Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet feed stacker and a transport belt disposed along a platen substantially horizontally; a discharge stacker disposed above the sheet feed stacker; and a light-shielding cover member provided between the platen and the sheet feed stacker for blocking light from the platen. The entire device is arranged above the platen, and it is easy to mount and dismount the device relative to the platen. An original is transported from the sheet feed stacker and to the discharge stacker along the platen with little damage.

Abstract: An ink jet printer has two first driven rollers (A) disposed at a most upstream position in a secondary scanning direction, two first driven rollers (B) disposed at an intermediate position in the secondary scanning direction, and a single first driven roller (C) disposed at a most downstream position in the secondary scanning direction. The pressing force on a trailing edge of the recording sheet (10) is dividedly released in three steps sequentially and, accordingly, the nipping force and feeding force working on the recording sheet (10) also vary stepwise. Load fluctuations that occur at the moment the trailing edge of the recording sheet (10) is released from the nipping force of the first transport roller (4) also vary stepwise, whereby it is not possible that the feed precision is disturbed in a moment.

Abstract: A document reading apparatus includes a feeding roller for feeding a document, a reading unit for reading images of the document fed by the feeding roller and a substantially U-shaped document transfer path for guiding the document fed the feeding roller. The substantially U-shaped document transfer path is constituted by an internal guide and an external guide. The external guide is separated from the internal guide by rotating the external guide. The internal guide is rotatably disposed and supports the reading means. A reading transfer path in which the reading unit is arranged is opened by rotating the internal guide.

Abstract: An original document reading apparatus includes a plurality of point light source elements (e.g. a LED array) in a main scanning direction beneath an original document table, a moving device that moves the point light source elements in a sub scanning direction, and a photo acceptance unit that accepts light reflected from the original document and determines a size of the original document based upon a reaction of a pixel to the light. The plurality of point light source elements are divided into a plurality of blocks to be turned on and off in successive turns per a block starting from a block corresponding to an original document minimum size to a block corresponding to an original document maximum size.

Abstract: The image copying apparatus of the present invention comprises a document drawing-in port for drawing an original document before reading operation in and a document discharging port for discharging the original document after reading operation, and copies images of the original document on a medium. The image copying apparatus further comprises trays more than two which are movable upward and downward within a range covering a document feeding position to the document drawing-in port, a receiving position from the document discharging port, and a bottom region located further lower than the lower of these positions. At least one of the trays moves to a position within the bottom region, a tray on which an original document is placed moves to a document feeding position, and another tray moves to a document receiving position.

Abstract: A sheet post-treating apparatus is provided with a discharged sheet stacking tray displaceably provided in a casing portion for stacking thereon sheets discharged from the casing portion, and a holding portion for holding the discharged sheet stacking tray in a first position and a second position overlying the first position, and is designed such that the sheets are stacked on the discharged sheet stacking tray when in the first position, and therefore, when the sheet post-treating apparatus is incorporated into a printer and a cartridge in the printer is to be interchanged with a cartridge cover opened, a user can retract the discharged sheet stacking tray to the second position to thereby interchange the cartridge.

Abstract: Parallel printing systems and methods incorporate inverter assemblies for not only inverting media during transport through the system but also to register the media or provide a velocity buffer transports with different drive velocities. The inverter assemblies can include the capability to optionally deskew the media and provide lateral registration corrections. The inverter assembly nip rollers are sufficiently spaced from process drive nip rollers to decouple a document in the inverter assembly from the highway paths. The method comprises combining the inverting function selectively with either the registering or the velocity buffering functions.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder (ADF) including a platen cover which covers a copying region, a document tray which is provided on the platen cover and on which a document fed to the copying region is stacked, a pickup assembly which includes a pickup roller that picks up the document stacked on the document tray and transfers the document to a feed path, and a feeding roller that receives the document picked-up by the pickup roller and allows the document to enter the feed path and which pivots the pickup roller centering on a shaft of the feeding roller by a predetermined distance according to a rotating direction of the shaft of the feeding roller, and a pad holder which is installed in a pad holder groove formed at a region corresponding to the feeding roller in the tray and supports a frictional pad installed to contact the feeding roller.

Abstract: A method and mechanism to set a platen glass of an image reader by demounting the platen glass after the platen glass has previously been position-adjusted and positioning means have been fixed to this adjusted position and then achieving the desired positioning by these positioning means before the platen glass is mounted again on the image reader. Upon completion of optical adjustment, the platen glass is temporarily fixed to a casing of the image reader and then the platen glass is position-adjusted until image data formed on a test chart sheet coincide with predetermined image data. After the adjustment, positioning blocks are secured to top-plates of the casing and a glass retaining plate is secured to these top-plates. Subsequently, the platen glass may be mounted on the image reader in operative association with these positioning blocks to set the platen glass to the adjusted position.

Abstract: Recording medium feeding means includes a recording medium determination device, in which an arm biased by a spring toward recording medium loading means is rotatably attached to a lever rotated by a rotatably driven cam member, two holder segments are rockingly attached to the arm, and a recording medium detector held by one of the holder segments reads information, such as the type and properties, on the recording media. A cam element is provided between the cam member and the lever for gradually rotating the lever.

Abstract: A device for use with a copier to make copies of both sides of a document or other objects in a single pass. The device is configured to rest on a copier platen without being attached to the platen and without deriving power from the copier. A document holder in the form of a pair of plates joined by a hinged connection is opened for insertion of a document to be copied. The holder is pivotally attached to a base member and spring-biased to rotate from a first to a second position above the copier platen. As a copier scanner moves beneath the holder temporarily latched in its first position, a first side of the document is scanned. A sensor then causes automatic release of the holder permitting it to swing to its second position for scanning its second side as the holder moves to its second position.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus having a document feeder for taking up a document from a document bundle placed on a document tray, a controller has a normal mode to perform a normal-size conveyance control by taking up each document from a bundle of documents having the same size, a multi-size mode to perform a multi-size conveyance control by taking up each document from a bundle of documents having various sizes. When the normal mode is carried out, the controller controls to stop the document after the first preset time passes after the trailing edge of the document has been detected, and when multi-size mode is carried out, the controller controls in place of using the first preset time by the second preset time which is set to be a longer time than the first preset time.

Abstract: A document feeding apparatus in which the vibration of a document by the shock when the trailing edge of the document has passed an ante-reading roller is prevented to thereby prevent the misregister or distortion of a read image.

Abstract: Parallel printing systems include first and second adjacent electronic printers and at least one sheet bypass section extending around the second electronic printer to provide a sheet transporting path overlying the second electronic printer and bypassing the second electronic printer. The sheet bypass section includes an output for merging printed sheets from the first electronic printer with printed sheets printed by the second electronic printer. The output preferably comprises a intermediate transport section having a first input aligned with the output of the bypass section and a second input aligned with the output of the second electronic printer.

Abstract: An image recording device includes: a reading unit for reading an image of original paper; a paper storage for storing recording paper of a plurality of types; a recording unit for recording the image read by the reading unit, on the recording paper alternatively selected from the paper storage; an original information receiving unit for receiving paper information from an information chip which is provided on the original paper and on which the paper information is stored; and a selection control unit for selecting the recording paper to be used for an image recording based on the paper information received by the original information receiving unit.

Abstract: An image processing system and method for copying an original document while maintaining the security of the document and for providing a high quality copy each time a copy is required. The system and method comprising inputting image information, generating output limitation information corresponding to the image information, storing the image information and corresponding output limitation information, reading a document containing the output limitation information, and outputting the stored image information in accordance with reading of the output limitation information.

Abstract: A sheet post-treating apparatus is provided with a discharged sheet stacking tray displaceably provided in a casing portion for stacking thereon sheets discharged from the casing portion, and a holding portion for holding the discharged sheet stacking tray in a first position and a second position overlying the first position, and is designed such that the sheets are stacked on the discharged sheet stacking tray when in the first position, and therefore, when the sheet post-treating apparatus is incorporated into a printer and a cartridge in the printer is to be interchanged with a cartridge cover opened, a user can retract the discharged sheet stacking tray to the second position to thereby interchange the cartridge.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a scanning mechanism, first and second memories, an image accumulating mechanism, a detecting mechanism, a determining mechanism, and a code assigning mechanism. The first memory stores a reference dot pattern indicating an anti-copy background dot pattern. The second memory stores image data. The image accumulating mechanism accumulates image data of an original image into the second memory. The detecting mechanism detects a background dot pattern embedded in a background image included in the image data of the accumulated original image. The determining mechanism compares the detected background dot pattern with the reference dot pattern and determines whether the detected background dot pattern is substantially identical to the reference dot pattern.

Abstract: A document feeding apparatus in which the vibration of a document by the shock when the trailing edge of the document has passed an ante-reading roller is prevented to thereby prevent the misregister or distortion of a read image.

Abstract: An original document tray for a scanning and printing apparatus includes original document guides for guiding an original document in the original document tray into a scanning unit by determining or regulating a widthwise position of the original document, and manual-feed sheet guides provided with the original document tray for guiding a manual-feed sheet to be supplied to a printing unit by determining a widthwise position of the manual-feed sheet. The manual-feed sheet guides can be adjusted manually in the widthwise direction. The original document guides are disposed on an original document supporting surface of the original document tray on which the original document is placed, and the manual-feed sheet guides are disposed on a side opposite the original document supporting surface. The original document guides can also be moved manually in the widthwise direction and move in conjunction with the manual-feed sheet guides.

Abstract: A sheet transfer apparatus transfers a sheet to a predetermined position. The apparatus includes a discharge tray; a support device for rotationally supporting the discharge tray; an interconnecting device that activates according to a rotation of the discharge tray; and a sheet regulating device engaging the interconnecting means to be movable between a regulating position for regulating a movement of the sheet and a retracted position for allowing the sheets on the discharge tray to move. A control device prevents the sheet regulating device from moving to the regulating position from the retracted position even though the discharge tray is rotated when a load greater than a predetermined value is applied to the sheet regulating device.

Abstract: A control device for controlling a medium reader having a medium transport roller whose having in a color distinguishable from a color of a medium. The control device has a decision means for deciding a valid data portion depending on the color of the medium transport roller, from data read by the medium reader. The valid data portion can be decided upon the reading of a first line, and the subsequent reading of the second line and so on can be carried in the range of the valid data portion. The control device also has a decision means for deciding a final line of a medium when the color of all the data read becomes identical to the color of the surface of the roller. A medium reader and a memory medium are also disclosed.

Abstract: A conveying guide base is formed integrally with an original base frame. When an original fed by an automatic original feeding apparatus is read, an image reading unit is set to stay at a predetermined reading position and an image of the original is read by the image reading unit under this condition. Also, a detecting unit detects that an original is placed on an original placing unit provided for the automatic original feeding apparatus. Then, if an image reading operation start unit is operated to start an image reading operation, in the case where a detection signal is inputted from the detecting unit, a position control unit performs control so that the image reading unit is moved from a stand-by position to a predetermined reading position before the original is fed by the automatic original feeding apparatus.

Abstract: A binding member removing apparatus 300 comprises a tray 30 for mounting thereon a bundle D of document sheets bound with a staple S, a removing unit 410 for removing the staple S from the bundle D of document sheets mounted on the tray 30, and a moving unit for moving the staple S removed by the removing unit 410. The removing unit 410 is provided with an inserting member 411 to be passed between the bundle of document sheets and the binding member binding the bundle of document sheets and the inserting member 411 is provided with a plurality of elongated parts 412 formed in the shape of a comb having teeth extended in the direction of insertion thereof. The inserting member optionally comprises a first inserting member 811 to be passed between the obverse face of the bundle D of document sheets and the staple S and a second inserting member 812 to be passed between the reverse face of the bundle D of document sheets and the staple S as a binding member.

Abstract: Original cover closer with mounting base and supporting member has bent side plates rotatably mounted to each other. A lifting member with document pressure plate has side plates mounted to the supporting member side plated enabling the lifting member side plates to rotate in a different direction. A pressure bearing pin is mounted between the mounting member side plates and a cam slider is in the supporting member with a cam part in contact with the pin. A spring between the slider and the lifting member urges the supporting member to open the original cover while urging the lifting member in a direction overlapping the supporting member.

Abstract: A conveying guide base is formed integrally with an original base frame. Also, when an original base glass is fixed to the original base frame, the original base glass is abutted against the conveying guide base. Further, the conveying guide base is formed in the vicinity of the other end portion of the original base glass on a side opposite to one end portion in which an original abutting board is formed. When an original fed by an automatic original feeding apparatus is read, an image reading unit is set to stay at a predetermined reading position and an image of the original is read by the image reading unit under this condition. Also, a detecting unit detects that an original is placed on an original placing unit provided for the automatic original feeding apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and an apparatus for controlling the volume of a printable substrate after an image is created thereon, and more particularly to the production and use of a calenderizeable substrate in which a final thickness may be adjusted. The system employed for the process includes a pair of compression rollers wherein the nip force therebetween may be adjusted.

Abstract: In case of enabling to output a sheaf of sheets composed of a specific sheet such as a cover and image-formed sheets, it causes to prevent a user's erroneous operation, improve user's operability and productivity, and obtain a satisfactory output result without enlarging and complicating an entire apparatus. In this result, page order and image direction of the plural sheets are conformed to others, and a binding position is provided at the left of the sheets from the viewpoint of the image-formed face.

Abstract: It is intended to obtain outputs of insert sheets suitable for an inserter without delay. Thus, it is controlled to sort sheets on which pages of an image, being the print object in a mode to output the sheets to be set to an inserter provided in another apparatus having such the inserter, of first type in a series of images having plural pages were formed respectively, on the basis of information based on the inserter provided in the another apparatus.

Abstract: In response to the setting of a first face-down mode on an operation panel, a topside pickup roller picks up documents stacked face-up in a document tray to bring the document to a document platen. In response to the setting of face-up mode on the operation panel, a bottom-side pickup semi-circular roller picks up documents stacked face-up in the document tray to bring the document to the document platen. A copying operation is now performed. In a single-side mode, recording sheets are inverted through a inverter path and then discharged in the face-down mode. Depending on the user's preference, the recording sheets are discharged face-down or face-up. In either discharge mode, the order of pages of copied recording sheets is not reversed.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes a feed tray 2 on which documents are placed, a feeder 4 for feeding documents on the feed tray 2 to a conveyor path, conveying 8 for conveying the fed documents to an image reading position, a discharging 9 for discharging the read documents onto a discharging tray 37, and a controller by which the discharging speed of the documents after being read so that the discharging speed varies with respect to the conveying speed, wherein, if the conveying speed when reading a document is within a predetermined range, the discharging speed after reading the document is controlled to be equal to the conveying speed when reading the document, and if the conveying speed when reading the document is out of the predetermined range, the discharging speed after reading the document is controlled to be within the predetermined range.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device including a pair of rollers to convey a sheet impinged against a nip portion of the pair of rollers. Also included is a driving device which drives the pair of rollers to rotate in either a forward direction or a reverse direction, a sheet detecting device which detects the sheet inserted into the nip portion, and a controller which controls the pair of rollers to rotate in the forward direction after rotating the pair of rollers in the reverse direction by a predetermined amount of rotation, when the sheet is inserted into the nip portion of the pair of rollers.

Abstract: An automatic sheet feeder is provided with a controller and the controller is provided with a scanning input and user-controlled inputs. Sheets provided at the feeder are scanned to determine image status with regard to face up/face down orientation and simplex/duplex image presentation. The scanned input compared with pre-established and user-provided data.

Abstract: A document feeder having a cover covering a portion of a main body and adapted to be pivotally opened, and a pair of document transportation rollers provided in an abutting relation in the midst of a document transportation path for transportation of a document original. A document guiding member for guiding the document original to an abutment position of the pair of rollers is attached to the cover.

Abstract: An original guiding device capable of improving the conveyance of an original in an original conveying path. There is provided an original carrying-in path formed so as to be inclined from the original conveying path and a guiding mechanism for guiding the original while restraining the deformation of the original between the original carrying-in path and the original conveying path. The guiding mechanism may be one for guiding the original while elastically holding the original therein.

Abstract: In an automatic document feeder, an original tray has an original platen on its upper surface. Originals put on the original platen are fed along a conveying path by conveying rollers and conveyance auxiliary rollers. The originals fed are separated one at a time by separating belts and separating rollers which are arranged above and below a conveying path. When a conveyance guide plate constituting a part of the original platen is removed upward, the separating rollers, the conveying rollers, and the conveyance auxiliary rollers and a portion for supporting the rollers are exposed upward, so that maintenance such as replacement of components such as the separating rollers, the conveying rollers and the conveyance auxiliary rollers can be performed.

Abstract: A reading apparatus includes an image reader for reading a sheet original positioned at a reading position and an automatic original conveyor for supplying the sheet original onto the reading position, wherein the sheet original can be read through an image flow reading mode while the sheet original is being conveyed by the automatic original conveyor by fixing the image reader at any position. The apparatus also has a convey path for directing the sheet original to the reading position, and a controller for initiating conveyance of the sheet original waiting at a predetermined position in the convey path in response to a flow reading mode start signal during the image flow reading mode and for initiating the image flow reading mode by outputting an image tip signal when a tip end of the sheet original reaches a flow reading image tip position.

Abstract: A large-size (A3-size) original is folded into two small-size (A4-size) portions. Images on the surfaces of the respective portions are read by image reading units. Image data output from the image reading units are stored in a memory. A detection unit detects end positions of the read images, and skew of each of the images is corrected. An image synthesis unit synthesizes the image data of the respective surfaces based on the output of the detection unit to provide the original single image. Thus, it is possible to read even a large-size original.

Abstract: A system for imaging both of the first and second opposing sides of duplex documents with higher productivity, with a generally "V" shaped low profile document sheet feeding path with first and second arms merging at a base position having a document reversing system, for sequentially feeding documents from an input tray through the first arm to the base position, and then back through the second arm to an output tray. A first imaging station is in the first arm for imaging the first sides of the documents, and a second imaging station is in the second arm for imaging the second sides. Both imaging stations have a simple, partially shared fixed elements optical system mounted entirely inside the document path, which can share a single electro-optical digital imager. The duplex documents are not inverted, yet are returned to the output tray in the same orientation as the stack in the overlying input tray. Compatible simplex document copying can also be provided.

Abstract: In a simplex or duplex copier with plural different document inputs, including at least one input normally used for copying single documents and another normally used for copying plural documents, a system is provided for automatically selecting duplex copying whenever appropriate, to save copy sheets, including a controller programmed to automatically select between simplex or duplex copying and to direct the copy sheets into a duplex copying path when duplex copying is selected, and respective document input sensors connected to provide control signals to the controller upon sensing a document at a respective document input, the controller automatically selecting duplex copying unless there is a signal from a document input sensor at a document input normally used for copying single documents, such as a semi-automatic document input or a sensor sensing the lifting of the document handler, or, even though the document input normally used for copying plural documents is the input tray of an automatic recircul