Automatic document feeder for photocopier and facsimile device

Claim 1

An image forming apparatus, comprising: first loading means for loading a first original document having a first plurality of sheets for photocopying: second loading means for loading a second original document having a second plurality of sheets for facsimilling; first detecting means for detecting the first original document on the first loading means; second detecting means for detecting the second original document on the second loading means; first feeding means for sequentially feeding each of the first plurality of sheets of the first original document loaded on the first loading means starting from a lowermost sheet of the first original document; second feeding means for sequentially feeding each of the second plurality of sheets of the second original document loaded on the second loading means starting from a lowermost sheet of the second original document; image scanning means for scanning the first original document fed by said first feeding means and the second original document fed by said second feeding means; photocopying means for photocopying a scanned image of the first original document; facsimile means for facsimilling a scanned image of the second original document; and means for selectively activating one of the photocopying means and the facsimile means in accordance with detection by said first or second detecting means.

Claim 7

A method of forming an image, comprising steps of: loading a plurality of sheets of an original document on first loading means or second loading means, the plurality of sheets having a first sheet and a last sheet; sensing an original document on the first loading means by a first sensing means and sensing an original document on the second loading means by a second sensing means; selecting an original photocopying mode when the original document is sensed on the first loading means and a facsimile mode when the original document is sensed on the second loading means; feeding sequentially the plurality of sheets of the original document loaded on the first loading means starting from the last sheet of the original document when the original document is sensed on the first loading means; feeding sequentially sheets of the original document loaded on the second document loading means starting from the first sheet of the original document when the original document is sensed on the second loading means; photocopying an image of the original document in an image scanning position when the original document is sensed by said first sensing means; and facsimilling the image of the original document in the image scanning position when the original document is sensed by said second sensing means.

Claim 8

A method of forming an image, comprising steps of: loading a plurality of sheets of an original document on first loading means or second loading means, the plurality of sheets having a first sheet and a last sheet; sensing an original document on the first loading means by a first sensing means and sensing an original document on the second loading means by a second sensing means; selecting an original photocopying mode when the original document is sensed on the first loading means and a facsimile mode when the original document is sensed on the second loading means; feeding sequentially the plurality of sheets of the original document loaded on the first loading means starting from the last sheet of the original document when the original document is sensed on the first loading means; feeding sequentially sheets of the original document loaded on the second document loading means starting from the first sheet of the original document when the original document is sensed on the second loading means; photocopying an image of the original document in an image scanning position when the original document is sensed by said first sensing means; and facsimilling the image of the original document in the image scanning position when the original document is sensed by said second sensing means.