Abstract: A double-side automatic feeding apparatus comprises a paper feeder, a first paper holder, a second paper holder, a document traveling path and a paper flipping unit. The paper feeder, the first paper holder and the second paper holder are arranged apart in longitudinal direction. The document traveling path is of E shape and connected to the paper feeder, the first paper holder and the second paper holder. The document traveling path is provided with a plurality of rollers to move a document from the paper feeder to one of the first paper holder and the second paper holder. The paper flipping unit is arranged in the document traveling path and can be trigger to flip the document during the document traveling path. By the double-side automatic feeding apparatus, a document can be selectively printed or scanned on single- or double-side thereof at user's disposal.

Abstract: A double-side automatic feeding apparatus comprises a paper feeder, a paper outlet opposite to the paper feeder, a scanning region having a document traveling path bridging the paper feeder and the paper outlet, a plurality of rollers being arranged in the scanning region to convey a document to be scanned from the paper feeder to the paper outlet, and a paper flipping unit arranged in the document traveling path. The paper flipping unit can be selectively switched position thereof and used to flip the document during the document traveling path. By the invention, the document can be scanned on both sides thereof without cumbersome reverse movement. The document can be automatically aligned by the weight per se and the operations of paper placement and removal can be simplified.

Abstract: A sheet supply apparatus supplies a sheet to an image forming apparatus. The sheet supply apparatus includes a sheet loading device for loading the sheet, a sheet stacking device for stacking the sheet to be loaded on the sheet loading device, a sheet feeding device provided at a front end of the sheet loading device in a sheet supplying direction for feeding the sheet loaded on the sheet loading device, a sheet carrying device provided at a rear end of the sheet loading device in the sheet supplying direction for carrying the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking device into the sheet loading device, a sheet detecting device for detecting whether an image is formed on at least one side of the sheet loaded on the sheet loading device, and a supporting device for supporting the sheet loading device to be extractable from the apparatus.

Abstract: In a printing apparatus capable of producing duplex, or two-sided, prints, print sheets which have received a first-side image move to an inverter and a duplex loop which re-feeds the sheet to receive the second-side image. The sheets move through the duplex loop at different speed than through the main path where images are placed. A control system controls the time in which a change in speed of a sheet in the duplex loop is initiated. The control system takes into account a desired amount of buckle experienced by the sheet, which is useful in de-skewing the sheet before receiving an image.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image formation apparatus to which a postprocess unit requiring a discharge condition that a transfer member of which image formation face is being turned downward is discharged and a binding position at a time of binding the member at its trailing edge is being at the left of the image formation face can be installed. On a platen glass, an original is carried in such a state as its read face is opposite to an upper face of the glass, and an image on the read face of the original is read by a scanner supported at a running read position when the original passes the running read position. Then, through a mirror image process, it is formed on an image formation face (upper face) of a sheet the read image of whcih direction is the same as that of the set original. When the image-formed sheet is discharged externally by the reverse sheet discharge control, the sheet is discharged in such a state as its face is being turned downward.

Abstract: A flexible sheet handling apparatus comprising an input section for receiving the flexible sheet, a reversion section for rotating the flexible sheet about an axis of motion and an output section for transferring the rotated flexible sheet to a sheet processing system.

Abstract: A fixing device comprises an upper heat roller and a lower heat roller which, by contact rotations of their roller surfaces, thermally fix images on cut sheets passing therebetween. The fixing device further comprises a single oil roller which supplies oil for cut sheet release to the upper and lower heat rollers. When conveying to a process unit a cut sheet B1 to be back-side printed which has been delivered via a circulation path, a conveyance control unit forms a conveyance spacing L2 from a precedent cut sheet A5, which spacing conforms to one turn or more of the lower heat roller, so as to ensure uniform application of oil from the upper heat roller to the lower heat roller during the cut sheet vacant interval.

Abstract: A method and device for identifying small stacks of currency bills within a large stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device. A stack of currency bills to be processed is received in an input receptacle and the bills are transported from the input receptacle, one at a time, past an evaluating unit to at least one output receptacle. The evaluating unit determines the face orientation of each of the bills. Next it is determined whether the face orientation of each of the bills matches a target orientation. If the face orientation of a bill matches the target orientation, the face orientation of that bill is maintained. If the face orientation of a bill fails to match the target orientation, the face orientation of that bills is reversed with a bill facing mechanism. Each of the bills are then stacked in the output receptacle. After a predetermined number of bills having a common face orientation are stacked in the output receptacle, the target face orientation is redefined.

Abstract: A printer for printing on both sides of a document includes first printing document guides, through which a document is driven for printing on a first side of the document, second printing document guides, through which the document is driven for printing on a second side of the document, and transfer document guides, into which the document is driven between motions within the first and second printing document guides, with a deflector determining the printing document guide into which a document is driven from the transfer document guides. A print head is pivotally mounted between the printing document guides, being pivoted between a position adjacent the first printing document guides and a position adjacent the second printing document guides.

Abstract: In a recording apparatus of the present invention, a both-side path is formed not to overlap with an area of a one-side path. Recording paper is inverted at a location of the both-side path, and then is returned to the one-side path. The both-side path is provided with paper removing mechanisms in respective areas corresponding to a bottom, top and rear of an housing. Thereby the removing mechanism of the both-side path does not superimpose with the one-side path.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus having an electrophotographic image forming means for fixing a toner image formed on a sheet to the sheet by heating the toner image, wherein an interval between the sheets when the sheets are continuously sent to the image forming means to form images on both surfaces of plural sheets is selected to become smaller than an interval between the sheets when the sheets are continuously sent to the image forming means to form images on one surfaces of the plural sheets.

Abstract: A paper return device detachably fitted to an image forming apparatus having a paper feeding port for feeding paper from outside the image forming apparatus, a paper transport mechanism for transporting the paper from the paper feeding port to an image forming unit and a paper output port from which the paper carrying an image formed by the image forming unit is ejected to the outside of the image forming apparatus. The paper return device includes a paper return guideway which connects the paper output port of the image forming apparatus to its paper feeding port when the paper return device is fitted to the image forming apparatus, whereby the paper ejected from the paper output port is fed back to the paper feeding port through the paper return guideway.

Abstract: A method for supplying envelopes to an inserter system, including the steps of providing an envelope supply structure having an exit point, providing at least first and second supply paths from the exit point of the envelope supply structure and providing a common path from the at least first and second supply paths. Individual envelopes are fed from the envelope supply structure to a selected one of the at least first and second supply paths wherein the envelope is conveyed to a holding area in the selected supply path and from the holding area of the selected supply path it is conveyed to the common path. The envelope then travels from the common path to an envelope insertion area wherein prearranged documents are caused to be inserted into the envelope.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of processing sheet media such as document sheets to be duplex scanned or media sheets on which two sided printing is to take place involves the controlled rotation of a transport roller assembly positioned in the media path in different directions such that moving media sheets engage a crenellated surface of the transport roller assembly which moves the leading edge of the moving sheet toward one or the other of two nips defined between the transport roller assembly and associated upper and lower pinch rollers or guides. The crenellated surface of the transport roller assembly includes grooves or spaces which extend in the direction of the leading edge of the sheet so that the leading edge of the sheet enters a moving groove to thus move the leading edge of the sheet in the desired direction. The direction of rotation of the transport roller assembly can be reversed before the sheet leaves the nip to thus re-route the sheet back in a desired path for further sheet processing.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which discharged sheets can be easily distinguished, and which has a reduced number of parts and can be economically produced. The apparatus has: a discharge tray unit which receives a sheet on which an image is formed; a fifth conveying path which guides a sheet from an image forming section to the discharge tray unit so as to place the sheet on the discharge tray unit with downward directing the image forming face; a first conveying path which guides the sheet from the image forming section to the discharge tray unit so as to place the sheet on the discharge tray unit with reversing the sheet to a direction opposite to the direction of the image forming face; and switching means for switching over the fifth conveying path and the first conveying path.

Abstract: A paper reversing apparatus of a printer includes a printing medium exhaust path which is connected between an outlet of a printing unit and an outside of a printer main body to guide exhaustion of a printing medium. A guide unit selectively guides a leading edge of the printing medium passing the printing unit to enter one of the printing medium exhaust path or a reversing path, which is branched from the printing medium exhaust path. The printing medium exhausted to the reversing path is reversed and re-supplied to an inlet side of the printing unit. A paper resupply unit is installed between an inlet of the entrance path and an outlet of the reversing path, and is capable of pivoting. Paper detection sensors are installed at the inlet of the entrance path for detecting a type of printing medium entering the entrance path.

Abstract: A sheet conveyed into a sheet discharge processing device is conveyed through a straight convey path by first convey rollers and then is discharged onto a first discharge tray by second convey rollers and first discharge rollers. Second discharge rollers are arranged on a reverse convey path. A second discharge tray and a fan for applying an external force to the rear surface of a sheet are placed below the reverse convey path. When the trailing end of a sheet is detected by a second detection sensor, the fan is driven for a predetermined period of time to blow air against the rear surface of the discharged sheet. When sheets conveyed into the sheet discharge processing device are guided to a post-processing convey path by the first convey rollers so as to be subjected to post-processing, and are sequentially conveyed to a sheet stored section by convey rollers from the last or start page, the sheets are guided along one of guide plates constituting the sheet storing section to be aligned.

Abstract: An image information print system has a reception task for receiving data containing print information input from a host computer, a job language interpretation task for interpreting the data, a print data analysis task for converting the format of the print information to prepare intermediate print information, memory means for storing the data and the intermediate print information, and a print management task for issuing a print execution instruction based on print specifications of print information contained in the data according to interpretation of the job language interpretation task and converting the intermediate print information into bit image data and executing print based on the print execution instruction.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for reversing a paper in a printer so as to allow printing of both sides of the paper by a printing unit. A resupplying member feeds unprinted paper to a paper feeding guide coupled to a printing unit and reversing guide. The reversing guide reverses the printed paper and outputs the paper. The resupplying member resupplies the paper having one side printed thereon into the paper feeding guide for printing of the opposite side of the paper.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a plurality of parallel mounted sheet conveying paths including at least two guide plates swingable between a sheet guiding position in which the plates guide a sheet, and a jammed sheet removing position in which the sheet conveying path is opened. The image forming apparatus further includes an opening and shutting mechanism for moving the swingable guide plates between the sheet guiding position and the jammed sheet removing position.

Abstract: A sheet conveyed into a sheet discharge processing device is conveyed through a straight convey path by first convey rollers and then is discharged onto a first discharge tray by second convey rollers and first discharge rollers. Second discharge rollers are arranged on a reverse convey path. A second discharge tray and a fan for applying an external force to the rear surface of a sheet are placed below the reverse convey path. When the trailing end of a sheet is detected by a second detection sensor, the fan is driven for a predetermined period of time to blow air against the rear surface of the discharged sheet. When sheets conveyed into the sheet discharge processing device are guided to a post-processing convey path by the first convey rollers so as to be subjected to post-processing, and are sequentially conveyed to a sheet storing section by convey rollers from the last or start page, the sheets are guided along one of guide plates constituting the sheet storing section to be aligned.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for feeding fabric workpieces one at a time from the top of a stack of like workpieces having a first rough side and a second smooth side, the workpieces being stacked with alternating sides up. A computer controlled picker is used to separate the top workpiece from the remaining workpieces in the stack, and for depositing the workpiece on a downstream conveyor. An ultrasonic face detector is mounted above the first conveyor for determining whether the side of the workpiece facing the face detector--the top surface--is relatively rough or relatively smooth. A pivoting feeder/inverter is provided at the end of the first conveyor. If the workpiece has the desired side up for subsequent sewing operations, the inverter/conveyor is placed in a first position so that the workpiece is directed into a sandwich belt type conveyor which will not change the orientation of the workpiece.

Abstract: A paper-reversing device includes: a driving roller that rotates in one direction; a plurality of driven rollers that are installed around the driving roller while being kept in contact with the driving roller, and that revolve around the driving roller while rotating on their respective axes following the rotation of the driving roller. There is a paper-sending roller that rotates without contacting the driving roller; a roller supporting plate for supporting the driving roller and the driven rollers; a paper-feeding guide section; a paper-reversing guide section; and a solenoid. Paper, which has been fed to the paper-feeding guide section, is sent to the paper-reversing guide section by being sandwiched between the driving roller and one of the driven rollers. Thereafter, the driven roller is separated from the driving roller and is pressed against the paper-sending roller by the revolution.

Abstract: A feeding/discharging device designed for an image forming apparatus includes an inner tray and an outer tray which also serves as a feed tray, for receiving sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus. In the main body of the image forming apparatus, a transportation system is formed above a feed cassette, and an inner tray is provided in a sheet discharge section formed above the transportation system. The outer tray is mounted to an external section of the main body so as to be freely rotatable. The outer tray is formed at a different level from the inner tray, and there is a gap defined betwen the inner tray and the outer tray. The outer tray is positioned below the inner tray, and in such a manner that the outer tray is positioned below the inner tray at the gap between the inner tray and the outer tray, thereby forming an opening in the gap, which leads to a transportation roller of the transportation system.

Abstract: A triple-roller device having paper-feeding and sending driven rollers, a paper-feeding guide section and a paper-reversing guide section are provided on both sides of a driving roller that rotates in one direction. The paper-reversing guide section has an upper guide section that corresponds to an upper portion from a mid-point of its curved section, and the upper guide section is driven by a solenoid, and allowed to shift. The upper guide section is allowed to shift to a position at which its end on the paper-feeding and sending side is placed between the driving roller and the paper-feeding driven roller, as well as to a position at which it is placed between the driving roller and the paper-sending driven roller. A sheet of paper, which has entered the paper-reversing guide section, is held by a paper-holding roller device. It is possible to provide a shorter paper interval with respect to the paper-sending operation from the paper-reversing guide section.

Abstract: An operation/display panel is attached to an outer surface in front of a printer body, and a duplex unit is detachably attached between the operation panel and the outer surface of the printer body. The duplex unit functions to return the copy paper ejected from an ejecting outlet and having an image on one side thereof toward a paper feeding inlet of the printer body to provide two-sided copying/printing. The operation panel includes operating switches and/or a display, and is slidably mounted such that a space is provided between the operation panel and the printer body, and the duplex unit can then be inserted into the space when two-sided printing/copy is desired.

Abstract: A document handling device overturns a document having a first side, a second side lying opposite the first side, a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a relatively long lengthwise dimension between the leading and trailing edges. The device comprises a housing unit including a reference surface defining at least in part an opening through which the document is fed into a document path defined within the housing unit. A transport unit receives the document which has been fed through the opening with the first side of the document facing the reference surface of the housing unit. The transport unit overturns the received document and feeds the overturned document back through the opening with the second side of the document facing the reference surface of the housing unit. The units define an accumulating space into which the document can bulge while the document is being overturned.

Abstract: The sheet discharge apparatus includes a first sheet discharge path for discharging a sheet and a second sheet discharge path for discharging the sheet. The apparatus further includes a sheet stacking tray on which the sheets discharged through the second sheet discharge path and which is pivotally mounted on a body of the apparatus, a reverse rotation guide rotatably supported by the sheet stacking tray and forming a part of the first sheet discharge path, and a holder for holding the reverse rotation guide in a position where the reverse rotation guide forms a part of the first sheet discharge path in a condition that the sheet stacking tray is closed with respect to the body of the apparatus and for releasing the reverse rotation guide to permit the reverse rotation guide to thereby retard to a retard position where the reverse rotation guide is retarded from a stacking surface of the sheet stacking tray not to prevent the sheet from being directed in the sheet stacking tray.

Abstract: An automatic two-sided recording apparatus having an image forming station to form an image on a recording sheet and a sheet feeder to feed the recording sheets onto the station, includes an intermediate stacker having an inlet through which a recording sheet whose one side has been subjected to recording is stacked thereon by a switchback member provided adjacent to the inlet. The inlet is used also an outlet through which the recording sheet is fed out for recording on the other side thereof by the switchback member through a conveyor. The apparatus further includes a controller that switches between a stackless mode in which the switchback member feeds in the recording sheets the stacker and feeds out onto the station without stacking in the stacker, and a stack mode in which the switchback member feeds in and feeds out from the stacker onto the station after stacking in the stacker.

Abstract: A full productivity, high performance inverter apparatus includes a sheet input nip, a sheet output nip, a reversing roll nip downstream of the input and output nips, and adjustable interleaving baffles for guiding sheets of a wide variety of lengths between the input nip, output nip, and the reversing nip.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a sheet material conveyor includes an image forming unit, a sheet material conveyor on which an image is formed by the image forming unit, a conveying path situated at a downstream side of the conveyor for guiding the sheet material which may be upwardly curved, a paper discharging tray for supporting the sheet material guided through the conveying path, discharging rollers situated at an exit side of the conveying path which can switch between a forward rotation for discharging the sheet material onto the paper discharging tray and a reverse rotation for returning the sheet material in a direction opposite to the direction of discharge, and a reconveying path for accepting the sheet material returned on the conveying path by the reverse rotation of the discharging rollers and for guiding again the sheet material to the image forming unit.

Abstract: An inverter for turning a sheet over and reversing the lead and trail edges of the sheet includes a disc stacker that works in conjunction with a vacuum transport. A sheet transported from a source is captured lead edge first by fingers or in a slot of the disc stacker which is rotating in a first direction. A vacuum transport is positioned adjacent the disc stacker and draws the sheet away from the disc stacker at a predetermined point and transports the sheet in a second direction opposite to the first direction trail edge first for further processing.

Abstract: A paper inverter system includes a clutch driven inverter nip for maintaining a positive bi-directional contact with the sheet. The apparatus includes a pair of opposing rollers defining a nip therebetween and a shaft connected to at least one of the pair of opposing rollers. A spring is held stationary on a first end and is connected to the shaft on the other end for resisting the rotation of the shaft with a spring force. The clutch responsive to a control signal, selectively couples the shaft to a drive system against the spring force in a first rotational direction and decouples the shaft from the drive system for rotation in a second and opposite direction with the spring force. In another embodiment a clutch operates a planetary gear system to be bi-directionally control the nip.

Abstract: Positions of mobile guiding plates 54 and 62 are changed over by manipulation, by operation of a panel of a controller or by a signal from a sensor for detecting a stiffness of an original. When the mobile guiding plates 54 and 62 are rotated to locations for guiding the original towards the front of the scanner proper 2 or the back of an original carrying passage of the scanner proper 2, the original carried to the back of the scanner proper 2 runs onto the mobile guiding plates 54 and 62, and makes a U-turn by being guided and discharged to the front of the scanner proper 2. When the mobile guiding plates 54 and 62 are rotated from the guiding position to another position, the original which is carried to the back of the scanner proper 2 is discharged as it is to the back of the scanner proper 2 without changing direction.

Abstract: In a printing system capable of printing and outputting collated sets of plural duplex copy sheets from input job sets of plural page images using a trayless duplexing buffer loop path of a known normal plural copy sheet length for recirculating the copy sheets imaged on one side back to be imaged on their opposite sides; operating in a continuous loop burst-interleave mode, using a variable speed duplex drive, for driving at least a major portion of the duplexing path sheet feeders at at least two different sheet feeding speeds so as to initially feed a limited number of the sheets to be printed on one side, less than the duplexing path length, at full rate without skips, to the duplexing path to be selectively partially fed therein at substantially higher than normal velocities, and to variably selectively reduce the velocity of the duplexing path with the initial sheets therein, to generate sheet interleaving spaces between these duplexing path sheets, so that they may be interleaved for their second side

Abstract: A copier includes reporting means and suppressing means for suppressing a report by the reporting means. Assume a case wherein the number of paper sheets accommodatable in an intermediate tray changes if the document laid on the glass platen is changed in position. Then, the suppressing means suppresses the report by the reporting means. When the desired number of copies is greater than the number accomodatable in the intermediate tray, the copier interrupts and prompts the operator to decide whether or not to produce a smaller number of copies. Specifically, the copier displays the number of sheets which can be received in the intermediate tray and urges the operator to press a start key again if he agrees to the smaller number of copies.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a paper pressing mechanism which performs feeding of curling sheets with a simple and compact structure. In order to realize the object, the paper pressing mechanism comprises a driving shaft 19; a paper pressing roller 15; a paper pressing arm 11 provided at both ends thereof with paper pressing portions 12, 13; and a supporting arm 17, axially supported in a rotatable manner at its one end by the driving shaft 19, and holding at the other free end the paper pressing roller 15 and the supporting arm 17 in a rotatable manner; and is characterized in that the supporting arm 17 is driven by the driving shaft 19 between a retracted position in which the mechanism is kept away from sheets of paper on a sheet table and a pressing position in which the sheets are pressed by both the paper pressing roller 15 and paper pressing portions 12,13 at the ends of the paper pressing arm 11.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus disposed in a printer for turning over printed papers, which is capable of guiding printed papers to move toward a first paper receiving tray or a second paper receiving tray so as to pile the printed papers thereon with face down or face up. The apparatus includes a shaft disposed within the printer which is capable of being pivotally rotated around its longitudinal axis; a guiding means fixed on the shaft, having a first guide surface for guiding printed papers to move toward the first paper receiving tray and a second guide surface for guiding printed papers to move toward the second paper receiving tray, the first and second guide surfaces are disposed in such a way that only one of the first and second guide surfaces, in one time, is guided to face printed papers when the shaft is pivotally rotated around its longitudinal axis; and a crank capable of being urged by the first paper receiving tray.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder (ADF) for use with an image forming apparatus and freeing the operator from extra work associated with documents discharged after illumination. When the operator intentionally stacks the first page to the last page of documents in this order and sets them on an ADF table face down due to a copy discharge mode which requires the ADF to discharge the last page to the first page in this order face up, the ADF reverses the documents before discharging them. Hence, despite that the ADF discharges the documents from the last page to the first page, it successfully stacks the documents in order of page by turning them over.

Abstract: A plural mode system of transporting sheets in an output path of a copier or printer to a sheet stacking area, with selectable sheet inversion provided by opposing first and second sheet feeding rollers forming a sheet transporting nip engaging the leading edge of a sheet, by a relative orbital motion of the opposing rollers to progressively pivot the nip and thereby change the angular direction of motion of the leading edge of the sheet. A selection between faceup and facedown stacking of the sheets is provided by selectable orbital motion of the nip. The sheet is inverted for stacking by orbital motions pivoting the nip by greater than 90 degrees with the sheet's leading edge held in the nip, so that subsequently the leading edge of the sheet is moving in a direction substantially different from the direction of motion of the leading edge when the leading edge first entered the nip.

Abstract: A single tray serves both as an intermediate tray, for temporarily stacking paper sheets between copying operations thereon when such paper sheets are copies plural times, and as a paper discharging tray for stacking paper sheets subjected to final copying. The tray is arranged on the upstream side of a paper resupplying device. The tray includes a first paper stacking portion and a second paper stacking portion separable from each other. A paper discharging device is provided with a branching guide arranged at an upstream side of a paper discharging location for branching a paper sheet of maximum size on which an image has been formed toward the tray and positioned so that a leading end of the paper sheet when housed in the tray will not reach a paper resupplying roller of the paper resupplying device.

Abstract: In a system of transporting sheets in an output path of a copier or printer to a sheet stacking area with opposing first and second sheet feeding rollers forming a sheet transporting nip engaging the leading edge of a sheet, while producing a relative orbital motion of the opposing rollers to progressively pivot the nip and thereby change the angular direction of motion of the leading edge of the sheet, plural mode selectable operation of this pivotal motion is provided. There is a selection between faceup and facedown stacking of the sheets by one selectable orbital motion of the nip. This selected orbital motion pivots the nip by greater than 90 degrees with the sheet's leading edge held in the nip, so that subsequently, the leading edge of the sheet is moving in a direction substantially different from the direction of motion of the leading edge when the leading edge first entered the nip, and the sheet is inverted.

Abstract: The invention includes a sheet feeding apparatus having a sheet pocket with a first end and a second end, rollers spaced a predetermined distance from the first end and including a plurality of sheet-feeder nips, one of the nips being an inlet nip for directing a sheet into the first end of the sheet pocket, and at least one other of the nips being an exit nip for directing a sheet out of the first end of the sheet pocket, and bypass rollers for selectively permitting a sheet to exit the sheet pocket via the second end thereof.

Abstract: An automatic document conveying device for an image-processing machine including a housing having on its upper surface a transparent plate on which to place a document to be processed. This device comprises an opening-closing frame member mounted on the housing so that it is free to pivot about a pivot axis extending along the rear edge of the transparent plate between a closed position at which it covers the transparent plate and an open position at which it exposes the transparent plate to view; a stationary frame member to be mounted on the housing adjacent to the upstream end of the transparent plate; a document table disposed on the stationary frame member; a document sending unit for sending a plurality of sheet-like documents placed on the document table to a document carrying-in passage one by one; and a document carrying-in unit for introducing the sheet-like documents sent to the document carrying-in passage toward the transparent plate.

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: A high-speed sheet inverter mechanism includes a sheet confinement chamber suitable for confining a first sheet and a second sheet at the same time, and three roll assemblies for feeding sheets into, and discharging sheets from, the chamber. The sheet inverter device further includes a simultaneous sheet handling approach angle of about 48.degree. at which a sheet entering the mechanism contacts a sheet exiting the mechanism.

Abstract: A paper ejecting device for ejecting a recording cut sheet cut of a recording apparatus is disclosed. The paper ejecting device includes an ejector for ejecting the recording cut sheet through an outlet which is provided at a portion of the recording apparatus, a tray disposed adjacent to the ejector for receiving and recording cut sheet which has been ejected through the outlet by the ejector, and a sheet reversing member operable between a first position for guiding and reversing the recording cut sheet ejected through the outlet before the sheet falls onto the tray, and a second position for permitting the recording cut sheet ejected through the outlet to be received on the tray, without a reversal of the cut sheet.

Abstract: In a method of controlling copying-paper feed in an image forming apparatus having a recycling original feeder for feeding a sheet of an original mounted on a tray to an original reading portion, a paper supply unit for starting a paper supply operation of a sheet material, and a duplex unit with an intermediate tray, the steps of detecting a paper jam in the recycling original feeder, determining whether the paper supply unit has started its paper supply operation and then transmitting the sheet material to the sheet receiving member for temporarily storing the sheet material. After jam removal, the sheet material may then be routed to an image formation position.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding originals from a stack thereof provided in a cassette to an exposure platen within an exposure zone of a copying machine and returning the originals from the exposure zone to the stack, either via a discharge path extending from a feed side of the exposure platen to the stack for returning simplex originals without reversal, via discharge path extending from the discharge side of the exposure platen to the stack for directly returning duplex originals to the stack with reversal, or via a reversing path which combines both of these two discharge paths for returning duplex originals to the exposure platen with reversal and then to the stack. The reversing path includes a reversible conveyor member disposed at a common portion of the two discharge paths just before the stack of originals in the copy machine cassette.

Abstract: A duplex printing apparatus includes a first conveyance device for supplying recording paper from a first paper supply tray to a printing device; a second conveyance device for supplying the recording paper from a second paper supply tray to the printing device; a third conveyance device for conveying the recording paper printed by the printing device to a paper receiving tray; a fourth conveyance device for conveying the recording paper to the second paper supply tray; a paper switching device disposed at the third conveyance device and operable to selectively send the recording paper printed by the printing device to the second paper receiving tray or to the fourth conveyance device; and a driving mechanism for the second paper supply tray which is operable to move the second paper supply tray to one position for receiving the recording paper from the fourth conveyance device and to another position in which the second paper supply tray supplies the recording paper to the printing device.