JPH0740710B2 - Fax machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of use] The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and more particularly to a facsimile apparatus that suitably reads and records an image on both sides of a sheet.

[Prior Art] An image processing apparatus that performs image processing such as reading an image printed on a sheet or recording an image on the sheet is widely used as a printer, an image scanner, a facsimile apparatus, or the like. Is provided with means for feeding a sheet to the means for performing image processing, and is configured to sequentially perform image processing on one side of the fed sheet.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In such an image processing apparatus, there is usually only one path for feeding / discharging the paper to / from the image processing means, and it is possible to read an image on one surface of the paper or It was only possible to record on the side of. Therefore, when reading the paper printed on both sides, it is necessary for the user to turn over the paper, which is troublesome. This may be a particular problem when a plurality of sheets are continuously read and transmitted as in a facsimile machine. In reality, it is often the case that both sides of the paper are once copied and then applied to a facsimile machine, but in this case, there is a problem that the time and effort for copying and the waste of copying paper are generated. On the other hand, since there is no recording on both sides, there is a problem that paper and filing are wasteful.

Therefore, it has been proposed to provide a reading unit and a recording unit on each of both sides of a sheet to be fed and perform reading and recording on both sides. However, the reading unit and the printing unit and a unit for controlling these units. However, there is a problem in that the device configuration becomes complicated and reliability decreases because another set is required.

The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and an object thereof is to provide a facsimile apparatus that performs image processing on both sides of paper with a simple configuration.

Structure of the Invention [Means for Solving Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following structures as means for solving the problems. That is, the facsimile apparatus of the present invention comprises an image processing means for reading an image written on one side of a sheet and recording an image on one side of the sheet, and a sheet feeding means for feeding the sheet to the image processing means. ,
A sheet conveying means for discharging the sheet fed by the sheet feeding means to the image processing means and image-processed by the image processing means from the image processing means, and when the apparatus is in the reading mode, the image A facsimile device that reads an image from a sheet by a processing unit and transmits the image to an external device, and when the device is in a print mode, the image processing unit records an image corresponding to the image data transmitted from the external device on the sheet. Therefore, the conveying direction of the image-processed sheet discharged from the image processing section by the operation of the sheet conveying section is set to a discharging direction for discharging the sheet to the outside of the apparatus and a reprocessing direction different from the discharging direction. The transport direction switching means for switching and the paper transported in the reprocessing direction by the transport direction switching means instead of the paper feeding by the paper feeding means. A sheet re-feeding means for feeding to the image processing means, and a driving force from a predetermined drive source to the sheet feeding means, the sheet conveying means, and the sheet re-feeding means for feeding the sheet. And the paper transport means
A sheet that is driven in one direction to feed and discharge the sheet to the image processing unit, and a sheet refeed unit that pulls the sheet discharged from the image processing unit to a predetermined position on the sheet feeding side with respect to the image processing unit. The power transmission means for driving the pull-out direction or the re-feeding direction for re-feeding the pulled-out sheet to the image processing means, and the conveying direction when the image processing is set for both sides of the sheet. The switching means is switched to the reprocessing direction, and the driving direction of the paper refeeding means by the power transmission means is switched to the paper pulling-out direction so that the image-processed paper discharged from the image processing means is fed to the paper feed. When the sheet is pulled out to a predetermined position on the feeding side and then the driving direction of the sheet re-feeding means by the power transmission means is switched to the re-feeding direction and the pulled-out sheet is re-fed to the image processing means. The conveying direction switching means is switched to the discharge direction, are provided with double-sided processing control means for discharging the sheet after the image processing to be discharged from the image processing unit outside the apparatus, the.

[Operation] In the facsimile apparatus of the present invention configured as described above, the paper feeding means feeds the paper to the image processing means. Then, if the apparatus is in the reading mode, the image processing means reads the image from one side of the paper fed by the paper feeding means, and conversely, if it is in the printing mode, the paper feeding means feeds the image. Record the image on one side of the paper. Further, the paper image-processed by the image processing means is discharged from the image processing means by the operation of the paper carrying means.

Further, in the facsimile apparatus of the present invention, when it is set to perform image processing on both sides of the paper, the double-sided processing control means first switches the transport direction switching means to the reprocessing direction and also the power transmission means. The driving direction of the sheet re-feeding means is switched to the sheet withdrawing direction. As a result, the paper image-processed by the image processing means is conveyed in the reprocessing direction via the conveyance direction switching means, and the conveyed paper is fed by the paper refeeding means to the image processing means. Will be pulled out to a predetermined position on the side.

Further, when the sheet after the image processing is pulled out to a predetermined position on the sheet feeding side by the sheet re-feeding means, the double-sided processing control means re-feeds the driving direction of the sheet re-feeding means by the power transmission means. After switching to the feeding direction, the pulled-out sheet is re-fed to the image processing means. As a result, the paper is fed to the image processing means in the direction opposite to that when the previous image processing was performed, and the image processing means
The image processing is performed on the surface opposite to the surface on which the image processing was previously performed.

Further, when the sheet is re-fed to the image processing means in this way, the double-sided processing control means switches the transport direction switching means to the discharge direction. As a result, the paper whose screen is image-processed by the image processing means is discharged to the outside of the apparatus.

Embodiments Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the facsimile apparatus of this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the facsimile apparatus of this embodiment includes a platen 1 and a flat platen 2.
The paper 3 is fed between the platens 1 and 2 and the shuttle type head 5. In this facsimile apparatus, an electronic control unit 10 controls a shuttle drive device 7 that reciprocates the shuttle type head 5 in the width direction of the paper 3 and a paper feeding device 9 that conveys the paper 3, and the shuttle type head 5 and the paper Three
Are configured to be driven and conveyed to read the image written on the sheet 3 and print the image on the sheet 3 individually.

The shuttle type head 5 is slidably supported by the guide shaft 11, but the end face of the optical fiber OF is exposed at the upper part of the surface 5a facing the platen 1, and the reading unit RDi (i =
1 to 54) are formed. Further, a radiator plate 12 is attached to the lower portion of the surface 5a, and a printed portion 14 of a ceramic substrate in which a heating element of a thick film resistor is arranged on the radiator plate 12 in the axial direction of the guide shaft 11. Is provided. An image is recorded on the thermal paper by energizing the printing unit 14 to generate heat.

The optical fiber OF is arranged under the cover 5b, but it transmits light from the light emitting element provided in the reading circuit 17 to each reading unit RD.
A pair of a fiber on the light emitting side for transmitting up to i and a fiber on the light receiving side for transmitting the reflected light from the paper 3 or the flat platen 2 to the light receiving element in the reading circuit 17 are formed.
The reading circuit 17 and the printing section 14 of the ceramic substrate are connected to the electronic control unit 10. It should be noted that the printing unit 14 provided with a heating element
Are fixed to the shuttle type head 5 via a heat dissipation plate 12.

One end of the heat radiating plate 12 is formed so as to extend toward the cam 20 of the shuttle drive device 7, and the cam groove of the cam 20 is formed at the tip thereof.
A cam follower 22 that is loosely fitted to the 20a is provided. Cam 2
The 0 is rotated by the DC motor 27 with the slit plate 24 acting as an encoder. Here, the cam 20 has a substantially circular shape, and its center is about 2.
Since the cam follower 22 is eccentrically attached to the cam groove 20a, the cam follower 22 reciprocally moves as the cam 20 rotates, and the shuttle type head 5 supported by the guide shaft 11 has a width of about 5 mm. Reciprocate.

The slit plate 24 works as an encoder together with the photo interrupter 34 arranged so as to straddle the slit plate 24, and detects the reading position and the printing position in the reciprocating movement of the shuttle type head 5. Since the shuttle type head 5 reciprocates, the reading position or the printing position is detected in each of the forward movement and the backward movement, and the image on the paper 3 is read or printed.

Next, the structure and function of the paper feeding device 9 for carrying and re-feeding the paper 3 will be described. The paper feeding device 9 is configured with a stepping motor 41 as a drive source, and this rotational force is transmitted from the motor pulley 42 to the toothed pulley 45 via the timing belt 43. The toothed pulley 45 has its rotary shaft 47.
A main gear 48 is provided coaxially with the main gear 48, and an oscillating gear 50 meshes with the main gear 48. The oscillating gear 50 is driven by a switching solenoid 52 via a switching shaft 51 and is driven by an auxiliary gear 53.
It is configured to transmit the rotation of the main gear 48 to any one of The auxiliary gear 53 is the auxiliary gear 55, while the auxiliary gear 53 is
54 transmits the rotation to the auxiliary gear 55 via the auxiliary gear 56. Therefore, by switching the oscillating gear 50 by means of the switching solenoid 52, the platen 1 as the paper carrying means carries the paper 3 (direction A in FIG. 1).
The rotation direction of the auxiliary gear 55 can be switched while rotating the auxiliary gear 55, and a re-feed roller 60 as a sheet re-feeding means provided on the rotation shaft of the auxiliary gear 55 and a pressing roller 62 facing the re-feed roller 62.
The rotation direction of can also be switched. On the other hand, the paper feeding roller 64 as a paper feeding means provided on the rotating shaft of the auxiliary gear 53 and the pressing roller 66 facing the paper feeding roller 64 are composed of the oscillating gear 50 and the auxiliary gear.
Only when 53 and 53 mesh, the paper 3 is rotated in one direction and the paper 3 is conveyed along the paper guide plate 68.

The configuration of the switching solenoid 70 and the switching plate 72 that rotates about 60 degrees in the directions of arrows C and D in FIG. 1 by the operation of the switching solenoid 70 is defined by the conveyance direction of the paper conveyed along the conveyance paper guide plate 74. It functions as a conveyance direction switching means for switching between. Also,
Rotate the stepping motor 41 to the platen 1, re-feed roller
The toothed pulley 45, the main gear 48, the oscillating gear 50, the auxiliary gears 53, 54, the auxiliary gear 55, and the auxiliary gear that are transmitted to the 60 and the paper feed roller 64.
56 acts as a power transmission means.

Next, the configuration of the electronic control unit 10 and the control performed by the electronic control unit 10 will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electric system of this embodiment centering on the electronic control unit 10. As shown in the figure, the electronic control unit 10 includes a well-known CPU 100, ROM 102, RAM 104.
It is configured as a logical operation circuit with input / output circuits / ports centering on the above, and executes the control described later according to a predetermined program. As the input / output circuit / port, the serial I / O port (SIO) 107 for exchanging data with an external communication line via the connector 105 and the light emitting element of the reading circuit 17 of the shuttle type head 5 correspond to the light emission amount. An illumination drive circuit 109 that outputs data as a control signal, a data input port 111 that receives data corresponding to the intensity of reflected light detected by the light receiving element of the reading circuit 17, and a heating element of the printing unit 14 of the shuttle type head 5 are driven. A print data output port 113 for outputting print data, a motor drive circuit 115 for outputting a control signal for controlling the DC motor 27 and the stepping motor 41 to reciprocate the shuttle type head 5 and convey a sheet, the shuttle type head 5 The pulse input port 117 for inputting the pulse signal from the photo interrupter 34, which acts as an encoder for the reciprocating movement of the switch, and the signals for driving the switching solenoids 52, 70, respectively. Solenoid drive circuit 119 that outputs,
Etc. In addition, these input / output circuits / ports and CPU100, R
The OM 102 and the like are connected to each other via a common bus 120.

The electronic control unit 10 is turned on, performs initialization processing, such as clearing the internal register of the CPU 100 and resetting the value of the flag FR described below to zero, and then repeats the control routine shown in FIG. Run. Prior to this control routine, the determination of the double-sided processing mode or the single-sided processing mode is performed based on, for example, the setting of a switch or the like on the operation panel (not shown). The flowchart of FIG. The double-sided processing control routine executed in this case is shown.

First, in step 200, the operation mode is determined.
Until the document to be read is attached to the facsimile and the reading mode is selected, or the printing mode in which the image data is recorded by receiving image data from an external device via the communication line is selected, step 200 The process of is repeated. When the manuscript (paper) 3 is mounted and the reading mode is selected, the process proceeds to step 210, and it is determined whether the value of the flag FR is 0 or not. Since the flag value FR is reset to 0 immediately after the start of this control routine, the determination at step 210 is "YES", and the process is step
Proceed to 220. In step 220, the value of the flag FR is set to 1, and in the following step 230, the reading operation is performed.

Here, the switching plate 72 is switched by the switching solenoid 70 in the direction of arrow D (refeeding direction) shown in FIGS.
Is driven by the switching solenoid 52 so as to mesh with the auxiliary gear 53. Therefore, when the stepping motor 41 is rotated, the paper 3 is fed in the order of the paper feed roller 64, the platens 1 and 2, the transport guide plate 74, the lower surface of the switching plate 72, and the refeed roller 60. At the same time, the DC motor 27 is rotated to reciprocate the shuttle type head 5 to illuminate the sheet 3 via the optical fiber OF, and the intensity of the reflected light causes the sheet 3
Read the above image as black and white binarized data and read 1
After reading the line data, the process of transmitting the data to the outside through the communication line is repeated. Paper 3 at this time
The state of feeding was shown in FIG. 4 (A).

In this way, the reading operation by the shuttle type head 5 progresses, and when the trailing edge of the sheet 3 passes through the reading portion RDi, the electronic control unit 10 detects the light reflected by the flat platen 2 so that the trailing edge of the sheet 3 is detected. Therefore, after the paper 3 is conveyed by a predetermined amount, the rotation of the stepping motor 41 is stopped (FIG. 4 (B)), the above reading operation is terminated, and the process is Return to step 200.

Next, when the determination at step 210 is made, since the flag FR is set to the value 1 at step 220, the process proceeds to step 240, and the re-feeding operation is performed at step 240. Here, the switching plate 72 is switched by the switching solenoid 70 in the C direction in FIGS. 1 and 2 (discharging direction), and the swing gear 50 is driven by the switching solenoid 52 so as to mesh with the auxiliary gear 54. Thus stepping motor
When the rotation of 41 is started, the re-feed roller 60 rotates in the opposite direction to the front direction, and the sheet 3 is fed from the rear end, that is, turned upside down, to the entrance side of the platen 1 again (FIG. 4). (C)).

In step 250 following step 240, the value of the flag is reset to 0, and the process proceeds to step 230 to repeat the above-described reading operation. The sheet 3 conveyed between the platen 2 and the shuttle type head 5 is guided and conveyed by the conveyance guide plate 74, and then is changed over in step 240.
The transport direction is changed by 2 and the paper is discharged. The above operation is performed until the reading operation on the back surface of the sheet 3 is completed (FIG. 4 (D)).

After the reading operation is completed, the process returns to step 200. At this time, however, the value of the flag FR has also returned to the initial value. Repeated from the beginning.

On the other hand, when the image data is sent from another facsimile device or the like and the print mode is selected in the determination in step 200, the processing of step 215 and thereafter is executed. Except for step 235, steps 215 to 225 are the same as the above-mentioned reading processing steps 210 to 250, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. In step 235,
Instead of the reading operation, the recording operation using the printing unit 14 is performed.

According to the facsimile apparatus of the present embodiment configured as described above, after the image processing for reading or recording on one side of the sheet 3 is performed, the sheet 3 is once moved to the feeding side by the re-feed roller 60. The paper 3 is pulled out and fed again from the rear end of the paper 3 between the platens 1 and 2 and the shuttle type head 5. Therefore, at this time, the sheet 3 is turned upside down, the reading or recording on the back side is performed again, and the reading or recording process is performed on both sides of the sheet 3.

As a result, the operator does not have to turn over or take a copy of each sheet of paper even when the sheets of paper printed on both sides are transmitted, and the waste of copy sheets and the like does not occur.
In addition, since recording can be performed on both sides, filing and waste of paper do not occur during reception.

In this embodiment, the oscillating gear 50 is used for the stepping motor.
The re-feed roller 60 is rotated in both directions without changing the rotation direction of the platen 1 by 41. Moreover, when the sheet is re-fed, the sheet feed roller 64 not involved in the feeding of the sheet 3 is not rotated. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently re-feed the sheet 3 with a simple configuration.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the configuration of the above embodiment in which the sheet conveying path is the same in the reading operation and the recording operation. Instead of this, it is needless to say that the reading operation and the recording operation can be carried out in various modes such as a configuration in which different conveying paths are provided.

As described above in detail, in the facsimile apparatus of the present invention, when the image processing is set to be performed on both sides of the sheet, the image processing means is controlled by the image processing means under the control of the double-sided processing control means. The sheet once subjected to the image processing is re-fed to the image processing means in the direction opposite to the previous image processing. Therefore, according to the present invention, the reading of the image from the paper when the operation mode of the apparatus is the reading mode and the recording of the image on the paper when the operation mode is the recording mode are performed. This can be done on both sides of the sheet using one image processing means. Therefore, the apparatus configuration can be simplified as compared with the conventional apparatus in which the image processing means is provided for each side of the sheet in order to perform such image processing on both sides of the sheet.

Further, in the facsimile apparatus of the present invention, the paper feeding means for feeding the paper to the image processing means, the paper conveying means for discharging the paper after the image processing from the image processing means, and the image processing means for the paper after the image processing. The driving force from one driving source is respectively transmitted to the re-feeding means for re-feeding to the paper, and the re-feeding of the paper is performed by driving the paper re-feeding means by the power transmitting means. This is achieved by reversing the direction (that is, the power transmission direction). Therefore, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to reverse the driving directions of the sheet feeding unit and the sheet conveying unit for re-feeding the sheet, and such a sheet feeding system can be configured extremely easily.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a facsimile apparatus as an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram mainly showing the configuration of an electronic control unit in the embodiment, and FIG. 3 is an example of control performed in the embodiment. 4A, 4 </ b> A, 4 </ b> B, 4 </ b> C, and 4 </ b> D are explanatory diagrams showing the sheet feeding state in the embodiment. 1 ... Platen, 2 ... Flat platen 3 ... Paper, 5 ... Shuttle type head 7 ... Shuttle drive device 9 ... Paper feeding device, 10 ... Electronic control device 11 ... Guide shaft, 12 ... Heat dissipation Plate 14 …… Printing part, 20 …… Cam 22 …… Cam follower, 24 …… Slit plate 27 …… DC motor, 34 …… Photointerrupter 41 …… Stepping motor 43 …… Timing belt 45 …… Toothed pulley, 50 ...... Oscillating gear 51 …… Switching shaft 52,70 …… Switching solenoid 60 …… Refeed roller, 64 …… Paper feed roller 72 …… Switching plate, 100 …… CPU

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Soji Mizutani 9-35 Hotta-dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture Brother Industries, Ltd. (72) Inventor Takehiko Murata 9-35 Hotta-dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Brother Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shuji Otsuka 9-35 Hotta-dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi Brother Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Michio Tsuchiya 9-35 Hotta-dori, Mizuho-ku, Aichi Prefecture Brother Industry Incorporated (56) Reference JP-A-58-134575 (JP, A) JP-A-60-27265 (JP, A) JP-A-58-40971 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image processing unit for reading an image printed on one side of a sheet and recording an image on one side of the sheet, a sheet feeding unit for feeding the sheet to the image processing unit, and the sheet feeding unit. And a sheet conveying unit that discharges the sheet, which is fed to the image processing unit by the feeding unit and subjected to the image processing by the image processing unit, from the image processing unit, and when the apparatus is in the reading mode, the image processing unit Read the image from the paper and send it to an external device,
When the apparatus is in the print mode, the image processing unit discharges the image corresponding to the image data transmitted from the external apparatus on the sheet by the operation of the sheet conveying unit in the facsimile apparatus. And a carrying direction switching means for switching the carrying direction of the paper after the image processing to a discharging direction for discharging the paper to the outside of the apparatus and a reprocessing direction different from the discharging direction, and the reprocessing by the carrying direction switching means. The paper re-feeding means for feeding the paper conveyed in the direction to the image processing means instead of the paper feeding by the paper feeding means, and the driving force from a predetermined drive source are applied to the paper feeding means. The paper is fed to the feeding means, the paper carrying means and the paper re-feeding means, and the paper feeding means and the paper carrying means are driven in one direction to feed the paper to the image processing means and eject it. The paper re-feeding means pulls out the paper discharged from the image processing means to a predetermined position on the paper feeding side with respect to the image processing means, or the paper re-feeding means for re-feeding the drawn paper to the image processing means. When the power transmission means for driving in the feeding direction and the image processing for both sides of the paper are set, the conveyance direction switching means is switched to the reprocessing direction and the paper re-feeding by the power transmission means is performed. By switching the driving direction of the means to the paper drawing direction, the image-processed paper discharged from the image processing means is drawn to a predetermined position on the paper feeding side, and then the power retransmitting means of the paper refeeding means is used. The drive direction is switched to the re-feeding direction to re-feed the pulled-out sheet to the image processing means, and the transport direction switching means is switched to the ejection direction to eject from the image processing means. Facsimile device comprising a two-sided process control means for discharging the sheet after the image processing apparatus outside, that was provided to.