20 comprises a control section 28 and a print section 27. The print unit 27 may be an inkjet type or an ink ribbon type.

As described above, when the sensor 8 detects the sheet 1b as the sheet material, the control section 11 to the control section 2
The print start command is sent to 8 and is transferred from outside in advance.
The image data stored in the memory 12 is printed on the paper 1b by the printing unit 27 by observing the timing.

In the above-described embodiment, the control section 11 is provided in the transport section and each unit, and the memory (image memory) 12 is provided only in the transport section. However, the control section 11 and the memory 12 may be provided on the unit side. Moreover, it is naturally possible to perform the transfer in real time without having a memory.

With the configuration described above, an image reading apparatus (scanner) or an image forming apparatus (printer) as an apparatus.
The most consuming space is shared, and by simply changing the unit, it becomes a scanner and a printer, and the image reading device and the image forming device have a common transportation means, which is cost and space-saving. It is also effective.

(Other Embodiments) FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention.

This is different from FIG. 1 in that a plurality of units that can be mounted are provided in the conveying path. However, not only one conveying device shown above can be a scanner or a printer, but also a reading unit. It is shown that various usages can be realized by a combination of a reading unit and a printing unit or the like.

(1) Mount a plurality of reading units.

(1-1) Generally, the reading speed of an original (original conveying speed) is determined by the reading resolution, and the speed becomes slower as the resolution is increased. However, as shown in FIG. 4, a bar code scanner unit (reading unit), which includes a reading guide 21, an illumination lamp 22, a mirror 23, a lens 24, a CCD 25, a control unit 31, and a decoder 32, has a narrow reading width but reads with high resolution. By installing a scanner unit (reading unit) having a lower resolution than this but capable of reading the entire area of the original on each of A and B in FIG.
Read the barcode attached to the original 1a,
Can be transferred to the outside together with the image data of the original 1a.

The above method can also be used as an OCR scanner unit by having a memory in the bar code scanner unit.

(1-2) If the color of the illumination lamp 22 is different, or if a color filter is placed near the CCD 25,
By preparing a scanner having different color characteristics read by the CD 25, it can be used as a full-color scanner.

(2) A reading unit and a printing unit are mounted.

The image read by the reading unit is transferred at a time, the image is processed by a computer, and a place where a character or the like is to be added is calculated, and a character or the like is printed on the original 1a by a print unit downstream from the reading unit. It can be added to a sheet material such as the sheet 1b.
In addition, the read mark can be printed after being read, which improves the operability.

(3) Mount the print unit upstream and the reading unit downstream.

When a confidential document or the like is recorded on the disc or the like from the reading unit, when the document is printed out in some form, the name of the recorder, the scanner number, etc., which are necessary for searching the route, are recorded. It is also possible to read by the reading unit after printing by the print unit upstream of the conveyance path.

(4) Mount a plurality of print units.

By preparing print units of different colors, a two-color or full-color printer is obtained.

(5) By mounting the print erasing means and the print unit, the copied paper can be used many times.

As described above, various uses are possible.

FIG. 5 shows a sheet material conveying device provided with a plurality of paper feed portions and paper discharge portions. Conveying roller 5 which is a conveying means
4, 55 and belt 57 are adapted to rotate in both left and right directions. Therefore, when the sheet material 1 stacked on the paper feeding portion 51 is used, the conveying rollers 54 and 55 are rotated rightward and discharged to the paper discharging portion 53. Similarly, the sheet material 1 stacked on the sheet feeding unit 52 is conveyed by the conveying rollers 54, 55 and the belt 57.
Is rotated to the left to convey the paper to the left, and the paper output unit 54
Is discharged to.

If such a sheet material conveying device is used,
By using the reading unit in C and the printing unit in D of FIG. 5 as well as the above-described usage, the original is loaded in the paper feed unit 51 and the paper is loaded in the paper feed unit 52, and the original is first fed C The reading unit reads the sheet, discharges the sheet to the sheet discharge section 53, then feeds the sheet from the sheet feed section 52 in the left direction in the figure, prints the image read by the C reading unit with the D print unit, and discharges the sheet. The sheet can be discharged to 54 and can be used as a copying machine.

With such a configuration, as in the above-described embodiment, the image reading device (scanner) and the image forming device (printer) as a device have a common conveying section that takes the most space, and also in terms of cost. Also, it is effective in terms of space, and various functions can be added by simply changing a plurality of units, and a multifunctional image reading apparatus, image forming apparatus, etc. can be provided.

[0043]

According to the present invention having the above-described structure and operation, since the unit attached to the conveying path of the conveying means can be replaced with another unit, a plurality of units can use a common conveying means. It is effective in terms of space and cost.

By attaching a plurality of units to the transport path and allowing the plurality of units to be exchanged with other units,
The combination can be changed, and a multifunctional device can be configured by a common transporting means.

The replaceable unit has a unit having an image forming means for forming an image on the sheet material, a unit having a reading means for reading the image of the sheet material, and a print erasing means for erasing the image printed on the sheet material. By including the unit, a common conveying unit can be applied to the image forming apparatus, the image reading apparatus, the sheet material reproducing apparatus, and the like.

The conveying means becomes a more multi-functional device by allowing the sheet material to be conveyed from the downstream side, which is the reverse of the normal conveying direction of the sheet material.

By having a plurality of feeding parts for feeding the sheet material and a plurality of discharging parts for discharging the sheet material, it becomes easy to sort the sheet material and the operability is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an image reading device to which a sheet material conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an image forming apparatus in which the reading unit 10 of FIG. 1 is replaced with a print unit 20.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a sheet material conveying device according to another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a barcode scanner unit.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a sheet material conveying device according to another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional image reading apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing a conventional image forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 sheet material 1a, 101a originals 1b, 101b paper 5, 6, 54, 55, 111 conveying rollers (conveying means) 10 reading unit (unit having reading means) 20 print unit (unit having image forming means)

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Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A sheet material conveying apparatus comprising: a conveying means for conveying a sheet material; and a unit attached to a conveying path of the conveying means, the unit being replaceable with another unit. . 2. A transport means for transporting a sheet material, and a plurality of units mounted on a transport path of the transport means, wherein the plurality of units are replaceable with other units. Sheet material conveying device. 3. The sheet material conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the replaceable unit includes a unit having an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet material. 4. The sheet material conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the replaceable unit includes a unit having a reading unit for reading an image of the sheet material. 5. The sheet material conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the replaceable unit includes a unit having a print erasing unit that erases an image printed on the sheet material. 6. The sheet material transport according to claim 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein the transport means can transport the sheet material from the downstream side, which is opposite to the normal transport direction of the sheet material. apparatus. 7. The sheet material conveying device according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of sheet feeding portions for feeding the sheet material and a plurality of discharging portions for discharging the sheet material. .