JPS61156040A - Automatic document feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form an ADF for executing interruption copying while executing automatic feed copying by setting up two carrying belts to be driven independently and arranging plural document trays and document discharging parts on both the sides of the belt carrying direction. CONSTITUTION:A paper discharging roller 13 forms a document discharging path for discharging a document from the lower surface of a carrying belt 2 and a gate 17 which is a flapper is arranged on the branching point of a document feed line from the document trays 5, 6. The document carrying course is opened/closed by rotating the gate 17, e.g. the gate connects the document discharging path when the gate 17 is ON, and connects the document feed line from the document trays 5, 6 when OFF. The two document discharging paths discharge respective documents to the paper discharging parts 9, 14 formed on the upper parts of the belts 1, 2 respectively.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Technical Field> This invention relates to an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as rADF).
Regarding.

<Prior Art and Its Disadvantages> The ADF is a device that automatically feeds a plurality of sheet originals one by one to the original platen of a copying machine to make copies when a plurality of sheet originals are set on an original tray and a predetermined operation is performed. It is an effective device that exhibits high work efficiency when continuously copying a large number of original sheets. It is necessary to interrupt the feeding copying and perform this interruption copying, and the automatic feeding has to be stopped and restarted each time, which has the disadvantage that the high workability that is a characteristic of the ADF is impaired.

<Object of the Invention> In view of the above drawbacks, it is an object of the present invention to provide an ADF that can perform interrupt copying while performing automatic feeding copying even if there is an interruption copying during automatic feeding copying.

<Structure and Effects of the Invention> The present invention provides an automatic document feeder having a document conveyance path from a document tray on which documents are stacked and set, through a document table of a copying machine, and to a document discharge section. The document conveyance means on the document table is composed of two conveyor belts arranged in the document conveyance direction and driven independently, and the document tray and the document discharge section are arranged in plurality on both sides with respect to the conveyance direction of the belts. It is characterized by having been installed.

With the above configuration, according to the present invention, the following effects can be achieved.

The document table can be divided into two parts using the two-part conveyor belt, and originals can be set and ejected independently on both sides, so interrupt copying during continuous copying can be changed to continuous copying. Continuous copying can be performed without interruption by setting the original on the original tray opposite to the original tray in use. Furthermore, even when copying two originals onto one sheet of copy paper, the originals can be set from both sides of the original table at the same time, so setting time can be shortened and copying work can be made more efficient.

<Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of the main part of an ADF that is an embodiment of the present invention. A document transport bell l- is placed on the document table 11 of the copying machine 20.
1 and 2 are arranged vertically in the conveyance direction. These document conveyance belts 1.2 are stretched between drive rollers la, 2a and auxiliary rollers 1b, 2b, respectively.By driving the drive rollers la, 2a by a drive signal from a control section (not shown), the document conveyance belt 1 and 2 rotate.

These document conveyance belts 1 and 2 are individually controlled by the control section, and their drive timing and rotation direction are independent. Two document trays 5.6 are installed on the upper right side of the conveyor belt 2 installed on the right side. These two document trays 5 and 6 are arranged so that, for example, when performing double-sided copying, the document for front-side copying is set on the upper stage (original tray 5), and the original for back-side copying is set on the lower stage (original tray 6). If the number of originals is large even in the case of one-sided copying, set it to both sides so that after copying the upper original, the lower original is copied. A paper feed belt 7.8 is attached to each end of the document tray 5.6 in the paper feeding direction (upper left in the figure). When feeding paper, this paper feed belt 7.8 connects its leading end to the document tray 5,
6, and feed one of the top sheets into the ADF main body. An interrupt document tray 15 is installed on the left side of the conveyor belt 1 installed on the left side. If there is a document that you want to interrupt and copy while the ADF is automatically copying the documents set in document trays 5 and 6, this document tray 15
set on top. Left side of conveyor belt 1 and conveyor belt 2
A paper ejection roller 12 and a paper ejection roller 13 are installed on the right side of the paper. The paper ejection roller 2 forms a document ejection path that ejects the originals on the lower surface of the conveyor belt 1 from the left side, and a flapper is installed at the branch point between the document feed path from the interruption document tray 15 and this document ejection path. A gate 18 is installed. The gate 18 opens and closes the document transport path by rotating, and when it is on, it is connected to the document discharge path, and when it is off, it is connected to the document feed path from the document tray 15. The paper discharge roller 13 forms a document discharge path for discharging the document from the lower surface of the conveyor belt 2.
A gate 17, which is a flapper, is installed at the junction with the document feeding path from the document tray 5.6. this gate 1
7 opens and closes the document conveyance path by rotating, and when it is turned on, it connects with the document discharge path, and when it is turned off, it connects with the document feed path from the document trays 5 and 6. The above two document discharge paths discharge the document to a paper discharge section 9 or a paper discharge section 14 formed above the conveyor belts 1 and 2. The paper ejection sections 9 and 14 are both integrated flat trays installed above the conveyor belt 1.2, and a paper ejection stopper 10 is provided approximately in the center to separate the paper ejection sections 9 and 14. It is divided. The paper ejection stopper 10 is movably installed on the tray, and is moved left and right according to the size of the document to be ejected to the paper ejection section 9 or the paper ejection section 14. Also,
The left end of the conveyor belt 1 on this document feeding path, the conveyor belt 1. Document stoppers 3.4 are installed between the conveyor belts 2, respectively. When the document stopper 3 is turned on, it rotates from below the document feeding path to close the document feeding path. In addition,
This document stopper 3 is curved so that its upper surface forms part of the document conveyance path when it is off. The document stopper 4 rotates around a fulcrum 4a set above the document table, and when turned on, its rotating piece 4b rotates onto the document conveyance path, closing the document conveyance path. These document stoppers 3.4 are opened and closed by the paper feed belt 7.8 and the transport belt 1.
．． Similarly to the second example, it is controlled by a control section (not shown).

If the ADF with the above configuration is used in a copying machine, it is possible to set two originals on the original table from both sides of the original table and make copies, so two originals can be placed on one sheet of copy paper. When copying at the same time, if you stack the originals on the right original tray and the left original tray and copy, the time required to set the originals is approximately half that of the conventional method of loading them from one original tray. This will lead to a reduction in work time. Furthermore, when double-sided copying is performed, placing the front-side original and back-side original in the left and right original trays will similarly shorten the original setting time.

FIG. 2 shows that when the above-mentioned embodiment is installed in a copying machine capable of split-scanning the document table and continuous copying is being performed using the document trays 5 and 6, another document is set in the document tray 15. ,
7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control unit when interrupt copying is performed.

When interrupt copying is set and operation starts, step n
l (Hereinafter, step ni will be simply referred to as ni.

) to turn off stopper 3 and turn on stopper 4. With this operation, the document table is divided into left and right halves. At n2, gates 17 and 18 are both turned off to open the document feeding path. n3
In this case, originals are fed from the left and right original trays at the same time. n
4, the conveyor belt 1 is rotated to the left, and the conveyor belt 2 is rotated to the right. Now, the fed document can be placed at the stopper 4.
It will be transported to the stopping position. If it is determined in n5 that the left and right documents have reached the stop position, the process proceeds to n6 and the conveyor belts 1 and 2 are stopped. At n7, an interrupt original is copied, and during the subsequent scan, an original that is in the middle of continuous copying is copied (n8). When copying is completed, turn on both game) 17 and 18 to open the document ejection path (n9), and then rotate)1 feed belt 1 clockwise and conveyor belt 2 counterclockwise to eject the document (n9).
nlo). If it is determined in n11 that the document has been ejected completely, the conveyor belt 1.2 is stopped, and if it is determined in n13 that the document still exists on the document tray, the process returns to n2 to repeat the copying operation and finish the document. If it is determined, the operation will stop.

In this way, if the ADF according to the embodiment of the present invention is installed in a copying machine that can perform split scanning, if there is an original that you want to copy during continuous copying, you can interrupt continuous copying without interrupting the copying process. Copying can be done in parallel at the same time. In addition, if either the original you started copying first or the original you started copying by interruption is a large original and you cannot use the original by dividing the document table into two, copy the original you started copying first. Interrupt copying waits until completion. Furthermore, if the number of copies per original of the originals being processed in parallel is different, the left and right originals are not ejected and set at the same time. In this case, if one document is set while the other document is being copied continuously, the working time can be shortened.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of the main parts of an ADF that is an embodiment of this invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control section when the above embodiment is installed in a copying machine capable of split scanning and interrupt copying is performed. 1.2-Transport belt, 3.4-Stopper, 5.6.15
- Original table, 9.14 - Paper ejection section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In an automatic document feeder having a document conveyance path that extends from a document tray on which documents are stacked and set, through a document table of a copying machine, and to a document discharge section, the document conveying means on the document table of the copying machine is provided. A document comprising two conveyor belts disposed in the document conveyance direction and driven independently, and a plurality of document trays and document discharge sections are installed on both sides with respect to the conveyance direction of the belts. Automatic feeding device.