JPS6340514B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic document feeding device used in equipment having an image information reading function.

Devices that read image information, such as facsimile machines and copying machines, are increasingly equipped with automatic document feeders that automatically feed sheet documents, and this is helping to improve the efficiency of office work.

FIG. 1 shows a conventional automatic document feeder. Original set tray 1 of this device
Sheet originals 12 are stacked on sheet document 1 to be fed to a reading unit that reads image information. The sheet originals 12 are sent out one by one from the original set tray 11 by a pair of separation rolls 13. The sheet original first reaches the contact portion of a pair of transport rolls 15 along a path indicated by a dotted line 14 . Thereafter, it is transported over a guide glass 16 at a predetermined transport speed by a pair of transport rolls 15, and slit-exposed by a pair of fluorescent lamps 17 arranged below.
The reflected light from the sheet original is focused onto an image sensor or a sensitive material by a lens (not shown), and the image is read or recorded. The slit-exposed sheet document is then discharged onto a document discharge tray 19 by a pair of discharge rolls 18 .
The sheet originals 12 stacked on the original set tray 11 pass sequentially over the guide glass 16 in this manner, and then are discharged to the original discharge tray 19.

In this automatic document feeder, the document set tray 11 and the document discharge tray 19 are arranged at substantially symmetrical positions with the guide glass 16 at the center. Therefore, the area occupied by the automatic document feeder in the feeding direction of the sheet document increases, and when this device is attached to a device such as a facsimile, it becomes difficult to downsize the device as a whole.

FIG. 2 shows an automatic document feeder recently proposed to solve these problems. A single sheet document separated from the separation roll 13 and sent out by this device is first moved to a guide glass 1 by a pair of transport rolls 15 along a path indicated by a dotted line 21.
6. Thereafter, the sheet original is sent out to a path sandwiched between guides 23 by a pair of transport rolls 22, and after changing its traveling direction upward, it is ejected to a document ejection tray 19 by a pair of ejection rolls 18.

In this automatic document feeder, the guide 23 changes the traveling direction of the sheet document upward. For this reason, the document output tray 19 is moved from the document set tray 11 to
The device can be placed almost parallel to the device, and devices such as facsimile machines to which this device is attached can be made smaller by this amount. However, this device has the drawback that the path of the sheet document cannot be suddenly changed to prevent paper jams caused by the guide 23, and a wasted space 24 still exists between the two trays 11 and 19. It was hot.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and provides an automatic document feeder that can reduce or eliminate the space existing between the document set tray and the document discharge tray, thereby reducing the area occupied by the space. The purpose is to

In the present invention, a document reversing roll is provided between a transport roll that transports a sheet document after image information is read and a discharge pinch roll that discharges the sheet document to a document discharge tray, and that is in pressure contact with both rolls. A guide is provided near the circumferential surface of the roll to guide the sheet document to the discharge roll. The above-mentioned object is achieved by efficiently conveying the sheet original, changing its traveling direction, and discharging the original onto the original discharge tray using three connected rolls.

The present invention will be described in detail with reference to Examples below.

FIG. 3 shows the main parts of a document reading device to which an automatic document feeder is attached. A document set tray 32 whose length can be freely adjusted according to the length of the sheet document 12 is attached to the upper part of the apparatus main body 31 at an inclination angle of about 30 degrees. The lowest layer of the sheet originals 12 stacked on the original set tray 32 is in contact with the first original delivery roll 33 . Further, a second document feed roll 34 for feeding the sheet document 12 is arranged near the document feed port 32A of the document set tray 32. This is the first and second document sending rolls 34.
is driven by a first motor 30.

A sorting roll 35 is in contact with the second document sending roll 34 to prevent double feeding of sheet documents. Further, a pair of transport rolls 15 are disposed between the guide glass 16 and the second document feed roll 34 for feeding a sheet document between the guide glass 16 and the document guide plate 36 . Two fluorescent lamps 17 are arranged below and parallel to the guide glass 16 to illuminate the reading section on the guide glass 16.
Further below these fluorescent lamps 17 is a mirror 37 that refracts the reflected light from the reading section.
A lens 38 that converges the refracted light ray, and an image sensor 39 that converts the light ray created by the lens 38 into an image signal are arranged.

On the other hand, on the sheet document discharge side of the guide glass 16, a transport roll 41, a document reversal roll 42, and a discharge pinch roll 43 are connected upward in this order. A semicircular guide 44 is arranged near the circumferential surface of a document reversing roll 42 made of natural rubber and having a diameter of 25 mm, with a predetermined distance therebetween. A second motor 45 is arranged below the transport roll 41 to drive transport rolls 15 and 16 that are arranged symmetrically with the guide glass 16 in between. In addition, on the sheet original output side of the output pinch roll 43 made of polyastal with a diameter of 12 mm, there is an original output tray 46 that shares a part of the original set tray 32.
is located.

When a reading operation is started in such a document reading device, the first and second document sending rolls 3
3 and 34 rotate, and the sheet originals 12 are sent out one by one from between the second original delivery roll 34 and the sorting roll 35. After this sheet original passes through a pair of transport rolls 15, the sheet original whose leading edge is detected by a photo sensor (not shown) passes between a guide glass 16 and an original guide plate 36, and at this time the original is read.

The sheet original that has been read is transferred to transport roll 4.
1 and the reversing roll 42, and as the reversing roll 42 rotates, it is guided by the guide 44 and its traveling direction is reversed. After this, the sheet original is transferred to a discharge pinch roll 4 located near the exit of the guide 44.
3, the document is discharged to the document discharge tray 46.

In this example, the automatic document feeder has a thickness of 0.05 mm.
When using various sheet originals from 0.2mm to 0.2mm, we were able to convey and eject them correctly.
In addition, a rotating shaft is provided near the handling roll 35,
If one side of the transport roll 15, the reversing roll 42, the ejection pinch roll 43, and the guide 44 are made to be able to rotate as a unit, even if a sheet document becomes jammed in the automatic document feeder, this can be avoided. Can be removed quickly.

As explained above, according to the present invention, the sheet original is reversed by the document reversing roll that contacts the document transport roll, and the sheet original after being reversed is ejected by the ejection pinch roll that is in contact with the document reversing roll. Not only can the wasted space between the original set tray and the original discharge tray be reduced or eliminated, but also the complexity of the drive system can be eliminated and the apparatus can be manufactured at low cost.
Further, according to the present invention, the sheet document is reversed by the reversing roll and is ejected with the image on which the image information is written facing upward, so there is an advantage that the contents of the read information can be immediately known by the operator.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 are schematic configuration diagrams of a conventional automatic document feeder, and FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the main parts of a document reading device equipped with an automatic document feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention. be. 12... Sheet original, 15, 41... Transport roll, 16... Guide glass, 32... Original set tray, 42... Reversing roll, 43... Ejection pinch roll, 44... Guide, 46... Original ejection tray .

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An original set tray for setting sheet originals before image information is read, an original ejection tray for storing sheet originals whose image information has been read, a reading section for reading sheet originals, and one sheet from the original setting tray. A first transport roll that transports sheet originals that are fed out in batches to a reading unit, a second transport roll that transports sheet originals that have been read by the reading unit to the original output side, and an output roll that outputs the sheet originals to an output tray. and a reversing roll sandwiched between a second transport roll and a discharge roll, and a guide that guides a sheet document fed out by the second transport roll to a contact portion between the discharge roll and the reversal roll. Automatic document feeder.