Automatic document feeder, image forming device, and image reading device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016198059-A1
Application number	US-201514972784-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 17, 2015
Priority date	Jan 5, 2015
Publication date	Jul 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An automatic document feeder includes: a recording-medium set unit, on which a recording medium is set; a recording-medium set detecting unit that detects whether the recording medium is set on the recording-medium set unit; a conveying unit that conveys the recording medium; a sheet-feeding cover section that constitutes part of the conveying unit and that includes an openable and closable sheet feeding cover; and a control unit that separately receives a power-on signal, which is output when a power source of an image forming device including the automatic document feeder is turned on, and an energy-saving return signal, which is output when a return is made from an energy saving state where a power source of part of the device is disconnected. When the power-on signal is received, the control unit performs an initialization operation to initialize each unit of the automatic document feeder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An automatic document feeder that is included in an image forming device that can enter an energy saving state, where a power source of part of the device is disconnected, a power source of the automatic document feeder being turned on when a power source of the image forming device is turned on or when a return is made from the energy saving state, the automatic document feeder comprising:
a recording-medium set unit, on which a recording medium is set; a recording-medium set detecting unit that detects whether the recording medium is set on the recording-medium set unit; a conveying unit that conveys the recording medium that is set on the recording-medium set unit; a sheet-feeding cover section that constitutes part of the conveying unit and that includes an openable and closable sheet feeding cover; and a control unit that separately receives a power-on signal, which is output when the power source of the image forming device is turned on, and an energy-saving return signal, which is output when a return is made from the energy saving state, wherein when the power-on signal is received, the control unit performs an initialization operation to initialize each unit of the automatic document feeder.

2 . The automatic document feeder according to claim 1 , wherein, when the sheet feeding cover of the sheet-feeding cover section is changed from an open state to a closed state while in the energy saving state, the control unit receives the energy-saving return signal and performs the initialization operation.

3 . The automatic document feeder according to claim 1 , wherein, when the recording-medium set detecting unit detects that the recording medium is set while the sheet feeding cover of the sheet-feeding cover section is closed in the energy saving state, the control unit receives the energy-saving return signal and does not perform the initialization operation.

4 . An image reading device comprising the automatic document feeder according to claim 1 .

5 . An image forming device comprising the automatic document feeder according to claim 1 .

6 . An image forming device comprising the image reading device according to claim 4 .

7 . An automatic document feeder that is included in an image forming device that can enter an energy saving state, where a power source of part of the device is disconnected, a power source of the automatic document feeder being turned on when a power source of the image forming device is turned on or when a return is made from the energy saving state, the automatic document feeder comprising:
a sheet stack unit, on which a document sheet is stacked; a separating/feeding unit that separates and feeds a document sheet, stacked on the sheet stack unit, individually; a sheet fetching unit that sequentially delivers a document sheet, stacked on the sheet stack unit, to the separating/feeding unit; a conveying unit that includes a roller for conveying a document sheet, which is separated and fed by the separating/feeding unit, to a predetermined read position; a reading unit that reads an image on a document sheet, which is conveyed to the read position by the conveying unit; a sheet ejecting unit that includes a roller for ejecting a document sheet, for which reading of an image has been completed by the reading unit; a control unit that performs an initialization operation to initialize each unit of the automatic document feeder; and a plurality of sensors that detect a position of the document sheet in the conveying unit and the sheet ejecting unit, wherein among the sensors, a sensor, provided most downstream in a conveying direction of the document sheet, is located upstream of a roller that is provided most downstream in the conveying direction among multiple rollers that are included in the conveying unit and the sheet ejecting unit, and the control unit performs a remaining-sheet treatment to rotate a roller, located downstream of the sensor that is provided most downstream, among the rollers in the conveying direction, after a state where an image is readable is established.

8 . The automatic document feeder according to claim 7 , wherein
when a conveying operation of a first document sheet by the conveying unit is first performed after the power source of the automatic document feeder is turned on, the control unit completes the remaining-sheet treatment before a leading edge of the first document sheet reaches the read position.

9 . The automatic document feeder according to claim 7 , wherein, during the remaining-sheet treatment, the control unit performs control such that all rollers that are located downstream of the sensor, provided most downstream, operate at an identical conveying speed.

10 . The automatic document feeder according to claim 7 , wherein, during the remaining-sheet treatment, the control unit performs control such that a conveying distance of the roller that is located downstream of the sensor, provided most downstream, is equal to or greater than a distance from the sensor that is provided most downstream to the roller that is provided most downstream.

11 . The automatic document feeder according to claim 7 , wherein, when number of a driving source of a roller, which is located downstream of the sensor that is provided most downstream, is one, the control unit does not perform the remaining-sheet treatment.

12 . The automatic document feeder according to claim 7 , wherein, when a conveying operation of a first document sheet by the conveying unit is first performed after the power source of the automatic document feeder is turned on, the control unit causes at least a roller that is provided most downstream in the conveying direction of the document sheet among multiple rollers, included in the conveying unit and the sheet ejecting unit, to operate at a higher speed than a conveying speed in the conveying operation.

13 . The automatic document feeder according to claim 12 , wherein the control unit causes, among the rollers, a roller that is provided most downstream and a second most downstream roller, to operate at a higher speed than the conveying speed in the conveying operation.

14 . The automatic document feeder according to claim 7 , wherein, when a conveying operation of a first document sheet by the conveying unit is first performed after the power source of the automatic document feeder is turned on, the control unit causes at least a roller that is provided most downstream in the conveying direction of the document sheet, among multiple rollers that are included in the conveying unit and the sheet ejecting unit, to operate in a direction opposite to the conveying direction in the conveying operation.

15 . The automatic document feeder according to claim 14 , wherein the control unit causes a roller that is provided most downstream and a second most downstream roller among the rollers, to operate in the direction opposite to the conveying direction in the conveying operation.

16 . An image reading device comprising the automatic document feeder according to claim 7 .

17 . An image forming device comprising the automatic document feeder according to claim 7 .

18 . An image forming device comprising the image reading device according to claim 16 .

Assignees

• Kubo Hiroshi
• Kimura Norio
• Kitaoka Shinya
• Kanaya Atsushi
• Suzuki Yoshito
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kubo Hiroshi
• Kimura Norio
• Kitaoka Shinya
• Kanaya Atsushi
• Suzuki Yoshito

Classifications

• H04N1/0057

  Conveying sheets before or after scanning (arrangements for conveying sheets as part of the scanning operation H04N1/04 and subgroups) · CPC title

• H04N1/00748

  Detecting edges, e.g. of a stationary sheet · CPC title

• H04N1/00896 Primary

  using a low-power mode, e.g. standby · CPC title

• H04N2201/0094

  Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception · CPC title

• H04N1/0032

  with a medium handling apparatus, e.g. a sheet sorter (handling thin or filamentary material, e.g. sheets B65H) · CPC title