JPS6243181B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a copying device that can specify and repeatedly feed paper of different sizes, and in particular automatically detects a document placed on a document tray of the copying device and Relating to a device that feeds recording paper corresponding to the size from a paper feeder, and when a large number of sheets are fed and there is recording paper of the same size in another paper feeder, the paper is fed consecutively. .

Conventionally, multiple paper feeders capable of loading paper of any size are provided, and when paper of different sizes is loaded in the multiple paper feeders, the paper source selected by the paper feeder selection switch is When paper is fed only from the device and all of multiple paper feeders are loaded with paper of the same size, the paper is fed from the first paper feeder in a predetermined order regardless of the selection switch. An automatic switching paper feeder is known from Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 52-25639, in which the paper feeder automatically switches to a second paper feeder to feed paper when the paper feeder runs out of paper. However, if paper of different sizes is loaded in some of the multiple paper feeders, the device does not automatically switch, and the paper feed from the paper feeder selected by the selection switch does not work. Only paper is done.

The present invention provides automatic switching selection in which even if some of the plurality of paper feeders are loaded with paper of different sizes, if there are paper feeders loaded with paper of the same size, automatic switching is performed. A copying apparatus having a paper feeding device is provided.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained based on the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a designated operation circuit of the device of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a selection drive circuit, and Fig. 3 is a size display of paper loaded in the paper feed device. A circuit diagram showing an example of the circuit, Figure 4 is
FIG. 3 is a block diagram when a CPU is used.

In Figure 1, SWΦ is the main switch,
SW1 to SW3 are paper presence/absence detection switches when three multiple paper feeding devices that can repeatedly feed paper are installed, and SWA to SWD are paper presence/absence detection switches for the four types of paper sizes A to D, respectively Paper size designation switches S1A to S1D are selectively opened/closed to specify the paper size of the paper. Size detection switches S2A to S2D are paper size detection switches S3 related to the second paper feeding device.
A to S3D are paper size detection switches related to the third paper feeder, RL1 to RL3 are relays that take an active state when paper is loaded in the paper feeder, and RS1 to RS3 are relays, respectively.
Relay switches operated by RL1 to RL3, RL4 to RL6 are paper size specification switches
SWA~SWD, paper size detection switch S1A~
S3D, paper presence/absence detection switch SW1 to SW3
And relay switches RS1 to RS3 that operate in conjunction with it via relays RL1 to RL3 are logically connected as shown in the figure, so that only when there is paper specified by paper size designation switches SWA to SWD in the paper feeding device. This is an operating circuit consisting of a relay that corresponds to a paper feeder that takes an active operating state.

The operation of the designated operation circuit shown in Figure 1 above is explained for the case where the first and third paper feeders are loaded with size A paper, and the second paper feeder is loaded with size B paper. explain.

As described above, since paper is loaded in each paper feed device, the paper presence/absence detection switches SW1 to SW3 are all in the ON state, and the paper size detection switches S1A, S2B, and S3A are in the ON state, and the others are in the OFF state. It is in. If size A paper is specified, the paper size specification switch will turn SWA on and the others off, and when size B paper is specified, SWB will be on and the others off, and size C and other sizes will turn off. The same switching occurs when D is specified.

Now, when the main switch SWΦ is turned on in the above-mentioned state where size A is specified, current flows through all relays RL1 to RL3 and all relay switches RS1 to RS3 are turned on. Therefore, current flows through the operating circuits RL4 and RL6 and they enter an active operating state, but the operating circuit RL5 also has a circuit connected to the paper size designation switch SWA, which is in the on state, as well as the paper size detection switch S2A, which is in the off state. It does not enter an active operating state because it is included.

When the main switch SWΦ is turned on with size B specified, only the operating circuit RL5 via the paper size designation switch SWB and paper size detection switch S2B, which are in the on state, enters the active operating state, and the operating circuit Neither RL4 nor RL6 are actively activated.

When size C or size D is specified, paper size detection switches S1C to S3C, S1D to SWD are connected to paper size specification switches SWC and SWD.
Since all S3Ds are in the off state, the operating circuits RL4 to RL
All 6 do not go into active operation.

In FIG. 2, M1 to M3 and LΦ are drive circuits and indicator lamps for each paper feeding device connected in parallel to the power supply, and the drive circuits M1 to M3 themselves are known circuits equipped with repetitive paper feeding control means. be. These drive circuits M1 to M3 and indicator lamps LΦ are provided with make switches RS4 to RS4, respectively, which are opened and closed by operating circuits RL4 to RL6 shown in FIG.
RS6 or break switches RS4' to RS6' are
The drive circuits M1 to M3 of the paper feed devices that have the paper specified by the paper size designation switches SWA to SWD are driven in order, and when there is no paper of the specified size in any of the paper feed devices, the display lamp LΦ is lit. , are logically configured and connected as shown. SW4 is a paper feeding start switch that is turned on while a predetermined number of repetitions of paper feeding are performed.

The operation of the selection drive circuit shown in FIG. 2 will now be described in conjunction with the operation of the designation operation circuit shown in FIG.

If there is no paper of the size specified by the paper size designation switches SWA to SWD in any of the paper devices, that is, if all of the operating circuits RL4 to RL6 do not enter the active operating state, the break switches RS4' to RS4' are activated.
RS6' are all on, make switches RS4 to RS
6 are all off. Therefore, in this state, the display lamp LΦ is lit, and even if the temporary paper feed start switch SW4 is turned on, the drive circuits M1 to M3 of any of the paper feed devices are not connected to the power supply, and paper feeding is not performed.

In contrast, paper of size A is specified, and 1
If there is paper of size A in the second and third paper feeders, i.e. the actuating circuits RL4 and RL6 enter the active operating state, the break switches RS4' and RS
6' turns off, make switches RS4 and RS6
turns on. Therefore, the indicator lamp LΦ goes out, and when the paper feed start switch SW4 is turned on, the drive circuit M1 is connected to the power supply. Therefore, the drive circuit M2 has a break switch RS4' and a make switch.
Since both RS5 are off and the drive circuit M3 is not connected to the power supply since the break switch RS4' is off, paper feeding is performed by the first paper feeding device. As a result of paper feeding, when the first paper feeding device runs out of paper, the paper presence/absence detection switch SW1 is turned off in FIG. 1, and all relay switches RS1 are also turned off, so that the operating circuit RL4
Current no longer flows through the device and the device is no longer actively operating. As a result, make switch RS4 is turned off and break switch RS4' is turned on.
The drive circuit M1 is disconnected from the power source, and the drive circuit M3 is connected to the power source. The drive circuit M2 is not connected to the power supply because even if the break switch RS4' is turned on, the make switch RS5 remains off and unchanged. Therefore, the paper feed is 3
The process is performed by switching to the second paper feeding device. When the paper in the third paper feeder runs out, the paper presence/absence detection switch SW3 is also turned off, all relay switches RS3 are also turned off, and the operating circuit RL6 is no longer actively operating. operating circuit of
This is the same as when RL4 to RL6 do not enter the active operating state.

Size B paper is specified, and only the second paper feeder has size B paper. That is, the operating circuit RL
If only circuit 5 enters the active operating state, the break switch RS5' turns off and the make switch RS5 turns on, as opposed to the case where all the operating circuits RL4 to RL6 do not enter the active operating state. Changes to Therefore, the indicator lamp LΦ goes out, and when the paper feed start switch SW4 is turned on, the drive circuit M2 is connected to the power source and the second paper feeder starts feeding paper. When the second paper feeding device runs out of paper, the paper presence/absence detection switch SW2 is turned off, all relay switches RS2 are turned off, and the operating circuit RL is turned off.
5 is no longer actively operating, and all operating circuits are
This is the same as when RL4 to RL6 do not enter the active state.

Above, we have described the case where there are three paper feeders and the first and third paper are loaded with the same size, but when paper of a specified size is loaded in multiple paper feeders, When one paper feeder runs out of paper, the paper feeder is switched in order and feeding continues, even if the paper in the first and second or second and third paper feeders is the same size. done to. Of course, the same applies even if all paper feeders are loaded with paper of the same size.

The device of the present invention has four types of paper sizes,
Needless to say, the number of paper feeding devices is not limited to three, and more paper feeding devices than there are types of paper sizes can be provided.

Figure 3 shows a display circuit designed to display the size of paper loaded in the paper feeder, L1A to L1.
1D is a size display lamp for the first paper feeding device, and L2A to L2D and L3A to L3D are size display lamps for the second and third paper feeding devices, respectively. Further, the switches in the circuit are the same as the switches with the same reference numerals in FIG. 1, or are switches that operate in the same way.

If size A paper is loaded in the first and third paper feeders mentioned above, and size B paper is loaded in the second paper feeder, all paper presence/absence detection switches are on and the paper size The detection switch is S1A,
Since S2B and S3A are on and the others are off, the size display lamps L1A, L2B and L3A are connected to the power source and turned on.

In the above-described apparatus of the present invention, in the examples shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, paper is loaded into the paper feeder using a cassette corresponding to the paper size, the paper size is detected by the cassette, and the paper size is detected by the cassette. This corresponds to the case where a paper presence/absence detection switch is required separately from paper size detection, but it is possible to simultaneously detect the presence/absence of paper in the paper feeder and the size using a known photoelectric detection means. If such a detection means is used, the paper size detection switch will naturally include a paper presence/absence detection switch. That is, in that case, the circuit including the paper presence detection switches SW1 to SW3 shown in FIG. 1 and the relay switches RS1 to RS3 and the paper presence detection switches SW1 to SW3 shown in FIG. 3 become unnecessary.

Naturally, the logical configuration of the switch shown in Figures 1 to 3 can be obtained by using IC memory, and Figure 4 shows an example of the switch being configured using a CPU in that case. There is.

In the apparatus of the present invention, the operation of the paper size designation switch is performed using a means similar to the above-mentioned paper size photoelectric detection means, such as that disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11242/1983. This can also be done automatically at the same time as the document size is detected, thereby preventing the specification of paper of an inappropriate size.

The copying apparatus of the present invention is particularly equipped with an original size detection means and a plurality of paper feeders, so that by setting sheets of different sizes in the paper feeders, all the originals can be fed manually or automatically. It is possible to copy on paper that corresponds to the original size, and if paper of the same size is set in the plurality of paper feeders, the paper can be fed using the automatic switching device, making it possible to copy a large amount of paper. It is possible to record at once.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a specified operating circuit diagram of the device of the present invention;
3 is a selection drive circuit diagram, FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram for displaying the size of paper loaded in a paper feeder, and FIG. 4 is a block circuit diagram using a CPU. SWΦ……Main switch, SW1~SW3……
Paper presence/absence detection switch, SWA to SWD...Paper size specification switch, S1A to S3D...Paper size detection switch, RL1 to RL3...Relay, RS
1~RS3...Relay switch, RL4~RL5...
...Operating circuit, RS4 to RS6...Make switch,
RS4'~RS6'...Break switch, M1~M
3...Drive circuit, LΦ...Display lamp, SW4...
...Paper feed start switch, L1A to L3D...Size display lamp.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a copying apparatus having a plurality of paper feed devices and a document size detection means, a detection means for detecting the paper size in each of the plurality of paper feed devices, and a detection means for detecting the presence of paper in the plurality of paper feed devices. has
The document size is detected by the document size detection means, a paper of a size corresponding to the document size is fed from the paper feeder, and when it is detected that the paper is consumed, the document is transferred to another paper feeder. When there is paper of the same size as the original size, the paper feed is automatically switched to the paper feeder that has paper of the same size, even if there is a paper feeder that has paper of a different size than the original size. What is claimed is: 1. A copying apparatus having an automatic switching selection paper feeding device, characterized in that the copying apparatus is configured to continuously feed paper.