JP2856472B2 - Automatic document feeder - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to an automatic document feeder which can use continuous paper of a computer and can be folded and stored in a discharge stacker after conveyance. About.

(Related Art) In recent years, an automatic document feeder called an ADF is often mounted on various image forming apparatuses such as a copying machine. In an automatic document feeder that can use computer continuous paper, a computer continuous paper set to be folded and stacked at a predetermined initial position is placed on a document mounting table, for example, an exposure position on a contact glass by a belt transport device. Are sequentially and intermittently transported. The exposed computer continuous paper is conveyed from the exposure position into the paper discharge stacker by the paper discharge conveyance device, and stored in the paper discharge stacker while being folded back to the original state. . This refolding operation is performed by utilizing the original folded state of the computer continuous paper.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in a conventional automatic document feeder capable of using such computer continuous paper, a 13th
A refolding operation failure as shown in FIGS. (A), (b), and (c) may occur. Various causes can be considered as the cause of the refolding failure, and the main ones are as follows.

When there is a broken part at the perforation of the continuous computer paper, and the tape is repaired.

When stored or used in a humid environment, or when the paper thickness is so thin that the continuous paper on the computer does not have the required strength.

When air from an air conditioner or the like is blown toward the discharge stacker.

When there are double-folded parts that are not normally folded in the folded computer continuous paper.

A case in which wrinkles are generated at the perforations of the continuous paper on the transport path and the perforations are formed to be strong. In particular, wrinkle-like irregularities are likely to occur on wide computer continuous paper.

If the discharge operation of the computer continuous paper is continued with the folding failure occurring due to such various causes, it takes much time to return to the normal folded state later.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an automatic document feeder capable of promptly coping with the occurrence of a folding defect in a continuous paper discharge operation of a computer and reducing the amount of the folding defect as much as possible. With the goal.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method in which computer continuous paper set on a document table is sequentially and intermittently conveyed as an original to an exposure position of a document table of an image forming apparatus main body. In an automatic document feeder configured to discharge and store the exposed computer continuous paper from the exposure position while folding it into the discharge stacker, the computer continuous paper is transported in order to detect folding failure in the discharge stacker. First and second folding detection sensors provided before and after the paper discharge stacker in a direction parallel to the direction, and control for stopping the image forming process and controlling computer continuous paper based on an output signal from the folding detection sensor. And a controller for performing transport control, wherein the first and second folding detection sensors are arranged. The interval is set to be larger than the folding width of the computer continuous paper.

(Operation) In the means having such a configuration, when a folding defect in the discharge operation of the computer continuous paper occurs in the paper discharge stacker, the folding defect is immediately detected by the folding detection sensor, and the image forming process operation and the computer continuous paper operation are performed. Is controlled so as to perform a predetermined operation to cope with the folding failure.

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

In FIG. 2, a copying machine main body 1 as an image forming apparatus
The upper cover 1a is provided with a CF document storage table 3 for placing the continuous paper 2 on the computer, and an automatic document feeder (ADF) 5 is provided on the contact glass 4 of the copying machine body 1. ing. The computer continuous paper 2 pulled out from the CF document storage table 3 is drawn into the entrance of the automatic document feeder 5 through the hole detection sensor 7 of the paper guide unit 6. In the first original setting stage, the leading end of the computer continuous paper 2 is pulled out, and the position of the perforation of the first page is adjusted to the reference position on the right end of the contact glass 4 in the drawing.

At this time, the automatic document feeder 5 is opened and closed about a pivot point provided on the back side of the drawing, and the hole detection sensor 7 can be moved in the front-rear direction in the drawing according to the size of the document. The position of the hole detection sensor 7 is adjusted according to the hole position.

The computer continuous paper 2 drawn into the automatic document feeder 5 is sent to an exposure position on the contact glass 4 by a predetermined belt conveyance device and stopped. The belt conveyance device has a conveyance belt wound around a driving roller and a driven roller, and the computer continuous paper is pressed against the contact glass 4 at an exposure position by a predetermined fixed roller.

When exposure reading of the computer continuous paper on the contact glass 4 is completed by an exposure device (not shown), the drive belt drives the transport belt to send out the computer continuous paper 2 from the opposite side, so that an intermittent transport operation is performed. Has become. Computer continuous paper 2
Is fed by a paper discharge conveyance device through a passage formed by a paper discharge guide and a branch guide. The paper discharge transport device has a feed roller and a driven roller pressed against the feed roller, and the feed roller is driven by a drive device separate from a drive roller of the belt transport device. The computer continuous paper 2 fed by the feed roller is sent out from the automatic document feeder 5 along the guide plate, and is once received by the sheet document receiver 8 as shown in FIG.
Thereafter, the computer continuous paper 2 is turned downward by its own weight, and is discharged into the discharge stacker 10 provided below the sheet document receiver 8.

A stopper formed by bending a wire into a U-shape at each part before and after the discharge stacker 10 in the transport direction
10A and a stopper 10B are provided so as to extend substantially in the vertical direction. And the above output stacker
The computer continuous paper 2 discharged into the paper stacker 10 is stored in the paper discharge stacker 10 while being folded back again by being alternately brought into contact with and guided by the front and rear stoppers 10A and 10B. It has become so. This refolding operation is performed by using the original folding of the computer continuous paper 2. When the first one is folded by hand in the folding direction, it is automatically folded thereafter. .

Further, at the upper end portions of the front and rear stoppers 10A and 10B, folding detection sensors 11 and 12 for monitoring the folding state of the computer continuous paper 2 folded and stored in the paper discharge stacker 10 are provided, respectively. ing. Each of the folding detection sensors 11 and 12 is constituted by a reflection type photo sensor, and the upper side of each of the folding detection sensors 11 and 12 is covered with the computer continuous paper 2 so that a folding failure is detected. It has become.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a circuit configuration of a control device attached to the automatic document feeder 5 described above. 4th
The sensor 20 shown in the figure is a sensor for detecting whether or not the computer continuous paper 2 has been set in the detecting section.
The sensor 23 is a detection sensor for controlling the last sheet of the computer continuous paper 2.

The automatic document feeder 5 and the copying machine main body 1 are controlled by such a controller in accordance with the procedures shown in FIGS. 5 to 12.

First, in the control operation of the FT 100 shown in FIG. 5, whether or not the computer continuous paper 2 is set on the CF document storage table 3 is detected by the sensor 20 (sensor ON). It is determined whether or not the flag (FEDIN) set by the transport command transmitted is “1”. If the flag is “1”, the stop hole number data suitable for the set computer continuous paper 2 is determined. Set to the counter (CFSTPC). At this time, the document size of the computer continuous paper 2 has been transmitted from the main body in advance. Then, “1” is set in the CF document control job counter (CFJOBC), and the CFF mode flag (CFF
MDF) is set to 1.

6 and 7 show a procedure for detecting and counting the perforation of the continuous paper 2 of the computer, and FIGS. 8 to 11 show a procedure for controlling the transport of the continuous paper 2 of the computer. Is represented.

In the control operation of the PS100 shown in FIG.
When the FF mode flag (CFFMDF) is 1, subroutines are sequentially designated according to the contents of the job counter (CFJOBC), and the control operation is executed. That is, when the job counter (CFJOBC) is "1", each motor for executing the control operation of the PS110 shown in FIG. 9 is turned on, the hole number counter (CFFCNT) is cleared, and then the job counter is cleared. (2) is set to (CFJOBC).

In the control operation of the PS 120 shown in FIG. 10, it is first determined whether or not the sensor 20 is turned on. If the sensor 20 is turned on, the stop hole number counter of the size set at the time of start ( It is determined whether or not the content of the CFSTPC) matches the content of the counted hole number counter (CFFCNT). If they match, each motor is turned off and the job counter (CFJO
BC) is also reset, and the transport operation ends. Sensor 20
Is in the OFF state, the last page is determined and a stop pulse signal for the last page is set (M2STPC <75).
Further, the M2 pulse counter is cleared, and “3” is set to the next job counter (CFJOBC).

The set value of the number of stop pulses (M2STPC) shown in SP120 in FIG. 10 is the number of transport pulses from the time when the sensor 30 is turned off to the reference position, and as shown in PS130 in FIG. Then, when the sensor 30 is turned off and the trailing edge of the last page is detected, the number of pulses generated in synchronization with the M2 transport motor is counted (M2PLC), and when this matches the set value of M2PLC (M2STPC = M2PLC), Each motor is turned off and the conveyance is stopped.

The control flow of the main body is shown in FIG. First, each input is checked, and then a command as to whether the computer continuous paper 2 is set in the automatic document feeder 5 is checked. If the computer continuous paper 2 is set, the feed mode of the computer continuous paper 2, that is, the CF mode is set (CFMODF ← 1).

Next, it is determined whether or not a folding defect is detected (FCPSTP). If not detected (FCPSTP = 0), the process proceeds to print key-on, and if detected (FCPSTP =
1) The folding detection sensors 10A and 10B are checked. If the folding detection sensors 10A and 10B are in the on state, the state is returned to A. If the folding detection sensors 10A and 10B are in the off state, it is determined that the folding failure has been corrected and the timer is set and the print key is pressed down. It proceeds to the determination of whether or not it has been performed.

Then, the copying operation is restarted when the print key is depressed or after a predetermined time has elapsed (time-up). At the time of restart, the timer flag (FTM) and the folding failure detection flag (FCPSTP) are reset, and the copy control routine is executed. This copy control routine is well-known and will not be described.

After the execution of the predetermined copy control, the computer continuous paper 2
It is determined whether or not is still set. If there is no computer continuous paper 2, the process is terminated. When the computer continuous paper 2 is set, a transport command is transmitted to the automatic document feeder 5 to copy the next page, and one page of the computer continuous paper 2 is transported.

Next, both folding failure detection sensors 10A and 10B are checked, and if a folding failure is not detected (sensor off), the process proceeds to a copy control routine. If a folding failure is detected (sensor on), the folding failure detection flag (FCPSTP) is set, display data for warning is set, and the process returns to the standby routine.

As described above, when the folding failure of the computer continuous paper 2 is detected, the machine is temporarily stopped, and if the folding failure is corrected, the copying operation is started again. In this way, the time required for repair due to poor folding is minimized.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, if a folding failure occurs in the discharge operation of the computer continuous paper in the paper discharge stacker, the folding failure causes the paper discharge stacker to move in the direction parallel to the computer continuous paper transport direction. Before and after, the first and second folding detection sensors provided so as to be larger than the folding width of the computer continuous paper are immediately detected, and the image forming process operation and the computer continuous paper transport operation deal with the folding failure. Is performed so that the number of pages in which folding failure occurs in the computer continuous paper transport direction can be extremely reduced, and the time loss required for repair can be minimized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1 and 2 are partial perspective views and overall side views showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are circuits of a control device attached to an automatic document feeder. FIGS. 5 to 11 are block diagrams showing the construction, and FIGS.
FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the control operation on the main body side according to the present invention, and FIGS. 13 (a), 13 (b) and 13 (c) are partial side explanatory views showing a folding failure state in the conventional apparatus. 1 ... copy machine body, 2 ... computer continuous paper, 5 ...
… Automatic Document Feeder (ADF), 10… Output Stacker, 1
0A, 10B …… Stopper.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B65H 45/00-45/30 B65H 23/18-23 / 198,26 / 00-26/08 G03G 15 / 00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] The computer continuous paper set on a document table is sequentially and intermittently transported as an original paper to an exposure position of a document mounting table of an image forming apparatus main body, and the exposed computer continuous paper is discharged from the exposure position. In an automatic document feeder configured to be discharged and stored in a paper stacker while being folded, in order to detect a folding failure in the paper discharge stacker, the front and rear of the paper discharge stacker in a direction parallel to a computer continuous paper transport direction. A first and a second folding detection sensor respectively provided in the first and second control units, and a control unit for performing stop control of an image forming process and conveyance control of a computer continuous sheet based on an output signal from the folding detection sensor; 1. Set the interval between the second folding detection sensors larger than the folding width of the continuous paper. An automatic document feeder, which is set in a proper manner.