JPH10293366A - Document separating carrying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a light shielding means arranged to prevent erroneous detection of document size detecting photosensors of a document feeder from becoming a hindrance to processing or the like of jam paper. SOLUTION: Photosensors 4 and 4 to detect the document size are embedded in a document setting part 3 of a document feeder 1. A light shielding means 20 to prevent the disturbance light from being made incident on the photosensors 4 by covering the photosensors 4 from above, is provided in a side wall part 9. A shaft 21 of the light shielding means 20 is installed by inserting a tip part 21a into a locking hole 26 of a locking member 25 on the tip of a finger 24 in the side wall part 9. The edge of the locking hole 26 becomes a slipping-out stopper by fitting to a groove 21b of the shaft 21, and when the shaft 21 is pulled, the tip part 21a slips out of the locking hole 26 of the locking member 25.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for separating and conveying a sheet material such as an original, that is, an apparatus called a document feeder.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An automatic document feeder used for separating and transporting a sheet material such as a document (hereinafter simply referred to as a document unless otherwise specified) in a copying machine or a scanner. In the device, the size (length, length,
Width) is required, and a reflection type photosensor is used as a sensor for reading.

In the case of such an apparatus, it is not a problem if the original is flat, but if the original has folds or curls, the distance between the photo sensor and the upper surface of the original cannot be kept within a certain range, and the original size can be accurately adjusted. In some cases, the size cannot be detected or the size is incorrectly detected (this is called erroneous detection unless otherwise specified in this specification). Therefore, in order to restrict the set document to a range readable by the photo sensor, a means for covering the photo sensor from above and providing an erroneous detection prevention member at a predetermined distance to prevent erroneous detection has been proposed. ing.

In this case, the erroneous detection prevention member has two positions: a position for preventing erroneous detection by the photo sensor, and another position that does not hinder the document set when size detection is unnecessary, that is, a retreat position. It is configured to be able to do that. However, if the erroneous detection prevention member is located at the erroneous detection prevention position, the document cannot be placed from directly above the document setting portion when the document is set.
The document is set in such a manner that the document is inserted from the front side of the apparatus main body to the lower side of the erroneous detection prevention member, which causes a problem that the operation is restricted. Also, if the erroneous detection prevention member is at the retracted position, there is no problem in setting the original,
When the document jams, there is a problem that the erroneous detection prevention member is positioned on the cover that is opened for the jam clearance, which hinders opening the cover.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a document separating and conveying apparatus which solves the above-mentioned conventional problems. Of course, in a document feeder such as a copying machine, the use of the photo sensor and the false detection prevention member as described above may cause the original and the environment (when the light from above the sensor is too bright).
The invention is not limited to devices under such conditions, but is generally used in copiers and the like. It may be.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a document separating and transporting apparatus which separates a plurality of originals one by one from a plurality of originals set in an original setting unit and reads the originals one by one. Alternatively, in the document separating / transporting device for transporting the document to the document stacking section, a reflection type photosensor for detecting the size of the standard paper is provided on the document setting section so as to face upward on the paper setting surface, and the photosensor is provided. Light shielding means for shielding disturbance light from above to the extent that the photo sensor does not erroneously detect the light sensor is provided at an appropriate distance, and the light shielding means is detachably attached to the apparatus main body. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the light-shielding means includes a shaft portion to be attached to the apparatus main body and a flat plate portion covering the photosensor from above. Characterized by being provided with a hole into which the can be detachably inserted.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the light shielding means includes a claw portion to be attached to the apparatus main body and a flat plate portion covering the photosensor from above, and the claw portion is detachably attached to the apparatus main body. It is characterized by having a hole that can be hooked.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view (A), a perspective view (B), and an exploded perspective view (C) of a document feeder as an embodiment of a document separating and conveying apparatus according to the present invention.
It is. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the entire device of FIG. 1 (however, the light-shielding member of FIG. 1 is not shown).

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a document feeder, 2 denotes an image forming apparatus main body such as a copying machine, and the document feeder 1 includes a photo sensor 4 for detecting a document size in a document setting section 3 for placing a document. 4 is buried. The detection direction of the photo sensor 4 is, of course, upward. The original 5 placed on the original setting unit 3
Are separated one by one and discharged onto the original stacking section 7 along a path indicated by an arrow 6. And Route 6
The image is read at the site 8 in the middle of the process. In the figure, reference numeral 9 denotes a side wall portion, and 10 denotes a cover portion. The cover portion 10 is rotatable around a position 11 for processing when the document 5 is jammed.

The side wall 9 is provided with a light shielding means 20 for covering the photo sensor 4 from above to prevent disturbance light from entering the photo sensor 4 as much as possible. The light shielding means 20 includes an L-shaped shaft 21, a light shielding plate 22 attached to the shaft 21, and a position regulating member 23. The base end of the shaft 21 is rotatably attached to the side wall 9, and FIG.
(A) can take two positions, a light shielding position indicated by a solid line and a retreat position indicated by a dotted line. However, the movement between these two positions is performed manually.

FIG. 1C shows a structure for attaching the light shielding means 20 to the side wall 9. The tip 21a of the shaft 21 is bent in an L-shape in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the document 5 is conveyed, and is formed to have a tapered shape. A groove 21b is provided at the base thereof. Further, a finger 24 is arranged in the side wall portion 9, and when the distal end portion 21 a of the shaft 21 is inserted into the locking hole 26 of the locking member 25 at the distal end, the edge of the locking hole 26 fits into the groove 21 b. It is designed to keep you from slipping. Of course, when the shaft 21 is pulled, the edge of the locking hole 26 and the groove 21b are disengaged from each other and the tip 2
1 a comes out of the locking hole 26 of the locking member 25. For this reason, even if the light shielding plate 22 is in the evacuation position and still obstructed by jamming of the fist and the like, the light shielding means 20 is not required.
The whole can be easily removed, and it can be easily installed again.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the document separating and conveying apparatus according to the present invention, which is a light shielding means 30 and another structure for attaching to the side wall portion 9. The light blocking means 30 of this embodiment is different from the shaft 21 of the light blocking means 20 of the previous embodiment in that a pair of L-shaped claws 31, 3
1 and a pair of square holes 32, 32 for fitting the same into the side wall portion 9. In this example, since the distal end side of the claw body 31 is elastically deformed as described later, the entire light shielding plate 22 and claw body 31 or at least the claw body 31 itself may be formed of a resin material.

That is, the distance T between the claw body 31 and the surface of the light shielding plate 22 is smaller than the thickness T 'of the square hole 32 (T <T'), and the claw body 31 is inserted into the square hole 32. Then, when the slider is slid in the direction of the arrow in the drawing, the edge of the square hole 32 is strongly sandwiched between the surface of the claw body 31 and the surface of the light shielding plate 22 by elastic force.

[0015]

As described above, the document separating / conveying apparatus according to the present invention has a light-shielding means that can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body so as to block disturbance light from above the photosensor to the extent that the photosensor does not erroneously detect light. When the original with curls, folds, or folds is not used, it does not interfere with operations such as setting the light blocking unit to the erroneous detection prevention position and moving it to the retreat position. When there is no fear of erroneous detection of the original size due to light, there is an effect that the light shielding means can be easily removed to improve the original setability and the jam clearance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view (A), a perspective view (B), and an exploded perspective view (C) of a document feeder as an embodiment of a document separating and conveying apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the entire device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a light shielding unit and a mounting structure thereof in another embodiment of the document separating and conveying apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Document feeder 2 Image forming apparatus main body 3 Document setting part 4 Photosensor 5 Document 7 Document stack part 9 Side wall part 10 Cover part 20 Light shielding means 21 Axis 22 Light shielding plate 23 Position control member 21a Tip end part of axis 21b Groove 24 Finger 25 Stop member 26 Locking hole 30 Light blocking means 31 Claw body 32 Square hole

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A document separation / transportation device for separating a document one by one from a plurality of documents set in a document setting portion and transporting the separated document to a document reading portion or a document stack portion. A light-shielding means for arranging a reflection-type photosensor for detecting the size of the fixed form paper so as to face upward on a surface, and blocking disturbance light from above the photosensor to the extent that the photosensor does not erroneously detect the photosensor; Wherein the light shielding means is detachably attached to the apparatus main body. 2. A hole in which the light-shielding means comprises a shaft portion to be attached to the apparatus main body and a flat plate portion covering the photosensor from above, wherein a base end side of the shaft portion can be removably inserted into the device main body. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
Document separation and transport device. 3. The light shielding means comprises a claw portion to be attached to the apparatus main body, and a flat plate portion covering the photosensor from above, and a hole is provided in the apparatus main body so that the claw portion can be detachably hooked. 2. The document separating and conveying device according to claim 1, wherein: