Document feeding device

Abstract

To provide a document feeding device that prevents misdeterminations caused by detecting a sheet loaded on a sheet loading table or a hand of a person operating a sheet restriction plate during sheet bounce detection.SOLUTION: A document feeding device is equipped with a document loading table 1 on which a document is loaded, separation feeding means 42 that takes a document loaded on the document loading table 1 into a conveying path and feeds it separately one by one, bounce detection means 35 that detects the presence of an object above the loading surface of a document loaded on the document loading table 1, human detection means 36 that detects when a person approaches the area around the document loading table 1, and abnormality determination means 46 that determines whether a bounce abnormality has occurred in document feeding according to the detection status of the bounce detection means 35 and the human detection means 36.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a document feeding device typified by an image reading device that feeds a document and reads an image.

Background Art

[0002] In a document feeding device that sequentially separates and feeds a plurality of documents stacked on a document stacking table, and an image reading device that reads an image of a conveyed document, various methods for detecting document feeding failures have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a method for detecting an abnormal shape (bending) of a document that occurs when a plurality of stapled documents are separated and fed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, during the separation and feeding of documents, the user may touch the documents stacked on the document stacking table or operate the document regulating plate for aligning the documents. In that case, with the method of Patent Document 1, there is a possibility of misdetection due to deformation of the document associated with the user's operation or the user's hand being regarded as the bounce of the document.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In view of the above, the document feeding device according to the present invention includes: a document stacking table on which documents are stacked; separation and feeding means for taking in the documents stacked on the document stacking table into a conveyance path and separating and feeding them one by one; bounce detection means for detecting the presence or absence of an object above the stacking surface of the documents stacked on the document stacking table; A human presence detection means for detecting that a person has approached the surroundings, An abnormality determination means for determining whether a bounce-up abnormality has occurred in the feeding of the document according to the detection states in the bounce-up detection means and the human presence detection means characterized by comprising the same.

Advantages of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of false detection when detecting the bounce-up of a document on the upper part of the document stacking table.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

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Figure 7

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the present invention according to the scope of the claims, and not all combinations of the features described in the present embodiment are essential for the solution means of the present invention.

[0009] [First Embodiment] First, an image reading apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0010] <Image reading apparatus> FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of an image reading apparatus including a document feeding apparatus.

[0011] In FIG. 1, the image reading apparatus 200 includes a sheet loading apparatus 101. A plurality of sheets (documents) are loaded (placed) on a sheet loading table 1 (document loading table), and the sheet loading table 1 is configured to be movable up and down. A loading table drive motor 2 moves the sheet loading table 1 up and down. A sheet detection sensor 3 detects that the sheet loaded on the sheet loading table 1 is at the sheet loading position. When the sheet loaded on the sheet loading table 1 is not at the sheet loading position, the loading table drive motor 2 is driven to move the sheet loading table 1 so that the top surface of the sheet is at the loading position. A sheet loading detection sensor 12 detects that a sheet is loaded on the sheet loading surface 1a of the sheet loading table 1.

[0012] A pickup roller 4 (loading means) picks up the sheet on the sheet loading table 1 and feeds it to a feed roller 6. A pickup motor (not shown) rotates the pickup roller 4. In FIG. 1, the top surface of the sheet is at the sheet loading position, and when the pickup roller 4 is rotated, the pickup of the sheet starts.

[0013] The feeding roller 6 is provided on the downstream side of the pickup roller 4 and is driven by a feeding motor 8 to rotate in a direction to feed the sheet downstream in the conveying direction. The feeding roller 6 is connected to the feeding motor 8 via a one-way clutch (not shown), and the drive of the feeding motor 8 is transmitted only in one direction. When feeding by the feeding motor 8, a driving force is transmitted to the feeding roller 6, but when the sheet is conveyed by the resist rollers 17, 18, etc. at a speed higher than that of the feeding motor 8, the rotation of the feeding motor 8 is not transmitted by the one-way clutch, and the feeding roller 6 is driven to rotate passively as it is carried along with the conveyance of the sheet. The separating roller 7 provided opposite to the feeding roller 6 with the conveyance path therebetween constantly receives a rotational force in a direction to push the sheet back upstream in the conveying direction from a separation motor 9 via a torque limiter (slip clutch) not shown. When there is one sheet between the feeding roller 6 and the separating roller 7, the rotational force in the direction in which the separating roller 7 pushes the sheet back upstream transmitted by the torque limiter is exceeded by the frictional force between the sheet fed downstream by the feeding roller 6 and the separating roller 7, and the separating roller 7 rotates following (being carried along with) the feeding roller 6.

[0014] On the other hand, when there are a plurality of sheets between the feeding roller 6 and the separating roller 7, the separating roller 7 receives rotation in a direction to push the sheet back upstream from the roller shaft and prevents the sheets other than the uppermost sheet from being conveyed downstream.

[0015] Thus, by the action of feeding the sheet by the feeding roller 6 downstream and the action of preventing the sheet from being conveyed downstream by the separating roller 7, when the sheets are overlapped and fed into the nip portion between the feeding roller 6 and the separating roller 7, only the uppermost sheet is fed downstream, and the other sheets are prevented from being conveyed downstream, so that the overlapped sheets are separated and fed. Therefore, the feeding roller 6 and the separating roller 7 constitute a pair of separating roller pairs 42. The separating roller pair 42 functions as an example of a sheet separation unit for separating and conveying a plurality of sheets to be conveyed one by one.

[0016] In addition, the separation force of the sheet by the separation roller 7 can be changed. The sheet can be separated even by simply holding the separation motor 9 without rotating it. By driving the separation motor 9 so that the separation roller 7 rotates in the direction of returning the sheet to the upstream side, a stronger separation force can be obtained.

[0017] In this embodiment, the separation roller pair 42 is used. However, instead of the separation roller pair 42, a separation belt roller pair in which either the separation roller or the feed roller is a belt may be used. Further, the separation roller may be replaced with a separation pad to prevent a plurality of sheets from being conveyed downstream by contacting the sheet.

[0018] In addition, by providing the double-feed detection sensor 30 at the position where the separated sheet passes, it is possible to detect whether the sheets are separated one by one by the sheet separation unit. In this embodiment, a detection device using an ultrasonic transmission and reception unit is used as the double-feed detection sensor 30, and double-feed can be detected by the attenuation amount of ultrasonic waves between the transmission and reception units straddling the conveyance path.

[0019] The conveyance motor 10 conveys the sheet after separation to the image reading position where the images of the sheet (document) are read by the image reading sensors 14 and 15 (image reading unit), and further conveys it to the discharge position. Therefore, the registration roller 18, the conveyance rollers 21 and 23 are driven. By driving each roller, each roller (registration roller 17, conveyance rollers 20 and 22) on the opposite side configured as a roller pair is driven to convey the sheet to the discharge position. In addition, the conveyance motor 10 drives each roller so that the conveyance speed of the sheet can be changed according to the speed optimal for reading the sheet and the settings such as the resolution of the sheet. The registration clutch 19 drives the registration roller 18 or stops its driving by transmitting or blocking the rotational driving force of the conveyance motor 10 to the registration roller 18 (document conveyance unit).

[0020] The nip gap adjustment motor 11 adjusts the gap between the feed roller 6 and the separation roller 7, or the pressing force with which the feed roller 6 presses against the separation roller 7 via the sheet. Thereby, the gap or the pressing force suitable for the thickness of the sheet is adjusted, and the sheet can be separated.

[0021] The pair of conveying rollers composed of the conveying rollers 20 and 21, the pair of conveying rollers composed of the conveying rollers 22 and 23, and the roller pair on the further downstream side shown in FIG. 1 convey the sheet to the discharge stacking unit 44. The two guide plates, the upper guide plate 40 and the lower guide plate 41, guide the sheet conveyed by the pair of separation rollers, the pair of registration rollers, each pair of conveying rollers, and the roller pair on the downstream side.

[0022] <Control unit> Next, the system configuration of the image reading device 200 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 45 of the image reading device 200 includes a CPU 46, a RAM 48 in which data used by the CPU 46 for calculations is temporarily stored, a ROM 47 in which various programs are stored, and a timer 49 that can count for a predetermined time.

[0023] The timer 49 has a counter, and the countdown of the counter proceeds in synchronization with the count source (clock) input to the timer 49. When the count proceeds after the counter reaches 0, an underflow occurs in the counter, and the control unit 45 detects it. When the control unit 45 sets a count value corresponding to a predetermined time in the counter and starts the count, it can be known that the predetermined time has elapsed when the underflow occurs.

[0024] Various motor clutches are controlled by the CPU 46 via a drive circuit (not shown). As shown in FIG. 2, the loading table drive motor 2, the feeding motor 8, the separating motor 9, the conveying motor 10, the nip gap adjusting motor 11, and the resist clutch 19 are each capable of being individually driven by the CPU 46 outputting a control signal to the corresponding drive circuit. The control signal for the motor can change the speed, rotation direction, and drive torque of the motor, and can control the rotation and stop of the motor. The control signal for the clutch can switch the strength of the holding torque and the ON / OFF of the holding state.

[0025] Also, various detection sensors output respective detection signals to the CPU 46, and the CPU 46 performs control according to each signal. As shown in FIG. 2, the sheet detection sensor 3, the sheet loading detection sensor 12, the double feed detection sensor 30, the human presence detection sensor 36, and the bounce-up detection sensor 35 each independently detect the respective target and output a corresponding signal to the CPU 46.

[0026] The image reading sensors 14 and 15 can be set according to a reading cycle corresponding to the conveying speed of the sheet and a reading resolution. The CPU 46 outputs a control signal to the image reading sensors 14 and 15 to perform various settings.

[0027] <Bounce-up detection sensor> FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which a document stapled with staples is fed by the separating roller pair 42 and bounces up. The bounce-up detection sensor 35 detects the sheet that has bounced up on the sheet loading table 1. When a sheet bundle F with the left end stapled with staple SP1 is fed as shown in FIG. 3(a), as shown in FIG. 3(b), the topmost sheet F1 rotates counterclockwise around staple SP1 and the right end of the sheet bounces up. Such a bounce-up of the sheet is detected by the bounce-up detection sensor 35.

[0028] The bounce detection sensor 35 is composed of a plurality of light emitting parts 35a and light receiving parts 35b respectively provided near both sides in the thickness direction of the sheet as shown in FIG. 4. The light emitting part 35a has a plurality of light emitting elements arranged one-dimensionally in a direction perpendicular to the vicinity of one side of the sheet loading surface 1a of the sheet loading table 1. The light receiving part 35b has the same number of light receiving elements as the light emitting elements of the light emitting part 35a, and is arranged near the side of the other side of the sheet loading surface 1a of the sheet loading table 1 in the same manner as the light emitting part 35a, and is arranged at a position facing the light emitting part 35a with the sheet bundle F sandwiched in the width direction of the sheet. The light emitting part 35a and the light receiving part 35b are respectively connected to the control part 45. When the sheet loaded on the sheet loading table 1 is fed, the control part 45 lights up the light emitting part 35a of the sheet bounce detection sensor 35, and the light emitting part irradiates light to the vicinity of the pickup roller 4 disposed above the sheet loading table 1. Then, the light irradiated from each light emitting element is received by the corresponding light receiving part. In this case, the light shielding state in each light receiving part changes according to the bounce amount (displacement amount) of the sheet. Thus, the bounce detection sensor 35 can detect in a multi-valued manner based on the number of light receiving parts that receive the light irradiated from the light emitting part for the bounce amount of the sheet. Note that it is also possible to have only one light emitting part 35a and one light receiving part 35b respectively, without necessarily providing a plurality of them, and detect the bounce based on the change in the light shielding state.

[0029] Also, the bounce detection sensor 35 detects objects other than the bounce of the sheet during the feeding operation. Any object that can block the optical path between the light emitting part 35a and the light receiving part 35b can be detected. For example, objects such as the sheet or the user's hand that are moved when the user loads the sheet on the loading table 1, when aligning the sheet after loading, or when operating the sheet regulating plate 51 are also detected.

[0030] <Human presence detection sensor> As shown in FIG. 5, a human presence detection sensor 36 for detecting that a person has approached the vicinity is provided near the pickup roller 4. The human presence detection sensor 36 is arranged so that the image reading device 200 can detect that a user has approached. Further, the human presence detection sensor 36 is arranged so that it can also detect the hands of a person who loads a sheet on the sheet loading table 1 or operates the sheet regulating plate 51 for aligning the sheets to be loaded.

[0031] Although various types of human presence detection sensors 36 can be used, in this embodiment, a pyroelectric sensor is used, and it detects that there is a person around the image reading device 200 by detecting changes in heat (infrared rays) emitted from a human body or the like.

[0032] Note that the human presence detection sensor 36 is not limited to the above pyroelectric sensor, and for example, a reflection type sensor (an optical type using an infrared light sensor, an ultrasonic type using an ultrasonic sensor) may be used.

[0033] The area where a person can be detected by the human presence detection sensor 36 is the area indicated by the broken line in FIG. 5, and the human presence detection sensor 36 is arranged so that it can detect the area including the upper part of the sheet loading table 1. As a result, not only the approach of a person but also the operations of a person at the upper part of the sheet loading table 1, such as loading a sheet on the sheet loading table 1 and operating the sheet regulating plate 51, can be detected.

[0034] <Detection Areas of the Bounce Detection Sensor and the Human Presence Detection Sensor> FIG. 6 shows the ranges of the detection areas of the bounce detection sensor 35 and the human presence detection sensor 36, respectively. In the bounce detection sensor 35, the optical path formed between the light emitting unit 35a and the light receiving unit 35b serves as the detection area (object detection area). On the other hand, in the human presence detection sensor 36, the portion including the upper part of the sheet loading table 1 from near the pickup roller 4 serves as the detection area (human presence detection area). In FIG. 6, the area indicated by the dashed line is the detection area by the human presence detection sensor 36. The sensors are arranged such that the detection area of the bounce detection sensor 35 and the detection area of the human presence detection sensor 36 partially overlap. Thereby, when a person operates the sheet or the sheet regulating plate 51 loaded on the sheet loading table 1, it is possible to integrally detect the objects on the sheet loading table 1 and the hands of the person, and the detection accuracy is further improved.

[0035] <Control Flow of Bounce Detection> The control flow of bounce detection by the image reading apparatus 200 in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7.

[0036] First, the control unit 45 controls each motor so as to rotate the pickup roller 4, the feed roller 6, and the separation roller 7, respectively, and starts the feeding operation. When the feeding operation is started, the bounce detection determination process shown in FIG. 7 is started (S101). In the bounce detection determination process, it is determined whether there is an abnormality in the sheet feeding according to the detection states of the bounce detection sensor 35 and the human presence detection sensor 36. In the present embodiment, this determination process is realized by the CPU 46 functioning as the bounce abnormality determination means, but this is not the only case.

[0037] First, check whether the feeding operation is in progress (S102). If the feeding operation is not in progress (S102: No), wait until the feeding starts. If the feeding has started (S102: Yes), monitor an object such as a sheet to be fed with the bounce detection sensor 35 (S103). While the bounce detection sensor 35 does not detect an object (S103: No), return to S102 and continue monitoring the object. When an object is detected (S103: Yes), control to temporarily stop the feeding operation (S104). By including the stop process of the feeding operation here, even if an abnormality occurs in the feeding of the sheet, damage to the sheet can be prevented.

[0038] Next, check whether a person is detected by the human presence detection sensor 36 (S105). When a person is not detected (S105: No), it can be determined that the object detected by the bounce detection sensor 35 is the bounce of the sheet caused by the feeding operation. Therefore, an error determination of the bounce detection is performed (S111).

[0039] On the other hand, when a person is detected in S105 (S105: Yes), the determination of whether there is an abnormality in the feeding of the sheet is delayed for a predetermined time. To count the predetermined time, a count value corresponding to the predetermined time is set in the timer 49 and the count is started (S106). For the above-mentioned predetermined time, a necessary and sufficient time until the sheet regulating plate 51 or the sheet is released when a person is operating it is set. For example, it is good to set 10 seconds as the predetermined time.

[0040] Check whether an object is detected by the bounce detection sensor 35 during the count of the predetermined time (S107). When an object is detected (S107: Yes), it means that the object has been continuously detected since the determination of Yes in S103. In that case, check whether a person is detected by the human presence detection sensor 36 (S109).

[0041] When a person is detected in S109 (S109: Yes), it means that a person has been continuously detected since the determination of Yes in S105. In that case, check whether the predetermined time has elapsed (S110).

[0042] If it is within a predetermined time in S110 (No in S110), the detection state of the bounce detection sensor 35 (S107) and the detection state of the human presence detection sensor 36 (S109) are repeated for a predetermined time.

[0043] If the human presence detection sensor 36 does not detect a person in S109 (No in S109), although the bounce detection sensor 35 is detecting an object, it means that the person has left. It can be determined that the detected object is the bounce of the sheet due to feeding abnormality. Therefore, in that case, it is determined as an error in bounce detection (S111).

[0044] If the predetermined time has elapsed in S110 (Yes in S110), it means that the bounce detection sensor 35 is detecting an object and the human presence detection sensor 36 continues to detect a person. In this case, even if it is an operation of the sheet or the like by a person, the detection of the object cannot be expected to be canceled. Therefore, it is determined as an error in bounce detection (S111).

[0045] If the detection of the object by the bounce detection sensor 35 is canceled in S107 (No in S107), the feeding operation is restarted (S108). Since it can be determined that what was detected was not the bounce of the sheet due to the feeding operation but an operation of the sheet or the like by a person, the feeding operation can be restarted.

[0046] When starting to count the predetermined time in S105 of FIG. 7, it may be notified to the user that they need to wait for the predetermined time. For example, a notification such as prompting to stop the operation if it is an operation by a person may be displayed on a display unit such as an LCD. Thereby, if the object detected by the bounce detection sensor 35 is due to an operation by a person, it is expected that the detection of the object will be canceled and the feeding can be restarted earlier.

[0047] As described above, in the present embodiment, the detection states of the bounce detection sensor 35 and the human presence detection sensor 36 are used to determine the abnormal feeding of the sheet. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the deformation of the sheet caused by the user operating the loaded sheet or the sheet regulating plate 51 from being determined as an abnormal feeding. Therefore, it is possible to more accurately determine whether or not there is an abnormal feeding of the sheet.

[0048] Further, in the present embodiment, when the human presence detection sensor 36 detects a person when the bounce detection sensor 35 detects an object, the determination of the feeding abnormality is delayed for a predetermined time. Thereby, when the sheet loading table 1 is being operated by a person, it is possible to prevent an immediate determination of an abnormality, and it becomes possible to accurately detect whether or not the sheet bounces due to the feeding operation.

[0049] Further, in the present embodiment, the detection area of the human presence detection sensor 36 is arranged to include above the sheet loading table 1. Thereby, it becomes possible to accurately detect the presence or absence of an operation by the user on the sheet loading table 1.

[0050] Further, in the present embodiment, when the bounce detection sensor 35 detects an object on the sheet loading table 1 during the separation and feeding of the sheet, the feeding operation is immediately stopped. Thereafter, when the bounce detection sensor 35 no longer detects an object during a standby for a predetermined time, it is determined that the feeding of the sheet is normal, and the feeding of the sheet is restarted. Thereby, it is possible to determine that the object detected by the bounce detection sensor 35 was an operation by a person, and there is no need to perform a redundant return process in case of an abnormality.

[0051] [Second Embodiment] Hereinafter, an image reading apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The basic configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are used for the same configurations and the description thereof is omitted, and only the differences will be described.

[0052] In this embodiment, a plurality of threshold values are provided for the bounce detection by the bounce detection sensor 35. Specifically, for a plurality of sets (light emitting and receiving units) of the plurality of light emitting units 35a and light receiving units 35b included in the above-described bounce detection sensor 35, control is changed using, as a threshold value, which light of which light emitting and receiving unit is blocked in the thickness direction of the sheet.

[0053] For example, a case where four sets of light emitting and receiving units are provided will be described. In this case, when the sheet is detected by at least the upper two light emitting and receiving units, the conveyance of the sheet is immediately stopped as a bounce detection error. When the sheet is detected only by the lower two light emitting and receiving units (both or only one of the lower two), it may be configured to determine a bounce detection error on the condition that other conditions are further satisfied without immediately stopping, and stop the conveyance of the sheet. As an example of other conditions, it is possible to make it a condition that no object is detected by the human presence detection sensor 36. Further, as described in the first embodiment, counting for a predetermined time may be performed and the process described with reference to FIG. 7 may be applied. At this time, even before the elapse of the predetermined time, a process of immediately stopping when the sheet is detected by the upper two of the light emitting and receiving units may be added.

[0054] Furthermore, when the sheet is detected only by the upper two light-receiving and emitting units among the four sets of light-receiving and emitting units, since it may be a human hand or the like, if the human presence detection sensor 36 detects an object at that time, it is not determined as a bounce-up detection error, and if the human presence detection sensor 36 does not detect anything, it may be configured to be determined as a bounce-up detection error. After that, when an object is detected by any one of the lower two light-receiving and emitting units, it is difficult to distinguish whether it is a bounce-up of the sheet or a human hand, so it may be determined as a bounce-up detection error and the conveyance of the sheet may be stopped. Or, when only the lower (the lowest among the four) light-receiving and emitting unit among the lower two light-receiving and emitting units detects the sheet, it may be determined as a bounce-up error due to deformation caused by the bounce-up of the sheet. Particularly in this case, since an object is detected excluding the second light-receiving and emitting unit from the bottom among the four sets of light-receiving and emitting units, and it is less likely to detect only a human hand, it may be determined as a bounce-up error regardless of the result of the human presence detection sensor 36.

[0055] The detection areas of the human presence detection sensor 36 and the bounce-up detection sensor 35 in this configuration will be described. In order to combine the detection results of the human presence detection sensor 36 with the detection results of the lower two of the bounce-up detection sensors 35, it is preferable to arrange the detection areas of the lower two of the bounce-up detection sensors 35 to be included in the detection area of the human presence detection sensor 36. At this time, the upper two light-receiving and emitting units may be included in the detection area, but it is preferable to arrange only the lower two light-receiving and emitting units to be included in the detection area of the human presence detection sensor 36.

[0056] In other words, the bounce detection sensor 35 has a threshold value for which the processing is changed with respect to the detection result, and the detection area of the human presence detection sensor 36 is configured to include the first detection area and the second detection area corresponding to the threshold value. Here, when the first detection area (for example, the upper two light emitting and receiving parts) detects the sheet, it is determined that a bounce detection error has occurred, and when the second detection area (for example, the lower two light emitting and receiving parts) detects the sheet, it is determined that a bounce detection error has occurred when other conditions are satisfied. Further, the detection area of the human presence detection sensor 36 may be arranged to include only the second detection area and not include the first detection area in the detection area.

Explanation of Signs

[0057] F: Sheet 1: Sheet loading table 1a: Sheet loading surface 2: Loading table drive motor 3: Sheet detection sensor 4: Pickup roller 6: Feeding roller 7: Separation roller 8: Feeding motor 9: Separation motor 10: Conveying motor 11: Nip gap adjustment motor 12: Sheet loading detection sensor 14,15: Image reading sensor 17,18: Registration roller 19: Registration clutch 20~23: Conveying roller 30: Double feed detection sensor 35: Bounce detection sensor 36: Human presence detection sensor 40: Upper guide plate 41: Lower guide plate 42: Separation roller pair (sheet separation part) 44: Discharge loading part 45: Control unit 46: CPU 47: ROM 48: RAM 49: Timer 51: Sheet regulation plate 65: Image processing unit 101: Sheet feeding device 200: Image reading device

Claims

1. A document loading table on which documents are loaded, separating and feeding means for taking in the documents loaded on the document loading table into a conveyance path and separating and feeding them one by one, rebound detection means for detecting the presence or absence of an object above the loading surface of the documents loaded on the document loading table, human presence detection means for detecting that a person has approached the surroundings, and abnormality determination means for determining whether a rebound abnormality has occurred in the feeding of the document according to the detection states of the rebound detection means and the human presence detection means. A document feeding device characterized by comprising the above.

2. The document feeding device has control means for controlling to stop the separation and feeding when the abnormality determination means detects a rebound abnormality during the separation and feeding operation by the separation and feeding means, as described in Claim 1.

3. The abnormality determination means determines that a rebound abnormality has occurred immediately when the rebound detection means detects an object and the human presence detection means does not detect a person, as described in Claim 1 or 2.

4. The abnormality determination means delays the determination of the rebound abnormality by a predetermined time after detecting the object when the rebound detection means detects an object and the human presence detection means detects a person, as described in Claim 1.

5. The abnormality determination means determines that a rebound abnormality has occurred when the human presence detection means no longer detects a person while the rebound detection means continuously detects an object during the predetermined time, as described in Claim 4.

6. comprises control means for controlling the operation of the separation and feeding means, the abnormality determination means determines that the feeding of the document is normal when the rebound detection means no longer detects an object during the predetermined time, and the control means controls to resume the separation and feeding by the separation and feeding means when the abnormality determination means determines that the feeding of the document is normal, as described in Claim 4 or 5.

7. The human presence detection means is arranged such that a human presence detection area capable of detecting a person includes above the loading surface of the documents loaded on the document loading table, as described in Claim 1.

8. The manuscript feeding device according to claim 7, wherein the human presence detection means is arranged such that the human presence detection area and the object detection area in which the bounce-up detection means can detect an object overlap at least partially.

9. The bounce-up detection means has, as the object detection area, a plurality of object detection areas where the processing when an object is detected is different. The manuscript feeding device according to claim 8, wherein the human presence detection area overlaps at least partially with the object detection area on the manuscript loading table side among the plurality of object detection areas.

10. The bounce-up detection means is provided on one side near the side portion of the manuscript loading table, and has a light emitting unit that irradiates light in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the manuscript to be fed and intersecting the manuscript feeding direction. is provided on the other side near the side portion of the manuscript loading table, and has a light receiving unit that forms an optical path so as to receive the light irradiated from the light emitting unit. and further, the bounce-up detection means is characterized in that when the optical path is blocked by a manuscript bounced up by the separation and feeding by the separation and feeding means, it detects the presence of an object, according to claim 1 of the manuscript feeding device.

Images