Sheet feeding or delivering – Delivering – With transfer means between conveyor and receiver
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-28
2001-07-03
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Delivering
With transfer means between conveyor and receiver
C271S186000, C399S364000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254087
ABSTRACT:
This application is based on Patent Application No. H10-277582 filed in Japan, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet transport device and sheet transport method for use in image forming apparatuses such as copiers, scanners, facsimile machine and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Document transport devices installed in image processing apparatuses having both a document feeding tray and a document discharge tray disposed above the platen of the image reading unit of the image processing apparatus are hereinafter referred to as “wingless-type document transport devices.” Furthermore, document transport devices having at least one tray among the document feeding tray and the document discharge tray which protrudes from the area above the platen are hereinafter referred to as “wing-type document transport devices.” The wingless-type document transport device is advantageous in that it has a smaller footprint so as to more effectively utilize space compared to the wing-type document transport device.
Document transport systems can be classified from the perspective of the document feeding sequence into “first page systems” wherein a plurality of document pages are fed from the first page, and “last page systems” wherein the last page of the plurality of document pages is fed first. When comparing the first page system and the last page system, there is no problem using either system in copiers which simply make copies, but the first page system is desirable in apparatuses which process read information in the reading sequence as is the case in scanners and facsimile machines.
The wingless-type document transport devices invert front-to-back a document placed on the document feed tray and feed the document to the image reader unit, then again invert the document back-to-front after the image is read and eject the document to a document discharge tray. Accordingly, disadvantages arise when using the first page system. Specifically, when automatically reading a plurality of one-sided documents, the plurality of one-sided documents are stacked on a document tray with the document surface facing upward, and the uppermost document is fed sequentially from the first page. The documents which have been read are sequentially ejected to the document discharge tray with the document surface face upward. As a result the first page document becomes the lowermost document in the stack with the document surface facing upward. For this reason the operator must re-order the sequence of the documents after the documents have been read.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY
In view of the aforesaid disadvantages, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved sheet transport device and sheet transporting method.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a sheet transport device and sheet transporting method which do not require reordering of the sequence of sheets ejected to a sheet discharge tray.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sheet transport device and sheet transporting method having excellent operating characteristics using the first page system in wingless-type sheet transport devices.
These and other objects of the present invention are attained by providing a sheet transport device for transporting sheets to a predetermined position, said sheet transport device comprising:
a first accommodating portion which is disposed above the predetermined position and which accommodates a plurality of sheets;
a second accommodating portion disposed above the predetermined position;
a third accommodating portion disposed above the predetermined position;
a first sheet transport path for feeding the plurality of sheets accommodated in said first accommodating portion sequentially from the uppermost sheet, inverting the sheets front-to-back, and transporting the sheets to the predetermined position;
a second sheet transport path for inverting front-to-back the sheet which is transported to the predetermined position by said first transport path, and transporting the sheet to said second accommodating portion; and
a third sheet transport path for inverting front-to-back the sheet which is accommodated by said second accommodating portion, and transporting the sheet to said third accommodating portion.
According to this sheet transport device, when reading the images of a plurality of one-sided documents, these one-sided documents are accommodated in a first accommodating portion with the document surface facing upward. The held documents are fed sequentially from the uppermost document to the first document transport path, inverted front-to-back, and transported with the document surface facing downward to the predetermined position, i.e., the document reading position. When the reading of the document is completed at the document reading position, the read document is transported to the second document transport path, inverted front-to-back, and accommodated in the second accommodating portion with the document surface facing upward. Thereafter, the document is transported to the third document transport path, inverted front-to-back, and accommodated in the third accommodating portion with the document surface facing downward. The second and subsequent documents are similarly transported, and stacked in the third accommodating portion with the document surfaces facing downward.
These objects of the present invention are attained by providing a sheet transport device for transporting sheets to a predetermined position, said sheet transport device comprising:
a first accommodating portion which is disposed above the predetermined position and which accommodates a plurality of sheets;
a second accommodating portion disposed above the predetermined position;
a third accommodating portion disposed above the predetermined position;
a fourth accommodating portion disposed above the predetermined position;
a first sheet transport path for feeding the plurality of sheets accommodated in said first accommodating portion sequentially from the lowermost sheet, inverting the sheet front-to-back, and transporting the sheet to said second accommodating portion;
a second sheet transport path for inverting front-to-back a sheet which is accommodated in said second accommodating portion, and transporting the sheet to the predetermined position;
a third sheet transport path for inverting front-to-back the sheet which is transported to the predetermined position by said second transport path, and transporting the sheet to said third accommodating portion; and
a fourth sheet transport path for inverting front-to-back the sheet accommodated in said third accommodating portion, and transporting the sheet to the fourth accommodating portion.
According to this sheet transport device, when reading the images of a plurality of one-sided documents, these one-sided documents are accommodated in a first accommodating portion with the document surface facing downward. The accommodated documents are fed sequentially from the lowermost document via the first document transport path, inverted front-to-back, and accommodated with the document surface facing upward in the second accommodating portion. The document in the second accommodating portion is transported via the second document transport path, inverted front-to-back, and transported with the document surface facing downward to the predetermined position, i.e., the document reading position. When the reading of the document is completed at the document reading position, the read document is transported via the third document transport path, inverted front-to-back, and accommodated in the third accommodating portion with the document surface facing upward. Thereafter, the document in the third accommodating portion is transported via the fourth document transport path, inverted front-to-back, and accommodated in the fourth accommodating portion with the document surface facing downward. The second and subsequent documents a
Johdai Akiyoshi
Murakami Tohru
Bower Kenneth W
Burns Doane , Swecker, Mathis LLP
Ellis Christopher P.
Minolta Co. , Ltd.
LandOfFree
Sheet transport device and sheet transport method does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Sheet transport device and sheet transport method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Sheet transport device and sheet transport method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2527149