JPH10161358A - Recirculating document feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a device capable of carrying mixed documents, without any trouble, even if a tray does not exist and detecting the mixed documents. SOLUTION: In this documents feeder 2, a prescribed sheet S is set on the uppermost part of the mixed documents, at the time of setting the mixed documents in a platen 21. The sheet S is formed with the larger size of the mixed documents. A document is ejected onto the sheet S from a paper ejecting port 23, so that the document does not collide against the residual documents. The sheet S is provided with a bright and dark streaky pattern display. This display is detected by a sensor 36 for detecting the placing of the sheet, to automatically detect the presence of the mixed documents. The document is carried while the size of the document is detected, in accordance with the detection. Thus, the attachment/detachment of the sheet S is easy and operation convenience is great.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, such as a copying machine, a facsimile, an image reading apparatus, and the like. The present invention relates to a circulating document feeder configured to return a document on which a document has been read to a mounting plate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A circulation type document feeder can repeatedly convey a document by circulating the document on a predetermined path. For example, a placing plate for placing a document is provided, and the document is set at a document setting position on the placing plate. The set originals are taken out one by one, conveyed for copying or the like, and then discharged from the paper discharge port toward the original setting position onto the mounting plate.

[0003]

However, the leading end of the document discharged from the discharge port may hit the trailing end of the document remaining at the document setting position. In particular, when originals of different sizes are set at the same time (an original in such a state is referred to as a "mixed original"), a small original is placed on the top of a stacked large original. . In such a case, when a large document is conveyed and discharged, the leading edge of the document hits the trailing edge of the small document at the top of the document remaining at the document setting position, and as a result, the document is out of order. Tends to occur.

In order to prevent such a problem,
There is also a document feeder in which a detachable tray is attached to a discharge port to receive a document discharged from the tray, and the discharged document does not hit the remaining document. However, attaching and detaching the tray is troublesome. Also, it is not necessary to provide such a tray. Conventionally, it has been difficult to detect that the document is a mixed document. For this reason, in order to copy the mixed originals onto the paper corresponding to the size in the copying machine equipped with the document feeder, it is necessary to manually perform the setting operation on the copying machine. I want to automate such setting operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems and to provide a circulation type document feeder capable of transporting mixed documents without a tray and detecting mixed documents. is there.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a circulation type document feeder, comprising: a placing plate having a document setting position; A document that conveys the original document along a predetermined conveyance path and returns the original to the mounting plate. , A sheet detecting means for detecting that the original is placed on the set original, and, in response to an output of the sheet detecting means, a mixed original including originals of different sizes. A mixed control unit that determines the state and operates the document conveying unit in a manner to cope with the mixed document.

According to this configuration, the predetermined sheet can be used as follows. That is, when a document in a mixed document state (mixed document) is transported, the mixed document is set at a document setting position on a placing plate, and a predetermined sheet is placed thereon. Documents are conveyed one by one, and are discharged onto a sheet from a discharge port. Since this sheet can cover the upper part of the mixed original on the mounting plate, even if a small original is placed on the top of the mixed original, the small original remaining at the original set position is not affected. It is possible to prevent the discharged document from hitting the rear end. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the originals from getting out of order, jamming, stock defects, and the like.

Further, since the sheets are used in a mixed original state as described above, by detecting the presence or absence of the sheet, it is possible to easily determine that the original is a mixed original, and to cope with the mixed original. The document can be conveyed while detecting the size of the document one by one.

[0009]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional front view of a schematic configuration of a document feeder according to the present embodiment mounted on a copying machine. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the copying machine and the document feeder. In each of the drawings, a left-right arrow X and a front-rear arrow Y in front view are illustrated as necessary.

A document feeder 2 is mounted on the upper surface of the main body 1 of the copying machine. The document feeder 2 can open and close the upper part of the copying machine main body 1 with its rear end as a rotation center. The document feeder 2 is of a circulating type, and conveys a document from the mounting plate 21 onto the platen glass 11 of the copying machine main body 1, and then returns the document to the mounting plate 21, and repeatedly conveys the original as necessary. Can be. Manuscript is platen glass 1
1 is copied by the copying machine body 1. The copier body 1 and the document feeder 2 have an auto-selection function of copying a mixed document on paper according to its size.

The copying machine main body 1 has the above-mentioned platen glass 11 on its upper surface, and can read an image of a document through the platen glass 11 from below and copy the image on a copy sheet. The copier main body 1 is provided with a paper supply unit 15 that can supply copy paper of a predetermined size, and a control unit 16 that includes a microcomputer (CPU) and controls each unit. The control unit 16 sets or cancels the auto selection function of the copier main body 1 in response to an output signal from the document feeder 2 as described later.
A sheet of a predetermined size is supplied from the sheet feeding unit 15 to copy an image.

The document feeder 2 has a placing plate 21 on which documents can be stacked and placed. The placing plate 21 has a paper feed port 22 at one end and a discharge port 23 at the other end. Have been. A document setting position is set on the mounting plate 21, and the document is set there. The loaded document is placed in paper feed port 2
2 and is discharged from the discharge port 23 onto the mounting plate 21. The document feeder 2 includes a transport mechanism 24 serving as a document transport unit that transports the document from the paper feed port 22 through the platen glass 11 to the paper discharge port 23, and a document feeder that re-feeds the document discharged from the paper discharge port 23. For this purpose, a transport mechanism 25 for transporting the document on the placing plate 21 to the document setting position, and a control unit 26 for controlling each unit are provided.

The mounting plate 21 has a back side and a near side,
A pair of document width regulation guides 31 are provided. A document is placed near the paper feed port 22 during the regulation guide 31. The regulation guides 31 are moved in conjunction with each other in a direction toward or away from each other (a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1), and the front and rear ends of the document set on the placing plate 21. Operated according to the part. A width detection sensor 32 that can detect the width of the original (the dimension in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1) is connected to the regulation guide 31.
A preset switch 33 and a set switch 34 for setting a document at a document setting position and a document length detection sensor 37 for detecting the length (transport direction dimension) of the set document are provided on the placing plate 21. Are provided.

The width detecting sensor 32 includes, for example, a variable resistor, and its resistance value changes in accordance with the distance between the regulating guides 31, so that the width of the document can be detected. The document length detection sensor 37 includes, for example, a plurality of light-reflecting photoelectric switches arranged at intervals in the center of the mounting plate 21 at right and left, and the combination of on / off of the switches depends on the length of the document. Therefore, the length of the document on the mounting plate 21 can be detected.

In the vicinity of the paper feed port 22 of the mounting plate 21,
A belt mechanism 41 of the transport mechanism 24 is provided. The belt mechanism 41 can guide the document placed on the placing plate 21 to the document setting position described above. That is, near the belt mechanism 41, the above-described preset switch 33 for detecting that a document is placed on the placing plate 21 is disposed. When the document is placed, the preset switch 33 is turned on, and the driving of the belt mechanism 41 is started. The original placed on the placing plate 21 is conveyed to the paper feed port 22 by the driving of the belt mechanism 41. The set switch 34 described above is provided downstream of the preset switch 33 in the document transport direction. The belt mechanism 41 is stopped after a predetermined time has elapsed since the set switch 34 was turned on by the document being conveyed. Thus, the document is set at the document setting position.

The transport mechanism 24 is provided with the belt mechanism 41 for feeding out the original set at the original setting position from below.
And a belt mechanism 4 for separating the fed documents one by one.
2, a pair of registration rollers 44 for transporting the original at a predetermined timing while removing the inclination of the original, a belt mechanism 45 disposed on the platen glass 11, and a transport mechanism from the belt mechanism 45. Guide Plate 46 and Roller Pair 4 for Sending Original Document to Paper Exit 23
7, 48.

The transport mechanism 24 includes a document detection sensor 3 which can detect a document for positioning the document being transported.
5 is provided between the registration roller 44 and the belt mechanism 45. The document detection sensor 35 can detect the length of a document. That is, the document detection sensor 35
Includes, for example, a light-reflection type photoelectric sensor, and it is possible to detect the passage timing of the front and rear ends with respect to the document conveyance direction by a change in the reflection of light when the document passes near the detection unit. The length, which is the dimension in the transport direction of the document, can be detected by the control unit 26 one by one during transport, based on the passage timing of the both ends and the transport speed of the document.

As described above, the original is discharged from the placing plate 21 to the placing plate 21 through the discharge port 23 through the platen glass 11 by the transport mechanism 24. Transfer mechanism 2
Reference numeral 5 denotes a moving member 51 that can move on the mounting plate 21 from the paper discharge port 23 toward the document setting position. The moving member 51 can move the original to the original setting position by moving while pushing the rear end of the discharged original. The document thus transported can be re-fed (see the schematic diagram of FIG. 5).

In the original document feeder 2, when an original is mixed, a mixed original is set at the original set position, and a predetermined sheet S is placed thereon. The document feeder 2 includes a sheet placement detection sensor 36 that can detect that the sheet S is placed on the placement plate 21.
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the sheet S.

The sheet S is formed in a shape such that the sheet S can be placed on the mixed document. For example, when the mixed original includes so-called A3 size and A4 size,
The sheet S placed thereon has an A3 size shape. As described above, since the sheet S is formed to have a size substantially similar to the size of the larger document of the mixed document, it is possible to cover a substantially central portion of the upper surface of the mixed document. It is possible to reliably prevent collision between originals. In addition, since the width of the sheet S is the same as the width of the mixed original, the original and the sheet S can be surely placed together by placing the original along the regulation guide 31. Note that the length of the sheet S is preferably longer in the transport direction than the larger size of the document in order to prevent collision, and may be shorter than the larger size of the document. In short, the sheet S only needs to be large enough to cover the rear end of the small-sized document located at least substantially at the center of the mixed document.

The material of the sheet S may be a flexible sheet-like member such as paper for copying, a resin film or the like. The flexible sheet S can smoothly cover the upper surface of the stepped mixed original. The sheet S has a display at a predetermined position to indicate the mixed original sheet. This display is composed of, for example, a predetermined light and dark stripe pattern S1. The light and dark striped pattern S1 is arranged at a position where the sheet placement detection sensor 36 can be operated in a state where the sheet S is placed on the document.
This light and dark stripe pattern S1 is more preferably formed on the front and back of the sheet S and at both ends in the longitudinal direction so that the same pattern is present at the same position even if the sheet S is turned upside down or the direction is changed (S2 in FIG. 6). S4), the sheet S can be used irrespective of the front and back and the orientation.

The light and dark stripe pattern S1 is, for example, a pattern composed of a combination of a light portion and a dark portion.
6 functions as a part for operating. Returning to FIG. 1 and FIG. The sheet placement detection sensor 36 is
For example, it includes a light reflection type photoelectric sensor provided above the paper feed port 22, and a plurality of such sensors are provided as a set. These sensors can detect the light and dark stripe pattern S1 by outputting a predetermined combination of detection signals according to the light and dark stripe pattern S1 on the upper surface of the sheet S. It is possible to detect that there is.

The sheet S has a notch S5 at a position corresponding to the preset switch 33 and the set switch 34.
Are formed. The notch S5 is formed so that each switch and the sheet S do not overlap each other in plan view. With the notch S5, it is possible to avoid turning on the preset switch 33 and the set switch 34 while the sheet S is placed directly on the placing plate 21. Note that this notch S5 is positioned at a symmetric position or the like (FIG.
The notch S6 is more preferable because the sheet S can be used irrespective of the front and back and the orientation.

The control section 26 controls each section based on the detection signals of the above-mentioned sensors and switches. That is, the control unit 26 includes a control circuit such as a microcomputer (CPU), and the CPU executes control based on programs and data stored in advance in a ROM, a RAM, and the like. At this time, the control unit 26 can perform control by measuring the time based on the count amount of the counter set on the software. The control unit 26 may also be used as the control unit 16 of the copying machine body 1.

The control section 26 is connected to various devices such as a motor (not shown) for driving each section of the transfer mechanism 25 and the transport mechanism 24 via a drive circuit (not shown). . The CPU gives a command signal to each of these devices and operates in a desired state. For example, the CPU causes the transport mechanism 24 to start and stop transporting the document. Further, the control unit 26 is connected to the control unit 16 of the copying machine main body 1 and the above-described sensors and switches. The CPU controls the control unit 1 of the copier main body 1 according to the output signal of each sensor and the like.
6 to control the operation of each device.

Next, the control contents of the control section 26 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3 together with the operation of the document feeder 2 and the copying machine main body 1. Also, reference is made to the schematic diagrams of FIGS. First, the case of a mixed original will be described. In this case, the mixed original is a mixture of originals having the same width and different lengths (for example, an original in which the A3 size is arranged horizontally and an original in which the A4 size is arranged vertically). Shows a large-size original G1 and a small-size original G2.

In the case of a mixed original, a large original G1
And the small-sized document G2 are placed on the sheet supply port 22 side of the placement plate 21 with the ends of the document feeder 22 aligned with each other, and the sheet S is placed on the top of this document (FIG. 4). (A)). The document on which the sheet S is placed is set at the document setting position as described above. After setting the document, the sheet S may be placed thereon.

In step A1, it is determined whether or not the sheet S is placed on the set document. That is, if the sheet placement detection sensor 36 detects the sheet S, it can be determined that the sheet S is placed, and in this case, it can be determined that the document is a mixed original. At the same time, the width detection sensor 32 detects the width of the document. The detected width is defined as the width of each document.

In the case of mixed originals (YES in step A1)
, The following mixed loading control process is performed. In this case, the setting of the circulation conveyance of the document is canceled. First, in the document feeder 2, documents are conveyed one by one from the paper feed port 22 to a predetermined position on the platen glass 11 (step A).
2). During the conveyance, the lengths of the originals are detected one by one by the original detection sensor 35 (step A3).

In the copying machine main body 1, based on the detection result of the document length, copy paper of that size is supplied from the paper supply unit 15, and an image is copied on the paper (step A4).
After the copying operation, in the document feeder 2, the document is transported to the paper discharge port 23 and discharged onto the placing plate 21 (step A).
5). At this time, a sheet S is placed on the uppermost portion of the document remaining at the document setting position, and this sheet S smoothly covers the end of the small size remaining document G2 on the paper discharge port 23 side. ing. The discharged document is smoothly discharged along the upper surface of the sheet S (see FIG. 4B).
Therefore, it is possible to prevent the remaining small size original G2 from hitting the rear end, and as a result, it is possible to prevent out-of-order, jam, and defective stock.

Next, in the document feeder 2, step A6
, The presence or absence of the set document is determined. That is,
When the set switch 34 is on, it can be determined that there is a document, and when the set switch 34 is off, it can be determined that there is no document. If there is a document (NO in step A6), the next document is transported. And
In the copying machine, the operations of steps A2 to A5 described above are repeated, and the copier is transported to the last document.

If there is no original and the sheet S remains (YES in step A6), the set switch 34 is not operated for the sheet S, so that the original conveyance ends. Therefore, the sheet S is not fed, is left on the mounting plate 21 near the sheet feeding port 22, and is not conveyed (see FIG. 4C). Next, a case where the document is not a mixed document (normal document) will be described.

In this case, since the sheet S is not placed on the original, the sheet S is not detected in step A1 (NO in step A1), and the following normal transport processing is performed. First, in the document feeder 2, the size of the set document is detected by the width detection sensor 32 and the document length detection sensor 37 (step A11). At this time, each original is copied with the size of the original detected (see FIG. 5).
(A)). That is, the set documents are transported one by one by the document feeder 2 (step A12). In the copying machine main body 1, the auto selection function is released, and at the same time as the conveyance of the document is started, the supply of the copy paper from the paper supply unit 15 is started. Next, copying is performed by the copying machine body 1 (step A13), and the originals are sequentially discharged by the original feeder 2 (step A14) (see FIG. 5B). These operations are repeated until there are no more originals set (step A15) (see FIG. 5C). When the circulating conveyance is set (NO in step A16), the discharged document is transported to the document setting position by the transport mechanism 25 (step A17) (see FIG. 5D), and the process returns to step A11 again. To 16 are repeated a predetermined number of times and copied.

When the circulating conveyance is not set or when the circulating conveyance is completed (YES in step A16), the copying operation ends without the discharged original being transported. As described above, according to the present embodiment, by placing the predetermined sheet S on the mixed original, the upper part of the mixed original set on the placing plate 21 can be covered. Even when a small-sized document is placed in the original document, it is possible to prevent the leading end of the discharged document from hitting the rear end of the small-sized document remaining at the document setting position. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the originals from getting out of order, jamming, stock defects, and the like.

Further, even if the conventional paper discharge tray is not used, the mixed original can be transported without any trouble, and the conventional paper discharge tray can be omitted. Also, it is possible to automatically detect that the originals are mixed, and the automatic selection function can be automatically set at the time of the originals without the manual setting operation of the copier body 1, so that the mixed originals can be set. Combined with the ability to transport according to the requirements, it is convenient and convenient.

Further, if the sheet S is a material such as paper which can be image-copied by a copying machine, a new sheet S can be easily created by the copying machine even if the sheet S becomes dirty or damaged. It is easy to use. Note that the display formed on the sheet S may be a projection S7 as shown in FIG. In this case, the sheet placement detection sensor 36 can easily detect the presence or absence of the protrusion S7 with a light reflection type photoelectric sensor positioned above the protrusion S7, a micro switch, or the like. As described above, the display is not limited to the light and dark stripe pattern, and it is essential that the display be a portion that can distinguish the normal document from the sheet S.

In order to avoid conveyance of the sheet S,
Although the notch is provided in the sheet S, it is not limited to this. For example, when the preset switch 33 or the set switch 34 is formed of a light reflection type photoelectric sensor or the like, even if the sheet S is made of a transparent material or a transparent window is provided instead of the cutout, the operation of the switch is similarly avoided. Thus, transportation can be avoided. Further, the above-mentioned light and dark stripes are provided on the front and back of the sheet S, and a sensor capable of detecting the stripe on the back side is provided on the mounting plate 2.
1 may be provided below. This sensor can be configured in the same manner as the sheet placement detection sensor 36 that detects the display of the table, and operates when only the sheet S remains on the placement plate 21 and the transport mechanism 2
4 can be avoided.

Further, as the sheet S, the same sheet as a normal document can be used. For example, as shown in the schematic front view of the document feeder 2 in FIG. 8, the sheet S is placed so as to cover the central portion of the mixed document and protrude from the end of the set document. In this case, the sheet placement detection sensor 36 is provided in the vicinity of the sheet discharge port 23, and can detect a portion of the sheet S protruding from an end of the document, thereby detecting a mixed document.

The sheet S may be connected to the document feeder 2 via a member such as a string. In this case, the sheet detection sensor 36 may detect the placement of the sheet S via a member such as a string. In short, the sheet placement detection sensor 36 only needs to detect that the sheet S is placed. Further, the configuration for detecting the document size one by one is not limited to the above-described document detection sensor 35. For example, a line sensor or the like that can detect the width dimension of the document may be provided near the transport path of the transport mechanism 24. In short, any configuration may be used as long as the size of the document can be detected one by one.

The transport mechanism 24 is not limited. In short, any document conveying means that conveys the document set at the document setting position on the mounting plate 21 along a predetermined conveying path and returns the document to the mounting plate 21 may be used. In addition, various design changes can be made without changing the gist of the present invention.

[0041]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, by placing a predetermined sheet on the mixed original, the rear end of the small original at the uppermost portion of the mixed original remaining at the original setting position is provided. Since it is possible to prevent the ejected document from hitting, it is possible to prevent the document from being out of order, jamming, a defective stock, and the like.

Further, the presence or absence of a sheet makes it easy to determine that the document is a mixed document, and the document can be conveyed in a predetermined manner according to the document, which is convenient.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of a schematic configuration of a document feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention in a state where the document feeder is mounted on a copying machine.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the copying machine main body and the document feeder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a control unit of the document feeder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the document feeder of FIG. 1 at the time of a mixed document.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an operation of the document feeder of FIG. 1 during a normal document.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a sheet.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a seat according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic front view of a document feeder according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Document Feeder 21 Placement Plate 24 Conveyance Mechanism (Document Conveyance Means) 26 Control Unit 36 Sheet Placement Detection Sensor (Sheet Detection Means) S Sheet

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kazutoshi Kondo 1-2-28 Tamazuki, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Inside Mita Kogyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masaki Exit 1-2-2, Tamazuki, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka No. 28 Mita Kogyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shield Kusakabe 1-2-28 Tamazuki, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka No. 28 Mita Kogyo Co., Ltd. No. 28 Mita Industries Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] An original placing plate having an original setting position, and original transporting means for transporting the original set at the original setting position of the placing plate along a predetermined transport path and returning the original back onto the placing plate. A circulation type document feeder provided with a sheet detection means for detecting that a predetermined sheet capable of covering a central portion of the placing plate is placed on the set document; In response to the output, the document set includes a mixed control unit that determines a mixed document state in which the set documents include documents of different sizes, and operates the document conveying unit in a manner corresponding to the mixed document. A circulation type document feeder characterized by the above-mentioned.