JPH09208137A - Paper conveying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To previously prevent defective paper feeding such as double-feed by arranging an alarming means giving an alarm on the basis of the paper size information and the paper sheet number information when a bundle of paper sheets exceeds the number of sheets suited for a paper size. SOLUTION: In determination by means of an ADF control unit 70, a document size is detected from the detection data of a document length sensor S13 and a document width sensor S14 while a thickness of a bundle of documents is detected from the detection data from a height sensor 15, when a return sensor S12 is turned off and setting of the bundle of documents is detected. If the thickness data of the bundle of documents exceeds the thickness range, in which paper feeding cannot be carried out, without respect to the document size, or if the thickness data under the value D1 exceeds a value, at which defective paper feeding may be caused, even though the paper size is A3 or B4, setting abnormal condition information is transmitted to a main control unit 71.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet conveying means, and for example, relates to a means for automatically conveying an original to be processed, which is mounted on a copying machine or a facsimile machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a sheet conveying apparatus for continuously and automatically feeding and conveying a plurality of sheets to a processing position on the apparatus main body side. This type of sheet conveying device is mounted on, for example, a copying machine, and separates the originals one by one from a bundle of originals set on an original table (paper mounting table) when the main body exposes an original (paper) image. Then, the sheet is fed and conveyed to the exposure position on the contact glass.After that, the exposed original conveyed from the exposure position is ejected to the ejection table, or the original is returned to the original table and the original is conveyed. Some are configured to circulate.

A sheet conveying device for circulating and conveying the original document is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-90930, and the sheet conveying device is rotated at the upper surface of the original bundle before being fed. A moving lever separates the original before feeding from the original to be returned, and when the original is not fed and the rotation of the lever is detected multiple times, the setting failure of the original is detected. There is.

Further, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-90931, the number of originals fed and fed while the above-mentioned turning lever is detected is counted, and for example, turning is performed even if the initial count value is exceeded. It is described that the malfunction of the rotating lever is detected when the rotation of the lever is not detected.

[0005]

However, in such a conventional sheet conveying apparatus, in addition to the document setting failure, the document is not sufficiently separated and a feeding failure such as double feeding occurs. There is also a defect. In order to solve this problem, the number of documents to be fed and conveyed is detected while the rotation lever described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-90931 is detected, and the count value after the second feeding is counted as the first feeding. A method of detecting double feeding of documents by comparing with the number of sheets (count value) can be considered, but this method cannot prevent feeding failure such as double feeding that occurs at the first feeding. There is. This document feeding failure occurs because the separating ability decreases depending on the thickness (number of sheets) of the set document bundle. Further, even in the case of a bundle of documents having the same number of sheets, the separation ability is deteriorated for a large-sized document, and a feeding failure is likely to occur.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to improve the reliability by executing an operation according to the set sheet bundle to prevent a sheet feeding failure such as a double feed of the sheet. To do.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to the first aspect of the invention is to set a sheet stacking table for setting a sheet bundle and separate the sheets from the set sheet bundle and feed them. In a paper carrying device comprising a paper feeding means and a paper carrying means for carrying the fed paper to a processing position on the apparatus main body side and carrying it out after completion of the processing, the paper set on the paper loading table Size detecting means for detecting the size of the sheet stack, a sheet number detecting means for detecting the number of sheet bundles set on the sheet mounting table, and a sheet bundle according to the sheet size based on the sheet size information and the sheet number information by these detecting means. And a notifying means for notifying the abnormality information when the number of sheets exceeds the specified number.

According to the first aspect of the invention, the sheet size and the number of sheets of the sheet bundle set on the sheet mounting table are detected, and it is determined from the detection information that the number of sheet bundles exceeds the number corresponding to the sheet size. Then, the operator is informed of the abnormal setting of the number of sheets. According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect of the invention, the sheet feeding operation is performed when the sheet bundle exceeds the number corresponding to the sheet size based on the sheet size information and the sheet number information by the detection means. It is characterized in that a control means for restricting is provided.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the operator is notified of an abnormal setting of the number of sheets, and the sheet feeding operation itself is limited by being temporarily interrupted or prohibited. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first or second aspect of the invention, a sheet returning unit that returns the sheet carried out by the sheet conveying unit to the document placing table, and a sheet bundle before being fed. A circulation unit that has a partitioning unit located above and that separates the sheet before being fed from the sheet that has been returned, and circulates the sheet set on the document table to feed and convey the sheet to the processing position on the apparatus main body side. It is characterized in that it is provided with a function, and the number detecting means is configured to detect the height of the partitioning means to detect the number of the sheet bundle on the sheet mounting table.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the case of the apparatus for circulating the sheets, the number of sheet bundles on the sheet tray is detected by the height of the partition means for separating the pre-feed sheet and the return sheet. To be done. In the method of detecting the number of sheets from the thickness of the sheet bundle, it is possible to detect even before the first sheet feeding.
Here, since the number of sheets of the sheet bundle substantially corresponds to the thickness thereof, it can be easily detected from the thickness. However, not only the height of the partition means but also a dedicated sensor is used for the detection. It goes without saying that you can do it.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 10 are views showing an embodiment of a sheet conveying device according to the invention, and are views showing an example mounted on a copying machine or the like for processing a document image. In the present embodiment, a document to be copied as a sheet is fed and conveyed.

First, the configuration will be described. 1 to 3, 10 is a document feeder (paper feeder), and the document feeder 10 is installed on a contact glass 11 provided in the main body of the copying machine, and when the body side exposes a document image. In addition, a document feeding unit (paper feeding means) 13 separates the documents P one by one from a document stack P (shown in FIG. 2) set on a document table (paper placing table) 12 by an air separation method. The document P is fed, and the document feeding unit (paper feeding means) 14 feeds the fed document P to the exposure position on the contact glass 11 and stops it. After the exposure, the document P is unloaded from the contact glass 10. In the document feeder 10, the document returning section (sheet returning means) 15 returns the document P carried out from the contact glass 11 onto the document table 12, and the returned document P and the pre-feeding document P are combined. The partition lever (partitioning means) 16 is located between them so that they can be circulated separately. That is, the document feeder 10 has a circulation type feeding function (RADF).

In the present embodiment, since the originals P are separated and fed one by one on the original table 12 by the air separation method, the end plate 17 for stopping the trailing end of the original bundle P is fed by the end plate 17. Side guides that are provided so as to be movable in any direction and that are in contact with both side edges of the document stack P and are positioned at the center
An original 18 is provided so as to be movable in the width direction of the original P. The presence or absence of the original P on the original table 12 is detected by the original presence / absence sensor S1. S2 detects and detects.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the document feeding section 13 feeds the document from the lowermost document P of the document stack P to the sheet feeding roller 22 by the sheet feeding belt 21 and feeds it to the document feeding section 14. The sheet feeding belt 21 has a vacuum duct 23 accommodated between the belts, which is sucked from the vacuum windows 23a and 23b by a suction blower (not shown) to suck the vacuum duct 23, so that the vacuum duct 23 The original P is adsorbed and fed to the paper feed roller 22. Further, the document feeding section 13 is provided with a separation air duct 25 which is located on the front end side of the document stack P on the document table 12 and blows out air. This separation air duct 25 is provided from the nozzle 25a to the front end of the document stack P. Feed the belt by separating the tip by blowing air
By means of 21, the lowermost original P can be separated and fed. Note that the vacuum duct 23 has a vacuum window 23a located at the leading end of the document stack P opened in a surface bent in the paper feed direction of the documents P, and the documents P other than those adsorbed to the paper feed belt 21 are fed by the paper feed belt. Since it is separated from 21, the separation ability of the document P is high. 2 and 3, reference numerals 27 and 28 denote a drive roller and a driven roller around which the paper feed belt 21 is wound.

The document feeding section 14 relays the document P fed by the sheet feeding roller 22 of the document feeding section 13 to the relay rollers 31, 32.
Is sent to the switchback rollers 34, 35 through the conveyance path switched by the switching claw 33 by receiving the switchback after receiving the document, and thereafter the original P is switched by the switchback rollers 34, 35 by the switching claw 36. Sent to the conveyor belt 37 via the specified conveyor path, and the conveyor belt 37
Stops feeding to the exposure position on the contact glass 11. Then, in the case of performing the exposure processing (exposure of double-sided image) of the other side of the document P after finishing the exposure of the one-sided side of the document image, the document conveying section 14 uses the switching claws 33 and 36 to convey the conveyance path. By carrying out switching as required, the conveyance belt 37 switches back the original P conveyed from the contact glass 11 and reverses it, and then conveys it again on the contact glass 11, or again in the case of processing only one sided image. It is sent to the switchback rollers 34 and 35, and is returned to the original table 12 by the paper discharge roller 38. In FIG. 1, S3 is an entrance sensor for detecting the feeding of the document P, S4 and S5 are relay rollers 31,
A conveyance sensor for detecting the position of the document P conveyed by 32, S6 and S7 are reverse conveyance sensors for detecting the position of the document P conveyed by the switchback rollers 34, 35, and S8.
Is a paper ejection sensor for detecting the ejection of the document P.

The document feeder 10 has, for example, a so-called semi-automatic feeding function (SADF) for manually inserting a long document, that is, a so-called manual feed document, and operates when the document is manually fed. Inlet gate claw 41 and turn roller for feeding and reversing manually fed originals on the conveyor belt 37
42 and the registration gate claw 43 that aligns the leading edge of the manually fed document
Then, after the exposure process is completed, a paper discharge roller 44 that discharges a manually fed document fed by the switchback roller 34, an entrance sensor S9 that detects the manual feeding of the document, and a document that has been inserted up to the registration gate claw 43 are detected. Registration sensor S
10 and a paper discharge sensor S11 for detecting the discharge of the document are provided. The switching pawl 36 has a RADF function or SA.
The conveyance path of the document to be conveyed is switched by the DF function.
Further, in FIG. 1, SW is a cover switch for detecting the opening of the transport path.

The document feeder 10 is a document table.
The original P returned on the sheet 12 and the original P before feeding are separately processed by the partition lever 16 located on the original P before feeding, and the circulating processing is performed. As shown in FIG. 5, when the lever detection sensor S2 detects that the tip portion (shown by a broken line in FIG. 5) of the tip end has reached the end, the solenoid 51 is turned off, and The character member 52 is rotated by the springs 53, 54,
The support portion 16a that rotatably supports the partition lever 16 moves to the return position on the left side (the side away from the front end of the document P) in FIG. 5 in the rail 55, and the pin 16b is attracted by the magnetic force of the magnet 56. As a result, at the returning position, the leading end portion is raised so that the upper surface of the document stack P can be re-contacted or the document stack P can be replaced. On the other hand, when starting feeding the document P,
When the solenoid 51 is turned on, the L-shaped member 52 is rotated against the elastic force of the springs 53 and 54, and the support portion 16a moves inside the rail 55 on the right side of FIG. 5 (the side close to the leading edge of the document P). To the operating position (state shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 5),
When 16b is separated from the magnet 56, the leading end of the magnet 16 naturally descends and is held in contact with the upper surface of the document stack P. The return sensor S12 detects the partition lever 16 located at the return position and shown by the solid line in FIG.

Here, the document feeder 10 is based on the sensor information of the various sensors S1 to S12, and the ADF shown in FIG.
The main control unit when the control unit 70 receives a command from the copying machine main body
According to the instruction of 71, the respective parts 13 to 15 are driven and controlled, and the original P set on the original table 12 is fed and conveyed onto the contact glass 11. The ADF control section 70 is further set on the original table 12. Information relating to the original bundle P is also collected and various processes according to the present invention are executed.

Regarding the size of the original P, the ADF control unit 70 detects the set position of the end plate 17 for the original length sensor S13 (shown in FIG. 6) and the side guide 18 for the set position. The document size is detected from the detection data of the width sensor S14. That is, the document length sensor S13 and the document width sensor S14 form a size detecting means. Since the document size has a unique value for each width and length such as A4 and B5, the document size can be detected from the detection data of one of the document length sensor S13 and the document width sensor S14.

As shown in FIG. 6, the end plate 17 is movably held in the paper feed direction of the document P by the pinion gears 61 rotatably arranged at both ends engaging the rack 62. And a locking hole provided so that click claws (not shown) provided at both ends by gripping the grip 63 and sliding it in the width direction of the document P corresponding to the document size
It can be inserted into and removed from 64 and fixed at a predetermined position, and the document size corresponding to the fixed position at this time is displayed on the size display 65. Also, the side guide 18
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, separate slide members 66 and 67 are slidably supported in the width direction of the document P, respectively.
The slide members 66, 67 are interlocked with each other by the rack portions 66a, 67a formed on the opposite sides engaging with the pinion gear 68 located at the center C of the document P in the width direction. The bundle P can be located in the center,
The document width sensor S14 detects the position of the side guide 18 by the change in the resistance value due to the movement of the knob (VR) 69 in the not-shown notch of the slide member 66.

The ADF control unit 70 detects the amount of light reflected by the partition lever 16 when the height sensor S15 of the height of the partition lever 16 emits light from the light emitting unit for the number of document bundles P. The thickness of the document stack P before being fed is detected by the unit, and the ADF control unit 70 detects the height detected by the height sensor S15 (sheet number detecting means). It is converted into data (digital value) and it is determined whether it is within a predetermined range.
The number of sheets of the document stack P can be calculated by calculating the detection data of the height sensor S15, and the subsequent control can be performed based on the number of sheets.

Then, as shown in FIG. 9, the ADF control unit 70 receives the instruction signal from the main control unit 71, and based on the sensor information of the various sensors S1 to S15, the solenoid 51,
By controlling the driving of the motors 75 to 78 and the motors BM and M1 to M3, the document P is fed, conveyed, reversed, and ejected.
Prior to the start of feeding the originals P, it is determined whether or not the original bundle P has a thickness (number of sheets) within a range corresponding to the size, and if the preset value exceeds the preset value. While the setting abnormality information of the document stack P is sent to the main control unit 71, if it is within the range, the drive control is continued as it is.

The determination by the ADF control section 70 will be described in detail in the flow chart of FIG.
When is turned off to detect setting (or completion of one cycle) of the document stack P (step P1), the document size is detected from the detection data of the document length sensor S13 and the document width sensor S14, and the detection data of the height sensor S15 is detected. The thickness (number of sheets) of the document stack P is detected, and if the thickness data of the document stack P exceeds the unfeedable thickness value D1 regardless of the document size, the process proceeds to step P6 (step P2). .

On the other hand, if the thickness data does not exceed the value D1, it is confirmed whether or not the value exceeds the value D2 which may cause a paper feed failure even with A3 size or B4 size (step P3). If the size is not exceeded, the paper feeding operation is started as it is, but if the size is exceeded, the original size is A3.
Alternatively, it is confirmed whether or not it is B4 (steps P4, P
5) If the size is other than these, the paper feeding operation is started as it is, but if it is A3 or B4, the process proceeds to step P6.

If the thickness of the document stack P exceeds the value D1, or if the document size is A3, B4 and the thickness exceeds the value D2, the set abnormality information is sent to the main control unit 71. , The main control unit 71 sends a command notifying that the bundle of documents P, which cannot be normally fed, is set on the document table 12 to the main body of the copying machine. However, (steps P6 and P7), the number of sheets over warning is displayed on the display section of the copying machine main body. That is, the main control unit 71 constitutes an informing means.

In FIG. 6, reference numeral 72 is a harness relay section that connects the ADF control section 70 to the sensors S1 to S15, SW, the solenoid 51, and the display section 73 of the document feeder 10, and 74 is a vacuum duct 23. Is a blower motor controller for controlling the blower motor BM, and DC is a DC power source connected to the blower motor controller 74. Further, the motor M1 is a paper feed motor for driving the paper feed system for the original P, similarly the motor M2 is a conveyance motor, the motor M3 is a reversing motor, the solenoid 75 drives the switching claw 33, and the solenoid 76.
Drives the switching pawl 36, the solenoid 77 drives the entrance gate pawl 41, and the solenoid 78 drives the registration gate pawl 43. The blower motor control unit 74 receives a 3-bit digital output signal (SPD3 SPD2 SPD1) corresponding to the size and thickness of the document stack P from the ADF control unit 70 and controls the drive speed of the blower motor BM.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the original table
If it is determined that more than the number of originals P corresponding to the original size is set based on the detection information of the size and the thickness (the number of sheets) of the original stack P set on the copying machine 12, the setting abnormality is detected. It is sent to the body side. Therefore, in the main body of the copying machine, the information is notified to the operator by, for example, displaying the information on the display unit or issuing an alarm, and the operator pulls out a part of the original P to cause the original P to be fed without causing a paper feed failure. It can feed and convey. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a paper feed failure before the paper feed of the document P is started.

Further, since the thickness of the document P is detected by diverting the existing partition lever, the thickness of the document P can be easily and inexpensively constructed. As another aspect of the present embodiment, although not shown, the ADF control unit 70
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the main control unit 71 notifies the operator of the setting abnormality, and at the same time, the sheet feeding operation is interrupted or prohibited. Alternatively, the sheet feeding operation may be started when the start key is pressed again after the sheet is removed or the stack of documents P is reset. With this configuration, it is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of a paper feed failure even when the paper feed operation is started and the operator is absent despite the setting abnormality.

[0029]

According to the invention described in claim 1, when the number of sheets set on the sheet placing table exceeds the number of sheets corresponding to the sheet size (the number of sheets that can be fed without double feeding),
Since the operator is notified that the number of set sheets is large, it is possible to notify that fact before the sheet feeding is started. Therefore, before the paper feeding is started, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of the paper feeding failure by the operator pulling out a part of the paper and continue the paper feeding operation as it is.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the abnormal setting of the number of sheets is notified to the operator, and the sheet feeding operation itself is limited by suspending or prohibiting it. Alternatively, the sheet feeding can be restarted by resetting the sheet itself and restarting after the setting is canceled. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of a paper feed failure.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the number of sheets of the sheet bundle on the sheet stacking table is detected by the partitioning means for separating the pre-feed sheet and the return sheet of the apparatus for circulating the sheets, The means for detecting the number of sheets can be simply configured by diverting the existing means. Therefore, it is possible to configure a mechanism for preventing the occurrence of paper feeding failure without increasing the cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an embodiment of a sheet conveying device according to the invention, and is a perspective view thereof.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a main part of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a part of the main part shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a main part different from FIG.

5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of a main part illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a main part of this embodiment seen through.

FIG. 7 is a partially transparent perspective view illustrating a main part for setting sheets of the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a part of the main part shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an electrical connection of the present embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating control of the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Document Feeder (Paper Feeder) 11 Contact Glass 12 Document Table (Paper Placement Table) 13 Document Feeder (Paper Feeder) 14 Document Feeder (Paper Feeder) 15 Document Returner (Paper Returner) 16 Partition lever (partitioning means) 17 End plate 18 Side guide 21 Paper feed belt 23 Vacuum duct 25 Separation air duct 25 51 Solenoid 52 L-shaped member 53, 54 Spring 70 ADF control part (control means) 71 Main control part (informing means) S1 Document presence sensor S2 Lever detection sensor S12 Return sensor S13 Document length sensor (size detection means) S14 Document width sensor (size detection means) S15 Height sensor (sheet count detection means)

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical display location G03G 21/00 386 G03G 21/00 386

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A paper placing table for setting a bundle of sheets, a paper feeding unit for separating and feeding the sheets one by one from the set bundle of sheets, and a processing of the fed sheets on the apparatus main body side. In a sheet conveying device including a sheet conveying unit that conveys the sheet to a position and carries it out after processing is completed, a size detecting unit that detects the size of the sheet set on the sheet mounting table and a sheet conveying unit that is set on the sheet mounting table A sheet number detecting means for detecting the number of sheets in the sheet bundle, and an informing means for informing abnormality information when the sheet bundle exceeds the number corresponding to the sheet size based on the sheet size information and the sheet number information by these detecting means are provided. A paper transport device characterized by the above. 2. A control means for limiting the paper feeding operation when the number of sheets exceeds the number of sheets corresponding to the sheet size based on the sheet size information and the number of sheets information by the detecting means. The sheet conveying device according to item 1. 3. Paper returning means for returning the paper carried out by the paper carrying means onto the document placing table, and paper before the paper feeding and paper which is positioned on the paper bundle before paper feeding. It is equipped with a partitioning means for partitioning the sheet, and has a circulation function of circulating the sheets set on the original placing table and feeding and conveying the sheets to the processing position on the apparatus main body side.The sheet number detecting means detects the height of the partitioning means. 3. The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet conveying apparatus is configured to detect the number of sheet bundles on the sheet mounting table.