Sheet feeding or delivering – Feeding – Pack holders
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-18
2001-12-25
Skaggs, H. Grant (Department: 3651)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Feeding
Pack holders
C271S015000, C271S009080, C414S795800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332609
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a feed paper apparatus for feeding paper and an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine having the feed paper apparatus.
In above the copying machine, various types of feed paper apparatuses are provided for paper feeding.
As one of large-capacity feed paper apparatuses, a large capacity feeder of tandem type (which is hereinafter referred to as a tandem type LCF) is provided.
It has two boxes (first and second boxes) for storing paper in the feed paper apparatus, and if paper does not exist in one of the boxes (first box), paper is moved from the other box (second box) to one of the boxes (first box) so that the paper feeding operation can be continued.
In this case, a series of processes from occurrence of no paper to the restart of paper feeding after the movement of paper from the other box (second box) to one of the boxes (first box) is defined as a transfer process.
As a result, it becomes possible to simultaneously supplement a large amount of paper and reduce the chances for interrupting the printing operation due to no paper or supplementing paper by the user.
Since only one box is provided in the unit in the conventional feed paper apparatus, there occurs no problem if paper is set according to the size thereof.
However, in the tandem type LCF, two boxes are provided in the unit. The two boxes are separated by a driving guide (which is hereinafter referred to as an end guide) and the user correctly sets paper into the two boxes according to the guide. If the user does not correctly set paper, a sensor attached to the end guide detects abnormality and warns the user that paper is not correctly set.
However, even if paper is correctly set, the user must withdraw the unit again by the warning and set paper if paper lies over the guide even a bit and it is detected as abnormality. As a result, it takes a lot of time and labor for the user.
If detection of abnormality by the guide is neglected and the tray-up or transfer process is effected in order to avoid this, damage or failure of the feed paper apparatus may occur and it is not an apparatus which is safe and highly reliable.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of this invention is to provide a feed paper apparatus which is highly reliable and safe in structure and alleviates the labor of the user for setting paper again when paper is not correctly set in a large capacity feeder of tandem type and an image forming apparatus having the feed paper apparatus.
In order to attain the above object, this invention provides a feed paper apparatus characterized by comprising first and second receiving sections for receiving sheaves of sheets of paper of the same size; paper feeding means for feeding paper received in the first receiving section for each sheet; transferring means for transferring a sheave of sheets of paper received in the second receiving section to the first receiving section in a lump; first detecting means for detecting that paper received in the first receiving section is absent; first processing means for controlling the transferring means to transfer the sheave of sheets of paper received in the second receiving section to the first receiving section in a lump when the first detecting means detects that paper received in the first receiving section is absent; second detecting means for detecting that a sheave of sheets of paper is received while lying over the first, second receiving sections; and second processing means for controlling the transferring means to transfer a sheave of sheets of paper received while lying over the first, second receiving sections to the first receiving section in a lump when the second detecting means detects that the sheave of sheets of paper is received while lying over the first, second receiving sections.
This invention provides a feed paper apparatus characterized by comprising first and second receiving sections for receiving sheaves of sheets of paper of the same size; paper feeding means for feeding paper received in the first receiving section for each sheet; transferring means for transferring a sheave of sheets of paper received in the second receiving section to the first receiving section in a lump; first detecting means for detecting that paper received in the first receiving section is absent; first processing means for controlling the transferring means to transfer the sheave of sheets of paper received in the second receiving section to the first receiving section in a lump when the first detecting means detects that paper received in the first receiving section is absent; second detecting means disposed on an end portion opposite to the first receiving section, for detecting the presence/absence of a sheave of sheets of paper received in the second receiving section; third detecting means for detecting the presence/absence of a sheave of sheets of paper in an intermediate portion between the first and second receiving sections; and second processing means for controlling the transferring means to transfer a sheave of sheets of paper received in the intermediate portion between the first and second receiving sections to the first receiving section in a lump when the second detecting means detects the absence of a sheave of sheets of paper in the second receiving section and the third detecting means detects the presence of a sheave of sheets of paper in the intermediate portion between the first and second receiving sections.
In an image forming apparatus comprising supply means for supplying an image; a feed paper apparatus for feeding an image forming medium; and image forming means for forming an image supplied from the supply means on an image forming medium fed by the feed paper apparatus, this invention provides the image forming apparatus which is characterized in that the feed paper apparatus comprises first and second receiving sections for receiving sheaves of sheets of paper of the same size; paper feeding means for feeding paper received in the first receiving section for each sheet; transferring means for transferring a sheave of sheets of paper received in the second receiving section to the first receiving section in a lump; first detecting means for detecting that paper received in the first receiving section is absent; first processing means for controlling the transferring means to transfer the sheave of sheets of paper received in the second receiving section to the first receiving section in a lump when the first detecting means detects that paper received in the first receiving section is absent; second detecting means for detecting that a sheave of sheets of paper is received while lying over the first, second receiving sections; and second processing means for controlling the transferring means to transfer a sheave of sheets of paper received while lying over the first, second receiving sections to the first receiving section in a lump when the second detecting means detects that the sheave of sheets of paper is received while lying over the first, second receiving sections.
In an image forming apparatus comprising supply means for supplying an image; a feed paper apparatus for feeding an image forming medium; and image forming means for forming an image supplied from the supply means on an image forming medium fed by the feed paper apparatus, this invention provides the image forming apparatus which is characterized in that the feed paper apparatus comprises first and second receiving sections for receiving sheaves of sheets of paper of the same size; paper feeding means for feeding paper received in the first receiving section for each sheet; transferring means for transferring a sheave of sheets of paper received in the second receiving section to the first receiving section in a lump; first detecting means for detecting that paper received in the first receiving section is absent; first processing means for controlling the transferring means to transfer the sheave of sheets of paper received in the second receiving section to the first receiving section in a lum
Foley & Lardner
Skaggs H. Grant
Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
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