JPH0552489B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Technical Field> The present invention is equipped with an automatic document feeder ADF having at least two document tables, and makes copies using a copy paper size corresponding to the size of the original set on the document table. This article relates to a copying machine designed to perform

<Summary of the Invention> A copying machine with an ADF according to the present invention is capable of feeding documents from the larger document table after comparing the sizes of originals on each document table when originals are set on multiple document tables. Accordingly, copying is performed with priority given to the larger size original, and copy sheets of larger size are ejected in order.

<Prior Art> Conventionally, in a copying machine equipped with an ADF and having two or more document tables, documents are fed from the document tables in a prespecified order, regardless of the document size. However, for example, when feeding documents from two document tables, if an A4 size document is set on the first document table and an A3 size document is set on the second document table,
When a copy is executed, a larger A3 size copy paper is stacked on top of the A4 size copy paper and is ejected, making it difficult to take out and collate the paper.

<Object of the invention> This invention solves the above-mentioned conventional disadvantages, and
An object of the present invention is to provide a copying machine with an automatic document feeder that can feed a document from the document table with a larger original size and eject it from the larger size copy paper when multiple document trays are used. do.

<Structure of the Invention> The present invention includes a plurality of document tables, a detection means for detecting the size of the document set on each document table before the document is fed, and a detection device according to the document size detected by the detection means. in a copying machine with an automatic document feeder, which has means for copying on copy paper of the same size, when documents are set on the plurality of document tables, the document size detected by the detection means before the document is fed. a comparison means for comparing the document tables; a means for determining the priority of the document trays in order from the document tray on which a large size original is set based on the comparison result of the comparison means; It is characterized by comprising a means for continuously feeding originals, and the following.

<Embodiment> FIG. 2 is an overall structural diagram of an ADF-equipped copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of the ADF.

An ADF 2 is attached to the upper part of the copying machine main body 1. The ADF 2 is provided with two upper document trays 3 and a lower document tray 4. Reference numeral 5 denotes a conveyor belt that conveys the original from the upper document table 3 or the lower document table 4 to the exposure position of the copying machine main body 1, and also discharges the document to the upper part of the ADF after the exposure is completed. Reference numeral 6 indicates a discharged document, and 7 indicates a stopper for the discharged document. 8,9
are paper feed rollers that feed the original from the upper document table 3 and the lower document table 4 toward the exposure position, respectively.

Reference numerals 10 to 17 denote document detection units for detecting the document set on the document table. The document detection section is the fourth
As shown in the figure and FIG. 5, it is composed of opposed transmission type photoelectric switches. Reference numeral 19 denotes an actuator that is swingably supported, and a weight 20 is attached to one end. Due to the action of the weight 20, the bent portion of the actuator 19 protrudes above the placement surface from the empty space of the document table. The free end portion 21 of the actuator 19 is loosely inserted into the groove portion of the U-shaped sensing element portion 18 . A light emitter 22 and a light receiver 23 are disposed opposite to each other in the groove of the detection element section 18 . When an original is not placed on the original table, the bent portion of the actuator 19 projects from the original table due to the action of the weight 20, and the free end 21 blocks light from the projector 22. on the other hand,
When a document is set, the bent portion of the actuator 19 is pushed down by the weight of the document, and the free end 21 comes out of the groove and does not interfere with the projection of light from the projector 22. As mentioned above, actuator 1
The light receiving output of the light receiver 23 changes in response to the swinging motion of the document plate 9, and the presence or absence of a document on the document table is detected based on the change. Furthermore, the size of the set original is determined from the installation position of the original detection unit that has detected the presence of the original. FIG. 6 shows the document detection circuit of each document detection section. The light receiving output of the light receiver 23 is introduced into a comparator 25 via an amplifier 24. Comparator 25 is amplifier 2
4 is compared with the reference potential, and when the former exceeds the level of the latter, a document detection signal S is output.

The copying machine main body 1 has a copy processing section including a photoreceptor drum 40. 41 and 42 are B4, respectively.
This is a paper cassette that stores A4 size copy paper. A sorter 43 is attached to the main body 1 of the copying machine. 44 is a bin group of the sorter 43.

FIG. 7 shows the main parts of a control unit for controlling the document feeding operation of the ADF 2 and the copy sheet ejecting operation of the sorter 43. A microcomputer 26 is connected to a paper discharge controller 35 of the sorter 43, a memory 36, and document detection circuits 27 to 34 of each document table. A stepping motor 37 moves a gate for switching bins in the bin group 44. Original detection circuit 2
7 to 34 output document detection signals based on the respective detection outputs of the document detection units 10 to 13 of the upper document table 3 or the document detection units 14 to 17 of the lower document table 4, as shown in FIG. do. The microcomputer 26 determines the size of the document set on the upper document table 3 based on the document detection signals from the document detection circuits 27 to 30, and also determines the size of the document set on the document detection circuit 3.
The lower document table 4 is activated by the document detection signals from 1 to 34.
Determine the size of the original set in the document. The memory 36 includes an area M1, which stores the size of the set document determined by the microcomputer 26;
It has M2. Areas M1 and M2 store the sizes of originals set on the upper document table 3 and the lower document table 4, respectively. The size determination results X and Y of each set of originals on the upper document table 3 and the lower document table 4 are as follows.
"4" corresponding to each size of A3, B4, A4, B5,
The data is converted into data of "3", "2", and "1" and stored in each memory.

Next, a copying operation using the upper and lower document tables will be explained with reference to FIG.

First, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,
The upper document table 3 and the lower document table 4 each have A4,
Assume that a B4 size original is set.
Furthermore, it is assumed that the sorter 43 is used to sort, and the number of copies to be sorted is also set in advance. When a copy start button (not shown) is pressed at step n1 (hereinafter, step ni is simply referred to as ni), the size of the original is sensed (n2). Since the originals are set as described above, the size determination results on the upper document table 3 and the lower document table 4 are as follows.
A4 and B4, and X=2 and Y=3. These judgment result data are stored in the upper and lower memories M1,
Set to M2 (n3, n4). Next, memory M
1. Compare the memory contents of M2 (n5). When the data stored in the memory M1 is larger than the data stored in the memory M2, it is determined that a larger original is set on the upper document table 3 than on the lower document table 4, and feeding of the document is started from the upper document table. Set to mode (n6). On the other hand, when the data stored in memory M2 is larger than that in memory M1, it is determined that a larger original is set on lower document table 4 than on upper document table 3, and the document is fed from the lower document table. Set the mode to start (n7). In this embodiment, the latter mode is set. After finishing setting the paper feed start mode, execute the copy cycle (n8). First, a B4 size original is fed from the upper document table 3, and a paper of that size is fed from the paper cassette 41 to execute copying.
By executing this copy, the B4 size copy paper is sorted by the sorter 43 (n8
~n10). Once all the originals set on the upper document table 3 have been copied, the process moves on to copying the originals set on the lower document table 4. In this case, A4 size paper is fed from the paper cassette 42, and when copying is executed, the A4 size copy paper is stacked on top of the already sorted B4 size copy paper and ejected (n8, n9,
n11). FIG. 2 shows a paper discharge state in which a smaller A4 size copy paper 48 is stacked on top of a B4 size copy paper 47.

Through the above operation, the size of the originals set on the upper document tray 3 and the lower document tray 4 is detected at the start of copying, the sizes are compared, and the larger original is fed with priority and the copy is executed. . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, since the paper is ejected with the larger copy paper facing down, the copy paper can be taken out and collated smoothly without any trouble.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, according to the present invention, when ADF copying is performed using multiple document tables, the size of the set document on the document table is compared at the start of copying, and the larger one is selected. Since the paper can be fed from the original and ejected with the large copy paper facing down, it is possible to smoothly take out the copy paper and collate it.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a flowchart showing the ADF copying operation in a copying machine equipped with an automatic document feeder (ADF) which is an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an overall structural diagram of the copying machine, and Fig. 3 is a diagram of the copying machine. A structural diagram of the ADF. Figure 4 shows the document detection section installed on the document table of the copying machine. Figure 5 shows the light emitting and receiving section of the document detection section. Figure 6 shows the document detection section of the same document detection section. A block diagram of the document detection circuit, and FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the main part of the control section of the copying machine. 1... Copying machine main body, 2... Automatic document feeder,
3...Upper document table, 4...Lower document table, 10-1
7... Original detection section.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A plurality of document tables, a detection means for detecting the size of the document set on each document table before the document is fed, and a size detection means according to the document size detected by the detection means. In a copying machine equipped with an automatic document feeder, which is equipped with means for copying on copy paper and a sorter for collating the copied copy paper, when documents are set on the plurality of document tables, the document Comparing means for comparing the document sizes detected by the detecting means before paper feeding; and means for determining the priority of the document trays in order from the document tray on which a large size document is set based on the comparison result of the comparison means. , a means for successively feeding the originals on each document table in accordance with the priority order, and when collating the copy sheets copied according to the size of the large and small originals, the apparatus is equipped with the following: A copying machine with an automatic document feeder, characterized in that the document is ejected to the sorter first.