EP0254317A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
An automatic document feeder
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1987-07-23
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2007-07-23
Abstract
Abstract An automatic document feeder includes original stacker having plural stages spaced from each other, each of which is capable of accommodating sheet originals; a support for supporting the plural stages for movement substantially along the stages; a feeder for feeding sheet originals from a selected one of the stages of the original stacker; conveyer for conveying the sheet originals from the feeder to a predetermined position; reversing device for returning the sheet originals having been placed at the predetermined position to the same selected stage; and a driver for driving the original stacker so as to bring the plural stages selectively toward the feeder.
Inventors
- 👤 Noriyoshi Ueda
- 👤 Yuji Takahashi
- 👤 Makoto Kitahara
- 👤 Masaaki Sato
- 👤 Naho Wakao
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 09:01
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H3/00; B65H3/44; G; G03; G03B; G03B27/00; G03B27/32; G03B27/52; G03B27/62; G03B27/6207; G03B27/625; G03B27/6264; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S271/00; Y10S271/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
An automatic document feeder, comprising: original stacking means having plural stages spaced from each other, each of which is capable of accommodating sheet originals; means for supporting the plural stages for movement substantially along the stages; feeding means for feeding sheet originals from a selected one of said stages of said original stacking means; conveying means for conveying the sheet originals from said feeding means to a predetermined position; means for returning the sheet originals having been placed at the predetermined position to the same selected stage; and driving means for driving said original stacking means so as to bring said plural stages selectively toward said feeding means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
108 words
An automatic document feeder, comprising: original stacking means having plural stages spaced from each other, each of which is capable of accommodating sheet originals; means for supporting the plural stages for movement substantially along the stages; feeding means for feeding sheet originals from a selected one of said stages of said original stacking means; conveying means for conveying the sheet originals from said feeding means to a predetermined position; means for returning the sheet originals having been placed at the predetermined position to the same selected stage; and driving means for driving said original stacking means so as to bring said plural stages selectively toward said feeding means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A feeder according to Claim 1, wherein said returning means is provided with a sheet passages for returning the sheet originals from a feeding side of said original stacking means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A feeder according to Claim 1, wherein said returning means is provided with a sheet passages for returning the sheet originals from a non-feeding side of said original stacking means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
A feeder according to Claim 1, further comprising detecting means for detecting that the sheet originals are fed out to the predetermined position from the selected stage a preset number of times, and control means for controlling said driving means in response to an output of said detecting means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
A feeder according to Claim 1, wherein said stages are supported as a unit on said supporting means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A feeder according to Claim 5, further comprising means for enlarging space between a selected stage and an adjacent stage, whereby the space is larger than space between the other adjacent stages.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A feeder according to Claim 6, wherein said space enlarging means includes a linkage mechanism for moving said stages in a direction inclined from a vertical direction and cam means for displacing the linkage mechanism.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A feeder according to Claim l, wherein said stages are inclined downwardly toward said feeding means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
A feeder according to Claim 8, further comprising stopper means which is movable between a first position wherein it stops edges of the sheet originals and a second position wherein it allows sliding movement of the sheet originals, said stopper means takes the first position when said driving means moves said original stacking means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
A feeder according to Claim 1, wherein the selected stage is projected toward said feeding means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
A feeder according to Claim 10, wherein said feeding means is opposed to the projected stage.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
A feeder according to Claim 9, wherein said feeding means includes a rotatable member which is reversely rotatable to return the sheet originals prior to the original stacking means being driven by said driving means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
A feeder according to Claim 12, further comprising stopper means movable to a position for stopping edges of the sheet originals returned by the rotatable member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A feeder according to Claim 1, further comprising means for detecting presence or absence of the sheet originals and means for displaying it.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
A feeder according to Claim 1, further comprising means for displaying completion of processing the sheet originals for each of said stages.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
A feeder according to Claim 15, wherein said display means is lighting means provided in each of said stages.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
A feeder according to Claim 1, further comprising accommodating means separate from said original stacking means for accommodating sheet originals which have been processed.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
A feeder according to Claim 1, wherein each of said stages is provided with lever means for detecting completion of circulation of the originals.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
A feeder according to Claim 1, further comprising detecting means for detecting passage of a card to detect completion of circulation of sheet originals.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
127 words
An automatic document feeder, comprising: original stacking means having plural stages spaced from each other, each of which is capable of accommodating sheet originals; means for supporting the plural stages for movement substantially along the stages; feeding means, disposed at an original inlet, for feeding sheet originals from a selected one of said stages of said original stacking means; conveying means for conveying the sheet originals from said feeding means to an original reading position below said original stacking means; means for returning the sheet originals having been placed at the reading position to the same selected stage through an original outlet above the original inlet; and driving means for driving said original stacking means so as to bring said plural stages selectively toward said feeding means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
127 words
An automatic document feeder, comprising: original stacking means having plural stages spaced from each other, each of which is capable of accommodating sheet originals; means for supporting the plural stages for movement substantially along the stages; feeding means, disposed at an original inlet, for feeding sheet originals from a selected one of said stages of said original stacking means; conveying means for conveying the sheet originals from said feeding means to an original reading position below said original stacking means; means for returning the sheet originals having been placed at the reading position to the same selected stage through an original outlet above the original inlet; and driving means for driving said original stacking means so as to bring said plural stages selectively toward said feeding means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
A feeder according to Claim 20, wherein a bottom of a stage just above the selected stage is above the discharge outlet.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
125 words
An image forming apparatus, comprising: original stacking means having plural stages spaced from each other, each of which is capable of accommodating sheet originals; means for supporting the plural stages for movement substantially along the stages; feeding means for feeding sheet originals from a selected one of said stages of said original stacking means; conveying means for conveying the sheet originals from said feeding means to an original reading position; means for returning the sheet originals having been placed at the reading position to the same selected stage; driving means for driving said original stacking means so as to bring said plural stages selectively toward said feeding means; and control means for feeding the originals to the original reading position a preset number of times.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
125 words
An image forming apparatus, comprising: original stacking means having plural stages spaced from each other, each of which is capable of accommodating sheet originals; means for supporting the plural stages for movement substantially along the stages; feeding means for feeding sheet originals from a selected one of said stages of said original stacking means; conveying means for conveying the sheet originals from said feeding means to an original reading position; means for returning the sheet originals having been placed at the reading position to the same selected stage; driving means for driving said original stacking means so as to bring said plural stages selectively toward said feeding means; and control means for feeding the originals to the original reading position a preset number of times.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.