Copying machine

• US 4,739,376 A
• Filed: 02/09/1987
• Issued: 04/19/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kanekol, Tamaki
• Primary Examiner(s): WINTERCORN, RICHARD
• Application Number:
  US07/012,487
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 355/8, 355/11, 355/50, 355/51, 355/57, 355/3 SH, 355/14 SH, 355/72, 355/75, 355/76
• US Class Current: 355/75
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/6264 Arrangements for moving several originals one after the other to or through an exposure station

Abstract

A document presser plate and an automatic document feeder are disposed on a document support table which places a document to be copied thereon. A common driver gear is disposed in a copying machine mechanism for selectively reciprocally moving the document support table and actuating the automatic document feeder. A document on the document support table and a document in the automatic document feeder are exposed to light via a single exposure optical system in the copying machine mechanism.

Claims

1. A copying machine comprising:

means defining an exposure area;

a document support table reciprocally movably supported relative to said means defining an exposure area, whereby a document may be placed thereon;

a document presser plate disposed on said document support table by means permitting opening and closing of said presser plate with respect to said document support table, whereby a document may be held on said document support table by said presser plate;

an automatic document feeder disposed on said document support table and positioned out of an area in which said document presser plate is openable and closable with respect to said document support table, said automatic document feeder having a document delivery system, a document feeding system, and a document discharging system;

a drive source;

a first power transmission means for transmitting driving power from said drive source to said document support table for reciprocally moving the document support table with respect to said exposure area;

a second power transmission means for transmitting driving power from said drive source to said automatic document feeder for actuating said document delivery and discharging systems and for actuating said document feeding system to feed a document at a speed equal to that of the reciprocal movement of said document support table, whereby a document may pass through said exposure area; and

means for selectively drivingly communicating said drive source with one said first power transmission means in a first mode of using said document presser plate and said second power transmission means in a second mode of using said automatic document feeder, whereby said document presser plate is fixed in said second mode, wherein said means defining an exposure area includes a copying machine mechanism, said drive source including a driver gear disposed in said copying machine mechanism and rotatable selectively in opposite directions.

2. A copying machine according to claim 1, wherein said first power transmission means comprises a rack disposed on said document support table and capable of meshing with said driver gear in said first mode for reciprocally moving said document support table with respect to said exposure area.

3. A copying machine according to claim 1, wherein said second power transmission means includes a driven gear disposed on said automatic document feeder and capable of meshing with said driver gear in said second mode for actuating said document delivery and feeding systems.

4. A copying machine according to claim 1, further including means for switching from said first mode to said second mode when said automatic document feeder is in an operable position.

5. A copying machine according to claim 1, wherein said first and second power transmission means comprise means such that said automatic document feeder feeds a document in said second mode in a direction which is the same as the direction of movement of said document presser plate upon exposure in said first mode.