Image reading device and image forming device

Abstract

To reduce possibility of occurrence of conveyance failure when both-side conveying of a sheet of small size is performed.SOLUTION: A sheet conveying device comprises control means for executing jobs to make feeding means feed a sheet, to make a regulation member correct skew of the sheet, to make reverse means reverse the sheet, to make the regulation member re-correct the skew of the sheet, and to discharge the sheet to a discharge part. The control means, when an execution instruction of the jobs is received and size information acquired by acquiring means is equal to or smaller than a predetermined size, carries out processing for discharging the sheet to the discharge part without making the reverse means reverse the sheet after the sheet has initially passed through the regulation member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sheet conveying device that conveys a sheet, an image reading device that reads an image from a sheet, and an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a sheet conveying device (Auto Document Feeder: ADF) in an image reading device that conveys documents one by one, and provides a regulating member that abuts against the leading edge of the document to correct skew of the document. This regulating member is biased by a biasing spring, and when the force of the leading edge of the document pressing the regulating member overcomes the biasing force of the biasing spring, the regulating member is moved to allow the document to pass. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-11840 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As described in the above document, in a sheet conveying device that can reverse a sheet that has passed through a regulating member once and pass it through the regulating member again, there have been cases where when the sheet contacts the regulating member for the second time, the regulating member cannot be moved, resulting in conveying failure.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a sheet conveying device, an image reading device, and an image forming apparatus that can reduce the possibility of conveyance failure occurring. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a sheet transport device including a loading section on which sheets are loaded, a feeding means for feeding the sheets from the loading section, a regulating member movable between a regulating position for regulating the passage of the sheets and a retracted position for allowing the passage of the sheets, the regulating member contacting a leading edge of the sheets at the regulating position to correct skew of the sheets and then moving from the regulating position to the retracted position, a reversing means for reversing the sheets that have passed through the regulating member, a first transport path from the feeding means to the reversing means via the regulating member, a second transport path along which the sheets reversed by the reversing means are transported again toward the regulating member, a discharge section from which the sheets are discharged, and A sheet conveying device comprising an acquisition means for acquiring size information relating to size, and a control means for executing a job in which the feeding means feeds the sheet, the regulating member corrects the skew of the sheet, the inversion means inverts the sheet, the regulating member again corrects the skew of the sheet, and the sheet is discharged to the discharge section, wherein when the control means receives an instruction to execute the job and the size information acquired by the acquisition means is equal to or smaller than a predetermined size, the control means performs a process in which the sheet first passes through the regulating member and then is discharged to the discharge section without having the inversion means invert the sheet. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the possibility of transport failure occurring can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of an image reading apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of an image reading apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 3A and 3B are perspective views of a shutter member and a registration roller according to an embodiment. [Figure 5]5A to 5D are diagrams showing the operation of the shutter member according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a transport failure occurs in the image reading device. [Figure 7] 4 is a flowchart showing a control method of the image reading apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is an example of a screen displayed on the operation display unit when a transport failure occurs in the embodiment. [Figure 9] 5A to 5F are diagrams showing a single-sided reading operation by the image reading device according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] 5A to 5F are diagrams showing a double-sided reading operation by the image reading device according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] (Image forming device) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an image forming apparatus 100 according to one embodiment. The image forming apparatus 100 includes an image forming apparatus main body 101 having an image forming unit IF and an image reading device 1 provided on the upper portion of the image forming apparatus main body 101. The image forming apparatus 100 forms an image on a recording material based on image information read by the image reading device 1 or image information received from an external device such as a personal computer. The recording material used may be a sheet fed from a cassette 102 detachably provided at the bottom of the image forming apparatus main body 101 or a manual feed tray provided on the side of the image forming apparatus main body 101. The image forming apparatus 100 may also transmit the image information read by the image reading device 1 to an external device. While the image forming apparatus 100 in this embodiment is a copier, it may also be a scanner, a facsimile, or a multifunctional peripheral (MFP) that combines the functions of these.

[0011] The image forming apparatus 100 includes an operation unit 3 as a user interface. The operation unit 3 has a liquid crystal panel screen 3a as a display means for displaying visual information and audio information to the user, and a touch panel function as an input means for receiving instructions and information input operations for the image forming apparatus 100. The operation unit 3 also functions as a display means and an input means for the functions of the image reading apparatus 1. Therefore, it can be said that the operation unit 3, together with the components of the image reading apparatus 1 described below, constitutes the image reading apparatus 1. Information can also be input and output to and from the image forming apparatus 100 via an external device.

[0012] The image forming unit IF is, for example, a direct transfer electrophotographic mechanism. In this case, the image forming unit IF includes a photosensitive drum as an image carrier, a charging device, an exposure device, a developing device, a transfer device, and a cleaning device that act on the photosensitive drum, and a fixing device that fixes the image onto the recording material. During image formation, the charging device uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum, and the exposure device exposes the photosensitive drum based on image information, writing an electrostatic latent image onto the surface of the photosensitive drum. The developing device develops the electrostatic latent image with a developer containing charged toner, making it visible as a toner image. The transfer device transfers the toner image carried on the photosensitive drum to the recording material fed from the cassette 102 or manual feed tray. The fixing device is, for example, a thermal fixing device having a pair of rollers that sandwich and transport the recording material and a heating means such as a halogen lamp that heats the toner image on the recording material. The recording material that passes through the fixing device is discharged as a finished product outside the image forming apparatus main body 101.

[0013] The image forming unit IF is an example of an image forming means. Instead of a direct transfer electrophotographic mechanism, an intermediate transfer electrophotographic mechanism, which transfers a toner image formed on an image carrier to a recording material via an intermediate transfer body such as an intermediate transfer belt, may be used as the image forming means. Furthermore, the image forming means is not limited to an electrophotographic mechanism, and may be, for example, an inkjet image forming unit or an offset printing mechanism. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus can use a variety of sheets of different sizes and materials as recording materials or manuscripts, including paper such as plain paper and cardboard, surface-treated sheet materials such as plastic film, cloth, and coated paper, and sheet materials with special shapes such as envelopes and index paper.

[0014] (Image reader) The image reading device 1 will now be described. The image reading device 1 of this embodiment has a main body 1A attached to the top of the image forming apparatus main body 101, and an ADF 2 supported on the main body 1A via a hinge so as to be openable and closable. The ADF 2 is a sheet conveying device of this embodiment. The image reading device 1 can read image information from a document being conveyed by the ADF 2 or a stationary document placed on the main body 1A.

[0015] It should be noted that the image reading device having the configuration described below can also be used as a device independent of the image forming device.

[0016] 2 is a schematic diagram showing a cross-sectional configuration of the image reading device 1. The main body 1A of the image reading device 1 includes a CIS (contact image sensor) unit 209 as a reading means and a flow reading glass 208 (contact glass). The ADF 2 includes a document tray 201, a pickup roller 202, a separation roller 203, a separation pad 204, a pair of read rollers 205, a shutter member 220, a read sensor 206, a pair of discharge / reverse rollers 210, and a discharge tray 211.

[0017] In the following description, the direction along which the document moves from the document tray 201 through the ADF 2 and is discharged onto the discharge tray 211 is referred to as the sheet transport direction. The direction perpendicular to the sheet transport direction (the direction of the rotation axes of the lead roller pair 205) is referred to as the sheet width direction. The sheet width direction is the main scanning direction when the reading means reads image information from the document, and the sheet transport direction is the sub-scanning direction.

[0018] The CIS unit 209 has a light-emitting element and a light guide that irradiate light onto the document, a line sensor 305 as a light-receiving element, and a life-size optical system such as a lens array that forms an image of light reflected from the document on the light-receiving surface of the line sensor 305. The CIS unit 209 optically scans the reading surface of the document being transported by the ADF 2 via a flow-reading glass 208 as a transparent member, and acquires image information by converting the optical image into an electrical signal using the line sensor 305. Note that instead of the CIS unit, a CCD unit equipped with a CCD (charge-coupled device) as a light-receiving element and a reduction optical system may be used as the reading means.

[0019] The document tray 201 is a loading section on which documents, which are sheets to be read, are placed. The document tray 201 is provided with a document detection sensor 212 that detects the presence or absence of a document on the document tray 201. The document tray 201 is also provided with a side edge regulating member 201S that regulates the edge position in the sheet width direction of the document placed on the document tray 201. The side edge regulating member 201S is composed of a pair of regulating plates that are relatively movable in the sheet width direction. The side edge regulating member 201S moves symmetrically with respect to the center position of the pickup roller 202 in the sheet width direction, so that it can be moved to a position that matches the dimension of the document in the sheet width direction (hereinafter simply referred to as the "document width" or "document width").

[0020] The pickup roller 202 (feed roller) is a feeding unit that feeds documents from the document tray 201. The separation roller 203 (separation and transport roller) is a transport member that further transports the documents fed by the pickup roller 202. The separation pad 204 is disposed in contact with the separation roller 203 and is a separation member that separates the documents in a separation nip formed between the separation roller 203 and the separation pad 204. That is, when multiple documents enter the separation nip, the separation pad 204 applies frictional force to the lower documents other than the top document that is in contact with the separation roller 203, preventing the lower documents from passing through the separation nip. Note that instead of the separation pad 204, a roller member that abuts the separation roller 203 may be used as the separation member. In this case, the roller member may be configured to be supported via a torque limiter on a shaft fixed to the frame of the ADF 2, or may be configured to be supported via a torque limiter on a shaft that receives a driving force in a direction opposite to the sheet transport direction.

[0021] The pair of lead rollers 205 are a pair of rollers that transport the document transported from the separation roller 203 toward the flow-reading glass 208 (reading position). The shutter member 220 is a regulating member that corrects skew of the document upstream of the pair of lead rollers 205. The shutter member 220 will be described later. The lead sensor 206 is a detection unit that detects the document at a detection position on the transport path (on the first transport path) of the document from the pickup roller 202 toward the pair of discharge and reverse rollers 210. The lead sensor 206 may be configured to combine a flag that swings when it comes into contact with the document and a photoelectric sensor (photointerrupter) that detects the rotation of the flag. Alternatively, for example, a photoelectric sensor that irradiates light onto the transport path and detects reflected light from the document may be used as the lead sensor 206.

[0022] The pair of discharge and reversing rollers 210 is a discharge unit that discharges the document after image information has been read. The pair of discharge and reversing rollers 210 in this embodiment also serves as a reversing unit that reverses and conveys the document during double-sided reading. The reversing unit may be provided separately from the discharge unit. The discharge tray 211 is a discharge section on which the discharged documents are stacked.

[0023] The ADF 2 has a main transport path P1 (first transport path) and a reverse transport path P2 (second transport path) as transport paths for the original. The main transport path P1 is a transport path (transport space) that runs from the separation nip to the discharge reverse roller pair 210 via the lead roller pair 205 and the flow reading glass 208. The reverse transport path P2 is a transport path (transport space) that branches off from the main transport path P1 between the flow reading glass 208 and the discharge reverse roller pair 210 and merges with the main transport path P1 between the separation nip and the lead roller pair 205. The main transport path P1 and the reverse transport path P2 are formed by guide members supported on the frame of the ADF 2 and the flow reading glass 208.

[0024] The basic flow of the skimming operation will be explained. The user places the document to be read on document tray 201. When the user issues a command to start reading on operation unit 3, the transport motor in ADF 2 is started, and pickup roller 202 rotates while descending, and picks up the top document (top sheet) from document tray 201. The document fed by pickup roller 202 is transported toward lead roller pair 205 while being separated one by one by separation roller 203 and separation pad 204. Before the document enters the nip portion of lead roller pair 205, any skew of the document is corrected by shutter member 220, which will be described later.

[0025] The pair of lead rollers 205 conveys the received document toward the flow-reading glass 208. At this time, a leading edge signal (described later) is generated based on the timing when the lead sensor 206 detects the leading edge of the document sent from the pair of lead rollers 205. In this embodiment, the dimension of the document in the sheet conveyance direction (hereinafter simply referred to as "document length") is obtained based on the elapsed time from when the lead sensor 206 detects the leading edge of the document until it detects the trailing edge. The length of the document is used to determine the size of the document. Here, to obtain the length of the document based on the elapsed time, it is sufficient to calculate the product of the preset sheet conveyance speed (circumferential speed) of the pair of lead rollers 205 and the elapsed time.

[0026] The lead sensor 206 in this embodiment is an example of an acquisition unit that acquires size information related to the size of the sheet to be conveyed. In this embodiment, the length of the original is used as the size information. Furthermore, the ADF 2 in this embodiment is pre-specified as the size of the original that can be fed (for example, A6 to A4, A column or B column, long edge feed orientation), and this is made known to the user in the specifications, product manual, or the like. Therefore, if at least one of the length and width of the original is known, the original size can be identified.

[0027] While the document passes over the flow reading glass 208, the CIS unit 209 optically scans the reading surface of the document and acquires image information of the reading surface of the document. The document that has passed over the flow reading glass 208 reaches the pair of discharge reverse rollers 210. In the case of a single-sided reading operation, the document is discharged to a discharge tray 211 by the pair of discharge reverse rollers 210. In the case of a double-sided reading operation, the document from which the image information of the first side has been read is sent to a reverse conveyance path P2 by reverse conveyance (switchback) by the pair of discharge reverse rollers 210. While the document is being conveyed again via the flow reading glass 208 by the pair of lead rollers 205, the CIS unit 209 reads image information from the second side of the document, which is opposite to the first side. Then, the document from which the image information of the first and second sides has been read is discharged to the discharge tray 211 by the pair of discharge reverse rollers 210.

[0028] (Internal structure of image reading device) 3 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the image reading device 1. The image reading device 1 has a CPU 301 as a control means (program execution means), storage devices such as a ROM 302, a RAM 303, and a nonvolatile memory 310, a pulse generator circuit 304, and a reading circuit 312. The image reading device 1 also has a conveyance motor 309, the above-mentioned read sensor 206 and document detection sensor 212, and a communication interface (I / F) 311. These elements are connected to each other via a bus 313.

[0029] The CPU 301 comprehensively controls the operation of the entire image reading device 1. For example, the CPU 301 can execute a double-sided reading job and a single-sided reading job according to a control method described below. The ROM 302 stores a firmware program for operating the image reading device 1 and a boot program for controlling the firmware program. The RAM 303 is a working area for the CPU 301 and a temporary storage area for various data. For example, the CPU 301 realizes the operation of this embodiment by reading a control program from the ROM 302 into the RAM 303 and executing it. The non-volatile memory 310 stores various setting information and the like for the image reading device 1. The communication I / F 311 enables communication connection with an external device.

[0030] The reading circuit 312 has a CIS unit 209, an A / D conversion circuit 306, and an image processing unit 307. The reading circuit 312 is configured to convert signals (luminance signals, read signals) acquired by optically scanning an original document with the CIS unit 209 into digital data and output the digital data.

[0031] The line sensor 305 of the CIS unit 209 is composed of multiple image sensors arranged in the main scanning direction (sheet width direction). The A / D conversion circuit 306 converts the analog read signal output from the line sensor 305 into digital data (read data, image data). The image processing unit 307 includes a shading correction circuit 308. The shading correction circuit 308 performs shading correction on the read data converted by the A / D conversion circuit 306 based on, for example, differences in luminance distribution that occur when reading a white reference plate. When the image forming apparatus 100 performs a copying operation, the read data that has undergone shading correction is transferred to the control unit of the image forming apparatus main body 101 and used for image formation. The read data may also be output to an external device via the communication I / F 311. The image processing unit 307 may include an image processing circuit other than the shading correction circuit 308, such as a gamma correction circuit.

[0032] The pulse generator circuit 304 generates pulse signals for driving each image sensor of the line sensor 305. The pulse generator circuit 304 can also change driving conditions such as the scanning time of one main scanning line of the line sensor 305 (hereinafter referred to as one main scanning time) according to settings from the CPU 301. The transport motor 309 drives various rollers such as the pair of read rollers 205 that transport the document.

[0033] (Regulatory member) The shutter member 220, which serves as a regulating member for correcting skew of the document, will be described with reference to FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) and FIGS. 5(a) to 5(d). FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) are perspective views of the shutter member 220 and one roller of the pair of lead rollers 205 according to this embodiment. FIG. 4(a) shows the state before the document contacts the shutter member 220. FIG. 4(b) shows the state when the document contacts the shutter member 220. FIGS. 5(a) to 5(d) are schematic diagrams showing the operation of the shutter member according to this embodiment as viewed in the sheet width direction. FIG. 5(a) shows the state before the document contacts the shutter member 220. FIG. 5(b) shows the state when the document contacts the shutter member 220. FIG. 5(c) shows the state when the document is passing through the pair of lead rollers 205. FIG. 5(d) shows the state when the document has passed through the pair of lead rollers 205 and the shutter member 220 has returned to its original position.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 4(a), the shutter member 220 has a contact portion 220a that comes into contact with the leading edge of the document. The shutter member 220 of this embodiment has a plurality of contact portions 220a (four in the illustrated example) lined up in the sheet width direction. The plurality of contact portions 220a are connected via connecting portions 220b that extend in the sheet width direction. Therefore, the plurality of contact portions 220a move together.

[0035] The shutter member 220 is movable between a restricting position (protruding position) where the contact portion 220a protrudes into the transport path to restrict the passage of the document, and a retracted position (allowing position) where the contact portion 220a is retracted to allow the document to pass. The shutter member 220 in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) and 5(a), 5(b), and 5(d) is in the restricting position, while the shutter member 220 in FIG. 5(c) is in the retracted position. When the shutter member 220 is in the restricting position, the contact portion 220a is located upstream of the nip portion of the lead roller pair 205, restricting the document from entering the nip portion. In this embodiment, the shutter member 220 is provided rotatable about the roller axis of one of the lead roller pair 205, but may be configured to rotate about an axis separate from the roller axis.

[0036] As shown schematically in FIG. 5( a), the shutter member 220 is biased toward the restricted position by a spring member 221 serving as a biasing means. When no document is in contact with the shutter member 220, the shutter member 220 is held in the restricted position by the biasing force of the spring member 221. When the leading edge of the document comes into contact with the shutter member 220 and the force with which the document presses the shutter member 220 exceeds the biasing force of the spring member 221, the shutter member 220 moves from the restricted position to the retracted position against the biasing force of the spring member 221. The spring member 221 may be, for example, a torsion coil spring attached around the roller shaft of the lead roller pair 205. However, the shutter member 220 may also be biased using a tension spring or a rubber member.

[0037] Before a document is conveyed from the upstream conveying member (separation roller 203 or discharge reverse roller pair 210), the shutter member 220 is located at the regulating position (FIGS. 4(a) and 5(a)). When a document is conveyed from the upstream conveying member, the leading edge of the document (the downstream end of the document in the sheet conveying direction at that time) abuts against the abutting portion 220a of the shutter member 220 (FIGS. 4(b) and 5(b)). When the leading edge of the document abuts against the abutting portion 220a, the shutter member 220 remains at the regulating position due to the biasing force of the spring member 221.

[0038] Even after the leading edge of the document contacts contact portion 220a, the upstream transport member continues to transport the document. At this time, a flexure (loop) occurs in the document between the upstream transport member and shutter member 220. Furthermore, if the leading edge of the document is skewed, as the document flexes, the leading edge of the document rotates to follow contact portion 220a of shutter member 220, correcting the skew of the document.

[0039] As the upstream conveying member continues to convey the document, the force with which the leading edge of the document presses the contact portion 220a downstream in the sheet conveying direction increases. Then, when the pressing force that the shutter member 220 receives from the document exceeds the biasing force of the spring member 221, the shutter member 220 moves from the regulating position to the retracted position.

[0040] When the shutter member 220 moves to the retracted position, the leading edge of the document enters the nip portion of the lead roller pair 205 and is conveyed while being sandwiched between the lead roller pair 205 (FIG. 5(c)). When the trailing edge of the document leaves the nip portion of the lead roller pair 205, the shutter member 220 returns to the regulated position by the biasing force of the spring member 221, and prepares for the next document.

[0041] In this embodiment, the shutter member 220 is configured to automatically retract after the skew of the document is corrected by adjusting the biasing force (resilience) of the spring member 221. Alternatively, the shutter member 220 may be moved using an actuator such as a solenoid or a motor. In this case, the shutter member 220 may be moved from the restricting position to the retracted position when the amount (loop amount) of the document fed by the upstream conveying member after the leading edge of the document abuts against the shutter member 220 reaches a predetermined value (amount set in advance so that the skew can be corrected).

[0042] (Feedback during double-sided transport) Next, a description will be given of transport problems (paper jams, paper jams) that may occur during the sheet transport operation (duplex transport) of a double-sided reading job. The ADF 2 of this embodiment is capable of transporting documents of a plurality of sizes with different widths.

[0043] Here, in the case of a small-sized original (for example, A6 size with long edge feed; hereinafter referred to as small-sized original), it is more likely to buckle than a wider original (for example, A4 size with long edge feed; hereinafter referred to as large-sized original) when the inverted small-sized original hits the shutter member 220. This is because there is not much difference between small-sized and large-sized originals in the magnitude of the load (compressive force in the sheet conveyance direction) received when hitting the shutter member 220, whereas the cross-sectional area of ​​the original differs between small-sized and large-sized originals depending on the width of the original.

[0044] As a specific example, the small-sized original shown in FIG. 4(a) contacts only two of the four contact portions 220a of the shutter member 220. On the other hand, a large-sized original can contact all four contact portions 220a of the shutter member 220. If the pressing force required to move the shutter member 220 from the restricted position to the retracted position against the biasing force of the spring member 221 is considered to be constant, the force that a small-sized original receives from one contact portion 220a is greater than the force that a large-sized original receives from one contact portion 220a. Therefore, with small-sized originals, stress is concentrated near the contact portions 220a, making out-of-plane deformation (buckling) of the original more likely to occur, resulting in a higher likelihood of transport failure than with large-sized originals.

[0045] Even in a configuration in which the shutter member 220 is moved by an actuator instead of the spring member 221, stress is more likely to concentrate on small-sized documents than on large-sized documents due to differences in the contact area with the shutter member 220 and the cross-sectional area of ​​the document. Therefore, even in this configuration, it can be said that small-sized documents are more likely to suffer from transport problems than large-sized documents when correcting skew in the shutter member 220.

[0046] Next, we will explain why conveyance problems are likely to occur when correcting skew of an inverted document during double-sided conveyance. As described above, a document inverted by the discharge / reversal roller pair 210 during double-sided conveyance is conveyed again toward the lead roller pair 205 via the reversal conveyance path P2 (FIG. 2). At this time, the inverted document is abutted against the shutter member 220 and subjected to skew correction.

[0047] When the document is reversed by the pair of discharge and reversal rollers 210, there is variation in the position of the leading edge of the document (the vertical or horizontal position in FIG. 2) immediately after reversal. Even when such variation exists, the space near the branch point P1 / 2 of the main conveying path P1 and the reversing conveying path P2 is often set wider than other parts of the conveying path so that the document after reversal can enter the reversing conveying path P2 without flowing back into the main conveying path P1. In this case, during double-sided conveying, there is more room for the document to bend in the conveying path when the document abuts against the shutter member 220 again after being reversed compared to when the document abuts against the shutter member 220 initially.

[0048] Furthermore, the length of the transport path from the discharge / reverse roller pair 210 to the shutter member 220 via the reverse transport path P2 may be longer than the length of the transport path from the separation roller 203 to the shutter member 220 via the main transport path P1. In this embodiment as well, the length of the former transport path is longer than the length of the latter transport path. In such a case, the document is more likely to bend in that range due to the long distance from the upstream transport member that applies a transport force during skew correction to the shutter member 220.

[0049] As a result, even if the small-sized original does not buckle during the first skew correction when transporting both sides of the original, the small-sized original may bend significantly and buckle, for example, near the branch point P1 / 2, as shown in Figure 6, during the second skew correction, resulting in transport failure.

[0050] The shape of the transport path in this embodiment will be described in detail. As described above, the space near the branch point P1 / 2 between the main transport path P1 and the reverse transport path P2 is set wider than other portions of the transport path so that the reversed document can enter the reverse transport path P2 without flowing back into the main transport path P1. Specifically, the maximum width of the transport path from the discharge reverse roller pair 210 to the shutter member 220 via the reverse transport path P2 is greater than the maximum width of the transport path from the separation roller 203 to the shutter member 220 via the main transport path P1. Here, the width of the transport path refers to the distance between the opposing guide surfaces that form the transport path. Furthermore, the width of the reverse transport path P2 is greatest at the branch point P1 / 2 (the boundary between the downstream end of the upper surface guide 223 of the main transport path P1 and the upstream end of the lower surface guide 224 of the reverse transport path P2).

[0051] In addition, the reverse conveying path P2 in this embodiment is inclined upward toward the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction (to the left in the drawing). The lower surface guide 224 of the reverse conveying path P2 extends upward in the horizontal direction from the branching point P1 / 2 toward the opposite side of the discharge reverse roller pair 210. The upstream end (right end in the drawing) of the lower surface guide 224 is located below the nip line Ld of the discharge reverse roller pair 210 (the tangent line of each roller passing through the nip portion). If the upper surface guide 225 located above the branching point P1 / 2 protrudes downward, the reversed document may flow back into the main conveying path P1. For this reason, the upper surface guide 225 is located, for example, at a position spaced above the nip line Ld of the discharge reverse roller pair 210.

[0052] With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the inverted document will flow back into the main transport path P1 without disposing a flap-shaped guide at the branching portion P1 / 2 to prevent the document from flowing back into the main transport path P1. Note that, although this embodiment makes it possible to reduce costs by not using a flap-shaped guide, a flap-shaped guide may be added to more reliably restrict backflow.

[0053] (Control example) In order to prevent transport failures during double-sided transport, in this embodiment, even when an instruction to execute a double-sided reading job, which is an example of a double-sided transport job, is received, the document is discharged without being reversed by the pair of discharge and reversal rollers 210 depending on the document size information. A control method for a reading job in this embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 7. Unless otherwise specified, all processing in this flowchart is realized by the CPU 301 calling and executing a control program stored in the ROM 302.

[0054] When a user places a document on document tray 201 and presses the scan start button on operation unit 3, CPU 301 starts executing a job. When job execution starts, pickup roller 202 and separation roller 203 are rotated and pickup roller 202 is lowered, thereby starting feeding and separating and conveying the document (S101).

[0055] The fed document is abutted against the shutter member 220 and skew correction is performed (S120). In this embodiment, the shutter member 220 is configured to automatically retract, so the actual processing of S120 is to continue rotating the separation roller 203. After skew correction, when the shutter member 220 moves from the regulating position to the retracted position, the document passes through the nip portion of the lead roller pair 205.

[0056] The CPU 301 waits until it detects an original detection signal (ON) from the lead sensor 206, i.e., a signal indicating that the lead sensor 206 has detected the leading edge of the original (S102). When the CPU 301 detects the original detection signal from the lead sensor 206, it starts measuring the length of the original (S103).

[0057] Furthermore, based on the document detection signal of the lead sensor 206, the CPU 301 generates an image tip signal for identifying the timing at which the leading edge of the document reaches a position (reading position) conveyed a predetermined distance from the detection position of the lead sensor 206. Based on this image tip signal, scanning of the document by the CIS unit 209 is started, and document read data is obtained (S104).

[0058] Thereafter, CPU 301 determines whether or not the lead sensor 206 has detected a no-document detection signal (OFF), i.e., a signal indicating that the lead sensor 206 has detected the trailing edge of the document (S105). When the lead sensor 206 has detected the no-document detection signal, CPU 301 ends measurement of the document length (S106). CPU 301 ends reading by CIS unit 209 when the trailing edge of the document reaches a position (reading position) conveyed a predetermined distance from the detection position of lead sensor 206 (S107).

[0059] In this embodiment, the subsequent processing is branched based on the measured document length. That is, after the document reading is completed (S107), the CPU 301 performs a determination process based on the measurement result of the document length (S108).

[0060] If the document length is equal to or shorter than a predetermined length (threshold length), the CPU 301 determines whether the job being executed is a double-sided reading job or a single-sided reading job. If the job being executed is a double-sided reading job, the CPU 301 suspends the reading operation. The reason for suspending the reading operation is that, for the reasons described above, when conveying both sides of a small-sized document, there is a possibility that a conveyance error may occur during the second skew correction of the document. Then, the CPU 301 displays a notification on the predetermined operation unit 3 to notify that the double-sided reading job cannot be executed (S110). The CPU 301 also causes the pair of discharge / reversal rollers 210 to discharge the document to the discharge tray 211 without reversing the document using the pair of discharge / reversal rollers 210 (S111).

[0061] In this embodiment, in a double-sided scanning job for multiple documents, the document length of each document is measured (S102 to S106), and whether double-sided transport can be continued is determined based on the measured document length (S108, S109). This reduces the possibility of transport failures occurring during transport of small-sized documents, even if, for example, a user does not know the specifications or mistakenly places documents of multiple sizes, including small-sized documents, on document tray 201.

[0062] 8 is an example of an image displayed on the screen 3a of the operation unit 3 in S110. Here, a message is displayed to inform the user that the document (paper) set in the document tray 201 is not suitable for double-sided transport. The method of informing the user (contents of the notification process) is not limited to this, and the inability to double-sided transport may be notified by voice, for example.

[0063] If the document length is not equal to or shorter than the predetermined length in S108, the CPU 301 determines whether the job being executed is a double-sided reading job or a single-sided reading job. If the job being executed is a double-sided reading job, the CPU 301 continues the reading operation (S114 to S117).

[0064] Specifically, CPU 301 determines whether the image read this time is an image of the front side (first side) of the document. If the image read this time is an image of the front side of the document (S114: NO), CPU 301 inverts the document using discharge / reversal roller pair 210 (S117). The inverted document is again subjected to skew correction by shutter member 220 (S120). At this time, it is already known that the document length is greater than the predetermined length, and it is not a small-sized document, so there is little possibility of a transport error occurring during the second skew correction. After this, an image of the back side (second side) of the document is read using the same process as when reading the first side (S102 to S108).

[0065] On the other hand, if the image read this time is an image of the back side (second side) of the document (S114: YES), the CPU 301 inverts the document using the discharge / reversal roller pair 210 and makes another revolution through the reverse transport path P2 and the main transport path P1 (S115). At this time, the image is not read. The process of the discharge / reversal roller pair 210 inverting and transporting the document to make an extra revolution through the ADF 2 before discharging the document without reading the image is called "empty reversal." By performing empty reversal, the front and back orientations of the document on the discharge tray 211 can be aligned between a double-sided reading job and a single-sided reading job. However, if productivity is prioritized, the document may be discharged without empty reversal.

[0066] Thereafter, the CPU 301 determines whether the next document exists on the document tray 201 (S116). If the next document exists, the process returns to S101 and job execution continues, and if the next document does not exist, the job ends.

[0067] The processing for a single-sided reading job will be described below. When the CPU 301 determines in S109 or S113 that the job being executed is a single-sided reading job, the CPU 301 determines whether the next document is present in the document tray 201 (S116). If the next document is present, the process returns to S101 and job execution continues; if the next document is not present, the job ends.

[0068] In this way, in the case of a single-sided scanning job, execution of the job continues regardless of whether the document length is equal to or less than the predetermined value. This is because, even for small-sized documents, document transport failures are less likely to occur when transporting a single-sided document than when transporting a double-sided document.

[0069] In this way, when an instruction to execute a double-sided reading job is received, if the size information of the original is equal to or smaller than a predetermined size, the original is discharged without being inverted by the discharge / reversal roller pair 210 after the original first passes through the shutter member 220 (S108, S109, S111). In other words, in this embodiment, the control unit executes a job in which the feeding unit feeds the sheet, the regulating member corrects skew of the sheet, the reversing unit inverts the sheet, the regulating member again corrects skew of the sheet, and the sheet is discharged to the discharge unit. Then, when an instruction to execute the job is received and the size information acquired by the acquisition unit is equal to or smaller than a predetermined size, the control unit performs a process in which the reversing unit discharges the sheet to the discharge unit without inverting the sheet after the sheet first passes through the regulating member.

[0070] With this configuration, when a small-sized document is conveyed on both sides, it is possible to reduce the possibility of a conveyance failure occurring when correcting skew of the document for the second time.

[0071] (Single-sided scanning job operation) The operation when the image reading device 1 executes a reading job according to the above-mentioned control method will be described below. First, the case of a single-sided reading job will be described with reference to Fig. 9 (a to f).

[0072] 9(a-f) show the operation when two documents are set on the document tray 201 and execution of a single-sided reading job is instructed. In the following explanation, regarding the detection signal of the lead sensor 206 or the document detection sensor 212, a signal indicating that the respective sensors have detected a document is ON, and a signal indicating that the respective sensors have not detected a document is OFF.

[0073] 9(a) shows two originals D1 and D2 set on the original tray 201. In the figure, the first original D1 is indicated by a solid line, and the second original D2 is indicated by a dashed line. The CPU 301 detects the setting of an original when the original detection sensor 212 is switched from OFF to ON. When the setting of an original is detected, the CPU 301 performs initialization control of the ADF 2 to prepare for the start of a reading job.

[0074] FIG. 9B shows a state when a user instructs execution of a single-sided scanning job, the conveying motor 309 is activated, and feeding and separation of the first document D1 are initiated (S101). The driving speed of the conveying motor 309 is determined according to the settings of the scanning job, for example, according to a combination of the color mode (color or black and white) and the resolution (main scanning direction and sub-scanning direction). Even if the settings of the scanning job are changed, the contents of the conveying operation by the ADF 2 remain the same. After that, the document D1 is conveyed through the separation nip, undergoes a first skew correction by the shutter member 220 (S120), and is then nipped by the pair of lead rollers 205 and further conveyed. When the leading edge of the document reaches the detection position of the lead sensor 206, the lead sensor 206 is turned ON, and measurement of the document length is initiated (S103).

[0075] 9(c) shows the state when the lead sensor 206 turns ON and the leading edge of the document D1 is located at a temporary stop position upstream of the reading position. If the main body 1A is not ready to read when the lead sensor 206 turns ON, the CPU 301 can temporarily stop the transport of the document D1. In this case, the stop period is not included in the measurement of the document length. The CPU 301 also continues the transport of the document D1, or stops and then restarts it, and outputs a leading edge signal as a trigger to start reading by the CIS unit 209 when the leading edge of the document D1 reaches the reading position (S104).

[0076] 9(d) shows the first document D1 being discharged by the pair of discharge and reversal rollers 210. In the case of a single-sided scanning job, the document D1 is discharged as is without being reversed. When the trailing edge of the first document D1 passes through the pickup roller 202, feeding of the second document D2 can begin. The CPU 301 can determine whether the next document is present in the document tray 201 by checking the signal of the document detection sensor 212 at the time when the lead sensor 206 turns OFF as the trailing edge of the document D2 passes through the lead sensor 206. In this case, since the next document D2 is present, feeding and separation and conveyance of the second document D2 are started (S112: NO → S101).

[0077] Here, the conveying speed (circumferential speed) of each roller is set to increase from upstream to downstream in the sheet conveying direction on the main conveying path P1. That is, the peripheral speed of the separation roller 203 is faster than the conveying speed of the pickup roller 202, the peripheral speed of the pair of lead rollers 205 is faster than the peripheral speed of the separation roller 203, and the peripheral speed of the pair of discharge and reversing rollers 210 is faster than the peripheral speed of the pair of lead rollers 205. As a result, a paper gap is secured between the documents D1 and D2, and the documents are conveyed without the leading edge of the second document D2 colliding with the trailing edge of the first document D1.

[0078] 9(e) shows the state after the trailing edge of the second document D2 has passed document detection sensor 212. CPU 301 can determine whether or not the next document is present on document tray 201 by checking the signal from document detection sensor 212 at the time when lead sensor 206 turns OFF as a result of the trailing edge of document D2 passing through document tray 201. In this case, since there is no next document on document tray 201, document detection sensor 212 is OFF. Therefore, feeding by pickup roller 202 is not performed.

[0079] 9(f) shows the state after the second document D2 (last document) has been discharged onto the discharge tray 211. If it is determined that document D2 is the last document (S112: YES), the conveyance of document D2 is continued for a predetermined distance set so that the trailing edge of document D2 passes through the pair of discharge reverse rollers 210, based on the point when the trailing edge of document D2 passes through the lead sensor 206 (S111). At this time, the pair of discharge reverse rollers 210 is rotated an additional several tens of millimeters so that the trailing edge of document D2 does not lean against the pair of discharge reverse rollers 210. After the discharge process is completed, the pickup roller 202 is raised to enable the next job to be accepted.

[0080] (Duplex scanning job operation) Next, a double-sided reading job will be described with reference to Fig. 10 (a to f). The parts common to a single-sided reading job will be omitted, and the parts different from a single-sided reading job will be mainly described.

[0081] 10(a) shows the state when the first document D1 reaches the stop position. When the lead sensor 206 turns ON, the CPU 301 stops the transport motor 309, and after a predetermined time has passed since the transport motor 309 was stopped, the transport motor 309 is rotated in the reverse direction. When the transport motor 309 is rotated in the reverse direction, the transport rollers continue to rotate in the forward direction, but the pickup roller 202 can be raised. This prevents the next document D2 from being fed immediately after the previous document D1. After the transport motor 309 has rotated in the reverse direction for a predetermined number of pulses, it is stopped again, and after a predetermined time has passed since the transport motor 309 was stopped, the transport of the document D1 is resumed, and image reading begins (S104).

[0082] 10(b) shows the state when the original D1 reaches the reversal position of the discharge reversal roller pair 210. The reversal position is the position where the rear end of the original D1 on the main transport path P1 passes through the branching portion P1 / 2 and before it reaches the discharge reversal roller pair 210. The CPU 310 determines whether the original D1 has reached the reversal position based on the transport distance of the original D1 after the lead sensor 206 turns off in response to the passage of the rear end of the original D1. When it is determined that the original D1 has reached the reversal position, the CPU 301 stops the transport motor 309 and then rotates it in the reverse direction (S117).

[0083] If the document length measured using the lead sensor 206 is equal to or shorter than the predetermined length (S108: YES), the document D1 is discharged without being reversed by the pair of discharge and reverse rollers 210 even when the document D1 reaches the reversal position of the pair of discharge and reverse rollers 210 (S111). In this case, the read data on the front side of the document D1 is discarded. Furthermore, the next document D2 is not fed either.

[0084] 10(c) shows how the conveying motor 309 rotates in the reverse direction to convey the original D1 to the reverse conveying path P2, where it strikes the shutter member 220, thereby performing a second skew correction. After the skew correction, when the lead sensor 206 turns ON, the CPU 301 temporarily stops the conveying motor 309. Thereafter, as soon as the main body 1A is ready for reading, the CPU 301 resumes conveying the original D1 and reads the image on the back side. Furthermore, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the resumption of conveying the original D1, the pressure on the pair of discharge and reverse rollers 210 is released, and conveying continues.

[0085] 10(d) shows a state in which the original D1 has again reached the pair of discharge and reversal rollers 210. After reading of the image from the back side of the original D1 is completed, the CPU 301 again causes the pair of discharge and reversal rollers 210 to perform reversal and conveyance (idle reversal) of the original D1 (S115).

[0086] 10(e) shows a state in which, in order to improve productivity of a double-sided scanning job, if there is a next document D2, feeding of the next document D2 is started before the discharge of the previous document D1 is completed. Specifically, the CPU 301 decelerates the transport motor 309 when the document D1 has been transported a predetermined distance after the lead sensor 206 turns OFF during the idle inversion of the document D1, and lowers the pickup roller 202 when the transport motor 309 stops. This starts feeding of the next document D2 (S116: NO → S101). Thereafter, the second document D2 is transported and images on the front and back sides are read in the same manner as the first document D1.

[0087] 10(f) shows the state when the discharge of document D2 (the final document) is completed. In a single-sided reading job, the pickup roller 202 is raised at the end of the job, but in a double-sided reading job, the pickup roller 202 has already been raised, so the raising process is not necessary.

[0088] (Variation 1) In the above-described embodiment, when a double-sided reading job is accepted and the document length is equal to or shorter than a predetermined length, the execution of the double-sided reading job is stopped and the read data of the front side that has already been read is discarded. Alternatively, when the execution of the double-sided reading job is stopped, a copying operation of only one side may be performed based on the read data of the front side that has already been read, or the read data of the front side may be sent to an external device.

[0089] (Variation 2) In the above-described embodiment, a configuration using the lead sensor 206 was exemplified as an example of an acquisition unit for acquiring size information related to the sheet size. However, the acquisition unit is not limited to this. For example, image processing (edge ​​detection) may be performed on the scan data read by the CIS unit 209 to detect the outline (edge) of the document, and the document size (length and width) may be estimated based on the size of the detected outline and the document transport speed during scanning, etc. In this case, the CIS unit 209 serves both as a unit for reading image information and a unit for acquiring size information. Furthermore, the CPU 301 may also perform the above-described control based on the document size explicitly input by the user via the operation unit 3, which is another example of an acquisition unit.

[0090] As yet another example of the acquiring means, a detection sensor that detects the document at multiple positions in the sheet width direction may be provided on the document transport path. The detection sensor may, for example, be a plurality of flags arranged in the sheet width direction and a photointerrupter that detects the swinging of each flag. As yet another example of the acquiring means, the ADF 2 may be configured to have a sheet width sensor that detects the position of the side edge regulating member 201S (FIG. 2). The sheet width sensor may, for example, be a volume sensor attached to the pinion of a rack-and-pinion mechanism that connects a pair of regulating plates. In this way, at least one of the length and width of the document may be used as size information.

[0091] (Variation 3) In the above-described embodiment, it is assumed that the documents placed on the document tray 201 are of the same size, and a mixture of documents of different sizes is not assumed. However, the present technology may be applied to an ADF 2 that has a normal mode in which documents of the same size are transported, and a mixed mode in which documents of different sizes can be mixed. The mixed mode is a mode in which, when a user sets documents of different sizes together on the document tray 201 and instructs execution of a reading job, the documents are fed one by one continuously and their images are read, regardless of their sizes.

[0092] In the mixed load mode, even if a sheet width sensor is provided in the document tray 201, the position of the side edge restricting member 201S may not match the actual document size. Therefore, by acquiring document size information using an acquisition unit provided on the transport path, such as the lead sensor 206 described in the above embodiment, it is possible to accurately determine whether or not each document can be transported double-sided. This makes it possible to prevent transport problems when small-sized documents are transported double-sided in the mixed load mode.

[0093] On the other hand, in the normal mode, if the document size is determined before the job starts based on the detection result of the sheet width sensor or user input via the operation unit 3, and the document is small in size, the double-sided reading job may not be accepted.

[0094] (Variation 4) Furthermore, it is known that even if the document size is the same, when a document made of thin paper with a small basis weight is used, transport failures are more likely to occur during double-sided transport. Therefore, for example, if the basis weight of the document is known in advance, when a small-sized document is being transported on both sides, double-sided transport may be stopped if the basis weight is equal to or less than a predetermined value (S108, S109, S111), but double-sided transport may be continued if the basis weight is greater than the predetermined value.

[0095] (Other embodiments) In the above-described embodiment, the ADF 2 of the image reading device 1 that constitutes a part of the image forming device 100 has been exemplified as an example of a sheet conveying device. However, the present technology is not limited to this, and can also be applied to an ADF of an image reading device that is used independently of the image forming device, or a sheet conveying device that conveys sheets other than originals. For example, the present technology can be applied to a sheet conveying device that conveys sheets as recording materials in an inkjet printer that is capable of double-sided printing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 2...sheet conveying device (ADF) / 201...loading section (document tray) / 202...feeding means (pickup roller) / 206...acquisition means (read sensor) / 210...reading means (pair of discharge and reverse rollers) / 220...regulating member (shutter member) / 301...control means (CPU) / P1...first conveying path (main conveying path) / P2...second conveying path (reverse conveying path)

Claims

1. a placement section on which a sheet is placed; A feeding means for feeding the sheet placed on the sheet placement section; a regulating member movable between a regulating position for regulating the passage of a sheet and a retracted position for allowing the passage of the sheet, the regulating member contacting a leading edge of a sheet fed by the feeding means at the regulating position to correct a skew of the sheet and being pressed by the sheet to move from the regulating position to the retracted position; a reading means for reading an image on the sheet that has passed through the regulating member at a reading position; an inverting unit that performs an inverting operation of conveying the sheet that has passed the reading position in a first direction and then conveying the sheet in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a first conveying path through which a sheet is conveyed from the feeding means to the reversing means via the regulating member and the reading position; a second conveying path along which the sheet inverted by the inverting means is conveyed from the inverting means toward the regulating member; a control means for executing a double-sided reading job in which a sheet is transported to the reading position via the first transport path to read an image on a first side of the sheet, and the sheet is transported again to the reading position via the second transport path by the inversion operation to read an image on a second side opposite to the first side; An image reading device comprising: the control means permits the reversing operation when an instruction to execute the double-sided reading job for a sheet of a first size is received, and prohibits the reversing operation when an instruction to execute the double-sided reading job for a sheet of a second size smaller than the first size is received.

1. An image reading apparatus comprising:

2. the control unit executes a notification process to notify a user that the double-sided reading job cannot be executed when the control unit receives an instruction to execute the double-sided reading job for the second size sheet.

2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reading apparatus comprises:

3. Further comprising a display device for displaying visual information; the control means, in the notification process, causes the display device to display a message indicating that the double-sided reading job cannot be executed.

3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image reading apparatus comprises:

4. Further comprising a detection means for detecting a sheet at a detection position on the first transport path, the control means acquires sheet size information based on the elapsed time from when the detection means detects the leading edge of the sheet to when the detection means detects the trailing edge of the sheet.

4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reading apparatus is a scanning apparatus.

5. The image reading device further includes an operation unit that accepts input of information regarding a sheet size to the image reading device.

4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reading apparatus is a digital camera.

6. a side end regulating member for regulating an end position in a sheet width direction of the sheet placed on the sheet placement section; a sheet width sensor that detects the position of the side edge regulating member, The control means acquires sheet size information based on a detection result of the sheet width sensor.

4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reading apparatus is a scanning apparatus.

7. The locking mechanism further includes a biasing means for biasing the restricting member toward the restricting position. The regulating member moves from the regulating position to the retracted position when a force applied from the sheet exceeds a biasing force of the biasing means.

7. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reading apparatus is a digital camera.

8. the regulating member has a plurality of contact portions that come into contact with the sheet at different positions in the sheet width direction, The sheet of the second size is a sheet that contacts only some of the contact portions.

8. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reading apparatus is a digital camera.

9. a maximum value of a width of a conveying path from the reversing means to the regulating member via the second conveying path is larger than a maximum value of a width of the first conveying path from the feeding means to the regulating member; 9. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reading apparatus is a digital camera.

10. The inverting means is a pair of rollers that rotate while holding the sheet, When viewed in the sheet width direction, the lower surface guide of the second conveying path extends upward from a branching portion of the first conveying path and the second conveying path toward an opposite side to the reversing means in the horizontal direction, the upstream end of the lower surface guide is located below a nip line of the roller pair, and the upper surface guide located above the branching portion is spaced upward from the nip line.

10. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reading apparatus is a digital camera.

11. Further comprising an ejection tray into which the sheet is ejected, The reversing means is a pair of rollers that discharges the sheet onto the discharge tray.

10. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reading apparatus is a digital camera.

12. when the control means receives an instruction to execute the double-sided reading job for the second size sheet, after reading the image on the first side, the control means discharges the sheet to the discharge tray without performing the reversing operation.

12. The image reading apparatus according to claim 11,

13. The control means It is possible to execute a single-sided scanning job that reads image information from only one side of a sheet, When an instruction to execute the double-sided reading job for the sheet of the second size is received, image information read from the first side of the sheet is discarded; when an instruction to execute the single-sided reading job for the sheet of the second size is received, image information read from the first side of the sheet is stored.

13. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reading apparatus is a digital camera.

14. An image reading device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, an image forming means for forming an image on a recording material based on the image information read by the image reading device; An image forming apparatus comprising:

Images