JPS62218336A - Automatic both sides copying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make the top and bottom of the image on a sheet match at all times by providing a means reversing the both sides of the sheet without reversing the front and rear ends in the conveyance direction in a sub-conveyance path together with a switchback means. CONSTITUTION:Whether an original mounted on an original bad is longitudinally long or laterally long is judged, if it is a longitudinally long original, a flapper 5 is swayed in an arrow H direction, and the sheet is guided to a siwtchback conveyance path 8. The switchback conveyance path 8 and an upper conveyance path 30a are connected by turning a sensor S1 off. A flapper 4 is swayed in an arrow G direction to open an conveyance path 30, and the sheet is guided into the conveyance path 30. The sheet is guided into the lower side tray 1b of an intermediate tray 1 from the conveyance path 30 via a passage 33. The front and rear ends in the conveyance direction of the sheet are reversed in the switchback conveyance path 8, and when the sheet is again guided to a copy processing section 13 from the intermediate tray 1 via a passage 34, the reverse side to the side on which an image has been previously formed faces a photosensitive body drum 12.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Technical Field> This invention stores a one-sided copy that has passed through a copying process section once and an image has been formed on the first side inside a copying machine, and
The present invention relates to an automatic double-sided copying machine that, after setting a double-sided original, returns the paper to a copying process section so that the second side faces a photoreceptor, and forms images on both sides of the paper.

<Summary of the Invention> In summary, the automatic double-sided copying machine according to the present invention has a means for reversing the front and rear edges of the paper in the conveyance direction, and a means for reversing the front and rear ends of the paper in the conveyance direction, selecting either means according to the vertical relationship of the conveyed image, and displaying the image. The top and bottom of the image are made to match on the back side.

<Prior art and its drawbacks> In general, in automatic duplex copying machines, in addition to the main transport path from the paper feed section to the copy process section and the paper output section, there is also a sub-convey path that connects the paper output section and the copy process section. Equipped with a transport path. In the double-sided copying mode, the single-sided copying paper that has passed through the copying process section is led back to the copying process section from the paper discharge section, and images are formed on both sides of the paper. In order to form images on both sides of a sheet of paper in this manner, it is necessary to reverse the surface of the sheet facing the photoreceptor surface between the first passage through the copying process section and the second time when the sheet passes through the copying process section. For this reason, in conventional automatic double-sided copying machines, a switchback means is provided in the sub-conveyance path to reverse the front and rear ends of the single-sided copied sheet in the conveyance direction.

However, in conventional automatic duplex copying machines, the front and rear edges in the conveyance direction are reversed when the paper passes through the copy process section for the first time and when it passes through the copy process section for the second time. When copying is completed, the top and bottom of the image are reversed on the front and back sides of the paper, making the copied image difficult to see.

<Object of the Invention> In view of the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, the object of the present invention is to provide a means for reversing the front and back sides of the paper without reversing the front and rear ends in the transport direction in the sub-transport path, together with a switchback means, to change the top and bottom of the image. To provide an automatic double-sided copying machine which can select a reversing means to be used according to the relationship between the direction and the conveyance direction, and can always match the top and bottom of the image on the paper after double-sided copying.

<Structure and Effects of the Invention> The automatic double-sided copying machine of the present invention has a paper transport path that is connected to a paper feed section,
Formed in a loop shape including a copying process section and a paper ejection section,
This paper conveyance path is provided with a switchback means for reversing the front and rear ends of the paper in the conveyance direction, and a lateral feed reversal means for reversing the front and back sides of the paper in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. The present invention is characterized by comprising a selection means for enabling either the switchback means or the horizontal feed reversal means depending on the relationship between the paper conveyance direction and the vertical direction of the image.

With the above configuration, according to the present invention, when the paper is transported in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction of the image, the front and rear ends of the transport direction are reversed by the switchback means, and when the paper is transported in the vertical direction of the image, the front and rear ends of the transport direction are reversed. The front and back sides of the paper can be reversed in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction by the lateral feed reversing means. Therefore, in any case, the top and bottom of the images on the front and back sides of the paper can be made to match both when the sheet passes through the copying process section for the first time and when it passes through the copying process section for the second time. This makes it easy to always see images on the front and back sides, making it easier to process files, etc. (Example) Fig. 3 is a schematic front cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an automatic double-sided copying machine that is an example of the present invention. .

A photosensitive drum 12 is provided in the center of the interior of the copying machine main body 11, and a copying process section 13 is configured. On the right side of the copying process section 13, there is constructed a paper feeding section 17 that includes a paper feeding tray 14 and paper pressure cellars I-15 and 16.

On the other hand, on the left side of the copying process section 13, a paper ejection section 19 including a paper ejection roller 18 is configured. On the upper surface of the copying machine main body 11, together with an operation panel 21, a document table (not shown) is constructed, and a document cover 20 covers the upper part of the document table.

A sorter 22 is attached to the outside of the paper discharge section 19 of the main body 11 of the copying machine. The sorter 22 is provided with a plurality of bins 23 in multiple stages. A guide 25 is provided inside the sorter 22 so as to be movable in the arrow and E directions. The conveyance belt 24 carries the paper discharged from the paper discharge section 19 by contact with a conveyance roller (not shown) to the bin 2 where the guide 25 is located.
Lead to 3. A switch bank roller 26 provided above the conveyor belt 24 is rotatable in both forward and reverse directions. As a result, the front and rear ends of the paper in the conveyance direction are reversed in the double-sided copy mode.

An intermediate tray 1 is provided inside a cabinet 31 in which a copying machine main body 11 is mounted. This intermediate tray 1 is
Conveyance path 30 and cabinet 31 included in sorter 22
The inner passages 32 to 34 connect the paper discharge section 19 and the copying process 1.
3 in succession. Inside the copying machine main body 11, from the paper feed section 17 via the copying process 13 to the paper ejection section 19.
The path from the sheet discharge section 19 to the copying process section 12 via the intermediate tray 1 is the sub-transport path.

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an intermediate tray included in the automatic double-sided copying machine.

The intermediate tray 1 is structured into two stages including an upper tray 1a and a lower tray b. The upper tray 1a and the lower tray 1b are connected by a semicircular portion IC. The upper tray 1a is provided with a transverse feed roller 2 that is movable in the direction of arrow A or B and rotatable in the direction of arrow C.

Further, the lower tray 1b is provided with a transverse feed roller 2 and a paper feed roller 3 whose rotation axis is perpendicular to the feed roller 2. This paper feed roller 3
It is also possible to reciprocate in the direction of arrow A or B.

The lateral feed roller 2 and paper feed roller 3 move in the direction of arrow B when paper is input, and move in the direction of arrow A when feeding paper. The semicircular portion 1c and the transverse feed roller 2 described above constitute the transverse feed reversing means of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front sectional view showing the structure of the automatic double-sided copying machine near the paper discharge section.

A paper input roller 27 is provided. A flapper 4 is provided at a point where the upper floor feed path 30a and the conveyance path 30 intersect so as to be swingable in the direction of arrow F or G from the position indicated by the solid line in the figure. The imperial conveyance path 30a is connected to a switch bank (general conveyance path 8) equipped with a switchback roller 26. This switch bank conveyance path 8 is the switch bank means of the present invention. A flapper 5 is provided between the switchback roller 26 and the switchback roller 26 so as to be able to swing in the direction of arrow H from the position shown by the solid line in the figure.Furthermore, near the center of the conveyance path 30, a flapper 6 is provided as shown by the solid line in the figure. The flapper 6 is provided so as to be able to swing in the direction of the arrow {circle around (2)} from the position shown.The position where the flapper 6 is provided is the position where the conveyance path 30 and the path 32 intersect. Further, the transport path 30 is connected at its lower end with a path 33 provided with rollers 29. This path 33 is connected to the lower tray 1b of the intermediate tray 1.

A sensor S1 is provided between the upper floor transport path 30a and the switchback transport path 8. A sensor S2 is provided at the upper part of the conveyance path 3°. In addition, a sensor S is provided in the passage 32.
3 are provided. These sensors S1 to S3 detect the presence or absence of paper. Two solenoids SLI and SL2 (not shown) are attached to the flapper 4. When SLl is turned on, the flapper 4 swings in the direction of arrow F from the state shown by the solid line in the figure to the state shown by the two-dot chain line. Further, when the solenoid SL2 is turned on, the flapper 4 swings in the direction of arrow G to the state shown by the broken line in the figure. A solenoid SL3 (not shown) is attached to the flapper 5.

When this solenoid SL3 is turned on, the flapper 5 moves as shown in the figure.
It swings in the direction of arrow H until it reaches the state shown by the dotted chain line. A solenoid SL4 (not shown) is attached to the flapper 6.

When the flapper SL4 is turned on, the flapper 6 swings in the direction of the arrow {circle around (2)} until it reaches the state shown by the two-dot chain line in the figure.

When the solenoid SLI is turned on when the paper is guided from the paper discharge section 19 to the upper floor feed path 30a in the direction of arrow V, the flapper 4 is turned on.
opens the transport path 30, and the paper is guided in the direction of arrow W.

At this time, if the solenoid SL4 is on, the flapper 6 opens the passage 32, and the paper is exclusively directed in the X direction. When the solenoids SLI and SL2 are off, the paper advances in the direction of arrow V within the souvenir feed path 30a. Further, when the solenoid SL3 is off, the flapper 5 opens the direction of the conveyor belt 24, and the paper is guided to a predetermined bin 23 by the conveyor belt 24 and the guide 25. When the solenoid SL3 is on, the flapper 5 opens the switchback conveyance path 8 direction, and the paper is blown toward the switchback roller 26 direction. Solenoids SLI~S
L4 and flappers 4 to 6 constitute the selection means of this invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the control section of the automatic double-sided copying machine.

The CPU 41 has an I10 interface 44.
Copy data is manually input from the operation panel 21. This copy data includes the original size, paper size, number of copies, etc., of which the original size is the memory area M of RAM43.
1 is stored. In addition, the CPU 41 includes sensors s1 to s3.
Paper detection data is input. From CPU41 I
10 interface 44 to the solenoid drive unit 4
Drive data for the solenoids SLI to SL4 is output to 5. The solenoid drive unit 45 drives the solenoids SLI to SL4 based on the output data. The ROM 42 stores drive patterns for the solenoids SLI to SL4 in accordance with the size of the document in the double-sided copy mode.

FIGS. 5 and 5 are flowcharts showing the operation of the automatic double-sided copying machine. When the power is turned on, step nl (hereinafter "step ni" is simply referred to as "ni") is performed.

), a warm-up is performed. When the warming-up is completed at n2, the ready lamp is turned on at n3 to indicate that the copying operation is waiting to start. Thereafter, when the copy data is input manually at n4, the process advances to n5 and waits for the print switch to be operated.

When the print switch is operated at n5, the process advances to 06 to perform the copying process. At this time, the paper is fed from the paper feed section 17. When the copying process for one sheet of paper is completed at n6, the process proceeds to n7, where it is determined whether or not the double-sided copy mode is set. If the double-sided copy mode is not selected at n7, that is, if the normal single-sided copy mode is selected, the process proceeds to n8, where it is determined whether or not the copying operation for the set number of sheets has been completed. If the copying operation for the set number of bones has not been completed at n8, the process returns to n6 and the copying process is performed. The operations n6 to n8 are repeated for a set number of copies, and the single-sided copying operation is completed.

If the double-sided copy mode is selected at n7, the process skips to n9. In step n9, it is determined whether the document placed on the document table is in the portrait or landscape orientation. If it is a portrait document, the process advances to nlo and turns on solenoid SL3.

As a result, the flapper 5 swings in the direction of arrow H, and the paper is felt by the switchback conveyance path 8. This solenoid S
L3 is nil and continues until sensor S1 is turned off.

When sensor S1 is turned off, the process proceeds to n12 and n13. n
In step 12, the solenoid SL3 is turned on to connect the switchback conveyance path 8 and the souvenir conveyance path 30a.

Also, at n13, solenoid SL2 is turned on, and flapper 4 is turned on.
swing in the direction of arrow G. As a result, the flapper 4 opens the conveyance path 30, and the paper is guided into the conveyance path 30. This solenoid SL2. SL3 is driven by sensor S using n14.
It continues until 2 turns off.

By the above operation, the paper is guided from the conveyance path 30 through the passage 33 into the lower tray 1b of the intermediate tray 1. This paper has its front and rear ends reversed in the transport direction in the switchback transport path 8, and when it is led from the intermediate tray 1 to the copying process section 13 again via the passage 34, it is determined whether or not an image was formed on it the previous time. A determination is made, and if the process has not been completed, the process returns to n6. As above, n6-n7→n9→n1
By repeating the operation 5 for a set number of sheets, single-sided copied sheets with the front and rear ends reversed in the conveyance direction are stored in the lower tray 1b of the intermediate tray 1.

If the process of copying the set number of bones is completed at n15, the process advances to n16. If the print switch is operated in n16, that is, if the original is replaced with a second-side original and an instruction is given to feed paper from the intermediate tray 1, the process advances to n17 to execute the copying process. The copying process in n17 is different from the copying process in n6,
The single-sided copied paper is transferred from the intermediate tray 1 to the copying process section 13.
Paper is fed to When the copying process for one sheet is completed at n17, the process proceeds to n18, where it is determined whether or not the copying operation for the set number of sheets has been completed. If the copying operation for the set number of bones has not been completed at n18, the process returns to n17, executes the copying process for the set number of bones, and ends the operation.

If the document is horizontally long at n9, the document is skipped to n19° and n21. n19. At n20, solenoids SLI and SL4 are turned on. As a result, the flapper 4 swings in the direction of arrow F, and the paper that has passed through the rollers 27 is transferred to the conveyance path 30.
lead to. Further, the flapper 6 opens the passage 32,
Warm the paper onto the upper tray 1a of the intermediate tray 1. These solenoids SLl and SL4 are driven by sensor S3 using n21.
This continues until the switch is turned off. As described above, in the case of a horizontally long original, the single-sided copying paper is directly guided to the upper tray 1a of the intermediate tray 1 via the conveyance path 30 and the passage 32.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sheets of paper placed on the upper tray 1a are stored in the lower tray 1b via the semicircular portion IC by the rotation of the transverse feed roller 2 in the direction of arrow C. Therefore, the single-sided copying paper on which the image of the horizontally long original has been copied is stored in the lower tray lb with its front and back sides reversed in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. From n21, return to n15, n6-n7-=n
9-n19 to -n15 of n21 are repeated.

In the above operation, n9 to n14 and n19 to n21
corresponds to the selection means of this invention.

In this way, according to this embodiment, when conveying paper in the portrait direction, a switchback means is used to reverse the front and rear ends of the paper in the conveyance direction, and when conveying the paper in the landscape direction, the switchback means is used to reverse the front and rear ends of the paper in the conveyance direction. It is possible to use a transverse feed reversing means that half-turns the front and back surfaces in the vertical direction. Generally, the vertical direction of the image corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the paper, so by making the above selection, it is possible to use a method that does not reverse the vertical direction of the image, so that the image is always displayed on both sides regardless of the paper transport direction. It is possible to match the top and bottom of

If the operator is allowed to input the relationship between the top and bottom of the image and the transport direction, it is possible to easily select an appropriate method even when copying an image with the top and bottom in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of an intermediate tray included in an automatic double-sided copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. A schematic diagram of a front cross section showing the configuration of a double-sided copying machine, FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the control section of the automatic double-sided copying machine, and FIGS. 5 (A) and (B)
is a flowchart showing the operation of the automatic double-sided copying machine. 1-intermediate tray, 1a-upper tray, 1b-lower tray, 2-traverse feed roller, 8-switchback transport path, 26-switchback roller.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A paper conveyance path is formed in a loop shape including a paper feed section, a copying process section, and a paper discharge section, and a switchback means is provided on this paper conveyance path for reversing the front and rear ends of the paper in the conveyance direction;
In addition to providing a horizontal feed reversing means for reversing the front and back sides in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the paper, in the duplex copying mode,
An automatic double-sided copying machine comprising a selection means for enabling either a switchback means or a horizontal feed reversal means depending on the relationship between the paper conveyance direction and the vertical direction of the image.