Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-18
2001-10-02
Grant, II, Jerome (Department: 2722)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
C358S471000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06297885
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image input-output apparatus of the type which has a common transfer path for selectively transferring a document and a recording paper.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of image input-output apparatus is a multifunction apparatus which provides an image reading function and an image printing function under the control of an outside computer such as personal computer. Another example of image input-output apparatus is a facsimile machine.
There are two types of image input-output apparatuses. A first type of image input-output apparatus has two different transfer paths for separately transferring a document and a recording paper, wherein an image reader is provided along the document transfer path while a printing unit is provided along the recording paper transfer path. A second type of image input-output apparatus has a common transfer path for selectively transferring a document and a recording paper, wherein an image reader and a printing unit are equally arranged long the common transfer path.
In either type of the image input-output apparatuses described above, a document width detector is provided in a document container for detecting the width of the document, whereas a recording paper width detector is provided in a recording paper container for detecting the width of the recording paper. Therefore, the need for providing the two separate width detectors increases the manufacturing cost of the image input-output apparatus as a whole while also increasing the total number of required components to result in increasing the assembly steps.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an image input-output apparatus which is capable of detecting the width of a recording paper without using a separate sensor specially dedicated to that purpose.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image input-output apparatus which is capable of conveniently performing a copying operation even if the width of a recording paper is different from that of a document.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, an image input-output apparatus comprises a common transfer path, a transfer mechanism for selectively transferring a document and a recording paper along the common transfer path, a reading unit including an image sensor for optically reading an image of the document moving along the common transfer path, and a printing unit for printing an image on the recording paper moving along the common transfer path. Further, a paper width detector, which partially includes the image sensor, is provided upstream from the printing unit for detecting a width of the recording paper.
With the above-described image input-output apparatus, the image sensor is utilized not only for reading the image of the document but also for detecting the width of the recording paper. Therefore, there is no need for providing a separate sensor exclusively dedicated for the width detection of the recording paper. As a result, the number of components can be correspondingly reduced, which leads to a cost reduction and facilitates assembly of the apparatus.
According to a preferred embodiment, the reading unit further includes an image reading light source for irradiating an image carrying surface of the document with light, so that the image sensor receives the light reflected on the image carrying surface for detecting the image carried on the document. Further, the paper width detector further includes a width detecting light source provided in the reading unit in opposed relation to the image sensor for irradiating the recording paper with light, whereby the light from the width detecting light source is partially interrupted by the recording paper but partially allowed to reach the image sensor for thereby detecting the width of the recording paper.
The image sensor may, typically but not exclusively, includes a multiplicity of image pickup or photoelectric devices such as CCDs (charge-coupled devices). Each of the image reading light source and the width detecting light source may, typically but not exclusively, includes a plurality of LEDs (light emitting diodes) or a cold cathode tube.
The image reading light source and the image sensor may be arranged below the common transfer path, whereas the width detecting light source may be arranged above the common transfer path in opposed relation to the image sensor. Alternatively, the image reading light source and the image sensor may be arranged above the common transfer path, whereas the width detecting light source may be arranged below the common transfer path in opposed relation to the image sensor.
The image input-output apparatus may further comprise a document container for containing the document, a recording paper container separate from the document container for containing the recording paper, a first feed mechanism for feeding the document into the common transfer path from the document container, and a second feed mechanism for feeding the recording paper into the common transfer path from the recording paper container. Such a structure makes it possible to set the document and the recording paper at the same time for copying purposes. In this case, further, the document container may be provided with a document width detector for detecting a width of the document.
The image input-output apparatus may further comprise light source switching means for selectively turning on or off the image reading light source and the width detecting light source. Specifically, the light source switching means turns on the image reading light source while turning off the width detecting light source when the document is transferred along the common transfer path. On the other hand, the light source switching means turns on the width detecting light source while turning off the image reading light source when the recording paper is transferred along the common transfer path.
Additionally or alternatively, the image input-output apparatus may further comprise image size altering means for reducing or enlarging the image depending on the detected width of the recording paper before printing the image on the recording paper.
In case where the image input-output apparatus is provided with a document width detector for detecting a width of the document, it may further comprise copying control means for automatically performing the successive steps of causing the document width detector to detect the width of the document, causing the reading unit to read the image of the document for storage, causing the paper width detector to detect the width of the recording paper, altering the stored image in size depending on comparison of the detected width of the recording paper with the detected width of the document, and causing the printing unit to print the size-altered image on the recording paper.
In either case, the light source switching means, the image size altering means or the copying control means may be realized by a micro computer which include a CPU (central processing unit), a ROM (read-onlymemory) and a RAM (random access memory) Further, the printing unit may preferably comprise an ink jet printhead.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image input-output apparatus comprising: a common transfer path; a transfer mechanism for selectively transferring a document and a recording paper along the common transfer path; an image reader for optically reading an image of the document moving along the common transfer path, the image reader including an image reading light source and an image sensor; a document width detector for detecting a width of the document before the document is transferred to the image reader; a printing unit provided downstream from the image reader for printing an image on the recording paper moving along the common transfer path; and a paper width detector provided upstream from the printing unit for detecting a width of the recording pa
Broher Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Grant II Jerome
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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