JPS61262756A - Automatic both-faces copying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a paper from being mixed with one-face copied paper by feeding a paper from an intermediate tray unless there is a paper in a subordinate intermediate tray during reverse-face copying operation and then feeding a paper from the subordinate intermediate tray when there is the paper in the subordinate intermediate tray. CONSTITUTION:The subordinate intermediate tray 81 is arranged rockingly around a both-face copying conveyance path 34 as a fulcrum and the end bottom face on the side of an inverting paper conveyance path 35 contacts a cam roller 82. When a paper is fed from the subordinate intermediate tray 81, the cam roller 82 rotates and the side end part of the inverting paper conveyance path 35 of the subordinate intermediate tray 81 moves up. The paper stacked in the subordinate intermediate tray 81 by this operation abuts on a subordinate intermediate tray part paper feed roller 84 and is fed toward the inverting paper conveyance path 35. A changeover claw 83 for one-face copied paper is arranged rockingly at part of the both-face copying conveyance path 34. Said changeover claw 83 is a one-face copied paper switching means and guides the one-face copied paper to an intermediate tray 22 or the subordinate intermediate tray 81.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates to an automatic duplex copying machine that forms images on both sides of copy paper.

<Summary of the Invention> The automatic double-sided copying machine according to the present invention has an intermediate tray and a sub-intermediate tray between the paper discharge section and the copying process section, or when performing double-sided copying in the interrupt mode, the single-sided copied paper is placed between the paper ejection section and the copying process section. The document is conveyed to a sub-intermediate tray, and after the document is replaced, it is conveyed from the sub-intermediate tray to a copying process section.

<Prior art and its drawbacks> An automatic duplex copying machine is equipped with a switchback conveyance path and an intermediate storage section between a paper discharge section and a copying process section, and guides the single-sided copied paper to the switchback conveyance path, After inverting, it is temporarily stored in the intermediate storage section. After the document on the document table is changed to the back side, the paper in the intermediate storage section is conveyed to the copying process section so that the back side faces the surface of the photoreceptor, and images are formed on both sides of the paper. During an automatic double-sided copying operation, the paper conveyance path becomes significantly more complicated and longer, and furthermore, the paper that is heated and pressed by the fixing roller at the end of the front side copying operation is likely to be deformed. Therefore, during automatic double-sided copying, especially when copying the back side, paper feeding or conveyance failures are likely to occur, and jams may occur in the paper conveyance path. If a jam occurs during the front side copying operation, the paper stopped in the conveyance path is removed, and after the jam is cleared, the copying operation is repeated for the number of missing sheets.
Automatic duplex copying work can be continued.

However, if a jam occurs during the back side copying operation, it is necessary to repeat not only the back side copying operation but also the corresponding front side copying operation.With conventional automatic duplex copying machines, the jam occurs during the back side copying operation. In some cases, there is no one that makes it easy to copy the front side of the insufficient number of bones, and especially one that transports the bones to the copying process section in order starting from the bottom of the intermediate storage section, it is difficult to copy all the back side copies. After the operation is completed, a screen copying operation must be performed for the original in which the jam occurred. For this reason, when duplex copying of a document with consecutive pages is performed, the collation work after the copying operation is completed becomes extremely complicated. In particular, a copying machine equipped with a sorter cannot effectively utilize its functions, and a copying machine equipped with a document feeder has the drawback that the task of replacing documents becomes complicated. Furthermore, while a double-sided copying operation for a plurality of sheets is being executed, other automatic double-sided copying operations cannot be performed in an interrupt mode, and there is a drawback that it is not possible to handle urgent copying operations.

<Object of the Invention> In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional technology, the object of the present invention is to provide a copying method that compensates for the shortage caused by a jam that occurs when another duplex copying operation is performed in an interrupt mode during an automatic duplex copying operation, and during the back side copying operation. An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic double-sided copying machine that can be easily operated.

<Configuration and Effects of the Invention> The automatic duplex copying machine of the present invention has a single or a plurality of sub-intermediate trays in the vicinity of an intermediate tray between a paper discharge section and a copying process section, and has a single-sided copying machine for double-sided copying. A single-sided copied paper switching means selects the conveyance direction of the copied paper to either the intermediate tray or the sub-intermediate tray, and when there is no paper in the sub-intermediate tray when back-side copying is performed, the paper is conveyed from the intermediate tray and the sub-intermediate The present invention is characterized by comprising a single-sided copy paper feed selection means for feeding paper from the sub-intermediate tray when there is paper in the tray.

According to the present invention, with the above configuration, when performing another duplex copying operation in an interrupt mode during automatic duplex copying operation, or when performing an additional duplex copying operation to compensate for a shortage due to a jam occurring during a backside copying operation, By selecting the conveying direction of the single-sided copied paper to the sub-intermediate tray by the single-sided copied paper switching means, it is possible to prevent mixing of the single-sided copied paper with the single-sided copied paper related to the stopped double-sided copying operation. Then, after the original has been changed, the single-sided copied paper feed selection means feeds the paper stored in the sub-intermediate tray to the copying process unit, and the single-sided copied paper is fed into the copying process section for interrupt mode or for additional double-sided copying operation to make up for the shortage. Paper can be fed into the copying process section. Therefore, another duplex copying operation can be performed in an interrupt mode during automatic duplex copying. In addition, even if a jam occurs during back-side copying, additional duplex copying can be performed to compensate for the shortage, and collation work can be avoided when double-sided copying is performed for multiple documents with consecutive pages. do not have. In particular, when a sorter is used to collate sheets related to automatic double-sided copying operation, even if a jam occurs, the function can be effectively utilized.

<Embodiment> (a) Structure description FIG. 2 is a front view showing a schematic structure of an automatic double-sided copying machine which is an embodiment of the present invention.

The copying machine main body 2 is placed on a cabinet 3. A photosensitive drum 19 is disposed inside the copying machine main body 2, and constitutes a copying process section. A paper cassette 20 is attached to a paper feeding section on the right side of the copying machine main body 2, and a PS roller 21 is disposed between the paper feeding section and the copying process section. This PS roller 21 is the photosensitive drum 19
The paper is guided to the copying process section in synchronization with the rotation of the paper. On the left side of the photosensitive drum 19, a paper conveying belt 12,
A fixing roller 13 and a paper ejection roller 14 are provided,
It constitutes a paper conveyance path 31 within the copying machine.

A sorter 15 is attached to the left side of the copying machine main body 2. Inside the sorter 15, an in-sorter paper conveyance belt 18 is arranged so as to be rotatable in both forward and reverse directions. Bins 16 are stacked in multiple stages on the left side of the sorter 15, and the copied sheets discharged by the paper discharge roller 14 inside the copying machine main body 2 are transferred to the bins 16 via the paper conveyance path 32 in the sorter.
will be stored in. A switchback roller 17 is disposed on the cabinet side of the in-sorter paper conveyance belt 18, and a switch bank conveyance path 33 is configured.

During double-sided copying work, the single-sided copied paper is transported to the switchback transport path 33 by the operation of the paper switching claw 25.
The paper transport direction is reversed and the paper is transported into the cabinet 3. In addition, the paper that has undergone double-sided copying is also guided to the switchback conveyance path 33, and is turned over and placed in the bin 16.
will be stored in.

An intermediate tray 22 and a sub-intermediate tray 81 are disposed inside the cabinet 3, and a double-sided copy conveyance path 34 is constructed between these and the switchback conveyance path 33. In addition, the intermediate tray 22 and the sub-intermediate tray 8
1 and the PS roller 21 in the copying machine main body 2, a reversing paper conveyance path 35 is constructed. The intermediate tray 22 includes a paper guide 23 that regulates the paper storage position, and an intermediate tray paper feed belt 24 that feeds the stored paper in the direction of the reversing paper-feeding path 35 in order from the paper located below.
is installed. The sub-intermediate tray 81 is swingably disposed about the double-sided copying conveyance path 34 side as a fulcrum, and the bottom surface of the end on the reversing paper conveyance path 35 side is in contact with a cam roller 82 . When feeding paper from the sub-intermediate tray 81, the cam roller 82 rotates, and the end of the sub-intermediate tray 81 on the reverse paper transport path 35 side moves upward. Due to the above operation, the paper stored in the sub-intermediate tray 81 comes into contact with the sub-intermediate tray section paper feed roller 84, and this action causes the paper to be transferred to the reversing paper conveyance path 35.
Paper is fed in the direction. A single-sided copied paper switching claw 83 is swingably disposed in a part of the double-sided copy conveyance path 34. The single-sided copied paper switching claw 83 is a single-sided copied paper switching means of the present invention, and guides the single-sided copied paper to either the intermediate tray 22 or the sub-intermediate tray 81.

A document circulation feeding device 1 is mounted above a document table 11 configured on the top surface of the copying machine main body 2.

A document feeding belt 5, a document feeding roller 6, document ejection rollers 7a and 7b, and a document switching claw 8 are arranged inside the document circulation feeding device. A document tray 4 is installed between a document feed belt 5 and a document feed roller 6. Originals 9 are placed on the original tray 4, and the originals are fed in order from the lowest one. A document transport belt 10 is disposed above the document table 11, and the document 9 fed via the document feed conveyance path 36 by the document feed belt 5 and document feed roller 6 is transferred to the document table 11. transport it to a predetermined position. When feeding the original 9 from the original tray 4, the original switching claw 8 is positioned as shown in the figure, and the original switching claw 8 is positioned in the state shown in the figure.
6 is open. When collecting the original on the original platen, the original switching claw 8 swings downward, and the original retrieval conveyance path 37
to open. The conveyance belt 10 is rotatable in both forward and reverse directions, and feeds the paper onto the document table and discharges the paper above the document placed on the document tray 4.

FIG. 3 is an external view of the vicinity of the document tray of the document circulation feeder installed in the automatic double-sided copying machine. is installed between. Above the document feed roller 6, document discharge rollers 7a and 7b are arranged. The documents placed on the document tray 4 are sequentially fed by a document feed belt 5 and a document feed roller 6 starting from the lowest document. Further, the paper conveyed from the document table in the discharge direction is discharged above the document placed on the document tray 4 by document discharge rollers 7a and 7b.

An opening 44 is formed on the side surface of the document tray 4.
Partition member 4 fixed to belt 43 inside this opening 44
．． 2 moves. The belt 43 is urged in the direction of arrow A by a drive device (not shown), and the partition member 42 rotates around the outer periphery of the belt. A shutter 4 is provided above the opening 44.
1 is arranged. This shutter 41 restricts exposure of the partition member 42 when placing a document on the document tray 4. After the original is placed on the original tray 4, the shutter 41 opens the opening 44, and the rotation of the belt 43 moves the partition member 42 in the direction of arrow A. The rotational force of the belt 43 is extremely small, so that the partition member 42 stops moving when it comes into contact with the upper surface of the document placed on the document tray 4. When the copying operation is started, the placed originals are conveyed onto the original table in order starting from the lowest one, and the sheets after the copying operation are discharged above the partition member 42. As the copying work progresses, the number of originals located below the partition member 42 decreases, and the final original is placed on the original table 11.
After the paper is fed in the direction, the partition member 42 moves along the outer peripheral surface of the belt 43 that does not face the document tray 4 and is exposed to the document tray 4 again. By detecting the partition member 42 in a part of the outer peripheral portion of the belt 43 that does not face the document tray 4, it is possible to know the number of times the document placed on the document tray 4 is circulated.

(BL Description of Operation) FIGS. 1A to 1E are flowcharts showing the operation of the automatic double-sided copying machine.

(1) Front side copying operation After the power is turned on, the copying magnification, the set number of sheets, the number of original sheets N, etc. are input in step nl (hereinafter step ni is simply referred to as ni). Next, when the print switch is turned on at n2, the process proceeds to n3, where it is determined whether or not the number of original sheets N is an even number. If the number N of originals is an even number at n3, the process advances to n4 and the original number counter C is cleared.

The original sheet number counter C counts the number of fed original sheets. Next, at n5, the lowest document placed on the document tray 4 of the document circulation feeding device 1 is fed to the document table 11. At this time, the contents of counter C are set to 1.
to add. At n6, it is determined whether the contents of the counter C are an even number or not. If it is an even number, that is, if the original is an odd page, feeding of paper from a paper feed unit such as a paper cassette is started at n7, and at n8. Perform copy operation. The sheet on which the copying operation has been completed is transported to the intermediate tray 22 at n9, and the process proceeds to n10. If the content of the counter C is an odd number at n6, that is, if the document is an even page, the process directly proceeds to nlo.

At n10, the original on the original platen 11 is discharged from the original recovery conveyance path 37 of the original circulating feed device l above the original placed on the original tray 4. After this, the contents of counter C and the number of originals N are compared at nil, and if they are equal, n
Proceed to step 12. If the two are not equal, return to n5 and set n
Performs operations from 5 to nil.

(2) Reverse side copying operation When the above operation for the number of originals is completed, that is, when the content of the counter C and the number of originals N become equal at n11, it is determined at n12 whether the number of originals N is an even number or not, If the number is even, the contents of the counter C are reset to 0 again at n13.

Next, at n14, the original is fed and the contents of the counter C are incremented by one. Thereafter, at n15, it is determined whether the contents of the counter C are an odd number or not. If the content of counter C is an odd number at nt4, that is, if the manuscript is an even page, n1
In step 5, the single-sided copied paper stored in the intermediate tray 22 is transported to the copying process section via the reversing paper transport path 35.

Next, the copying operation is started at n17. At n18, it is determined whether or not a jam has occurred, and if no jam has occurred, the paper is discharged to the bin 16 of the sorter 15 at n19, and the process proceeds to n20. If the content of the counter C is not an odd number at n15, that is, if the document is an odd page, the process directly proceeds to n20. At n20, the original placed on the original platen 11 is transferred to the original tray 4 via the original recovery conveyance path 37.
Drain to the top. Next, in n21, it is determined whether the contents of the counter C are equal to the number N of originals, and if they are not equal, the process returns to n14.

After completing the operations n14 to n21 for the number of originals, that is, when the content of the counter C and the number N of originals become equal at n21, the operation ends.

If the number N of originals is an odd number at n3, the process skips to n22. At n22, the original is fed from the original circulation feeding device 1 to the original platen 11. Next, at n23, copy paper is fed from the paper feed section, and at n24, a copying operation is performed.

After the copying operation is completed, the single-sided copy paper is discharged into the bin 16 of the sorter 15 at n25, and the original on the document table 11 is discharged onto the document tray 4 at n26. After this, the process skips to n4 and performs the above-described operation.

Also, if the number of originals is an odd number in n12,
n27. At step n28, a document is fed from the document circulation feeding device 1, and the document is discharged onto the document tray 4 without performing a copying operation. After this, the process returns to n13 and the above-described operation is performed.

(3) Jam handling operation If a jam occurs in n18, skip to n31. At n31, paper is fed from the paper feed unit,
At n32, the image of the document currently placed on the document table, that is, the back side document in which the jam has occurred, is copied onto a blank copy sheet. At step n33, the single-sided copied paper switching claw 83 is swung downward, and the single-sided copied paper on which the back side original has been copied is guided to the sub-intermediate tray 81. After completing the copying operation for the missing number of sheets, the originals on the original platen 11 are discharged to the original tray 4 at n34. Next, the next original is fed to the original table 11 at n35. At this time, the original guided onto the original table is the previous page of the back side original where the jam occurred, and the original is placed on the sub-intermediate tray 8.
This document corresponds to the front side of a single-sided copy sheet that is a copy of the back side document stored in No. 1. Therefore, for this document, by feeding a single-sided copy sheet from the sub-intermediate tray to the copying process section at n36 and performing a copying operation at n37, it is possible to make up for the shortage of sheets where the jam occurred. Thereafter, the process returns to n19, and the paper on which double-sided copying has been completed is discharged to the sorter, and the above-mentioned operation is continued. In the above operation,
n33 corresponds to the single-sided copied paper switching means of the present invention, and n3.6 similarly corresponds to the single-sided copied paper feeding selection means.

(4) Interrupt copy operation If interrupt mode is selected during (1) front side copy operation and (2) back side copy operation, (n41
), at n42, it is determined whether or not the copying operation for the set number of sheets of the document currently placed on the document table 11 has been completed. When the copying operation for the set number of sheets is completed in n42, the originals on the original platen 11 are ejected to the original tray 4 in n43. Next, in step n44, the operator changes the original to an interrupt mode document, and in step n45, data related to the copying operation is input. After this, when the print switch is operated at n46, paper is fed from the paper feed section at n47, and a copying operation is performed on the front side original in the interrupt mode at n48. At n49, the single-sided copied paper switching claw 83 opens the conveyance path toward the sub-intermediate tray 81, and at n48, the single-sided copied paper for which the copying operation has been completed is stored in the sub-intermediate tray 81. After the copying force 5 for the set number of sheets is completed, the original on the original platen 11 is moved to the original tray 4 at n50.
is discharged to the top. Next, at n51, the back side of the original is fed from the original tray 4 to the original platen 11, and at n52, the back side of the original is fed to the original platen 11, and the cam roller 8 is fed to the original at n52.
By the operation 2, the single-sided copied paper stored in the sub-intermediate tray 81 is fed to the copying process section by the sub-intermediate tray section paper feed roller 84. Next, at n53, a copying operation is performed to form an image on the back side of the single-sided copied sheet stored in the intermediate tray, and at n54, the copy sheet with images formed on both sides is discharged to an unused bin of the sorter.

Thereafter, the original on the original platen 11 is ejected at n55, and the double-sided copying operation in the interrupt mode is ended. In the above operation, n49 corresponds to the single-sided copied paper switching means of the present invention, and n52 similarly corresponds to the single-sided copied paper feeding selection means.

It is also possible to automatically double-sided copy a continuous one-sided original of three or more pages in an interrupt mode.

Further, by providing a plurality of sub-intermediate trays, the present invention can also be utilized for processing a jam that occurs during a backside copying operation during double-sided copying in the interrupt mode.

(C) Effects of Embodiment According to this embodiment, with the above configuration, even when it becomes necessary to perform another duplex copying operation during automatic duplex copying operation,
Duplex copying operations can be performed immediately in interrupt mode. Moreover, since the preparatory work only requires changing the original on the original tray, the work can be performed extremely easily. In addition, when automatic duplex copying is performed using an original circulation feeder, during additional duplex copying to compensate for the shortage caused by a jam that occurred during back copying, the paper is fed to the document table next to the jammed original. Since the original to be printed corresponds to the front side of the original, an additional double-sided copying operation to compensate for the shortage caused by the jam can be performed in a very short time and without changing the original.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1A to 1E are flowcharts showing the operation of an automatic double-sided copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front cross-sectional view showing the schematic structure of the automatic double-sided copying machine, and FIG. FIG. 3 is an external view of the vicinity of the document tray of the document circulation feeding device installed in the automatic double-sided copying machine. 4-Original tray, 11-Original table, 22-Intermediate tray, 81-Sub-intermediate tray, 82-Cam roller, 83-Single-sided copy paper switching claw.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In an automatic double-sided copying machine in which paper that has been copied on one side is temporarily stored in an intermediate tray, the conveyance direction is reversed, and the paper is guided to the copying process section again to form images on both sides of the paper, a sheet is placed near the intermediate tray. a single-sided copied paper switching means that has a single or multiple sub-intermediate trays and selects the transport direction of the paper that has been copied on one side for double-sided copying to either the intermediate tray or the sub-intermediate tray; An automatic duplex system that is equipped with a single-sided copy paper feeding means that feeds paper from the intermediate tray when there is no paper in the intermediate tray, and from the sub-intermediate tray when there is paper in the sub-intermediate tray to the copying process section. Copy machine.