Copying method and apparatus for independently scanning two parts of an original document

A copying apparatus wherein a document consisting of a first half side and a second half side can be scanned by a scanning member independently corresponding to the area of the first and second half sides. These copies are formed on the both sides of a copy paper or on two different copy papers selectively.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a method of automatically making a copy of an 
original document recorded on two leaves spread side-by-side such as a 
book, in the use of a copying apparatus such as an electrophotographic 
copying apparatus, and the apparatus for use in such method. 
In order that some consecutive pages of a book-like original may be copied 
by making use of a conventional type copying apparatus in such a manner 
that two pages of the book spread side-by-side may be copied at a time and 
then after turning over one of the pages of the original, the rear page 
thereof and the next page thereto may successively be copied together and 
tne resulting copied copy paper may be put in order of the pages. it is 
required to cut in half every copy paper made thereon a copy of every two 
pages and to put them in order of the pages again. Particularly. it will 
require much time and labor to make copies of a great number of original 
documents in succession and to cut a great number of the copy paper to put 
them in order to the pages. There may also be some instances where the 
pages may possibly put in disorder and resultantly the documents may be 
wrongly filed. 
With the purpose of avoiding the above-mentioned disadvantage, there has 
been proposed such a method that the one side of a book-like original is 
copied by placing it in the fixed position on the original glass plate of 
a copying apparatus, and another side thereof is copied by following the 
same way again. This method will also require much time and labor, because 
the frequency of handling the original is increased. 
Now, in the case that an original document is printed on both sides of 
every leaf, as is similar to the pages of tne ordinary type of books, how 
to make the duplex copies of such consecutive pages is that; 
(1) a book is opened and the first page of the original document to be 
copied is placed in the fixed position on an original glass plate, 
(2) the copy is made on one side of the first copy paper in the initial 
copying cycle, 
(3) next, the second page of the original is placed in the above-mentioned 
fixed position on the original glass plate. In the course of this time, 
the first copy paper is reversed and is then transported to stand by in a 
paper feed position, 
(4) in the second copy cycle, the first copy paper is copied on the rear 
side thereof and is then delivered from the apparatus, and 
(5) in succession, the above-mentioned first and second cycles are repeated 
to make copies of the third and subsequent pages. 
As in the above-mentioned steps. a half portion of the original glass plate 
is set as the fixed area and each page of the original document is placed 
therein one after another to start the respective copying operation. 
In the cases as mentioned above, a two-page-spread-original such as a book 
placed on an original glass plate should be moved to the fixed position 
every time when each page is copied. 
Generally speaking, as shown in FIG. 4, there are two types of books, i.e, 
one is of the left-opened type and another is of the right-opened type. In 
either types, it is common that the front surface of every leaf is put 
with an odd pagination and the rear surface thereof is put with an even 
pagination. 
On the other hand, when having made a copy with a copying apparatus, it has 
so far been carried out in most cases by one-side copying methods by 
reasons of the complicated operation. maintaining of orderly pagination, 
intricacy in the apparatuses, large-sized apparatuses and the like. 
Accordingly, there are demands for a duplex copying system from the 
viewpoint of the economization of transfer paper, space shortage for 
storing records, or the format and weight of a book to be copied, and the 
like. There have already been proposed a number of duplex copying 
apparatuses. For example, there have been proposed those described in 
Japanese patent O.P.I. Publication No. 137341/1977 and the like, and 
further, another duplex copying operations may be referred to Japanese 
patent application No. 85103/1983 and the like. 
As an example of the image transfer type copying apparatus capable of 
duplex copying. there are put in practical use such a system that an 
ordinary copying operation is made over one side of copy paper and the 
copy paper completed thereon the copying operation is introduced into the 
original or the 2nd paper feed unit again and is then reversed and fed 
again to the copying apparatus so as to make a copy on the surface of the 
copy paper as was made on the front surface. 
As for the method of duplex copying a book, such as described above, the 
method disclosed in Japanese patent 0.P.I. publication No. 36951/1076 is 
well-known. However, this method has such a disadvantage that a book 
original should be placed up-side-down depending on whether tne book is of 
the left-opened type or of the right-opened type, because it is required 
that the original glass plate surface is to be divided into two portions 
so that the original in a desired copying size should be placed on the 
corresponding divided portion of the original glass plate. 
This invention is proposed by taking the above-mentioned circumstances into 
consideration. When making duplex copies of consecutive originals recorded 
on the both sides of every leaf such as a book-like original, there are 
apt to cause troubles and errors in copying operation if taking such a 
method that copy is made by moving every page of the original. In every 
daily life, there are used either of the left-opened and right-opened 
books. It will therefore cause an operator an error to selectively place a 
book in order or upside down so as to correspond to the left- or 
right-opened type of book. 
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the invention to provide a method of automatically 
making copies of a two-side original document comprising two pages spread 
side-by-side, such as a book, on one surface or both surfaces of a sheet 
of copy paper, and to provide the apparatuses for use in such method. 
The above-mentioned object of the invention can be achieved by a method of 
copying a two-side original document, in which a book-like original 
document to be copied is spread and placed on an original glass plate 
haVing an area for two sides of a desired copying size. and a mode is so 
made switchable as to start an exposure from either one end or the center 
of the original glass plate according to an operation signal for 
determining whether the book-like original document is of the left-opened 
type or right-opened type, and the object of the invention can be achieved 
as well as by the apparatus for use in such method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Now, the examples of the invention will be described in detail with 
reference to the accompanying drawings: 
EXAMPLE 1 
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross section of a two-side original document copying 
apparatus relating to the invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of 
the copy paper feed path; FIG. 3(a) is a perspective view of a left-opened 
book-like original document (hereinafter called a book original); and FIG. 
3(b) is a perspective view of a right-opened book original. 
In the drawings, D is a book original wnich is a matter to be copied, and 
the pages thereof are spread and placed on original glass plate 1 so as to 
copied. FIG. 4(a) is a perspective view showing a state where a 
left-opened book original DL is placed on original glass plate 1 so as to 
be copied; and FIG. 4(b) is a perspective view showing a state where a 
right-opened book original DR placed on original glass plate 1. In FIGS. 1 
and 2, the first page DL.sub.1 of left-opened book original DL is placed 
on the right side of the center M of the original glass plate 1 and the 
second page DL.sub.2 on the right side thereof, so as to be copied. 
Underneath the original glass plate 1, there are provided with primary 
mirror unit 4 attached with an exposure lamp 2 for irradiating the 
original DL and primary mirror 3 and secondary mirror unit 7 attached with 
secondary mirror 5 and tertiary mirror 6 so that these units may be 
linearly reciprocated on the plane parallel to the original glass plate 1. 
The original DL is slit-exposed and focused on photoreceptor drum 10 
through lens 8 and quaternary mirror 9 while the optical path is equally 
kept by primary mirror 4 and secondary mirror 7 traveling in the same 
direction with that of primary mirror 4 at a half of the traveling speed 
of primary mirror 4. 
The surface of the photoreceptor drum 10 is covered witn a 
photoelectroconductive layer. This photoreceptor drum 10 is positively 
charged at first by electric charger 11 to which high voltage current is 
supplied from a high tension power source. In succession, when reaching 
exposure section 12, the original DL placed on original glass plate 1 is 
irradiated by exposure lamp 2 and is then focused on photoreceptor drum 10 
through the mirrors 3, 5 and 6, lens 8 and mirror 9, and then the 
electrostatic latent image thereof is formed. 
When this electrostatic latent image reaches developing unit 13, it is 
developed to make it visible and then to form a toner image. 
Next, a sheet of copy paper P fed from a paper feed cassette I4 is fed 
further by paper feeding unit 15 and is then brought into close contact 
with photoreceptor drum 10. At this point of time. transfer electrode 16 
applies a high tension voltage from the high tension power source to the 
copy paper P and then transfers the toner image formed on the 
photoreceptor drum 10 onto the copy paper P. 
The copy paper P on which the toner image was transferred is separated from 
the photoreceptor drum 10 by a separation electrode 17 and is then 
introduced into fixing unit 18. The toner image is fixed by the fixing 
unit 18 on the copy paper P and the copy paper P is then delivered by 
paper delivery roller to a copy delivery tray 20 or sorter. 
On the other hand, toners remaining on photoreceptor drum 10 are cleaned up 
by cleaning unit 21 and may then be able to repeat the successive copying 
cycles. 
According to the structure described above, a method of copying a two-side 
original document relating to the invention will now be described: 
At first. a method of copying a left-opened book original such as shown in 
FIG. 3(a) will be described. FIG. 4(a) is a perspective illustration of 
such a state where the left-opened book original DL in size of, for 
example, A4 is placed on original glass plate 1 having the glass area 
capable of covering two-pages spread side-by-side. FIG. 5 is an 
elevational cross section describing the operation of a scanning optical 
system. 
In this example, the original glass plate is of the size capable of 
covering a A3 size. The description of this example will be made by taking 
the case of copying an A4 size book on a sheet of A4 size copy paper. 
In the description of original glass plate 1, the center M thereof forms 
the boundary between the left side (L-M) hereinafter called Side A of the 
original glass plate 1 and the right side (M-R) hereinafter called Side B. 
In other words, two A4 size original can be placed on the original glass 
plate 1. 
In a left-opened book original DL. the face of the first leaf is paginated 
by page 1, the back of the first leaf by page 2, the face of the second 
leaf by page 3 and the back of the second leaf by page 4, respectively. 
Therefore, the faces of every leaf are paginated by odd pages. Hereinafter 
the face of every leaf (i.e., odd pages) is called Side A, and the back 
thereof is called Side B. These Sides A and B will be described so as to 
correspond to Sides A and B of the aforementioned original glass plate 1. 
For the convenience of describing the copying steps of a left-opened book 
original DL, the description will now be made about the state that the 2nd 
and 3rd pages of the book original DL are spread out. (See the timing 
chart shown in FIG. 6) 
First, a left-opened book original should be confirmed and a size of 
transfer paper snould be determined. When a copying button is turned ON, 
primary mirror unit 4 of a scanning optical system will travel from the 
primary home position indicated by a solid line in FIG. 1 to the 2nd home 
position located on the slightly left side of the center position M of 
original glass plate 1, and successively it will enter the exposure step 
for the 2nd page DL.sub.2 of the book original DL placed on the side B of 
original glass plate 1 to make a scanning of the length of the transfer 
paper size (M-R), and when it comes to Point R at which the exposure will 
be completed, it will stop once. While the primary mirror unit 4 is 
travelling, the 2nd mirror unit 7 also travels along the steps thereof at 
a half of the speed of the primary mirror unit 4. 
On the other hand, transfer paper P.sub.1 is fed out from paper feed 
cassette 14 with a timing regulated by the aforementioned operation signal 
and is fed to transfer electrode 16, and is then put into the fixing and 
delivery steps to be ejected to the outside of the apparatus. Thus, the 
copying operation of the Side B is completed. 
In succession, according to the above-mentioned established operation 
signal, the scanning optical system will reverse its travelling direction 
from Point R and will return to the primary home position after passing 
through Point M. Next, the scanning optical system will reverse again to 
travel from Point L to Point M and will then scan over the 3rd page 
DL.sub.3 of the book original DL placed on the Side A of the original 
glass plate 1. Thereby, the copy image of the 3rd page DL.sub.3 of the 
book original DL is formed on the 2nd transfer paper P.sub.2 and the paper 
P.sub.2 will be ejected. Thus, the copying operation is completed. 
By an optical scanning of original surfaces in such a copying mode as 
mentioned above, transfer paper P.sub.1 formed thereon the copy image of 
the 2nd page of an original document and, next, transfer paper P.sub.2 
copied thereon the 3rd page of the original document are ejected one after 
another. 
Then by turning over the pages, the 4th page DL.sub.4 and the 5th page 
DL.sub.5 of the book original DL can also be copied in the same mode and 
are then orderly ejected. It is, therefore, readily possible to make a 
file. 
FIG. 3(b) shows a perspective view of a right-opened book original DR; and 
FIG. 4(b) is a perspective view showing the state that the book original 
DR is placed on original glass plate 1. In the case of copying 
right-opened book original DR with spreading the pages, the 2nd and 3rd 
pages thereof are placed on Side A and Side B of original glass plate 1. 
Therefore, when setting the mode of right-opened book original DR and 
depressing a copying button. an exposure and scanning operations are 
started at first, according to the operation signal, from the primary home 
position over the 2nd page DR.sub.2 of the original DR placed on Side A so 
as to form a copy image and are then stop once at the center point M. 
After then, the scanning optical system will travel to the 2nd home 
position and while it is travelling. the primary copying cycle will be 
completed. And, in succession, the secondary copying cycle will be carried 
out from the 2nd home position. 
Indicator M for showing the center position of a matter to be copied may be 
fixed to an indicator plate provided to the outside of original glass 
plate 1. It is also allowed to provide the center position M to be 
adjustable according to the sizes of transfer paper. In the latter case, 
the driving mechanism of a scanning optical system can be simplified by 
such a manner that the left end of the original glass plate 1 is to serve 
as the position setting guide for a book original and both of the center 
position M and the 2nd home position are adjusted in positions according 
to original sizes. 
FIG. 7 illustrates a control system in the case of copying the 
above-mentioned both side of an original, wherein 22 is an operating 
section for selecting the following operations on an operation panel: 
(1) 
(a) Each page of an original document of two-page spread is copied on a 
separate sheet of transfer paper, 
(b) an original documents of two-page spread is copied at the same time on 
one sheet of transfer paper, 
(c) only an original document placed on Side A of the original glass plate 
is copied, or 
(d) only an original document placed on Side B of the original glass plate 
is copied. 
(2) In the case of copying one page after another to make a two-page copy, 
a mode of left-opened book original DL or right-opened book original (CDR) 
is selected by a switch, so as to set an original size to be copied. 
According to an operation signal given from this operating section 22, a 
both-side copying operation is controlled by a control section 23, and a 
selection of transfer paper P and the drive of paper feed timing are 
carried out by a driving circuit for copy paper transport 24. On the other 
hand, a copying apparatus is controlled by a control section for copying 
apparatus 25 through the control section 23, and the scanning optical 
system circuit 26 is then driven and controlled, so that a prescribed 
primary home position, secondary home position and reversing position are 
controlled. 
EXAMPLE 2 
Next, a method of copying a book original on the front and back surfaces of 
a sheet of transfer paper (hereinafter called a duplex copying) will now 
be described with reference to FIG. 8. 
The book original is to be placed on an original glass plate as shown in 
FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b). 
FIG. 8 is a schematic structural drawing of a duplex copying apparatus 
comprising the aforementioned copying apparatus to which a copy paper 
reversing unit 30 and copy paper transport unit. In the drawing, like 
parts are shown by corresponding reference characters given in FIG. 1. 
FIG. 9 is a flow-chart illustrating the operation of duplex copying a book 
original. 
At first, in making a copy of a book original to be copied, the modes of 
the original are selected to properly set, namely, the size of the book 
original is automatically detected or manually set, and a determination is 
set on whether each page of two-page original is to be copied on the 
respective side of a sheet of copy paper or the two-pages of the original 
is to be copied at the same time on one side of a sheet of copy paper, and 
when making a copy page by page a mode of left-opened book original or 
right-opened book original is to be set, and further a determination is to 
be set whether the first page of the original should be placed on Side A 
or Side B of the original glass plate. 
After setting the above-mentioned modes, and when the copy start button is 
depressed, the optical system will travel and copy paper will be fed 
automatically according to the prescribed program, and a duplex copy will 
be made and ejected. 
Now, a series of processes for making duplex copies from the first page to 
the third page in the order of the steps, taking the case of using such a 
book original as shown in FIG. 3(a), as an example of the operations for 
making duplex copies of a book original embodied in accordance with the 
above-mentioned Example 2. 
(Step 1) 
As shown in FIG. 3(a), the first page of a left-opened book original is 
opened, and as shown in FIG. 4(a), the first page DL.sub.1 is placed on 
the Side A of an original glass plate 1. When a copy start button is 
depressed to start to make a copy after setting the necessary modes, an 
optical system will scan from the left end L to the center M and the image 
of the first page DL.sub.1 of the original DL placed on the Side A of the 
original glass plate 1 is formed on a photoreceptor 10 according to the 
above-mentioned toner image forming process. 
On the other hand, copy paper P.sub.1 of the prescribed size is fed out 
from cassette 14 by paper feed roller 15A to resist roller 15B and the 
paper P.sub.1 will stop to stand by. Next, the resist roller 15B is driven 
by a signal given from the optical system, so that the copy paper P.sub.1 
can be fed to transfer electrode 16 by synchronizing the drive of resist 
roller 15B with the above-mentioned toner image forming process. In this 
stage, the toner image of Side A formed on the photoreceptor 10 is 
transferred to the surface of copy paper P.sub.1 and transported to a 
fixing unit 18 by a conveyor belt so as to be thermally fixed by a heat 
roller. The copy paper P.sub.1 which was fixed and ejected will then go 
through a paper reversing unit 30. 
Such paper reversing unit 30 comprises a main roller 31 capable of 
revolving back and forth, a primary sub-roller 32, secondary sub-roller 33 
and tertiary sub-roller 34 which are driven by the revolution of the main 
roller 31, switching members 35 and 36 for switching the transport paths 
of copy paper, a shooter 37 for making the copy papers switch-back, and 
transport roller 38. 
Underneath the copying apparatus body, there is provided with a paper 
transport unit 40 and there are also arranged with a conveyor belt 41, a 
stacker 42, a retransport roller 43 and a conveyor roller 44 which are 
used for conveying the copy papers ejected from the above-mentioned paper 
reversing unit 30. 
Copy papers P.sub.1 ejected from the aforementioned fixing unit 18 are 
ascended inside the shooter 37 by the counterclockwise revo ution of 
switching member 35 and main roller 31 according to the signals generated 
in a prescribed mode. After then, the copy paper P.sub.1 is switched back 
to decend inside the shooter 37 and is passed by the secondary sub-roller 
33 and tertiary sub-roller 34 by the main roller 31 and the switching 
member 35, and is then entered in the paper transport unit 40 through the 
conveyor roller 38. 
The copy paper P.sub.1 is conveyed from this point by conveyor belt 41 so 
as to be placed on tne stacker 42 which is an intermediate paper stacking 
section. 
(Step 2) 
One leaf of book original DL is turned over, and the 2nd page that is the 
back side of the first page and the 3rd page thereof are placed on the 
Side A and Side B of original glass plate 1, respectively. 
Thereafter, the copy start button is depressed when the copying apparatus 
is stopped in operation, so that a copying operation is to be commenced. 
Thereby, copy paper P.sub.1 placed on the stacker 42 is transported to 
resist roller 15B by feed roller 43 and conveyor roller 44, and the copy 
paper P.sub.1 is in the state of standing still for standing by. 
On the other hand, the optical system scans over the Side B covering the 
area from the center position M to the right end R so as to form a toner 
image on the photoreceptor drum 10 in the same manner as mentioned before. 
Then, the resist roller 15B is driven by a signal given from the 
above-mentioned image forming process so that the copy paper P.sub.1 may 
be ejected to the outside of the apparatus through the successive 
transfer, separation and fixing steps. In other words, the copy paper 
P.sub.1 is recorded with the first page of the original on the front side 
and the 2nd page on the back side, respectively, and is then ejected. 
After scanning over the 2nd page, the optical system is reversed from the 
position R to reach the position L at the left end, and then scans over 
tne Side A. Synchronizing with this scanning operation, the 2nd copy paper 
P.sub.2 is drawn out from cassette 14 to form an image on the Side A, and 
is then placed on the stacker 42 of the paper transport unit 40 through 
the paper reversing unit 30. 
In the same manner, the 4th page, 5th page and thereafter will be copied, 
and the duplex copied corresponding to each page of the book original can 
be obtained. 
If a series of copying operations is not needed to continue at the point of 
time when the 3rd page is copied, for example, the paper feed roller 43, 
conveyor roller 44, resist roller 15B, photoreceptor drum 10 and main 
roller 31 are driven regardless of any exposure operation, and thereby the 
copy paper placed on the stacker 42 will be ejected with the back side up 
to the outside of the apparatus. 
In the above description, there gives an embodiment in which a series of 
duplex copies is operated one after another from the first page of a 
left-opened book original DL. It is, however, readily possible to operate 
a series of duplex copies each of two-page spreading leaves from the 2nd 
page on by setting the initial mode. 
It is a matter of course that a right-opened book original DR can be copied 
in the same manner. 
In the above described embodiment, a book original is described, however, 
the invention shall not be limited thereto, but such original can also be 
of the one-side or both-side printed sheet types. In the case of such 
sheet type originals, an automatic original transport unit can jointly be 
used. In this case, the same operation as in the case of a book original 
can be carried out by continuously transporting two-page originals. And, 
in the case of making a plurality of duplex copies, such duplex copies can 
be made rapidly in the manner that a desired number of copies of Side A 
mentioned in Step 1 is continuously made and the copy papers are stacked 
on stacker 42, and then the same number of copies of Side B in the Step 2 
as the number of the copy papers placed on the stacker is made. 
As described above, when placing a book original with spreading a leaf on 
an original glass plate having an area of two sides of a copy size 
required to be copied, every page of a two-side area can be automatically 
copied by a single action. In particular, when making a duplex copy on a 
copy paper, the copies can be made in the same manner as in the case of a 
duplex printed book original and can be ejected in order. Therefore, the 
effects can be displayed, such as that a filling can readily be made, the 
copying efficiency can sharply be multiplied, and the operability can also 
remarkably be improved.