JPS62111832A - Automatic original feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To set many originals by providing a control means which raises a bottom plate by a predetermined distance when the uppermost original reaches the preset height or lower. CONSTITUTION:When many originals 26 are to be set, an original tray 10 is slided from a normal state to the right and rotated and supported so as to be prostrated downward as shown in the figure. Originals 26 are set on a bottom plate 22 having original side guides 24. This bottom plate 22 is constituted so as to allow about 1,000 originals to be mounted. As the copying operation proceeds, the height of the uppermost original is gradually decreased, a microswitch detects it when it reaches the preset height or lower, a motor 30 is positively rotated to raise the bottom plate 22 by a predetermined distance. As a result, the height of the uppermost original can be invariably kept within a preset range, thus many originals set simultaneously can be automatically fed out one by one.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic document feeder used in copying machines and the like.

Background of the Invention In recent years, as copying machines have become faster and needs have become more diverse, many copying machines that can be equipped with an automatic document feeder as an option have come on the market1. The automatic document feeder is
A large number of originals to be copied are placed on the document table, and one sheet is fed onto the platen glass, which is the exposure position. After the scanning exposure is completed, the originals are automatically ejected and the next original is placed at the exposure position. The system is configured to supply When copying multiple sheets of originals in this way, there is no need for the operator to set each original on the platen glass, which is the copying position. Since it is a very convenient device, most modern copying machines of medium size and above can be equipped with an automatic document feeder as an option.

A conventional document feeder has a configuration as shown in FIG. 8, for example. That is, the paper feed roller 1 and the separation roller 2 are provided in contact with each other, and the paper feed roller 1 is driven in the direction of the arrow, and the separation roller 2 is driven in the direction of the arrow B via the slip clutch 3. are doing. Paper feed 1] - The friction force between the roller 1 and the separation roller 2 is greater than the friction force between the clutch plate of the slip clutch 3, and the friction force between the separation roller 2 and the document 4 is greater than the friction force between the paper feed roller 1 and the document 4. , and the friction force of the clutch plate of the slip clutch 3.

Therefore, when the paper feed roller 1 is stopped, the separation roller 2 is also stopped, and the slip clutch 3 is slipping. Then, when the paper feed roller 1 is driven, the friction force between the paper feed roller 1 and the separation roller 2 is greater than the friction force of the clutch plate of the slip clutch 3, so the paper feed roller 1 and the separation roller 2 rotate in the normal direction, and both rollers 1 and 2 rotate in the normal direction. .2, the original 4 is inserted between them, and the separation roller 2 comes into contact with the original 4. In this state, the frictional force between the separation roller 2 and the document 4 is smaller than the frictional force between the clutch plates of the slip clutch 3, so the slip clutch 3 does not slip, and the separation roller 2 rotates in the direction of arrow C. A separating action is performed by the paper feed roller 1, and only the lowest original document is sent out in the direction of the arrow.

The above-mentioned automatic document feeder only handles one document at the bottom [
Although this is a non-feeding system, it only feeds the topmost document once (there are also various automatic document feeders that have been proposed).
For example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 55-67755).

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in any of the above-mentioned automatic document feeders, only about 50 to 100 originals can be processed at a time, and if a larger number of originals is desired to be processed However, there is a problem in that the only way to do this is to divide the original document into parts, which is time-consuming and troublesome.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic document feeder which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art described above and enables the feeding of a large number of documents.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the problems of the prior art described above, the present invention provides a vertically movable bottom plate suitable for stacking and placing originals, and a vertically movable bottom plate. a bottom plate moving means; a document feeding means for abutting the lowest document placed on the bottom plate and feeding out only one document; and a top document detecting means for detecting whether the top document is lower than a predetermined height. An automatic document feeder is provided, comprising a control means for raising a bottom plate by a predetermined distance.

Operation Place multiple originals on the bottom plate of the automatic document feeder,
The bottom plate is raised by a predetermined distance using the bottom plate moving means, and then
The document in the L position is detected by the highest document detecting means. By pressing the start button in this state,
The copying operation is started, and the uppermost original is automatically fed one by one to the copying position. As the copying operation progresses, the height of the original at the lowest position (L) gradually decreases, and when the height falls below a predetermined height, this state is detected by the uppermost original detecting means.

This detection signal is input to the control means, and the output signal from the control means drives the bottom plate moving means to raise the -C1 bottom plate by a predetermined distance. By repeating such an operation, the height of the top original can always be kept within a predetermined height range, and a large number of originals set at one time can be automatically sent out one by one.

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the automatic document feeder of the present invention in its normal state, and is used in this state when, for example, the number of documents is 50 or less. Reference numeral 10 denotes a document tray, which is slidably attached to a frame 12. Document side guides 14 and 14 are movably provided on the document tray 10, and document trays 14 and 14 are stacked on the document tray 10. The side of the document is positioned. 16 is a front cover, which is attached to the frame 12 by a hinge means (not shown) so that it can be opened and closed. 18 is a document feeding section of an automatic document feeder; 20 is a document loading/unloading section of the automatic document feeder, which carries the document fed one sheet or more by the document feeder to the copying position on the platen glass. Automatically discharges after copying.

Next, referring to FIG. 2, the large-capacity document mounting table of the present invention (
+-I CD T ) is shown in a partially cutaway perspective view during use. The original tray 10 is slid to the right in FIG. 1, and the original tray 10 is rotated and supported so as to fall downward as shown in FIG. A bottom plate 22 functions as a large-capacity original mounting table, and is configured to be able to hold up to about 1,000 originals. A document lead guide 24 is slidably mounted on the bottom plate 22, and is adapted to control the sides of documents 26 stacked and placed on the bottom plate 22.

Next, referring to FIG. 3, one embodiment of the bottom plate moving device 1 to 1 of the present invention is shown. reversible motor 30
The protruding horn shaft 32 is connected to a threaded drive shaft 34, and one end of this drive shaft is rotatably supported by a bearing 3G.

A similar drive shaft 38 is provided on the opposite side of the bottom plate 22.
3. Both ends of this drive shaft are bearings /1.0.

It is rotatably supported by 42.

Drive shaft 3I again! A pulley 44 is fixed to the drive shaft 38, and a pulley 46 is fixed to the drive shaft 38.
The rotational force of the reversible motor 30 is connected to the pulley 4/11 timing belt 48 and boot 46.
The signal is transmitted to the drive shaft 38 via. 5
0 and 52 are support blocks that support the bottom plate 22, and are screwed into drive shafts 34 and 38, respectively. Reference numeral 54 denotes a top document detection means such as a microswitch.

Thus, by rotating the reversible Tanabata 30 in the normal direction, the bottom plate 22 is connected to the drive shaft 34, 38 and the support block 50.
52 and by reversing the reversible motor 30, the bottom plate 22 will be lowered.

Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown another embodiment of the bottom plate moving device of the present invention, in which the pulley 56 is connected to a reversible motor (not shown), thereby enabling forward and reverse rotation. Shafts 58.60 are rotatably supported by bearing means, not shown, and these shafts 58.60
A pulley 62, 64 is fixed to each. Timing belt 66 over pulley 56.62.64
The levers are crossed, and by rotating the pulley 56 with a reversible motor (not shown), the shafts 58 and 60 are rotated in the same direction.

One end of the wire 68 is locked to the bottom plate 22, and the other end is fixed to the shaft 58. On the other hand, one end of the wire 70 is locked to the bottom plate 22, and the other end is fixed to the shaft 60.

By rotating a reversible motor (not shown) in the forward direction, the bottom plate 22 is moved to the timing bell 1 66, the pulleys 62, 64, @58, 60. By raising via the wire A7-68.70 and reversing the reversible motor, the bottom plate 22 will be lowered.

Next, referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a layout diagram of sensors and switches for controlling vertical movement of the tray bottom plate of the present invention. It is composed of the uppermost document detection means 51, a document top detection arm 55, and a microswitch (MS>61), and the document top detection arm 55 is swingably attached to a bracket 57 in contact with the frame 12 with five pins. Bottom plate 2
5, the document top surface detection arm 55 is biased against the arm of the microswitch 61. 63 to turn on the microswitch. When the original on the bottom plate 22 falls below a predetermined height, the upper original detection arm 55 moves to the fifth position.
It rotates clockwise in the figure, and the microswitch 61 turns off.

The code 65 is the tray bottom home position switch (+-I
S), and when the rear arm 7 is pushed against the bottom plate 22, it is turned on and the home position of the bottom plate 22 is regulated. Reference numeral 6 denotes a front cover interlock switch (SW), which is turned off when the front horn bar 16 is closed and turned on when it is closed.

Further, the bottom plate 22 is provided with an opening 23, and a document detection photosensor (PS) 72 is provided in this opening to detect whether or not a document is placed on the bottom plate 22. ing.

Next, refer to FIG. FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the document feed section 18 and the document carry-in/out section 20 of the automatic document feeder of the present invention. 74 is a gate, which is driven by exciting a gate solenoid 76. A paddle wheel 78 is rotated by a driving means (not shown) and sends out the uppermost document 26 by frictional force. The original sent out by rotating the paddle wheel 78 is
Shoot 80. It is guided by a guide 82 and carried onto a platen glass 84.

An endless belt 90 is wound around the platen glass 84 over a drive roll 86 and an idler roll 88, and an endless belt 90 is wound around the drive roll 86 and the idler roll 88.
is conveyed over the platen glass 84 by the frictional force between it and the endless belt 90, and when the leading edge of the document is conveyed to a position where it contacts the gate 92, the drive of the drive roll 86 is cut off and the document stops at this position. do. The original is on platen glass 8
4, the original is exposed to light by an exposure means (not shown), and an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the original is formed on a photoreceptor (not shown).

When the exposure is completed, the gooses 1 to 92 are lowered, and by driving the drive roll 86 again, the original 26 is ejected from the platen glass 84 and transferred to the transport roll pairs 9/1. ．． 96 and guide 98 onto the discharge tray 100. Reference numeral 102 indicates original pages 1 to 102.

The operation of the automatic document feeder of the present invention configured as described above will be explained below.

First, when the number of originals is 50 or less, the original tray 10 is used as shown in FIG. 1, and the originals are placed on this original tray. and a paddle wheel 78 shown in FIG.
By rotating , only one original is sent out, and after being exposed on the platen glass 84, this original is ejected into the ejection tray 100.

-12= When the number of originals is relatively small as described above, the originals are placed on the original tray 10 and the copying operation is performed.

However, if a large number of originals are to be copied at one time, the originals cannot be set on the original tray 10 at one time. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, slide the document tray 10 to the right and then tilt it downward to use the high-capacity document tray (HCDT) 22 that constitutes the main part of the present invention. . The operating procedure in this case will be explained below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, when the front cover 16 is opened, the front cover interlock switch SW is turned off in step 701. Next, in step 702, it is determined whether the home position switch HS is on, and if this switch is not on, the reversible motor 30 is reversely rotated to lower the bottom plate 22 (step 703). In step 704, it is determined again whether the home position switch KAWA-]S is on, and if this switch is on, the reversible motor is stopped (step 70
5). This means that the bottom plate 22 is positioned at the Baum position.

Next, in step 706, it is determined whether sensors A1 to PS are on, that is, whether or not a document is placed on the bottom plate 22. If no original is placed, place the original on the bottom plate 22-, close the front cover 16 in step 707, and turn the interlock switch S.
Turn on W.

Then, in step 708, the reversible motor 30
is rotated in the normal direction to raise the bottom plate 22. In step 709, it is determined whether or not the microswitch MS is turned on. If it is turned on, the motor is stopped in step 710 by a control means (not shown).

The preparation for copying operation is now complete, and by pressing the copy start button, the paddle wheel 78 rotates and automatically sends only the top original to the exposure position. When the originals are fed out one after another in this manner and the height of the uppermost original falls below a predetermined height, the microswitch MS is turned off in step 711. Then micro switch M
The reversible motor 30 is rotated in the normal direction by a control means (not shown) in response to a signal from S (step 708), and in step 709, the bottom plate 22 is moved a predetermined distance (TR) and the uppermost document is moved. It operates to keep the height within a predetermined range.

The operations of steps 708 to 711 are repeated in sequence, and the documents stacked on the bottom plate 22 are automatically fed out one by one.

By repeating the above-described process many times, all the documents on the bottom plate 22 are finally sent out.

This state is detected in step 712 when the sensor PS is turned off.Step 7
If the photosensor PS is turned off at step 12,
In step 713, the reversible motor 30 is reversed to lower the bottom plate 22. If the home position switch 1-IS is turned on (step 714), the reverse rotation of the motor is stopped (step 715). This means that the bottom plate 22 returns to the Baum position, and preparation for the next document platen 1~ is completed.

Effects of the Invention As described in detail above, the present invention configures the document placement table of an automatic document feeder to be movable, and maintains the height of the topmost document stacked on the document placement table within a predetermined range. With this control, large-volume originals can be placed on the original platen one at a time.
This has the effect that the number of copies produced per unit time can be increased by the reduction in the number of times the document is placed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the automatic document feeder of the present invention in a normal state. FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view when a large-capacity document tray is used. FIG. A schematic diagram showing one embodiment; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the means for vertically moving tray bottoms; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the arrangement of sensors and switches for controlling the height of the tray bottom. Schematic diagram: FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the document feeding section and the document loading/unloading section of the automatic document feeder of the present invention; FIG. 7 is a 70-diameter diagram showing the operating state of the large capacity document mounting table , FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a conventional automatic document feeder. 16...Front cover, 18...Document feeding section, 20...Document loading/unloading section, 22...Large capacity document placement table (bottom plate), 26...Document, 30...Reversible motor, 34 .38・
...Drive shaft, 48...Timing belt, 54...
Top original detection means, 61... Micro switch (MS), 65... Home position switch (H8), 66... Timing belt, 68.70... Wire, 69... Interlock switch ( SW), 72...
・Huo!・Sensor (PS), 78...Paddle wheel, 84...Platen glass, 90...Endless bell 1~, 92...Gate, 10
0...Ejection tray.

Claims (1)

[Claims] a vertically movable bottom plate suitable for placing originals in a stacked manner; a bottom plate moving means for vertically moving the bottom plate; and a bottom plate moving means for moving the bottom plate up and down; an original document feeding device that sends out only one sheet; a top document detecting device that detects whether the top document is within a predetermined height range; and a top document detecting device that detects whether the top document is within a predetermined height range. 1. An automatic document feeder comprising: control means for driving the bottom plate moving means to raise the bottom plate by a predetermined distance based on the detection signal when detecting that the following conditions have been reached.