Abstract: An original document feeder is provided with a first sheet path for guiding a document from stacker to below after inversion, a second sheet path branched from the first sheet path in a switchback fashion for guiding the sheet to a process position, and a third sheet path branched from the first sheet path in a switchback fashion for discharging the sheet, discharged from the process position, to a receiver after inversion.

Abstract: An intermediate film storage device for a section of photographic material of limited length comprises feed rolls, exit rolls, intermediate rolls which separate a first buffer from a second buffer, and a guiding device which guides the section of film from the feed rolls to the intermediate rolls. Such an intermediate film storage device serves to equalize different operating speeds of stations for processing photographic material. In so doing, the activity of the processing stations connected in series ahead of the intermediate film storage device should have to be interrupted only for a short time as the intermediate film storage device is being emptied. The intermediate rolls wind the section of film into the first buffer, and rewind it into the second buffer in the opposite direction of motion and at a higher speed, the motion of the section of film in the second buffer being controlled by an arrangement of buffer rolls.

Abstract: A paper conveyor for conveying paper includes a conveyor roll for conveying paper, a drive motor for driving and rotating the conveyor roll, a rotary follower roll for pressing onto the conveyor roll and for holding a paper and a convey direction switch mechanism for switching the conveying direction of the paper. The paper is conveyed in a predetermined direction by the conveyor roll and the rotary follower roll. When the conveying direction of the paper is changed to an opposite direction, the convey direction switch mechanism is adapted to control the follower roll so that the follower roll can be rocked from one direction to another with its axis of rocking coinciding with an axis of the conveyor roll. Therefore, the conveying direction of the paper can be changed very smoothly.

Abstract: A document feeding device for feeding documents to a document scanning section where the image of the document is scanned. The document feeding device has first trasnport rollers for feeding each document to the scanning section, discharge rollers for discharging from the scanning section the document thus supplied, a reversing transport path for passing and turning over the document sent from the discharge rollers, and second transport rollers for feeding the document that has been turned over through the reversing transport path to the document reading section. The reversing transport path is designed to change the length of the document transport path depending on the size of the document. With the arrangement, reversing operation and scanning operation of the documents can be performed effectively.

Abstract: In a sorting device for sorted storage of recording media, a transport unit (32) receives the recording media (12) and conveys them to a selected storage compartment (16). Transport unit (32) runs on an endless positioning belt (24). In transport unit (32), sheet (12) is seized and gripped by rollers (34, 36). A single motor (26) drives positioning belts (24) of transport unit (32) and a drive belt (42) for their rollers (34, 36).

Abstract: A copier operable in a two-sided copy mode and a combination copy mode. The copier effects both of the two different copy modes without resorting to a plurality of intermediate trays and by allowing a minimum of local contamination due to a toner to occur on copy sheets.

Abstract: A ticket processing system in which a single ticket drive cylinder drives a ticket on a circular ticket guide path past stations for visibly printing and for magnetically encoding or bar encoding the ticket. A passive ticket inverter adjacent the circular ticket guide receives a ticket and guides a first end of the ticket into an inverting space while the drive cylinder rotates the second end of the ticket past the first end and draws the ticket, second end first and inverted, back into the circular ticket guide.

Abstract: Copy sheets are scheduled for being printed and output by an imaging system according to a method in which the scheduling is selectively conducted in one of a first mode where for each set of copy sheets to be pritned, the copy sheets are consecutively output from the copy sheet paper path without any skipped pitches between each consecutively output copy sheet, and a second mode, where for each set of copy sheets to be printed, the copy sheets are output from the copy sheet paper path with skipped pitches between at least some of the consecutively output copy sheets. The second mode of operation results in copy sheets being output from the imaging device at a lower frequency than in the first mode.

Abstract: An invention document feeder is provided with a first sheet path for guiding a document from stacker to below after inversion, a second sheet path branched from the first sheet path in a switchback fashion for guiding the sheet to a process position, and a third sheet path branched from the first sheet path in a switchback fashion for discharging the sheet, discharged from the process position, to a receiver after inversion.

Abstract: An automatic document conveying device for an image processor having a transparent plate disposed on the upper surface of a housing for placement of a document to be processed thereon. The automatic document conveying device comprises a document introduction portion, a main portion and a document delivery portion. The document introduction portion includes an introduction portion frame member, a document table extending upstream from the introduction portion frame member, a document introduction passage extending from the document table to the transparent plate inside the introduction frame member, a document sender for sending the document into the document introduction passage from the document table, and a document introducer for introducing the document onto the transparent plate from the document introduction passage.

Abstract: The present invention is a device to be attached to a copy machine or the like to automatically reverse the original document. The invention is designed to account for misaligned or displaced portions of the copying machine which can result in poor quality reproductions when the original document is reversed for dual side copying. The present invention incorporates an adjustable reversion path to correct for obliquely fed originals.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a transport device for transporting a recording medium comprising an inlet channel formed by a first guide member, a switching channel formed by a second guide member and communicating with said inlet channel, an outlet channel formed by a third guide member and connected to the junction of the inlet channel and said switching channel, transport member located at the upstream of the junction of the inlet channel and the switching channel with respect to a recording medium transport direction for transporting the recording medium through the inlet channel into the switching channel and reverse member located at the junction of the inlet channel, the switching channel and the outlet channel for backwardly transporting the recording medium into the outlet channel as released from the transport member after the recording medium is transported into the switching channel.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus having a sheet re-supplying path. The re-supplying path for supplying a sheet on which the image has been formed by the image forming apparatus back to the image forming apparatus. A rotatable feeding member is disposed in the sheet re-supplying path for pinching and feeding a leading end portion of a previous sheet, a second rotatable feeding member is disposed at an upstream side of the rotatable feeding member and is in the sheet re-supplying path for permitting the entrance of a next sheet in a condition that a trailing portion of the previous sheet is situated in the second rotatable feeding member, and a controller for permitting the second rotatable feeding member to feed the next sheet after the trailing end of the previous sheet fed by the rotatable feeding member has passed through the second rotatable feeding member.

Abstract: A paper feeding mechanism for use in a printer apparatus, etc., includes upper and lower paper cassettes so provided as to be movable, a reverse guide provided below the lower paper cassette and having at least two divided parts, at least one of the divided parts being openable by moving the lowest paper cassette, and another reverse paper guide provided between the lower paper cassette and the upper paper cassette and having at least two parts of which at least one part is openable by moving the lower paper cassette. It is, therefore, possible to minimize an installation area occupied by the printer apparatus. Since the paper cassette is located in a spacing which is prepared against paper jamming, it is possible to make the printer compact as a whole.

Abstract: An automatic document conveying device for an image processor having a transparent plate disposed on the upper surface of a housing for placement of a document to be processed thereon. The automatic document conveying device comprises a document introduction portion, a main portion and a document delivery portion. The document introduction portion includes an introduction portion frame member, a document table extending upstreams from the introduction portion frame member, a document introduction passage extending from the document table to the transparent plate inside the introduction frame member, a document sender for sending the document into the document introduction passage from the document table, and a document introductor for introducing the document onto the transparent plate from passage.

Abstract: An image-forming machine having a conveying passage for conveying a sheet material through a transfer zone, a first and a second feed device for feeding the sheet material to the conveying passage, a first feed passage for conducting the sheet material delivered from the first feed device to the conveying passage, a second feed passage for conducting the sheet material delivered from the second feed device to the conveying passage, and a first and a second opening-closing member for opening and closing the first and second feed passages. Various improvements are made on the first and second opening-closing members.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus having a first image forming unit incorporating an image formation processing device therein, a sheet supply station for feeding a sheet to the first image forming unit, and a sheet ejecting station for ejecting the sheet on which an image is formed by the first image forming unit out of the image forming apparatus. Wherein a second image forming unit having the same function and size as those of the first image forming unit is mounted within the image forming apparatus and a sheet inlet of the second image forming unit is directly connected to the sheet ejecting station.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus having an original feeding plate for retaining a supply of originals, a take-out roller for taking out the originals sheet by sheet, a copying device for forming on sheets an image corresponding to the image information of the original taken out by the take-out roller, a plurality of bins for receiving the sheets having images formed by the copying device, a reversing unit which can selectively reverse the stacking order of the image receiving sheets, and a guide unit which distributes to bins the sheet whose direction of the surface has been converted by the reversing unit.

Abstract: A mechanism for preventing the skew of a cut paper sheet, for use in a duplex printing machine or a paper reversing mechanism having a switchback mechanism for switching the cut sheet backward from its trailing end by reverse rollers and so on immediately after the cut sheet subjected to the printing at a printing portion is once discharged onto a reverse plate by paper discharge rollers and so on, the mechanism comprising: a plurality of paper guides formed on a surface of the reverse plate of the switchback mechanism so as to limit the lateral movement of the cut sheets of several kinds in the direction of the width thereof, the paper guides being arranged in a manner to correspond respectively to the widths of the cut sheets of several kinds to be discharged onto the reverse plate, the distance between each two paper guides for guiding a respective one of the cut sheets being slightly greater than the width of the corresponding cut sheet, and the paper guide for guiding the wider cut sheet being higher tha

Abstract: An automatic document conveying device is provided in an image-processing machine having a transparent plate on which a transparent plate on which to place a document to be processed, the transparent plate having been disposed on the upper surface of a housing. The automatic conveying device is provided with a document delivery re-introduction section which sends a document delivered through a document introduction section and a central main portion selectively to a first document receiving tray, a second document receiving tray and a transparent plate by use of multiple branched sheet passageways. The document delivery re-introduction section is provided with a first branched passage for sending a document into the first document receiving tray, a second branched passage for sending the document into the second document receiving tray, and a re-introduction passage for re-introducing the document into a transparent plate.

Abstract: A sheet feeding system for an image-forming machine includes a main body having a conveying passage therethrough for guiding sheet materials and a hand insertion feed table pivotally attached to the main body for movement between a feed position in which it can be used to feed sheet materials into the conveying passage and a storage position. The sheet feeding system also includes a separate feed unit which, when the table is in its storage position, can be aligned with the main body so that sheet materials can be fed therefrom into the conveying passage. The conveying passage guides sheet materials to either a receiving section, a sorter or back into the introduction opening of the conveying passage so as to form overlapping images.

Abstract: A copying apparatus includes an automatic document feeding apparatus (hereinafter referred to or RADF) for automatically feeding a document onto the platen glass table for copying and for re-feeding the document onto the glass table after the document is reversed. The RADF has an upper roller with a large radius and a lower roller with a small radius. First, second, and third gates are located along the periphery of the upper roller. When feeding the document, the first and second gates define a document path from a document feed tray to the platen glass table. When reversing the document, the first, second, and third gates define a document path for reversing the document and re-feeding the reversed document onto the platen glass table. When ejecting the document, the second and third gates define a document path from the platen glass table onto a surface of the RADF.

Abstract: An automatic printing machine for producing successive duplex prints forms an image on a first side of successive print substrates, transports successive substrates having images on a first side through the machine to form images on the opposite side of the substrate.

Abstract: An automatic printing machine which forms an image on a sheet substrate has a multi-mode sheet output station in the form of a brush decision gate having a bidirectionally rotatable cylindrical fibrous brush to direct sheets upwardly over the top of the brush in a first sheet transport path when rotated in a counter clockwise direction and downwardly under the bottom of the brush in a second sheet transport path when rotated in a clockwise direction, the brush being selectively rotated in a clockwise and counter clockwise direction.

Abstract: A document orientation mechanism is disclosed for reversing the orientation of individual documents delivered from stacks of multiple documents while maintaining a predetermined directional document stream. A predetermined directional stream of documents is fed laterally into the mechanism from an outside source. Inside the mechanism, the documents are removed in a first direction along a first portion of a moving belt, then transferred by a guide to a second portion of the moving belt which is moving in a direction opposite to the first direction, the outer face of the documents being thereby reversed. The documents are then propelled by a third portion of the moving belt out of the laterally disposed mechanism and back into the original predetermined directional document stream.

Abstract: An automatic printing machine for producing successive duplex prints on a print substrate feeds successive print substrates to an image forming machine to form an image on a first side of successive print substrates and has a substrate transport path to transport successive substrates having images on a first side through the image forming machine to form images on the opposite side of the substrate. The substrate transport path includes an inverter to invert each successive substrate, twice about an axis perpendicular to the direction of the transport path, a side shifting inverter to invert successive substrates once about an axis parallel to the transport path direction with the corners of successive substrates entering and exiting the side shifting inverter being overlapped by substrates being transported in the path direction through the inverter. In a preferred embodiment the inverter portion of the duplex path is in a removable cassette which is interchangeable with a print substrate cassette.

Abstract: A paper stacking control device for use in an electrophotographic copier, printer, facsimile apparatus or similar image forming apparatus having a paper transport path for temporarily stacking paper sheets each carrying an image on one surface thereof on an intermediate tray. A paper sheet being transported by belts which face the intermediate tray is retained by the pawls of coactive rotatable disks and then stacked on the intermediate tray while being turned over due to the rotation of the disks. The paper sheet stacked on the intermediate tray is restrained by paper pressers at a portion thereof adjacent to the leading edge or the trailing edge and is thereby prevented from being displaced in the stacked position.

Abstract: An automatic document conveying device to be applied to an image processor with a transparent plate on which to place document to be processed being disposed on the upper surface of a housing. The automatic document conveying device comprises a document table, a document introduction passage extending from the document table to one end edge of the transparent plate, a first document receiving tray, a second document receiving tray and a document delivery passage. The document delivery passage includes a common passage extending from the other end edge of the transparent plate, a first branched passage extending from the downstream end of the common passage to the first document receiving tray, and a second branched passage extending from the downstream end of the common passage to the second document receiving tray.

Abstract: A copying machine with multiple transport functions which contains a main transport route running from a paper feed block through a copy process block to a paper discharge block, an auxiliary transport route running from the paper discharge block through reversed transport section selectively reversing copy paper being transported and an intermediate tray for storing copy paper sheets temporarily, to the paper feed block, and a multiple copy mode selector switch for making the reversed transport section effective or ineffective when copy paper is passed through the auxiliary transport route.

Abstract: A self-contained duplex/simplex feeder module adapted to be used for both top and bottom sheet feeding for simplex and duplex copying includes a pair of feed-in rolls with one of the rolls serving as a feed-out roll when top sheet feeding is required. A static eliminator is also included to enhance the feeding of sheets for duplexing as is a false bottom used for top sheet feeding and normal force device for bottom sheet feeding.

Abstract: An original handling apparatus includes a sheet cassette for storing a bundle of originals, an RDF for feeding each bundle of originals stored in the sheet cassette to an exposure position, discharging the exposed original from the exposure position, and circulating the exposed original to the sheet cassette, an operation panel for setting a desired number of circulation cycles of the bundle of originals stored in the sheet cassette, and a microcomputer (including a CPU) for controlling the RDF to allow it to start a next circulation cycle prior to an end of a current circulation cycle in a plurality of circulation cycles.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder having a recirculating conveying path with a first switchback means between the document hopper and a presentation area interfacing with the scanning exposure region of an optical reading apparatus and a second switchback means between the presentation area and the document hopper, each such switchback means being selectively operable to either invert the surfaces or reverse the leading and trailing edges of the document for presentation at the presentation area, so as to facilitate document handling in the event of jamming and to reduce the size of the feeder. Additionally, the feeder can be used in correspondence with a copying machine having a conveying path with a third switchback means located between a photosensitive drum and an intermediate tray for reversing the leading and trailing edges of the copying paper and a fourth switchback means located between the photosensitive drum and a discharge hopper for inverting the surfaces of the copying paper.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying and discharging originals in a copying machine is provided having a first and a second cassette for originals, a first feed path for feeding originals from the first cassette to the exposure station in a reversed orientation, a second feed path for feeding originals from the second cassette to the exposure station, a turnover path for turning over originals coming from the exposure station and returning them to the exposure station in a reversed orientation, a first discharge path for discharging originals from the exposure station to the first cassette in a reversed orientation and control unit for controlling the transport of the originals and a second discharge path to feed originals from the exposure station to the second cassette. The second feed path as well as the second discharge path are so formed that an original is not reversed in respect of orientation.

Abstract: A reversible auto document feeder having a document feeding mechanism for feeding a document to a document placing position of an image forming apparatus, reversing the document, feeding the reversed document to the document placing position again, and discharging the document is provided with change means for changing to another control mode of controlling the document feeding mechanism so as to feed a document to the document placing position, reversing the document after copying, feeding the reversed document to the document placing position again, and discharging the document after copying in accordance with an ADF signal from the image forming apparatus. Consequently, even if attached to image forming apparatus capable of sending only an ADF signal, RADF operation can be performed in accordance with the ADF signal.

Abstract: A duplex unit has a reversing part for reversing sides of recording sheets and a stack part for successively stacking the reversed recording sheets, where the stacked recording sheets are outputted in a first-in-first-out sequence. This duplex unit is suited for use on an image forming apparatus which records images on both sides of the recording sheets by an electrophotography.

Abstract: A tri-directional inverter for use in machines requiring copy sheet inversion for collated copy set output uses four rollers forming three sheet-feeding nips. All sheets enter the center nip and contact a diverter gate that urges them in either of two directions. The sheets are corrugated by corrugating rollers as they enter a spring loaded inversion channel. The spring and corrugation rollers urge the sheets back out of the inversion channel into engagement with either of the selected other nips formed by the four rollers for feeding back into the machine for further processing.

Abstract: An automatic document conveying device for copying dual-sided originals includes a first conveyance path for conveying documents from a document feeder to a platen through a U-shaped path and a second conveyance path for conveying documents from the platen to the beginning of the U-shaped path to invert the documents. A document edge alignment mechanism aligns the edge of each document conveyed through the first and second conveyance paths with a document edge alignment position on the platen.

Abstract: An automatic original feeding apparatus comprises a feeding unit for feeding an original to an original table, and a main unit for setting the original in a predetermined position on the original table and discharging the original from the table. The main unit includes first and second conveyor belts disposed along the direction of sheet transportation and capable of transporting the sheet independently and reversely. A turning mechanism for turning over the sheet is disposed between the first and second conveyor belts.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder (ADF) used with an image processing apparatus, such as copier, has an original table for stacking thereon a plurality of originals to be scanned. A first and second receiving trays are each provided for receiving therein the originals. A first conveying mechanism is provided for conveying the originals from the feeding tray to an original supporting station of the ADF in order from the uppermost original and is able to reverse each of the originals upside down while conveying the same. A second conveying mechanism is provided for conveying a single-sided original from the station to the first receiving tray, without reversing the original upside down, after the scanning of one side of the original has been completed. A third conveying mechanism is provided for removing a double-sided original from the station and then returning the original to the station, while reversing the original upside down, after the scanning of one side of the original has been completed.

Abstract: An automatic document conveyer for respectively conveying documents to a position for copying by a copy machine. The document conveyer has a document holder where the documents are set to be conveyed a first document conveyer which conveys the bottom document into a second document conveyer. The second document conveyer has pressure rollers which provides a flat area along with a conveyance belt to hold the conveyed document at a predetermined position beyond the first pressure roller of the pressure rollers so that the conveyed document of a different size is under the pressure of the second conveyer. The document conveyer also has a document turn-over mechanism to which the conveyed document is conveyed by the second document conveyer in the reversible direction in order to be turned over without a copying process, and the conveyed document is turned back to the predetermined position and further to the position for copying.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes several image forming units which are vertically arranged, paper connecting units which connect the paper discharging section of one image forming unit and the paper feeding section of another image forming unit where the two units are vertically adjacent, and a paper separating mechanism to switch the employed paper conveying path from one path to another. Such a structure requires floor space only as much as that required for one image forming unit, and yet provides various functions, e.g. double-sided printing, mulitple copying on one side of a paper with different originials, high-speed printing, multi-colored printing, printed side up discharging, printed side down discharging, job stocking, and sorting. The invention results in a compact and inexpensive image forming apparatus with various high quality fuctions.

Abstract: A system and method of automatic signature printing for a copier, in which a job set of plural conventional non-signature document sheets in a normal collated page order are reordered into a signature printing page order, placed into the document loading tray of a recirculating document handler (RDH), and presented to the imaging station of the copier by the RDH, for producing plural image signature copy sheets from the copier suitable for folding and assembling into signature set booklets of proper page order; wherein the job set is initially as one stack in an automatic job loading system but with a specified approximately one-half of the document sheets being loaded in a face up orientation, and the others being loaded in a face down orientation.

Abstract: In a device for conveying sheets wherein two conveying paths intersect, a moveable guide member is provided at the intersection such that in a first position it connects both parts of the first conveyor path while at the same time it disconnects both parts of the second conveyor path and in a second position has the reverse function on the first and second conveyor paths. Preferably, while the guide member is in the first position, a sheet can be conveyed form one part of the second conveyor path to one part of the first conveyor path via a third conveyor path which does not pass through the intersection. Similarly, while the guide member is in the second position, a sheet can also be conveyed from one part of the first conveyor path to one part of the second conveyor path via the third conveyor path.

Abstract: The printer switchable between simplex and duplex mode of operation on a page by page basis makes use of a single simplex print engine. Duplex printing is accomplished by the reinsertion of a simplex printed page into the input of the print engine in a flipped mode so the other side of the printed page can be printed by the print engine. This printer also includes apparatus that dynamically switches the operation of the printer from duplex to simplex mode of operation when the printing commands input from the associated processor indicates that the other side of a simplex printed page is a blank page. This enables the print engine to eject the simplex printed page directly to the output paper bin without having to cycle this simplex printed page back through the print engine even though there are no characters to be printed thereon.

Abstract: An original paper turning over and conveying out apparatus which comprises: an original paper processing portion for processing an original paper; an original paper stacking portion for stacking original papers; a first conveyor route; a discharge roller disposed at an outlet of the first conveyor route; a second conveyor route; a fixed pressing member; and a movable pressing member. The first conveyor route interconnects the processing portion and the stacking portion and able to convey the original paper in a forward direction from the processing portion to the stacking portion and vice versa in a backward direction. The second conveyor route diverges from the first conveyor route so that the original paper conveyed backward through the first conveyor route is guided to the second conveyor route and conveyed to the stacking portion. The original paper is discharged into the stacking portion in a state of being turned over through the discharge roller.

Abstract: A recycling automatic document feeder usable with an electronic copier and others includes a reversing section for feeding a document to a glass platen of the copier while turning it over. The document feeder adapts itself to a single-face and a double-face copy mode as well as to a document through type and an optical scan type exposing system.

Abstract: A document feeding apparatus wherein a document is separated one by one and fed onto a platen glass and subjected to exposure the outside of the document to light, and thereafter the surface of the document is reversed by a reversible rotational mechanism and again moved onto the platen glass to expose the inside of the document.

Abstract: A system for printing collated sets of duplex copy sheets from a multipage job set of electronically re-orderable page images sent electronically to the printer in ascending serial page order (preferably for a printer having a trayless duplexing buffer loop path for recirculating a small number of copy sheets imaged on one side back to be imaged on their opposite sides), by sequentially electronically dividing the multipage job set into batches as the page images are being received, with consecutive batches containing page images in ascending serial page order, with each batch containing a small number of page images approximately twice the copy sheet length of the trayless duplexing path, and reordering the page images within each batch for collated duplex printing utilizing the duplexing buffer loop, and printing the copy sheets one batch at a time, printing the first sides of one batch of copy sheets with alternate pages of one page image batch and then printing the other sides with the remaining page imag

Abstract: In a document handler in which simplex or duplex document sheets are fed from a document tray overlying the copier platen of a copier to one side of the platen, with a single inversion and a document side edge registration and deskewing system in the simplex path; a unidirectional, continous loop, but non-circular duplex document inversion path integral with and partially in common with the simplex path is provided at the same side of the platen. This duplex path has first and second inverting path segments separate from the simplex path, and a third path segment utilizing the simplex path.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder in an electrophotographic copying machine for making copies of both sides of a document comprises a passageway for a document to pass through, a driving roller adapted to rotate in both normal and reverse directions and a rotatable drum. A document which has been fed is transported through the passageway by the roller rotating in the normal direction and is wrapped around the drum to reach a scanning position. After the scanning for copying operation, the document is led into the same passageway by revese rotation of the driving roller but the document is then in an upside down position such that when the roller is operated in the normal direction again, the document is wrapped around the drum with its backside exposed to the scanning light. Thus, both sides of a document can be scanned automatically.