JPH0572580B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an image carrier, a means for giving information to the image carrier, and an image forming means for forming an image on the image carrier according to the information given by the means. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a transfer means for transferring an image formed on an image carrier to a sheet material.

Conventionally, in this type of image forming apparatus, the mechanism for feeding the original sheet (information sheet material) to the illumination section and the mechanism for feeding the transfer material sheet (sheet material for transfer) to the transfer section are each incorporated into the device as separate independent mechanisms. It was As a result, the overall configuration of the device has become more complex and larger.

In addition, it is convenient to feed originals or transfer material sheets into the device by stacking a large number of sheets and automatically feeding them one by one one after the other. Generally, a single-sheet automatic feeding mechanism such as a cassette insertion system is adopted. Regarding the original sheet feeding mechanism, there is also one that is a single-sheet automatic feeding mechanism, and one that is configured as an attachment device to the machine and attached as an option.

However, a system in which both the document and the transfer material sheet are automatically fed is inevitably very expensive. Therefore, it is common for an operator to manually feed one sheet of documents into a document feed port.

The present invention has been devised and proposed in view of the above, and is an image forming device that simplifies, miniaturizes, and lowers the cost of the overall configuration of the device by making the sheet original feeding mechanism and the transfer material sheet feeding mechanism common. The purpose is to provide equipment.

In addition, by sharing the sheet original feeding mechanism and the transfer material sheet feeding mechanism, it is possible to automatically feed both the original document and the transfer material to one sheet using a common automatic feeding mechanism, which is simple and inexpensive. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that automatically feeds both original and transfer material sheets.

The configuration of the present invention that achieves the above object includes: a first feeding means capable of feeding an information sheet material holding information and an image forming sheet material; a common sheet material conveyance path for the information sheet material and the image forming sheet material; and a reading position in the common sheet material conveyance path, information on the information sheet material passing through the common sheet material conveyance path. a reading device for reading; an image forming means for forming an image on an image forming sheet material; and a first image forming means for forming an image on an image forming sheet material;
a second branching path from the downstream side of the reading position of the common sheet material conveyance path toward the image forming means; and a second branch path leading to the image forming means from the downstream side of the reading position of the common sheet material conveyance path; and a sheet fed to the common sheet material conveyance path by the feeding means. The image forming apparatus includes: a path switching member that selectively guides the sheet material to the first branch path or the second branch path depending on the type of the material.

A detailed explanation will be given below based on an embodiment of the apparatus shown in the figure. The image forming apparatus shown in the example in FIG. 1 is a transfer type electronic copying apparatus that follows the so-called Carlson process, and as means for exposing a photoreceptor as an image carrier, (1) a sheet original is fed to an illumination section by a feeding mechanism; , an exposure mechanism that projects and exposes the image of the fed document onto an image carrier (hereinafter referred to as the document image projection and imaging mechanism); (2) an image reading device, office computer, word processor, line printer, An exposure means mechanism (hereinafter referred to as a laser beam scanning exposure mechanism) that scans and exposes an image carrier with a laser beam that is modulated and oscillated in response to time-series pixel signals that are photoelectrically read or calculated from a facsimile machine, etc.; In addition to the normal sheet document copying function, it also has the function of a laser beam printer (L/B/P).

In FIG. 1, 1 is a device housing, 2 is a drum-type photoreceptor (hereinafter abbreviated as drum) as an image carrier that is rotated in the direction of the arrow around a shaft 3, 4, 5,
Reference numerals 6 and 7 designate image forming process equipment arranged around the drum 2, specifically a charger, a developing device, a transfer charger, and a cleaner.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a manual sheet feed port for common sheet originals and transfer material sheets formed approximately at the center of the upper surface plate 8 of the device housing; 10 refers to a sheet sliding plate disposed diagonally downward to the right toward the inside of the device from the manual sheet feed port; Reference numeral 11 denotes a first sheet conveyance path common to sheet originals and transfer material sheets, which has upper and lower guides 14 and 15 in the extending direction of the sheet sliding plate on the leading end side of the sheet sliding plate; Guides 16, 17, 18, 1 respectively
The second and third sheet conveyance paths are bifurcated with a point 9, and the second sheet conveyance path 12 is directed toward the document ejection port 20 formed on the right side panel of the machine casing, and the third sheet conveyance path The sheet conveyance path 13 is directed toward the image transfer section 6 of the drum 2, which is an image carrier.

Reference numeral 21 denotes a sheet insertion detection sensor (reflection type sensor) disposed on the tip side of the sheet sliding plate 10; 22 denotes a pair of sheet pulling rollers disposed near the tip of the sheet sliding plate in the first sheet conveyance path 11; 23
is the first register roller pair disposed next,
Reference numeral 24 denotes a pair of sheet intermediate conveyance rollers disposed at the terminal end of the first sheet conveyance path 11, and 25 denotes the first
A document illumination unit glass plate 26 is disposed as a part of the lower guide plate 15 constituting the first sheet conveyance path 11 next to the pair of register rollers 23 . 27 is a second register roller pair provided at the tip of the third sheet conveyance path 13; 28 is a second
and a passage switching member disposed at the branching portion of the third sheet conveyance passages 12 and 13; and 29 is a discharge document tray disposed at the document discharge port 20.

Reference numeral 30 designates a transfer material cassette insertion opening formed on the right side panel portion of the machine casing below the document ejection port 20, and 31 represents a transfer material cassette inserted into the insertion opening.

The cassette 31 has a known structure, and the outer box 3
2. An inner bottom plate 34 is disposed inside the outer box with its tip side lifted up and biased by a spring 33, and a sheet separation claw 35 is provided on the edge side of the outer box so as to be able to freely swing up and down or be fixed.
A bundle of transfer material sheets P is placed on the middle bottom plate 34, and the leading edge side of the top surface of the sheet bundle is separated by a separating claw 35.
Hold it down and store it inside the cassette outer box.

Reference numeral 36 denotes a paper feed roller that contacts the upper surface of the transfer material sheet in the cassette 31 inserted into the cassette insertion opening 30 and feeds out the sheet one by one from above, and 37 a second register roller pair 37 from the paper feed roller 36. This is a fourth sheet conveyance path configured with guide plates 38 and 39 therebetween.

Reference numeral 40 denotes a document illumination lamp disposed below the document illumination portion glass plate 25 with its light exit facing the glass plate; 41 denotes the document illumination portion glass plate 35 and the drum 2;
The glass plate 35, the lamp 40, and the imaging element array 41 constitute a document image projection and imaging mechanism. 42 is an imaging element array 41 and a drum 2
a half mirror arranged between the light image exposure parts of 43;
is a CCD array arranged to receive the reflected light from the half mirror, and this CCD array determines whether the sheet introduced into the first sheet conveyance path 11 is an original or a transfer material. play a role.

44, 45, 46, 47, 48 are drum 2, respectively.
configuring a laser beam operation exposure mechanism for
They are a laser light source, a polygon mirror, a motor for rotating the mirror, an imaging lens, and a mirror.

49 is a sheet guide plate disposed between the second register roller pair 27 and the transfer charger 6; 50 is a member for separating the transfer material sheet from the drum 2; 51, 52;
53 is a sheet guide plate, 53 is a fixing device, 54 is a pair of sheet discharge rollers, and 55 is a sheet discharge tray.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the second and third sheet conveyance path switching members 28.
8 is a triangular prism body with a shaft 56 protruding from both ends, or a plurality of triangular plate pieces fixed at appropriate intervals to the shaft rod 56, and the rear and front shafts are connected to the rear side of the device. It is rotatably supported by a bearing between the side plate 57 and the front side plate (not shown), and is disposed at the second and third sheet conveyance path branch portions. The shaft on the back side is extended and protruded to the outside of the back side plate 57 of the device, and an arm 58 is integrally attached to the protruding shaft portion, and is fixed to a pin 59 implanted at the tip of the arm and the outer surface of the side plate 57. A tension coil spring 61 is stretched between the pins 60 to constantly urge the switching member 28 to rotate clockwise about the shaft 56. Further, an electromagnetic solenoid 62 is fixed to the outer surface of the side plate 57 on the opposite side of the tension coil spring 61 with the arm 58 inside, and the electromagnetic solenoid 62 is positioned approximately midway between the reciprocating plunger 63 and the arm 58. Link with part 6
It is connected by 4.

When the original copy mode L/B/P mode selection switch S2 provided on the device operation panel is set to original copy mode a, the electromagnetic solenoid 62 is energized, the plunger 63 is drawn into the solenoid, and the arm is opened. 58 is pulled counterclockwise about the shaft 56 against the spring 61, so that the switching member 28 is in the position shown by the solid line in FIGS. Then, the third sheet conveyance path maintains the blocked rotational position (hereinafter referred to as the first position).

Also, when the mode selection switch S2 is in the L/B/P mode b side, the electromagnetic solenoid 62 is not energized, and in this case, the arm 58 pulls around the shaft 56 clockwise due to the tensile force of the coil spring 61. The path switching member 28 rotates until it is received by the stopper pin 65, and the path switching member 28 assumes the position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIGS.
3 are communicated with each other, and the second sheet conveyance path 12 maintains a blocked rotational posture (hereinafter referred to as a second posture).

A. In the case of original copy mode When the main switch S1 of the device is turned on, the basic control circuit section 80 (Fig. 3) of the device is energized to rotate the drum 2, apply voltage to the charger 4, and drive other required equipment.・Electrification, etc. starts.

Set the mode selection switch S2 to the original copy mode a side. As a result, the original copy mode system control circuit section 81 becomes activated, and the operating electromagnetic solenoid 62 of the path switching member 28 is energized to maintain the first switching position.

Also, based on the energization of the original copy mode system circuit section 81, the latter control circuit section 84 of the manual paper feed system control circuit section 83 and the cassette paper feed system control circuit section 84 switches the paper feeding mode selection switch. Even if S3 is on the manual paper feed a side, it will automatically come into operation.

Place the original on the sheet sliding plate 10 of the manual sheet feed port 9 with the image side to be copied facing downward, and insert the original into the apparatus while sliding the plate 10 until the leading edge reaches the nip of the pair of sheet pull-in rollers 22. . The sheet pull-in roller pair 22 starts rotating when the sensor 21 detects that the leading edge of the inserted document has reached the sensor 21 disposed on the front side thereof. Therefore, the document that has been inserted up to the pair of rollers 22 is subsequently drawn into the apparatus by the pair of rollers 22.

Next, the leading edge of the pulled-in document hits the nip portion of the first pair of register rollers 23, whose rotational drive is stopped at that time, and is temporarily received. Next, the registration roller pair 23 starts rotating at a predetermined control timing, enters the first sheet conveyance path 11, passes over the document illumination glass plate 25, is relayed to the relay roller pair 24, The sheet is guided into the second sheet conveyance path 12 by the path switching member 28 in the first switching position. The original guided into the second sheet conveyance path 12 is then gripped by a pair of original exit rollers 26 and is ejected from the exit 20 onto a tray 29 .

As the original transported along the above-mentioned path passes over the glass plate 25 of the original illumination unit, the light of the lamp 40 lit previously illuminates the image surface of the downward-facing original through the glass plate 25. The light reflected from the document surface of the illumination light enters the short-focus small imaging element array 41, and is imaged on the surface of the rotating drum 2, which is uniformly charged by the charger 4. That is, the drum 2 sequentially receives the slit exposure L1 of the original image, and an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the original image is formed on the drum surface.

Next, the latent image surface of the drum 2 is rotated to the developing device 5 section, where it is visualized as a toner image surface, and then rotated to the transfer charger 6 section.

On the other hand, due to the rotation of the paper feed roller 36, the cassette 31
From there, the transfer material sheet P is fed out one by one, and the fourth
The leading edge of the second sheet enters the sheet conveying path 37 of the
It hits the nip portion of the pair of register rollers 27 and is temporarily caught. Then the register roller pair 2
7 is rotationally driven at a predetermined control timing, the transfer material sheet is conveyed by the pair of rollers 27, and the transfer material sheet is guided by the guide plate 49 and introduced between the drum 2 and the transfer charger 6. Ru. The rotation of the register roller pair 27 starts at the timing when the leading edge of the toner image formed on the drum 2 rotates to the transfer charger 6 position and the leading edge of the transfer material sheet also reaches the transfer charger 6 position. This is done in synchronization with the rotation of the drum 2 so as to be related to each other.

By introducing the transfer material sheet into the transfer section, the toner images on the drum 2 side are sequentially transferred onto the sheet surface. The sheets are then sequentially separated from the two surfaces of the drum by the separating member 50, and then separated by the guide plate 51,
52 to the fixing device 53, where it undergoes image fixing processing, and is discharged as a copy from a pair of discharge rollers 54 onto a tray 55 outside the machine.

After the sheet separation, the surface of the drum 2 rotates through a cleaner section 7 to remove residual toner after transfer and make the surface clean.

During this original copy mode, the laser beam scanning exposure mechanisms 44 to 48 are normally kept inactive.

BL For L/B/P mode Turn on the main switch S1 of the device. Set the mode selection switch S2 to L/B/P mode b side. As a result, the L/B/P mode control circuit section 8
2 is in working condition. Due to this switching, the power to the electromagnetic solenoid 62 is cut off, and the passage switching member 2
8 is converted and held in the second switching position. The document illumination lamp 40 is kept off.

Set paper feed mode selection switch S3 to manual paper feed side a
Or switch the selection to cassette paper feed b side.

In the case of manual paper feeding mode: By setting the switch S3 to the mode side a, it is possible to introduce the sheet into the apparatus through the first sheet conveyance path 11, but it is not possible to feed the transfer material sheet P from the cassette 31. It will be banned.

Then, the sheet sliding plate 10 of the sheet manual feed port 9
Place a transfer material sheet on top, and slide the transfer material sheet on the surface of the plate 10 in the same manner as with the original in the original copy mode described above until the leading edge reaches the nip of the pair of sheet pull-in rollers 22. insert it into Then, as in the case of an original, the leading edge of the inserted transfer material sheet is detected by the sensor 21, and the sheet is drawn into the apparatus by the pair of drawing rollers 22. The transfer material sheet is transferred from the first register roller pair 23 to the first sheet conveyance path 1.
1→intermediate conveyance roller pair 24→path switching member 28 in the second switching posture→third sheet conveyance path 13, and when the leading edge reaches the nip portion of the second register roller pair 27 , the leading edge is received in the nip portion of the pair of rollers 27 whose rotational drive is stopped at that time.

On the other hand, at a predetermined timing based on the transfer material sheet leading edge detection signal from the sensor 21, an image reading device, an office computer, a word processor, a line printer, a facsimile, etc. connected to the device via a connection cord etc. A time-series pixel signal is input from a time-series pixel signal generator. Then, a laser pixel beam modulated in accordance with the time-series pixel signal is oscillated from the laser light source 44, and the beam passes through the charger 4 along the rotating polygon mirror 45 → imaging lens 47 → reflection mirror 48. The beam enters the drum 2 surface which has been uniformly charged, and the drum 2 surface is scanned by the beam in the direction of the drum generatrix. That is, the periphery of the charged drum 2 is sequentially scanned and exposed with the pixel beam L2, and electrostatic latent images are sequentially formed on the surface of the drum 2.

Next, the latent image surface on the drum 2 is rotated to the developing device 5 section where it is visualized as a toner image, and then rotated to the transfer charger 6 section.

A second register roller pair 27 receives the leading edge of the transfer material sheet at a predetermined timing synchronized with the rotation of the drum 2.
The rotational drive of is started, and the transfer material sheet is guided by the guide plate 49 and introduced between the drum 2 and the transfer charger 6.

Thereafter, as in the original copy mode described above, the steps of transfer, separation, and fixing are performed, and an image formed in the L, B, and P modes is output onto the tray 55.

In the case of the cassette paper feeding mode: By switching the switch S3 to the cassette paper feeding side b, the cassette paper feeding system control circuit section 84 becomes activated, and as a result, contrary to the case of the manual feeding mode, the first sheet conveying path 11 The introduction of the sheet through the cassette 31 is disabled, and the transfer material sheet P can be fed out from the cassette 31. The document illumination lamp 40 is kept off.

By pressing the image formation start switch S4,
Alternatively, automatic reception will send the device an image reading device, office computer, word processor, etc.
Time-series pixel signals are input from a time-series pixel signal generator 85 such as a line printer or facsimile. As a result, a laser pixel beam modulated in accordance with the time-series pixel signal is oscillated from the laser light source 44, and an electrostatic latent image is formed and developed on the surface of the drum 2 in the same manner as in the manual feed mode.

On the other hand, the paper feed roller 36
The transfer material sheet P is fed out one by one from the cassette 31 and enters the fourth sheet conveyance path 37, and then its leading edge is transferred to the second register whose rotational drive is stopped at that time. It hits the nip in the roller 27 and is temporarily caught. Next, the register roller pair 27 is driven to rotate at a predetermined control timing synchronized with the rotation of the drum 2, so that the transfer material sheet is conveyed by the roller pair 27, and the transfer material sheet is guided to the guide plate 49. and introduced between the drum 2 and the transfer charger 6.

Thereafter, transfer is performed in the same manner as in the original copy mode described above or in the transfer material manual feeding mode of L, B, and P modes.
After the separation and fixing steps are performed, an image formed in the laser beam printer mode is output onto the tray 55.

C. Modifications, etc. In the apparatus of the above embodiment, the laser beam scanning exposure mechanisms 44 to 48 are
A composite image formed by the original image and the image written by the laser beam can also be output by operating them in a relational manner.

The laser beam scanning exposure mechanisms 44 to 48 are
It can be a pixel beam scanning exposure mechanism using an LED array, liquid crystal, etc., or it can also be an original image projection and imaging mechanism.

The image forming process mechanism is not limited to the Carlson process as in the illustrated example apparatus, but may employ process mechanisms based on various conventionally known principles and methods, including a step of exposing a light image of a pattern to be formed on an image carrier. be able to.

Switching between the first and second postures of the path switching member is not performed by switching the switch S2, but by automatically determining whether the sheet introduced into the first sheet conveyance path is an original or a transfer material. Correspondingly, automatic switching control can also be performed.

As an example, as shown in the first diagram, a half mirror 42 is disposed between the imaging element array 41 of the original image projection and imaging mechanism and the light image exposure area of the drum 2, and a part of the exposure light L1 to the drum 2 is transmitted to the drum 2. CCD array 43
The light is reflected by the light and an image is formed on the light-receiving surface. When the sheet introduced into the first sheet conveyance path 11 from the manual feed port 9 is an original, the image surface of the original is reflected by the illumination light of the lamp 40 that is lit while the sheet passes over the original illumination section glass plate 25. The light passes through the imaging element array 41 → the half mirror 42 and is imaged and exposed on the drum 2 surface, and is reflected from the half mirror 42 and is also imaged on the CCD array 43.
This CCD array 43 determines that the introduced sheet is a document having an image pattern. Based on the judgment signal, the control circuit of the apparatus is immediately switched to the original copy mode system, and the path switching member 28 is automatically switched and held in the first switching position. On the other hand, if the introduced sheet is a transfer material sheet, that is, a white sheet without an image pattern, the CCD
Since no image pattern is formed on the array, it is determined that the introduced sheet is a transfer material sheet. In this case, the control circuit of the apparatus is immediately switched to the L, B, P mode system based on the judgment signal, the lamp 40 is turned off, and the passage switching member 28 is switched and held in the second switching position.

In this way, if it is determined whether the introduced sheet is an original or a transfer material sheet and the path switching member 28 is switched and controlled accordingly, the transfer material sheet can be introduced in the L, B, and P modes. Even if a document is introduced by mistake, the introduced sheet is determined to be a document and the path switching member 2
8 is in the first switching position and the original ejection tray 2
It is also possible to prevent the document from being smeared or damaged due to being ejected to the 9 side and introduced to the transfer unit 6 side.

Also, at the same time as copying the original, the CCD array 43
It is also possible to send document information to the outside of the apparatus.

Fig. 4 shows an example in which the original or transfer material sheet manual feeding port 9 of the device shown in Fig. 1 is replaced with a built-in or removable attachment-type automatic single-sheet feeder, and Fig. 5 shows a cassette-type sheet 1 feeder. This is an example of an automatic sheet feeding device.

In Fig. 4, 66 is a sheet loading set table;
7 is a sheet feeding roller, and 68 is a sheet separating roller. A stacked stack O of originals or a stacked stack P of transfer material sheets is placed and set on a table 66 with its leading edge side in contact with a sheet feed roller 67 and a sheet separation roller 68. The stacked stack of originals O is set with the image surface facing downward. The roller 67,
68 are each driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow by a sheet feed signal, whereby the stacked set sheets of originals or transfer materials on the table 66 are automatically and continuously fed into the apparatus one by one starting from the bottom one. .

In addition, in FIG. 5, 69 is the transfer material cassette 31.
This cassette has substantially the same structure as the original cassette, in which originals O or transfer material sheets P are loaded and stored and inserted into the insertion opening 70. Note that the original O is stored in the cassette with the image side facing down. Reference numeral 71 denotes a paper feed roller disposed at the cassette insertion opening of the apparatus. The roller 71 is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow by a sheet feeding signal, whereby the originals O or transfer material sheets P in the cassette are automatically and successively fed into the apparatus one by one starting from the top.

In the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, there are two (double cassette system) insertion ports 30 for transfer material sheet cassettes, or more than one insertion port 30, and the sheets are transferred from at least one of the cassette insertion ports to the document illumination section. A conveyance path (common conveyance path for originals and transfer materials) is provided, and the end thereof is branched into two paths leading to the document discharge section and the transfer section, and a path switching member is provided at the branch section, and the document or transfer material is placed in the cassette. It is also possible to store the cassette and insert it into the cassette insertion slot so that originals or transfer materials can be automatically fed one by one.

As described above, the present invention has a common sheet document feeding mechanism and a transfer material sheet feeding mechanism, thereby making the configuration of an image forming apparatus simpler, smaller, and less expensive than the conventional configuration in which both feeding mechanisms are independent. can.

In addition, by automatically feeding sheets to a single sheet as shown in the example in Fig. 4 or 5, the sheet feeding mechanism for the common sheet feeding mechanism can be used to feed originals by one common automatic feeding device. It is also possible to automatically feed single sheets of paper, making it possible to configure an image forming device that automatically feeds original and transfer material sheets in a simple and low-cost manner.
It becomes possible to provide

Furthermore, a small, low-cost printer that creates prints using image signals from an external source can also be equipped with a function for copying ordinary originals.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show a device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing the overall schematic configuration of the device, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the passage switching member, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the control circuit. , FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are sectional views of essential parts of an example in which sheets are automatically fed one by one to a common sheet conveyance path. 2 is a rotating drum type photoreceptor as an image carrier; 1
1, 12, 13, and 37 are first to fourth sheet conveyance paths, and 28 is a sheet conveyance path switching member.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A first feeding means capable of feeding an information sheet material holding information and an image forming sheet material, and an information sheet sent out by the first feeding means. a common sheet material conveyance path for the material and the image forming sheet material; and a reading device that reads information on the information sheet material passing through the common sheet material conveyance path at a reading position in the common sheet material conveyance path. , an image forming means for forming an image on an image forming sheet material, and a first image forming means for forming an image on an image forming sheet material;
a second branching path from the downstream side of the reading position of the common sheet material conveyance path toward the image forming means; and a second branch path leading to the image forming means from the downstream side of the reading position of the common sheet material conveyance path; and a sheet fed to the common sheet material conveyance path by the feeding means. An image forming apparatus comprising: a path switching member that selectively guides the sheet material to the first branch path or the second branch path depending on the type of material.