An automatic document feeder

Claim 2

An automatic document feeder, comprising: original supporting means for supporting an original, the original supporting means being provided with a digitizer for designating such an area in the original as to be recorded; feeding means for feeding the original from said digitizer; conveying means for conveying the original fed by said feeding means to a reading station and thereafter discharge it from the reading station; and control means for controlling said conveying means to inverse in a face orientation the original and then to discharge it to the digitizer.

Claim 3

A feeder according to Claim 1, wherein said control means includes a sheet inversing mechanism for inversing the original, said inversing mechanism being disposed at an opposite side of the reading station from the feeding means.

Claim 4

A feeder according to Claim 2, wherein said control means reverses original feeding directions of said conveying means and feeding means.

Claim 5

A feeder according to Claim 3, wherein said original supporting means is disposed above the reading station and communicates with the reading station through a curved inversing passage.

Claim 6

A feeder according to Claim 4, wherein the curved passage guides the original being discharged to the digitizer.

Claim 7

An automatic document feeder, comprising a first original supporting means for supporting an original, said first original supporting means being provided with a digitizer for designating such an area in the original as to be recorded; first original feeding means for feeding the original from the digitizer; second original supporting means for supporting an original; second original feeding means for feeding the original from said second original supporting means; conveying means for introducing the original fed by said first or second feeding means to an original reading station and thereafter discharging the original from the reading station; and control means for controlling said conveying means to inverse in a face orientation the original fed by the first feeding means and then to discharge it to said digitizer, while to inverse in a face orientation the original fed by said second feeding means and then to return hit to the reading station.

Claim 8

An automatic document feeder, comprising a first original supporting means for supporting an original, said first original supporting means being provided with a digitizer for designating such an area in the original as to be recorded; first original feeding means for feeding the original from the digitizer; second original supporting means for supporting an original; second original feeding means for feeding the original from said second original supporting means; conveying means for introducing the original fed by said first or second feeding means to an original reading station and thereafter discharging the original from the reading station; and control means for controlling said conveying means to inverse in a face orientation the original fed by the first feeding means and then to discharge it to said digitizer, while to inverse in a face orientation the original fed by said second feeding means and then to return hit to the reading station.

Claim 9

A feeder according to Claim 6, wherein said second feeding means is disposed at an opposite side of the reading station from said first feeding means.

Claim 10

A feeder according to Claim 7, wherein said second original supporting means is disposed above the reading station and communicates with the reading station through a curved inversing passage.

Claim 11

A feeder according to Claim 8, wherein said control means includes a sheet inversing mechanism for inversing the original, the inversing mechanism being disposed at an opposite side of the reading station from said feeding means.

Claim 12

A feeder according to Claim 9, wherein said control means reverses original feeding directions of said conveying means and first feeding means.

Claim 13

A feeder according to Claim 10, wherein said first original supporting means is disposed above the reading station and communicates with the reading station through a curved inversing passage.

Claim 14

A feeder according to Claim 11, wherein the curved passage guides the original being discharged to the digitizer.

Claim 15

An automatic document feeder, comprising: a first original supporting means for supporting an original, said first original supporting means being provided with a digitizer for designating such an area in the original as to be recorded; first original feeding means for feeding the original from the digitizer; second original supporting means for supporting an original; second original feeding means for feeding the original from said second original supporting means; conveying means for introducing the original fed by said first or second feeding means to an original reading station and thereafter discharging the original from the reading station; control means for controlling said conveying means to inverse in a face orientation the original fed by the first feeding means and then to discharge it to said digitizer, while to inverse in a face orientation the original fed by said second feeding means and then to return hit to the reading station; cover means, mounted to said second original supporting means, for covering the digitizer, said cover means being movable between a covering position where it covers the digitizer and an open position where the digitizer is opened; and means, associated with said cover means, for placing an end of the digitizer in substantial alignment with an inlet to said first feeding means when said cover means is at the open position, while shifting the end away from the inlet.

Claim 16

An automatic document feeder, comprising: a first original supporting means for supporting an original, said first original supporting means being provided with a digitizer for designating such an area in the original as to be recorded; first original feeding means for feeding the original from the digitizer; second original supporting means for supporting an original; second original feeding means for feeding the original from said second original supporting means; conveying means for introducing the original fed by said first or second feeding means to an original reading station and thereafter discharging the original from the reading station; control means for controlling said conveying means to inverse in a face orientation the original fed by the first feeding means and then to discharge it to said digitizer, while to inverse in a face orientation the original fed by said second feeding means and then to return hit to the reading station; cover means, mounted to said second original supporting means, for covering the digitizer, said cover means being movable between a covering position where it covers the digitizer and an open position where the digitizer is opened; and means, associated with said cover means, for placing an end of the digitizer in substantial alignment with an inlet to said first feeding means when said cover means is at the open position, while shifting the end away from the inlet.

Claim 17

A feeder according to Claim 13, wherein the digitizer is pivotably supported adjacent an end opposite to the aforementioned first end, and includes spring means for normally urging the first end upwardly and is maintained at a downward position by said placing means when the cover means takes its closing position.

Claim 18

A feeder according to Claim 14, wherein an end of said second original supporting means is faced to an inlet to said second feeding means, when the cover means is at its closed position.

Claim 19

A feeder according to Claim 15, wherein said second feeding means is disposed at an opposite side of the reading station from the first feeding means.

Claim 20

A feeder according to Claim 16, wherein said second original supporting means is disposed above the reading station and communicates with the reading station through a curved inversing passage.

Claim 21

A feeder according to Claim 17, wherein said control means includes a sheet inversing mechanism for inversing the original, the inversing mechanism being disposed at an opposite side of the reading station from said feeding means.

Claim 22

A feeder according to Claim 18, wherein said control means reverses original feeding directions of said conveying means and first feeding means.

Claim 23

A feeder according to Claim 19, wherein said first original supporting means is disposed above the reading station and communicates with the reading station through a curved inversing passage.

Claim 24

A feeder according to Claim 20, wherein the curved passage guides the original being discharged to the digitizer.

Claim 25

An automatic document feeder, comprising: a first original supporting means for supporting an original, said first original supporting means being provided with a digitizer for designating such an area in the original as to be recorded; first original feeding means for feeding the original from the digitizer; second original supporting means for supporting an original; second original feeding means for feeding the original from said second original supporting means; conveying means for introducing the original fed by said first or second feeding means to an original reading station and thereafter discharging the original from the reading station; and control means for controlling said conveying means and said first feeding means to discharge to the digitizer the original fed by said first feeding means by reversing feeding directions of said conveying means and said first feeding means, while to discharge to the digitizer the original fed by said second feeding means by operating said conveying means and said first feeding means without reversing there feeding directions.

Claim 26

An automatic document feeder, comprising: a first original supporting means for supporting an original, said first original supporting means being provided with a digitizer for designating such an area in the original as to be recorded; first original feeding means for feeding the original from the digitizer; second original supporting means for supporting an original; second original feeding means for feeding the original from said second original supporting means; conveying means for introducing the original fed by said first or second feeding means to an original reading station and thereafter discharging the original from the reading station; and control means for controlling said conveying means and said first feeding means to discharge to the digitizer the original fed by said first feeding means by reversing feeding directions of said conveying means and said first feeding means, while to discharge to the digitizer the original fed by said second feeding means by operating said conveying means and said first feeding means without reversing there feeding directions.