JPS61109071A - Copying machine with sorter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent an increase in size and a rise in price owing to an increase in the number of functions by conveying a one-surface copied form, stored in a specific tray during both-surface copying operation, to a copying processing part by reversing, and conveying a copied form from a form passage to the copying process part in the same direction during composite copying operation. CONSTITUTION:When a both-surface copy is taken, the front end of the one-surface copied form conveyed through the rotation of a storage belt 15 as shown by an arrow B abuts on a storage guide 17a and is moved through the rotation of storage rollers 21a and 21b as shown by an arrow C, and the form is stored in the tray 16a. A stopper end part 26b moves as shown by an arrow F during the succeeding reverse-surface copying operation, and a paper feed roller 19, conveyor roller 20, and storage roller 21a rotate during the both-surface copying operation to convey the one-surface copied form to the copying process part through a subordinate conveyance path 24, so that the reverse surface is copied. When a composite copy is taken, the copied form conveyed as shown by the arrow B is guided to between the storage belt 15 and subordinate conveyor roller 25 by abutting on the front end part of a guide 27 to reach the copying process part through the subordinate conveyance path 24, thereby taking the composite copy. Thus, an increase in the number of components and an expansion of space due to an increase in the number of functions are prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates to a copying machine having a sorter equipped with an automatic double-sided copying function and a composite copying function.

<Prior Art and Its Disadvantages> As copying machines have become more multi-functional, some copying machines are equipped with an automatic double-sided copying function. A conventional copying machine with a double-sided copying function has a transport direction reversing device that reverses the transport direction of paper that has already been copied on one side, and a storage device that stores the paper and transports it again to the copying process section, which are necessary for the double-sided copying function. The device was built into the copier itself. For this reason, a large amount of space is required for the installation of the above-mentioned apparatus, and the cost of the copying machine increases.

Additionally, until now, there were no copiers equipped with an automatic composite copying function.
At the time of composite copying, it is necessary to re-feed the copied paper ejected from the paper ejection port of the copying machine from the paper manual feed port or the like and repeat the copying process. This has the disadvantage of making the work complicated and requiring a long time.

<Object of the Invention> In view of the above-mentioned conventional inconveniences, the object of the present invention is to provide a copying machine that can realize automatic double-sided copying function and composite copying function while realizing cost reduction and space saving. It is.

<Structure and Effects of the Invention> The present invention provides the following features:
One tray for double-sided copying, which transports the stored single-sided copied paper to the copying process section by reversing the transport direction in the double-sided copying mode, and the copying process section that transports the copied paper from the paper path in the composite copying mode while keeping the same direction of transport. The invention is characterized in that it is provided with a conveying means for composite copying.

By configuring as described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to effectively utilize the sorter installed in a copying machine to provide an automatic double-sided copying function and a composite copying function. Expansion of the installation space can be prevented, and cost and space savings can be realized.

<Embodiment> FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a copying machine having a sorter, which is an embodiment of the present invention.

Approximately at the center of the copying machine main body 1 are a photoreceptor drum 2 and a developing device 3. Transfer charger4. Static neutralization charger 5, cleaner 6
, a charger 7 are disposed to constitute a copying process section. A paper cassette 9 containing copy paper is installed at the lower right side of the copying machine main body l, and a paper feed roller 10
The rotation of the transport roller 11 transports the copy sheets one by one to the copy processing section. Further, a paper ejection roller 13a is disposed above the right side of the copying machine main body 1, and the copy paper that has passed the fixing roller 8 is delivered to the paper ejection port 13 of the copying machine main body 1.
The paper is ejected externally. Furthermore, a sorter 14 is mounted above the paper cassette 9 on the right side of the copying machine main body 1. A plurality of trays 16 are stacked inside the sorter 14, and the paper discharge port 13 and the transport port 2 of the sub-transport path 24 are arranged in a stacked manner.
A storage belt 15 is stretched between the trays 3 and 3, and a storage roller 21 provided at the end of each tray constitutes a paper path. A storage guide 17 that opens and closes a paper path is disposed near the storage roller 21. By operating the storage guide 17 corresponding to a predetermined tray and closing the paper path, paper is placed in the tray at that position. I'm trying to store it. The bottom row of multiple stacked trays is set as a double-sided copying tray 16a for storing single-sided copied paper in double-sided copying mode, and the storage position is regulated by a storage guide 18 and a stopper 26 that move slightly back and forth in the paper storage direction. A paper feed roller 19 for double-sided copying and a conveyance roller 20 for double-sided copying are provided for refeeding paper during backside copying. Further, a sub-conveyance path 24 configured in the copying machine main body 1 includes a sub-conveyance roller 23a and a paper detection sensor 2.
2 are arranged.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic structure of a tray for double-sided copying of a copying machine having the sorter.

The tray 16a for double-sided copying is disposed with one end located near the storage belt 15. This tray 16 for double-sided copying
A storage guide 18 is disposed on one side of a to regulate the storage position of the single-sided copied paper. One end of this storage guide 18 is rotatably connected to one end of a connecting rod 18a below the tray 16a. Also, the connection point 1 between the two
8c is slidably engaged with a long hole 18d formed in the side panel. Furthermore, the other end of the connecting rod 18a is rotatably joined to one end of an arm 18f, which rotates in the direction of arrow E about a fulcrum 18d, at a joining point 18e. With the above configuration, when the rotating arm 18f rotates in the direction of arrow E, the connection point 18C moves back and forth in the direction of arrows G and G' within the elongated hole 18d, and the storage guide 18 moves slightly back and forth in the paper storage direction within the tray 16a. do. Near the storage belt 15 are storage rollers 21b and 21a and a storage guide 17a.
is arranged, and the leading end of the single-sided copied paper conveyed in the direction of the arrow by the rotation of the storage belt 15 is placed in the storage guide 1.
7a, and is moved between them in the direction of arrow C by the rotation of the storage rollers 21a and 21b, and is stored in the tray 16a. A paper feed roller 19 for double-sided copying is rotatably disposed inside the tray 16a, and a conveying roller 20 for double-sided copying is rotatably disposed below the storage roller 21a. Further, a sub-conveyance roller 25 is disposed below the storage belt 15, and the stopper end 26b moves inside the elongated hole 26a as shown by the arrow F when copying the back side in the double-sided copying mode.
direction, and after the restriction on the movement of the stored paper by the stopper 26 is released, the paper feed roller 19. Conveyance roller 20 during double-sided copying, sub-conveyance roller 25. Storage roller 21
The single-sided copied paper stored by rotating a is conveyed in the direction of arrow B. Further, a composite copy guide 27 is disposed on the lower right side of the storage belt 15, and in the composite copy mode, the copied paper conveyed in the direction of arrow B is brought into contact with the storage heald 15 and the secondary copy by abutting the front end of the guide 27. and the conveying roller 25.

In the above configuration, the reservoir guide 18. Stopper 261
Paper feed roller 191 for double-sided copying Conveyance roller 20 for double-sided copying
corresponds to the one-stage tray for double-sided copying of the present invention, and the composite copying guide 27. The sub-conveyance rollers 25, 23a and the paper detection sensor 22 correspond to the guide stage during composite copying of the present invention.

FIGS. 1A to 1C are flowcharts showing the operation of the copying machine having the sorter described above.

When the power is turned on, in step nl (hereinafter step ni will be simply referred to as ni), a warming amplifier such as raising the temperature of the heat roller is started. When the warming amplifier is completed in step n2, the process proceeds to step n3, where the operator sets and inputs either the sort mode 1 double-sided copy mode or composite copy mode by operating keys on an operation section (not shown).

Furthermore, the number of copies m is similarly set and input in n4.
Proceed to. At n5, it is determined whether or not the set mode is the sort mode, and if the sort mode is set, the process proceeds to n6. When the copy switch is turned on at n6, the contents of the counter C are set to 0 at n7, and a copying cycle is started at n8. That is, the paper feed roller 10
In synchronization with the rotation, an optical system (not shown) scans the document placed on the document table and distributes the reflected light onto the photoreceptor drum 2. The photosensitive drum 2 rotates in the direction of arrow A, and the electrostatic latent image formed by the reflected light is developed by the toner supply from the developing device 3. The paper fed by the paper feed roller 10 is conveyed between the photoconductor drum 2 and the transfer charger 4 by the rotation of the conveyance roller 11, and the toner adsorbed to the surface of the photoconductor drum 2 is transferred by the transfer charger 4. be done. Thereafter, the copy paper passes between heat rollers 8, and the toner electrostatically attracted to the surface is fixed. During this time, the photoreceptor drum 2 is electrically neutralized by the charger 5, cleaned of residual toner by the cleaner 6, and then transferred to the charger 7.
It is then charged again with a single polarity charge. When the copying cycle is completed and the leading edge of the copy paper passes the paper ejection roller 13a, the storage belt 15 and the storage roller 21
The sorter is driven so that it rotates. Further, in nlO, the contents of the counter C are incremented by one, and the process proceeds to nil. ni
The storage guide 17 of the tray located at the position of the numerical value stored in the counter C moves in the paper path closing direction from above among the stacked trays arranged at 1, and the copied paper is stored in the tray at that position. Counter C at nil
The contents of ``n'' and the set number of copies n are compared, and if the two are not the same, the process returns to n8 and the copying cycle is repeated.

By performing the operations n8 to n12 for the set number of copies, copy sheets of the same original are stored one by one from the top of the tray in the sorter to the m-th stage position.

If the content of the counter C is the same as the set number m of copies at n12, the sorter is stopped at n13 and the operation is completed.

If the mode set at n5 is not the sort mode, the process proceeds to n14, where it is determined whether the mode is double-sided copy mode. If the set mode is double-sided copy mode, proceed to n15, and when the copy switch is turned on, proceed to n1
6, the contents of counter C are set to O, and then n17
At step n18, the sorter is driven, and at the same time, at n18, the storage guide 17a of the tray 16a is moved to the position where the paper path is closed. After this, the copying cycle is started at n19. The copy paper that has completed the copying process is conveyed from the IP and paper slot 13 into the motor 14 by the rotation of the paper discharge roller 13a, and is further moved downward in the sorter by the rotation of the storage belt 15. At this time, the storage guides other than the storage guide 17a of the lowermost double-sided copying tray 16a are located in the paper path opening direction, and the single-sided copied paper comes into contact with the storage guide 17a, and the storage rollers 21a and 21
By the rotation of b, it is housed in the tray 16a during double-sided copying. At this time, the storage guide 18 moves back and forth in the storage direction by the rotation of the rotation arm 18f in the direction of arrow E, and the single-sided copied paper is stored uniformly between it and the stopper 26. When the copying cycle is completed, the contents of the counter C are incremented by one at n20, and then, at n21, the contents of the counter C are compared with the value of the set number of copies m. n21
If the two do not match, the process returns to n19 and the copying cycle starts again. By repeating the above-mentioned operations n19 to n21 for the set number of copies, the set number of single-sided copied sheets is stored in the tray 16a during double-sided copying. When the contents of the counter C match the set number of sheets m at n21, the process advances to n22, where scanning of the optical system, rotation of the photosensitive drum 2, rotation of the storage belt and storage roller are stopped, and a weight cycle is started. Execute. During this time, the operator changes the document placed on the document table to the back side, and when the copy switch is turned on at n23, n24
, a double-sided copying paper feed roller 19, a double-sided copying mode roller 20. The storage belt 15 and the sub-conveyance roller 25 rotate, and the stopper 26 moves in the direction of arrow F. By the above operation, the conveyance direction of the single-sided copied sheet is reversed and the sheet is conveyed to the copying process section via the sub-conveyance path 24. n25
At step n26, the content of the counter C is set to O, and at step n26, the copying cycle starts in synchronization with the feeding timing of the single-sided copied paper. In n27, the contents of counter C are added by one, and in n28, the contents of counter C and the set copy number m are added.
Compare with. If the two do not match at n28, the process returns to n26 and the copying cycle for the set number of copies is repeated. When the content of the counter C matches the device with the set number of copies m at n2B, the drive of the sorter is stopped at n29 and the operation is completed. By the above operation, one of the trays stacked on the sorter 14 can be used as a tray for double-sided copying, and images can be formed on both sides of the copy paper.

If the set mode is not the double-sided copy mode at n14, the process proceeds to n30, where it is determined whether the set mode is the composite copy mode.

n3 if the set mode is composite copy mode
1, the composite copying guide 27 is moved in the direction to close the paper path, and when the copy switch is turned on at n32, the storage roller 21 and storage belt 15 are driven at n33. Thereafter, the copying cycle is started at n34, and the paper that has completed the copying process moves downward through the paper path between the storage roller 21 and the storage belt 15, and comes into contact with the composite copying guide 27. Due to this contact, the paper is transferred to the storage belt 15.
and the sub-conveyance rollers 25 and are conveyed to the sub-conveyance port 23. When the leading edge of the paper reaches the position of the sensor 22 due to the rotation of the sub-conveyance roller 23a, the sensor 2 is moved at n35.
2 is turned on and the sorter drive is stopped at n36. By the above operation, the copy paper is stopped with its leading edge located in a state where the sensor 22 is turned on. Thereafter, at n37, the wait cycle is started to wait for the operator to change the document. Next, when the copy switch is turned on at n38, the conveyance roller 23a is rotated at n39, and the conveyance roller 23a is rotated at n40.
A copying cycle is started in synchronization with the rotation of the transport roller. By the above-described operation, a plurality of original documents can be combined and copied onto one side of a copy sheet.

If the composite copy mode is not set at n30, a normal single-sheet copying process is performed at n41.

Sort mode according to the invention as described above.

The sorter installed in the copier is effectively utilized when either duplex copying mode or composite copying mode is set, which prevents an increase in the number of parts due to multifunctionality and the expansion of their installation space. be able to. Therefore, a duplex copying function and a composite copying function can be installed in a medium-sized or popular-sized copying machine.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1A to 1C are flowcharts showing the operation of a copying machine with a sorter according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a copying machine using the same embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of the vicinity of the tray during double-sided copying used in the same embodiment. 14-Sorter, 16a-Tray for double-sided copying, 19-Paper feed roller for double-sided copying, 20-Transport roller for double-sided copying.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a copying machine that has a sorter that stores copied sheets in order on trays stacked in multiple stages near the paper output section, the sheets are stored in a specific one of the stacked trays during double-sided copying mode. a double-sided copying paper feed unit that transports the single-sided copied paper to the copying process unit with the transport direction reversed; and a composite unit that transports the copied paper from the paper path to the copying process unit while keeping the transport direction in the same direction in the composite copy mode. 1. A copying machine having a sorter, characterized in that a copying conveying means is provided.