Loading device, image reading device, image forming device, method and program

Abstract

To provide a loading device capable of suppressing collapse of a conveyance medium to be discharged, to provide an image reading device, to provide an image forming device, and to provide a method and a program.SOLUTION: A loading device includes: a conveyance support member capable of moving from a non-contact position which does not come into contact with a conveyance medium to be discharged to a contact position which comes into contact; and a loading surface on which the discharged conveyance medium is loaded. The conveyance support member moves to the contact position in the case where the conveyance medium to be discharged is the first piece, and it gradually moves to the non-contact position side from the contact position according to the number of loading pieces of the conveyance medium loaded on the loading surface, and when the discharge of the conveyance number of pieces is completed, it moves to the non-contact position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a loading device, an image reading device, an image forming device, a method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, image reading devices or image forming devices have a transport mechanism that automatically transports and discharges paper media, and the discharged paper media are stacked one after another on a stacking surface.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which the widthwise center portion of a document is brought into contact with a convex portion provided on the mounting surface, causing the document to bend in the document width direction, thereby increasing the stiffness of the medium against bending in the transport direction. When the document is thin paper, the position where the document contacts the mounting surface moves forward, so a convex portion (buckling suppression member) with the same function is moved from the position of the convex portion to a position closer to the document so that it comes into contact with the document. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when transport media such as paper are discharged from the discharge port onto the stacking surface, the media can become crumpled, causing stacking problems. For example, when the transport media is thin or long in the transport direction, crumpling is likely to occur if there is a certain height difference between the discharge port and the stacking surface. Even in environments where static electricity is likely to occur, when the first sheet of transport media comes into contact with the stacking surface, the static electricity causes the transport media to stick to the stacking surface, and crumpling is likely to occur as the transport load applied to the part of the transport media that comes into contact with the stacking surface increases. In environments where crumpling is likely to occur, it becomes difficult for the transport media to slide across the stacking surface, which can lead to stacking problems when multiple transport media are stacked.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide a loading device, an image reading device, an image forming device, a method, and a program that can prevent the stiffness of the transported medium being discharged from being crushed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the loading device of the present invention has a transport support member that can move between a non-contact position where it does not contact the discharged transport medium and a contact position where it does contact the discharged transport medium, and a loading surface on which the discharged transport medium is loaded, and is characterized in that the transport support member moves to the contact position when the discharged transport medium is the first sheet, and gradually moves from the contact position toward the non-contact position depending on the number of sheets of the transport medium loaded on the loading surface, and moves to the non-contact position when the discharge of the number of sheets to be transported has been completed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the crumbling of the discharged transport medium. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a multifunction peripheral to which a loading device according to an embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the detailed configuration of the transport mechanism of the ADF. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control block of the ADF. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a stacking section of an ADF to which the stacking device according to this embodiment is applied. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of the operation of the loading device in the stacking section shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a drive mechanism that drives the loading device. [Figure 7]FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the loading device shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the operation of the loading device. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control flow of the loading device. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a comparative diagram for explaining the operation when no conveying guide is used. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the stacking device according to the embodiment when discharging the originals. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a plan view showing an example of the arrangement of the transport guide and the supply mechanism. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a stacking unit of an ADF to which a stacking device according to the first modification of the embodiment is applied. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a plan view showing an example of the arrangement of the reverse rollers and the loading device shown in FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a control flow of a stacking device having a thin paper transport mode. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a control flow of a loading device having document size settings. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing the state of the documents in the stacking device after a plurality of documents have been discharged. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing an example of the operation of the conveyance guide that makes it easy to take out a plurality of stacked documents. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a mechanism for moving the conveying guide up and down from directly below the paper discharge roller. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining the action on the document by the mechanism shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The following describes in detail embodiments of a loading device, an image reading device, an image forming device, a method, and a program with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments are examples in which a loading device is applied to a multifunction peripheral, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments exemplified below and can be embodied in various forms.

[0010] (Embodiment) In this embodiment, the transport medium will be described as paper as an example. In this embodiment, the transport medium of paper that is read by the image reading device will be described as a paper document (or read document), and the transport medium on which the image forming device forms an image will be described as recording paper. Also, the supply mechanism will be described as a paper feed mechanism. Also, the length of the transport medium in the transport direction will be referred to as the "transport medium length." When the transport medium is a document, it will be called the "document length." Also, the width direction of the transport path through which the transport medium passes will be called the "transport width direction." For example, when the transport medium is a document, the transport width direction corresponds to the document width direction.

[0011] In this embodiment, the description will be given using paper, but the conveying medium is not limited to paper. As long as the conveying medium is a sheet-like material that may crumble, the same effect as that of paper can be obtained.

[0012] (Configuration of multifunction device) 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a multifunction peripheral to which a loading device according to an embodiment is applied, The multifunction peripheral 1 shown in Fig. 1 is a multifunction peripheral including an image reading device and an image forming device.

[0013] 1, the multifunction peripheral 1 includes an image reading device 10, a paper feeding device 20, and an image forming device 30. The paper feeding device 20 is a paper feeding device that feeds paper to the image forming device 30.

[0014] As an example, the image reading device 10 is an image reading device having an automatic document feeder (ADF) 100. The image reading device 10 reads an image of a document placed on a contact glass 11 or a document automatically fed by the ADF 100. The operation of reading an image by the image reading device 10 will be described in detail in the description of FIG. 2.

[0015] The paper feed device 20 has paper feed cassettes (first paper feed cassette 21 and second paper feed cassette 22) and a paper feed mechanism 23. The first paper feed cassette 21 and the second paper feed cassette 22 each contain a stack of recording paper. For example, the first paper feed cassette 21 contains a stack of A4-sized recording paper, and the second paper feed cassette 22 contains a stack of B4-sized recording paper. Note that the number of paper feed cassettes and the paper sizes are merely examples and are not limited to these.

[0016] The paper feed mechanism 23 has a plurality of rollers that feed recording paper from the first paper feed cassette 21 and the second paper feed cassette 22. The paper feed mechanism 23 uses rollers to feed recording paper one sheet at a time from the paper feed cassette that stores the specified paper size, either the first paper feed cassette 21 or the second paper feed cassette 22. The fed recording paper is transported by transport rollers through a transport path to an image forming position in the image forming device 30 at a predetermined timing.

[0017] The image forming apparatus 30 includes an exposure device 31, a photosensitive drum 32, four color developing devices 33, a primary transfer belt , a secondary transfer section 35, and a fixing device .

[0018] Image forming device 30 separates image data to be output into four color (CMYK) plates, exposes photosensitive drums 32 using exposure device 31 to form latent images of different plates on photosensitive drums 32, and develops the images by supplying toner of a color corresponding to the plate to the corresponding photosensitive drum 32 using developing device 33. Image forming device 30 then transfers the developed toner images of the four plates to primary transfer belt 34 at a primary transfer unit, and then transfers the toner images of the four plates to recording paper transported from paper feeder 20 at secondary transfer unit 35, thereby forming a toner image on the recording paper. After the toner images are fixed to the recording paper using heat or the like at fixing device 36, the recording paper is discharged from paper discharge rollers 37 in the paper discharge unit.

[0019] The image forming apparatus 30 also includes a paper feed mechanism 38 for a manual paper feed device for manually feeding recording paper, and a paper reversing unit 39 for reversing the paper when forming an image on the back side of the recording paper.

[0020] The image reading device 10 reads a document and generates image data. The image data to be output that is input to the image forming device 30 includes image data generated by the image reading device 10 as well as image data created by a user. The image data created by a user is acquired via a portable memory, short-range communication, a network, or the like.

[0021] (Configuration of image reading device) Next, we will explain the image reading device 10. The image reading device 10 shown in Fig. 1 has an image reading unit below the surface of the contact glass 11. The image reading unit has, for example, lighting, a mirror, a lens, and an image sensor, and reads the reflected light of the lighting light from the original document with the image sensor via the mirror and lens.

[0022] When the image of a document is read by automatic transport using the ADF 100, the image reading unit moves from a position where a user places the document directly on the contact glass 11 to a position where the document is automatically transported by the ADF 100 and the image is read, and reads the reflected light from the document through a slit.

[0023] In the following description, the manuscript is described as a paper medium, but the manuscript is not limited to a paper medium.

[0024] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the detailed configuration of the transport mechanism of the ADF 100. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control block of the ADF 100. As an example, the ADF 100 is configured to include a second image reading unit 135 that can read the back side of a document. As an example, the second image reading unit 135 is a CIS (Contact Image Sensor).

[0025] The example ADF 100 shown in FIG. 2 has a stacking unit A, a separation feed unit B, a registration unit C, a turning unit D, a front-side reading transport unit E, a back-side reading transport unit F, a paper discharge unit G, and a stacking unit H, and automatically transports documents from the stacking unit A to the paper discharge unit G. The stacking unit A stacks a stack of documents before transport. The separation feed unit B has a paper feed mechanism that separates and feeds documents one by one from the stack of documents in the stacking unit A before transport. The registration unit C performs primary abutment alignment on the fed documents, and then pulls out and transports the aligned documents. The turning unit D is a turning portion of the transport path that turns the direction of the documents so that the front side of the documents faces downward while they are being transported. The front-side reading transport unit E has a slit at a first reading position, and the front side of the documents passing this position is read by the first image reading unit 131 through the slit. The document is then transported to back-side reading transport section F, where the back side of the document is read at the second reading position by second image reading section 135. After the document fed from the document stack in stacking section A passes through the front and back side reading positions provided on the transport path, paper discharge section G discharges the document (the transported document) outside the machine using paper discharge rollers. Stack section H has a loading surface on which the discharged document stack is stacked.

[0026] The ADF 100 is controlled by a controller 150 of the ADF 100 shown in Fig. 3. The controller 150 of the ADF 100 is connected to a main body control unit 50 that performs overall control of the multifunction device 1 as shown in Fig. 3 via an I / F 107. An operation unit 51, on which a user performs various operations, is connected to the main body control unit 50 via an I / F 108.

[0027] Specifically, the loading section A has a movable document table 111 and a document table 112 on which a document stack 110 can be loaded. First, a user or the like loads the document stack 110 to be read with the document surface facing upward on the document table 112 including the movable document table 111. The number of documents that can be loaded can start from one. The document stack 110 is positioned in the document width direction by side guides.

[0028] The set filler 113 and the set sensor 114 detect that the stack of originals 110 has been loaded, and based on these detection signals, the controller 150 transmits information indicating that the stack of originals 110 has been detected to the main body control unit 50 via the I / F 107.

[0029] Furthermore, document table 112 has first document length detection sensor 115 and second document length detection sensor 116. First document length detection sensor 115 and second document length detection sensor 116 are disposed so as to be able to determine whether documents of at least the same document size are vertical or horizontal. As an example, first document length detection sensor 115 and second document length detection sensor 116 may be a reflective sensor or an actuator-type sensor capable of detecting even a single document.

[0030] The controller 150 determines the approximate length of the document stack 110 based on the detection signals of the document length detection sensors (first document length detection sensor 115 and second document length detection sensor 116) provided on the document table 112.

[0031] The movable original table 111 moves up and down in the directions a and b in FIG. 2 by a bottom plate lifting motor 105. The movable original table 111 is in a lowered state when no original stack 110 is set on the original table 112. The lowered state of the movable original table 111 is detected by a bottom plate home position sensor (bottom plate HP sensor) 117.

[0032] When the set filler 113 and the set sensor 114 detect that the document stack 110 has been set on the document table 112, the controller 150 rotates the bottom plate lifting motor 105 in the forward direction to lift the movable document table 111 so that the top surface of the document stack 110 comes into contact with the pickup roller 118 of the separation paper feed section B.

[0033] The paper feed mechanism includes a pickup roller 118, a paper feed belt 120, and a reverse roller 121, and the center of the reverse roller 121 is located at the center of the transport width direction (document width direction) that is perpendicular to the transport direction. The pickup roller 118, the paper feed belt 120, and the reverse roller 121 are provided so as to be rotatable forward or backward in the transport direction.

[0034] 2 by the action of a cam mechanism driven by pickup motor 101, and also by the upward movement of movable document table 111, pickup roller 118 is pushed up in the direction c in FIG. 2 by the upper surface of document stack 110 on movable document table 111. Proper paper feed position sensor 119 detects the upper limit of pickup roller 118.

[0035] When the user presses a start key (for example, a print key or a scanning key) on operation unit 51 and a document feed signal is sent from main body control unit 50 to controller 150 via I / F 107, pickup roller 118 is rotated by the forward rotation of feed motor 102, and picks up several documents (ideally one document) on document table 112. The rotation direction is the direction in which the top document is transported to the document feed slot.

[0036] The paper feed belt 120 is driven in the paper feed direction by the forward rotation of the paper feed motor 102. The reverse roller 121 is driven to rotate in the direction opposite to the paper feed direction by the forward rotation of the paper feed motor 102. The paper feed belt 120 and the reverse roller 121 work together to separate the topmost document from the documents below it, feeding only the topmost document. More specifically, the reverse roller 121 contacts the paper feed belt 120 with a predetermined pressure, and when in contact with the paper feed belt 120 directly or via a single document, the reverse roller 121 rotates counterclockwise in response to the rotation of the paper feed belt 120. On the other hand, when two or more documents enter between the paper feed belt 120 and the reverse roller 121, the force of the rotation is set to be lower than the torque of the torque limiter, and the reverse roller 121 rotates clockwise, which is its normal driving direction, and acts to push back any excess documents. This prevents multiple documents from being fed.

[0037] The document separated into a single sheet by the action of paper feed belt 120 and reverse roller 121 is sent by paper feed belt 120 toward registration section C, and after its leading edge is detected by abutment sensor 122, it continues to move forward and abuts against pull-out roller 123, which is stopped. The document is then sent a predetermined distance from the detection by abutment sensor 122, and when the document is pressed against pull-out roller 123 with a predetermined amount of deflection, paper feed motor 102 is stopped, thereby stopping the drive of paper feed belt 120. At this time, pickup motor 101 is rotated to retract pickup roller 118 from above the document, and the document is fed only by the conveying force of paper feed belt 120, so that the leading edge of the document enters the nip between the upper and lower roller pair of pull-out roller 123, and the leading edge is aligned (skew corrected).

[0038] Pull-out roller 123 has a skew correction function and transports the separated and skew-corrected document to intermediate roller 124, and is driven by the reverse rotation of paper feed motor 102. When paper feed motor 102 rotates reversely, pull-out roller 123 and intermediate roller 124 are driven, but pickup roller 118 and paper feed belt 120 are not driven.

[0039] A plurality of document width sensors 125 are arranged in the document width direction and detect the size of the document in the document width direction as it is transported by the pull-out rollers 123. The length of the document in the transport direction is detected from the motor pulses by reading the leading and trailing ends of the document with abutment sensor 122.

[0040] When the document is transported from registration section C to turning section D by driving pull-out roller 123 and intermediate roller 124, the transport speed in registration section C is set to be faster than the transport speed in first reading section E, thereby shortening the processing time for sending the document to the reading position. When the leading edge of the document is detected by reading entrance sensor 126, before the leading edge of the document enters the nip between the upper and lower roller pair of reading entrance roller 127, the document transport speed begins to be decelerated to be the same as the reading transport speed, and at the same time, reading motor 103 is driven in the forward direction to drive reading entrance roller 127, reading exit roller 128, and CIS exit roller 129.

[0041] When the controller 150 detects the leading edge of the document by the registration sensor 130, it slows down the document transport speed over a predetermined transport distance, temporarily stops the document just before the first image reading unit 131, and sends a registration stop signal to the main body control unit 50 via the I / F 107.

[0042] Subsequently, when a reading start signal is sent from the main body control unit 50 to the controller 150 via the I / F 107, the controller 150 accelerates the speed of the document, which has been stopped during registration, so that the document is conveyed at a predetermined conveying speed by the time the leading edge of the document reaches the position of the first image reading unit 131. At this time, the position of the leading edge of the document is detected by counting pulses of the reading motor 103, and at the timing when the leading edge of the document reaches the first image reading unit 131, a gate signal indicating the effective image area of ​​the front surface of the document in the sub-scanning direction (the same direction as the document conveying direction) is sent to the main body control unit 50. This gate signal is continuously sent until the trailing edge of the document leaves the first image reading unit 131. Then, while the document is conveyed by the driving of the reading entrance rollers 127 and the reading exit rollers 128, the image on the front surface of the document is read by the first image reading unit 131.

[0043] In the case of single-sided document reading, the document, whose front side image has been read by first image reading unit 131 of first reading and conveying unit E, passes directly through second reading and conveying unit F and is conveyed to paper discharge unit G. At this time, when controller 150 detects the leading edge of the document with paper discharge sensor 132, controller 150 drives paper discharge motor 104 in the forward direction to rotate paper discharge roller 133 in the counterclockwise direction. Furthermore, based on the pulse count of paper discharge motor 104 from the detection of the leading edge of the document by paper discharge sensor 132, controller 150 controls so that the paper discharge motor drive speed is reduced just before the trailing edge of the document leaves the nip between the upper and lower roller pair of paper discharge roller 133, so that the document discharged onto paper discharge tray 134 of stack unit H does not jump out.

[0044] On the other hand, in the case of double-sided document reading, the leading edge of the document is detected by the paper discharge sensor 132, and then the position of the leading edge of the document being conveyed is detected by counting pulses of the reading motor 103. When the leading edge of the document reaches the position of the second image reading unit 135 of the second reading and conveying unit F, the controller 150 transmits a gate signal indicating the effective image area in the sub-scanning direction of the back side of the document to the second image reading unit 135. This gate signal is transmitted continuously until the trailing edge of the document passes through the second image reading unit 135. Then, while the document is being conveyed by the drive of the reading exit rollers 128 and the CIS exit rollers 129, the second image reading unit 135 reads the image of the back side of the document using a document flow-through reading method (sheet-through reading). Note that the second reading roller 136, which is disposed opposite the second image reading unit 135, prevents the document from floating in the second image reading unit 135 and also serves as a reference white area for acquiring shading data for the second image reading unit 135.

[0045] (Description of loading device) The loading device of this embodiment is applicable to both document transport devices that use a central transport standard, which transports documents by aligning the center of the document width with the center line of the transport path, and a one-sided transport standard, which transports documents by shifting them to one side of the transport path.

[0046] Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the stacking unit H of the ADF 100 to which the stacking device according to this embodiment is applied. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of the operation of the stacking device in the stacking unit H shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a drive mechanism that drives the stacking device. Fig. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the stacking device shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the operation of the stacking device.

[0047] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the stacking device is provided in the paper discharge tray 134 so that the conveying guide 201 rises.

[0048] 6, the transport guide 201 moves up and down by transmitting power from the transport guide motor 106 through a speed reducer 205 composed of multiple gears and a rotary shaft 206. The transport guide 201 can be stopped at the home position (HP) by being detected by a transport guide home position sensor (transport guide home HP sensor) 202, and can be stopped at the raised position by being detected by a transport guide sensor 203. In other words, the transport guide 201 is provided so as to be movable between the HP and the raised position.

[0049] The conveying guide 201 may be provided with grooves or ribs in the conveying direction to reduce the contact area with the document. Also, the conveying guide 201 may be made of a conductive material to eliminate static electricity from the document.

[0050] The transport guide 201 is an example of a "transport support member." The "transport support member" is not limited to the configuration of the transport guide 201. The paper discharge tray 134 is an example of a "loading surface." The "loading surface" is not limited to the configuration of the paper discharge tray 134. The HP is an example of a "non-contact position that does not contact the transport medium being discharged." The raised position is an example of a "contact position that contacts the transport medium being discharged."

[0051] (Loading device control flow) 9 is a diagram showing an example of the control flow of the loading device. First, when a user presses the start key on the operation unit 51, a document feed signal transmitted from the main body control unit 50 is received on the controller 150 side (step S1).

[0052] Next, the controller 150 drives the transport guide motor 106 to raise the transport guide 201 (step S2), and determines whether the transport guide 201 has risen to the raised position using the transport guide sensor 203 (step S3).

[0053] The controller 150 determines that the conveying guide 201 has not risen to the raised position (step S3: No) until the conveying guide 201 is detected by the conveying guide sensor 203, and continues to raise the conveying guide 201 by the conveying guide motor 106 (step S4).

[0054] Then, when the transport guide sensor 203 detects the transport guide 201, the controller 150 determines that the transport guide 201 has risen to the raised position (step S3: Yes), and stops the transport guide motor 106 (step S5).

[0055] The operations up to this point are completed before the leading edge of the first sheet of the fed document leaves the nip between the upper and lower roller pair of the discharge roller 133, for example, that is, before passing through the discharge roller.

[0056] Next, the controller 150 determines whether the job is complete (step S6). When the job is complete, paper feeding is completed with the first sheet. If the controller 150 determines that the job is complete (step S6: Yes), it determines whether the conveyance guide 201 has returned to the home position (HP) using the conveyance guide HP sensor 202 (step S7). Then, the controller 150 causes the conveyance guide motor 106 to lower the conveyance guide 201 (step S8) until the conveyance guide 201 is detected by the conveyance guide HP sensor 202 (step S7: No). When the conveyance guide 201 is detected by the conveyance guide HP sensor 202, the controller 150 determines that the conveyance guide 201 is at the HP (step S7: Yes) and ends the operation.

[0057] On the other hand, if the controller 150 determines that the job is not completed (step S6: No), it determines whether the number of original documents that have passed through the paper discharge unit G is a multiple of 5 (step S9). If the number of original documents that have passed through the paper discharge unit G is not a multiple of 5 (step S9: No), the controller 150 repeats the determination of step S6.

[0058] If the number of originals becomes a multiple of 5 before the job is completed (step S9: Yes), the controller 150 determines whether the transport guide 201 is not at the HP using the transport guide HP sensor 202 (step S10). If the transport guide 201 is at the HP (step S10: No), the controller 150 determines that the job is complete in step S6 because the upper limit of the document load capacity has been reached. If the transport guide 201 is not at the HP (step S10: Yes), the controller 150 rotates the transport guide motor 106 by a specified amount to lower the transport guide 201 (step S11).

[0059] Next, the controller 150 determines whether the transport guide motor 106 has rotated the specified amount (step S12). The controller 150 determines No in step S12 until the transport guide motor 106 has rotated the specified amount, and then determines whether the transport guide 201 is not at the HP (step S13). If the transport guide 201 is not at the HP (step S13: Yes), the controller 150 continues to rotate the transport guide motor 106 (step S14). Then, the controller 150 continues to rotate the transport guide motor 106 in step S14, and when the transport guide motor 106 has rotated the specified amount (step S12: Yes), it repeats the process from step S6 for one sheet of the subsequent job.

[0060] On the other hand, if the conveying guide 201 is detected by the HP before the conveying guide motor 106 reaches the specified amount of rotation (step S13: No), the controller 150 determines that the job is complete in step S6 because the upper limit of the document load capacity has been reached.

[0061] 9, the transport guide 201 is raised to the raised position based on the start of paper feeding by the ADF 100, and is lowered to the HP side for every five documents, for example, depending on the amount of documents loaded on the paper discharge tray 134. If the transport guide 201 has not yet lowered to the transport guide HP when the job is completed, the transport guide 201 is controlled to lower to the transport guide HP when the job is completed.

[0062] Although the frequency of decrease is set to every 5 cards as an example, it is not necessary to be limited to every 5 cards, and the frequency may be decreased every other natural number.

[0063] (Explanation of the action during discharge) 10 and 11 are diagrams for explaining the operation of the stacking device according to the embodiment when discharging the document 204. Of these, Fig. 10 is a comparative diagram for explaining the operation when the conveying guide 201 is not used.

[0064] Although it may be possible to select not to use the conveyance guide 201 depending on the original 204, the original 204 shown in Fig. 10 is designed for a situation where crumbling is likely to occur, such as when the original 204 is thin paper or has a length equal to or greater than a predetermined length, and when the original 204 is electrically charged. Even in other cases, if the situation is such that crumbling is likely to occur, the loading device according to the embodiment can provide the same effect.

[0065] FIG. 10 shows how the document 204 is discharged onto the discharge tray 134 in the order of FIG. 10(a) to FIG. 10(c).

[0066] 10(a), the contact area between the document 204 and the discharge tray 134 is still small. Therefore, the document 204 does not break down and maintains its shape to move in the discharge direction. However, because the document 204 is electrically charged, it gradually sticks to the discharge tray 134, increasing the contact area and the transport load. The transport load is a load that prevents the document 204 on the discharge tray 134 from sliding in the discharge direction, and is directly the resistance in the sliding direction that the document 204 receives from the contact surface with the discharge tray 134.

[0067] As a result of the increased transport load, the original 204 has difficulty moving in the discharge direction at the contact surface, is unable to maintain its shape, and breaks occur as shown in the range of dotted line Q1 in Fig. 10(b). If discharge of the original 204 continues from the state in Fig. 10(b) where breaks have occurred, the original 204 will curl up, and the rear end of the original 204 will remain as shown in the range of dotted line Q2 in Fig. 10(c), and the first sheet will not be stacked in the specified position on the discharge tray 134. If the second and subsequent sheets are subsequently discharged, the stack will become disordered.

[0068] In contrast, Fig. 11 shows the state of the original 204 when the transport guide 201 is moved to the raised position by the example control shown in Fig. 9. As shown in Fig. 11, the transport guide 201 supports the space where the original 204 may be crushed, so that the original 204 can be prevented from being crushed, and the original 204 can be discharged without leaving any part of its trailing edge behind.

[0069] Furthermore, by lowering the conveyance guide 201 in accordance with the number of stacked sheets, the documents 204 to be subsequently discharged can be smoothly stacked on top of the stacked documents 204.

[0070] In this way, even if the originals 204 are thin paper or have a length equal to or greater than a predetermined length, or even if the originals 204 are electrically charged, it is possible to prevent the stack from becoming disordered.

[0071] (Loading device placement) Fig. 12 is a plan view showing an example of the arrangement of the transport guide 201 and the supply mechanism. The transport guide 201 and the reverse roller 121 shown in Fig. 12 are schematic diagrams for explaining an example of the arrangement of the transport guide 201 and the supply mechanism.

[0072] The conveying guide 201 is disposed so that a center line P1 between both end portions 201-1 and 201-2 located in the conveying width direction (Y direction) aligns with a center line between both end portions of the supply mechanism in the conveying width direction, for example, a center line P2 of the reverse roller 121. In Fig. 12, the direction in which the reverse roller 121 rotates is the X-axis direction.

[0073] Here, the center line P1 and the center line P2 being aligned in the conveyance width direction is synonymous with the center line P1 and the center line P2 having the same coordinate value (or approximately the same coordinate value) on the coordinate axis (Y axis) in the conveyance width direction. When viewed in the direction shown in FIG. 12, the extension line of the center line P1 and the extension line of the center line P2 are arranged to overlap.

[0074] (Effects of the embodiment) In this way, the stacking device according to this embodiment can prevent the originals 204 from being crushed because the transport guide 201 supports the space where crushing occurs. Also, the transport guide 201 is lowered according to the number of sheets to be loaded, which can prevent the stack from becoming distorted. Furthermore, if the transport guide 201 is made of a conductive material, it is possible to eliminate static electricity from the originals, which can prevent the originals from sticking and improve their sliding.

[0075] Furthermore, by aligning the center line of the paper feed mechanism with the center line of the transport guide 201, it is possible to reliably bring the transport guide 201 into contact with various paper sizes.

[0076] In the present embodiment, the ADF 100 is used as an example to describe an application example of the stacking device according to the embodiment. However, the stacking device may be provided in a paper discharge section (e.g., a paper discharge section having paper discharge rollers 37) that discharges recording paper after image formation in the image forming apparatus 30. In this case, the stacking device described above is provided in the paper discharge section and controlled in the same manner. The various sensors and motors connected to the controller 150 shown in FIG. 3 have corresponding configurations in the image forming apparatus 30, and are controlled by the main body control unit 50. The conveyance guide 201 may be disposed so that a center line P1 between both ends 201-1 and 201-2 coincides with a center line between both ends of the paper feed mechanism 23 or the paper feed mechanism 38 of the image forming apparatus 30 in the conveyance width direction.

[0077] Furthermore, the technology of the loading device according to the embodiment is a technology that can be appropriately applied to devices that transport and discharge transport media.

[0078] (First Modification of the Embodiment) Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the stack unit H of the ADF 100 to which the stacking device according to the first modification of the embodiment is applied. Fig. 14 is a plan view showing an example of the arrangement of the reverse rollers 121 and the stacking device shown in Fig. 13.

[0079] The loading device according to a first modified example of the embodiment shown in Fig. 13 is configured by replacing the single guide plate of the transport guide 201 shown in Figs. 4 to 6 with multiple guide plates. As an example, Fig. 13 shows two guide plates 201a and 201b spaced apart in the document width direction (Y direction). The two guide plates 201a and 201b are operated together to support the space where crushing of the document 204 occurs. The two guide plates 201a and 201b are driven together by the drive mechanism described above, and are stopped at HP when detected by transport guide HP sensor 202, and are stopped at the raised position when detected by transport guide sensor 203.

[0080] Furthermore, even in a configuration having a plurality of guide plates, by aligning the center line with the reverse roller 121, it is possible to reliably bring the conveyance guide into contact with various paper sizes.

[0081] As shown in Figure 14, the center line P2 of the reverse roller 121 and the center line P3 between the two outer ends (the outer end of guide plate 201a and the outer end of guide plate 201b) located in the conveying width direction (Y direction) are arranged to align in the conveying width direction.

[0082] By arranging in this way, even when the document 204 that can be fed ranges in size from large to small, it is possible to bring the guide plate into contact with the document 204 for each size.

[0083] Even when the transport guide is made up of a plurality of guide plates, grooves or ribs may be provided on the guide plates to reduce the contact area between the document 204 and the guide plates.

[0084] (Modification 2 of the embodiment) Here, we will explain a modified example in which the transport guide operates according to the thickness of the transported medium. Thin paper that is thinner than a predetermined thickness tends to break down. The user may visually determine whether the thickness is thinner than the predetermined thickness based on the paper quality, or the limit of thickness at which break down does not occur may be determined in advance through experiments or simulations, and the predetermined thickness may be set to the limit or a safety value slightly thicker than the limit. Therefore, as an example, a thin paper transport mode selection button is provided, and control when the user selects the thin paper selection button is explained. The thin paper selection button may be located on the operation unit 51. Note that the thin paper selection button is merely an example, and a physical switching unit may also be provided. Alternatively, the thickness of the paper may be automatically detected by a sensor, and the transport guide may operate when the paper is thinner than the predetermined thickness.

[0085] Fig. 15 is a diagram showing an example of the control flow of a loading device having a thin paper transport mode. The control flow shown in Fig. 15 differs from the control flow shown in Fig. 9 in that step S21 for selecting the thin paper transport mode is provided between step S1 and step S2.

[0086] After receiving the document feed signal (step S1), the controller 150 first determines whether the thin paper transport mode is selected (step S21). The determination of whether the thin paper transport mode is selected can be made by receiving from the main body control unit 50 a selection signal for the thin paper transport mode selected by the user on the operation unit 51.

[0087] If the thin paper conveying mode is selected (step S21: Yes), the controller 150 executes the process from step S2. If the thin paper conveying mode is not selected (step S21: No), the controller 150 ends the process without operating the conveying guide 201.

[0088] According to this flow, when the user selects the thin paper conveying mode on the operation unit 51, the conveying guide 201 can be operated.

[0089] (Third Modification of the Embodiment) Here, we will explain a modified example in which the transport guide is operated depending on the size and length of the transported medium. When the length of the transported medium exceeds a predetermined length, the trailing end of the transported medium is likely to remain. The user may visually determine whether the length of the transported medium is greater than the predetermined length based on the paper quality, or the limit of the length at which the trailing end does not remain may be determined in advance through experiments or simulations, and the predetermined length may be set to either this limit or a safety value slightly longer than the limit. Here, we will show an example of control in which the transport guide is operated when the length of the transported medium is 297 mm or longer.

[0090] Fig. 16 is a diagram showing an example of the control flow of a loading device having document size settings. The control flow shown in Fig. 16 differs from the control flow shown in Fig. 15 in that step S22, which determines the document length, is provided between step S1 and step S2.

[0091] 16, after receiving an original feed signal (step S1), controller 150 first determines whether the thin paper transport mode is selected (step S21), and if the thin paper transport mode is selected (step S21: Yes), determines whether the original length is 297 mm or more in step S22. Controller 150 can detect whether the original length is 297 mm or more using first original length detection sensor 115 and second original length detection sensor 116 provided on original table 112.

[0092] If the document length is 297 mm or more (step S22: Yes), the controller 150 executes the process from step S2, and if the document length is less than 297 mm (step S22: No), the controller 150 ends the process without operating the conveyance guide 201.

[0093] The order of steps S21 and S22 is an example and is not limited to this. Step S22 may be performed before step S21. Alternatively, step S21 may be deleted and step S22 may be performed instead.

[0094] In this way, step S22 allows the transport guide 201 to operate upon detecting an original document whose length is 297 mm or more.

[0095] By including both step S21 and step S22 in the flow, it becomes possible to operate the conveyance guide 201 for a document that is thin paper and has a document length of 297 mm or more.

[0096] (Fourth Modification of the Embodiment) Next, the control of the transport guide 201 performed when removing the discharged documents will be described. Figures 17 and 18 are diagrams illustrating the operation of the transport guide 201 when removing the discharged documents in the stacking device according to this embodiment. Figure 17 is a perspective view showing the state of the documents in the stacking device after multiple documents have been discharged. Figure 18 is a perspective view showing an example of the operation of the transport guide 201 that makes it easier to remove multiple stacked documents.

[0097] 17 shows, as an example, a state in which a plurality of small-sized originals 204 are discharged and stacked as a stack of originals on the discharge tray 134. As shown in Fig. 17, when small-sized originals 204 are discharged, the originals 204 are located at the back (upstream in the discharge direction) of the space narrowed between the original table 112 (see Fig. 2) and the discharge tray 134, making it difficult to remove the originals 204.

[0098] 18, the conveying guide 201 is raised even when ejecting the small-sized original 204. By doing so, the small-sized original 204 is stacked on the downstream side, improving the ease of removal of the small-sized original 204.

[0099] (Fifth Modification of the Embodiment) Up to this point, a mechanism that moves up and down from the stacking surface side of the paper discharge tray 134 has been shown as an example of a transport guide, but the transport guide is not limited to a mechanism that moves up and down from the stacking surface side of the paper discharge tray 134. Here, as another example, a mechanism in which a transport guide moves up and down from directly below the paper discharge roller 133 is shown.

[0100] Fig. 19 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a mechanism for moving a conveyance guide up and down from directly below the paper discharge roller 133. Fig. 20 is a diagram for explaining the action of the mechanism shown in Fig. 19 on a document.

[0101] As shown in Fig. 19, the stacking device has a mechanism that raises a conveying guide 201 from directly below the discharge roller 133 to the side where the paper is discharged. As shown in Fig. 19, the conveying guide 201 moves up and down by power being transmitted by a rotating shaft 206. The conveying guide 201 moves from directly below (HP) the discharge roller 133 to a raised position by detecting the conveying guide motor 106 that drives the rotating shaft 206 or the rotation position of the rotating shaft 206 with a sensor. Note that the driving mechanisms such as the rotating shaft 206 and the conveying guide motor 106 are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these.

[0102] The conveying guide 201 may be provided with grooves or ribs in the conveying direction to reduce the contact area with the document. Also, the conveying guide 201 may be made of a conductive material to eliminate static electricity from the document.

[0103] By moving the conveying guide 201 to the raised position, as shown in FIG. 20, the conveying guide 201 can support the space where the document 204 may be broken.

[0104] The transport guide 201 that performs the operation shown in Modification 5 may be made up of one plate, as in the embodiment, or may be made up of multiple plates.

[0105] Furthermore, by aligning the center line of the paper feed mechanism with the center line of the transport guide 201, it is possible to reliably bring the transport guide 201 into contact with various paper sizes.

[0106] (Other variations) The programs executed by the loading devices of the present embodiment and the modified examples are provided in a state that they are pre-installed in a ROM (Read Only Memory) or the like.

[0107] The programs executed by the loading devices of this embodiment and the modified examples may be configured to be provided by being recorded in an installable or executable format on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk).

[0108] Furthermore, the programs executed by the loading devices of the present embodiment and the modified examples may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by being downloaded via the network. Also, the programs executed by the loading devices of the present embodiment and the modified examples may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

[0109] The program executed by the loading device of this embodiment and the modified example has a modular structure including each of the above-mentioned parts, and in actual hardware, the CPU (processor) reads the program from the ROM and executes it, loading each of the above-mentioned parts onto the main memory device and generating each part on the main memory device.

[0110] In this embodiment and the modified example, the image forming apparatus has been described as an example of a multifunction device having at least two of the functions of a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function, but the present invention can be applied to any image forming apparatus such as a copier, printer, scanner device, facsimile device, etc.

[0111] Although the embodiments and modifications of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments and modifications are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments and modifications can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the inventions and their equivalents as defined in the claims.

[0112] For example, aspects of the present invention are as follows. <1> a conveyance support member that is movable between a non-contact position where it does not contact the discharged conveyed medium and a contact position where it contacts the discharged conveyed medium; a loading surface on which the discharged conveyed medium is loaded; and The transport support member is When the conveyed medium to be discharged is the first sheet, the conveyed medium moves to the contact position, The conveying device is gradually moved from the contact position to the non-contact position according to the number of sheets of the conveying medium loaded on the loading surface, When the number of sheets to be conveyed has been discharged, the conveyor moves to the non-contact position. Loading device. <2> a stacking unit for stacking a plurality of sheets of the transport medium before transport; a supply mechanism for supplying the transport medium one sheet at a time from the stacking unit; and the transport support member is disposed so that a center line between both ends thereof in the transport width direction coincides with a center line between both ends of the supply mechanism in the transport width direction. The aforementioned <1> The loading device according to claim 1. <3> When the thickness of the transport medium is thinner than a predetermined value, the transport support member moves between the non-contact position and the contact position. The aforementioned <1> or the above <2> The loading device according to claim 1. <4> When the length of the transport medium is equal to or greater than a predetermined length, the transport support member moves between the non-contact position and the contact position. The aforementioned <1> From the above <3> 10. The loading device according to claim 1, wherein the loading device is a <5> the transport support member moves from the non-contact position to the contact position after the transport medium is loaded on the loading surface, thereby moving the position of the transport medium on the loading surface. The aforementioned <1> From the above <4> 10. The loading device according to claim 1, wherein the loading device is a <6> The transport support member is made of a conductive material. The aforementioned <1> From the above <5> 10. The loading device according to claim 1, wherein the loading device is a <7> The aforementioned <1> From the above <6> a loading device according to any one of the above items; an image reading unit that reads an image on the conveyed medium; An image reading device having the above. <8> The aforementioned <1> From the above <6> a loading device according to any one of the above items; an image forming unit that forms an image on the conveyed medium; An image forming apparatus having the same. <9> The aforementioned <7> an image reading device; an image forming unit that forms an image on the conveyed medium; An image forming apparatus having the same. <10> 1. A method performed in an apparatus for controlling a transport support member that supports transport of a transport medium to be discharged onto a loading surface, comprising: When the medium to be conveyed is the first medium, moving the conveyance support member from a non-contact position where the conveyance support member does not contact the medium to be conveyed to a contact position where the conveyance support member contacts the medium to be conveyed; gradually moving the transport support member from the contact position toward the non-contact position according to the number of the transport media loaded on the loading surface; a step of moving the conveyance support member to the non-contact position when the discharge of the number of conveyed sheets is completed; A method comprising: <11> A computer controls a transport support member that supports the transport of the transport medium discharged onto the loading surface, When the medium to be conveyed is the first medium, moving the conveyance support member from a non-contact position where the conveyance support member does not contact the medium to be conveyed to a contact position where the conveyance support member contacts the medium to be conveyed; gradually moving the transport support member from the contact position toward the non-contact position according to the number of the transport media loaded on the loading surface; a step of moving the conveyance support member to the non-contact position when the discharge of the number of conveyed sheets is completed; A program to execute. [Explanation of symbols]

[0113] 1 Multifunction device 10 Image reader 20 Paper feeder 23, 38 Paper feed mechanism 30 Image forming unit 37 Paper ejection roller 50 Main unit control section 51 Operation section 100 ADF 106 Transport guide motor 110 Document stack 118 Pickup roller 120 Paper feed belt 121 Reverse Roller 133 Paper ejection roller 134 Paper output tray 150 Controller 201 Transport guide 201-1, 201-2 ends 202 Transport guide home position sensor 203 Transport guide sensor 204 manuscripts 205 Reduction mechanism 206 Rotating shaft B Separate paper feed section H stack section P1, P2 center line [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0114] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-052381

Claims

1. a conveyance support member that is movable between a non-contact position where it does not contact the discharged conveyed medium and a contact position where it contacts the discharged conveyed medium; a loading surface on which the discharged conveyed medium is loaded; and The transport support member is When the conveyed medium to be discharged is the first sheet, the conveyed medium moves to the contact position, The conveying device is gradually moved from the contact position to the non-contact position according to the number of sheets of the conveying medium loaded on the loading surface, When the number of sheets to be conveyed has been discharged, the conveyor moves to the non-contact position. Loading device.

2. a stacking unit for stacking a plurality of sheets of the transport medium before transport; a supply mechanism for supplying the transport medium one sheet at a time from the stacking unit; and the transport support member is disposed so that a center line between both ends thereof in the transport width direction coincides with a center line between both ends of the supply mechanism in the transport width direction. The loading device according to claim 1 .

3. When the thickness of the transport medium is thinner than a predetermined value, the transport support member moves between the non-contact position and the contact position. The loading device according to claim 1 .

4. When the length of the transport medium is equal to or greater than a predetermined length, the transport support member moves between the non-contact position and the contact position. The loading device according to claim 1 .

5. the transport support member moves from the non-contact position to the contact position after the transport medium is loaded on the loading surface, thereby moving the position of the transport medium on the loading surface. The loading device according to claim 1 .

6. The transport support member is made of a conductive material. The loading device according to claim 1 .

7. A loading device according to any one of claims 1 to 6; an image reading unit that reads an image on the conveyed medium; An image reading device having the above.

8. A loading device according to any one of claims 1 to 6; an image forming unit that forms an image on the conveyed medium; An image forming apparatus having the same.

9. 1. A method performed in an apparatus for controlling a transport support member that supports transport of a transport medium to be discharged onto a loading surface, comprising: When the ejected conveyance medium is the first sheet, moving the conveyance support member from a non-contact position where it does not contact the ejected conveyance medium to a contact position where it contacts the ejected conveyance medium; gradually moving the transport support member from the contact position toward the non-contact position according to the number of the transport media loaded on the loading surface; a step of moving the conveyance support member to the non-contact position when the discharge of the number of conveyed sheets is completed; A method comprising:

10. A computer controls a transport support member that supports the transport of the transport medium discharged onto the loading surface. When the ejected conveyance medium is the first sheet, moving the conveyance support member from a non-contact position where it does not contact the ejected conveyance medium to a contact position where it contacts the ejected conveyance medium; gradually moving the transport support member from the contact position toward the non-contact position according to the number of the transport media loaded on the loading surface; a step of moving the conveyance support member to the non-contact position when the discharge of the number of conveyed sheets is completed; A program to execute.

Images