Recording medium feeding apparatus

A recording medium feeding apparatus used in a facsimile have a bi-directional motor and first and second one-way clutches to transmit rotational forces of the motor in the both directions to first and second feed rollers, respectively, so that these rollers move a thermal sensitive paper and a printed sheet on a printing head and an image sensor, at transmitting and reception modes of the facsimile. At a copy mode of the facsimile, the motor's rotational force in the one direction is transmitted through the first clutch to the first roller, and is not transmitted through the second clutch to the second roller but transmitted through a transmitting route switching mechanism utilizing a planet gear to the second roller.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a recording medium feeding apparatus which 
is used in a facsimile to move a recording medium and a recording medium 
with an image formed thereon on printing means and over an image sensor of 
the facsimile, respectively, the printing means forming an image on a 
supplied recording medium in accordance with a received printing signal, 
and the image sensor reading an image which has been already printed on a 
recording medium and generating a printing signal which corresponds to the 
image read from the recording medium, and, more particularly, to a 
recording medium feeding apparatus used in a facsimile which can print an 
image, read from a recording medium with an image, on another recording 
medium supplied to the printing means. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
A facsimile, comprising an image sensor for reading an image which has been 
already printed on a recording medium and generating a printing signal 
corresponding to the image read from the recording medium, and a recording 
medium feeding apparatus for moving a recording medium with an image on 
the image sensor, is already disclosed by Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 
58-13064. The conventional facsimile is of a transmission only type or a 
transmission/reception type, and only the image sensor and the recording 
medium feeding apparatus are disclosed in the drawings of the Patent 
Disclosure. The recording medium feeding apparatus has a pair of feed 
rollers, and the image sensor is interposed between the feed rollers. The 
feed rollers are rotated simultaneously in the same direction to move the 
recording medium with image on the image sensor. 
A facsimile, comprising the above-mentioned image sensor, printing means 
for printing an image on a supplied recording medium in accordance with a 
supplied printing signal, and a recording medium feeding apparatus for 
moving the recording medium and the recording medium with image on the 
printing means and the image sensor, respectively, and being able to print 
the image read from the recording medium with an image by the image sensor 
on another recording medium supplied to the printing means, is already 
disclosed by Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 60-13545, 61-24865 and 
Japanese Utility Model Disclosure No. 58-6463. 
The recording medium feeding apparatus for the facsimile in Japanese Patent 
Publication No. 60-13545 has one bi-directional driving motor, and a pair 
of feed rollers corresponding to the printing means and the image sensor. 
The feed rollers are connected to the output shaft of the driving motor 
through a pair of one-way clutches which operate to transmit rotational 
force in opposite directions. Another one-way clutch is connected to the 
feed roller for the image sensor, a rotational force is transmitted from 
the output shaft of the driving motor through an idler gear to the another 
one-way clutch, and the another one-way clutch is operated so as to 
transmit the rotational force in the same direction as the one-way clutch 
used for the feed roller corresponding to the printing means. 
When the transmission mode is set in the facsimile disclosed in Japanese 
Patent Publication No. 60-13545 and constructed as described above, the 
output shaft of the driving motor is rotated in one direction. The 
rotational force in this direction is transmitted only to the feed roller 
for the image sensor but not transmitted to the feed roller for the 
printing means by the operation of the paired one-way clutches. When 
either the reception mode or the copy mode is set in the recording medium 
feeding apparatus, the output shaft of the driving motor is rotated in the 
other direction, the paired one-way clutches transmit the rotational force 
in the other direction only to the feed roller for the printing means, but 
do not transmit it to the feed roller for the image sensor. However, the 
rotational force in the other direction is also transmitted to the feed 
roller for the image sensor by the operation of the another one-way 
clutch. 
Since the feed roller for the image sensor is rotated in the same direction 
as that at the transmission mode setting time when the reception mode is 
set in this case, if the reception mode is set while a recording medium 
with an image is placed on a tray for introducing the recording medium 
with the image to the feed roller for the image sensor, the recording 
medium with the image on the tray is fed to move on the image sensor by 
means of the feed roller for the image sensor. The image sensor is not 
operated at the reception mode setting time, but the above-mentioned 
feeding of the recording medium with the image at the reception mode 
setting time loses the operability of the facsimile. The unnecessary 
rotation of the feed roller for the image sensor at the reception mode 
setting time causes needless loading of the driving motor and consequent 
loss in its output. 
The recording medium feeding apparatus for the facsimile, disclosed in 
Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-24865, also has a bi-directional 
driving motor and a pair of feed rollers corresponding to printing means 
and an image sensor, and also has a pair of one-way clutches which operate 
to transmit rotational force in opposite directions to the paired feed 
rollers. A driving gear on the output shaft of the driving motor is 
directly connected to the one-way clutch of the feed roller for the image 
sensor, and the driving gear on the output shaft of the driving motor is 
indirectly connected to the one-way clutch of the feed roller for the 
printing means through an idler gear. Another one-way clutch, which 
operates to transmit a rotational force in the same direction as that of 
the one-way clutch of the feed roller for the printing means, is further 
provided at the feed roller for the image sensor, and the another one-way 
clutch is indirectly connected to the driving gear on the output shaft of 
the driving motor through the idler gear 
The operation of the recording medium feeding apparatus for the facsimile 
in Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-24865 is the same as that of the 
recording medium feeding apparatus for the facsimile in the 
above-mentioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-13545. More 
specifically, at the transmission mode setting time, the output shaft of 
the driving motor is rotated in one direction, the rotational force in the 
one direction is transmitted only to the feed roller for the image sensor 
but not transmitted to the feed roller for the printing means by the 
operation of the pair of one-way clutches. Either at the reception mode 
setting time or copy mode setting time in the recording medium feeding 
apparatus for the facsimile, the output shaft of the driving motor is 
rotated in the other direction, the paired one-way clutches transmit the 
rotational force in the another direction only to the feed roller for the 
printing means, but does not transmit it to the feed roller for the image 
sensor. However, the rotational force in the other direction is 
transmitted also to the feed roller for the image sensor by the operation 
of the another one-way clutch. Therefore, the recording medium feeding 
apparatus for the facsimile, disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 
61-24865, has the same disadvantages as those of the recording medium 
feeding apparatus for the facsimile, disclosed in Japanese Patent 
Publication No. 60-13545. 
A recording medium feeding apparatus for a facsimile, disclosed in Japanese 
Utility Model Disclosure No. 58-6463 also has a bi-directional driving 
motor and a pair of feed rollers corresponding to printing means and an 
image sensor. However, in this recording medium feeding apparatus, the 
paired feed rollers are connected to the output shaft of the driving motor 
only through a pair of one-way clutches which operate to transmit 
rotational force in opposite directions to the paired feed rollers. 
At the transmission mode setting time in the recording medium feeding 
apparatus, the output of the driving motor is rotated in one direction, 
the rotational force in the one direction is transmitted only to the feed 
roller for the image sensor but not transmitted to the feed roller for the 
printing means by the operation of the paired one-way clutches. At the 
reception mode setting time in the recording medium feeding apparatus for 
the facsimile, the output shaft of the driving motor is rotated in another 
direction, the paired one-way clutches transmit the rotational force in 
the another direction only to the feed roller for the printing means, but 
do not transmit it to the feed roller for the image sensor. At the copy 
mode setting time, the output shaft of the driving motor is alternately 
rotated in one and another directions for a predetermined time, thereby 
alternately rotating the feed roller for the image sensor and the feed 
roller for the printing means for a predetermined time. In other words, 
the image, partly read in a predetermined amount from the recording medium 
with the image by rotating the feed roller for the image sensor for a 
predetermined time, is temporarily stored in a memory device of small 
capacity, and, then, the feed roller for the printing means is rotated 
while the rotation of the feed roller for the image sensor is stopped for 
the same predetermined time as above to reproduce the partly-read image on 
the another recording medium mounted on the printing means by the feed 
roller for the printing means. This is alternately repeated to completely 
reproduce all the image on the recording medium with the image on another 
recording medium. 
In the recording medium feeding apparatus for the facsimile, disclosed in 
Japanese Utility Model Disclosure No. 58-6463, each of the feeding speed 
of the recording medium with the image and the another recording medium 
without image at the copy mode setting time is extremely slower than those 
at the transmission mode setting time and reception mode setting time. 
Since the another recording medium is intermittently moved until all the 
image printed on the recording medium are completely reproduced on the 
another recording medium, the backlashes of a plurality of gears used in 
the recording medium feeding apparatus tends to cause the duplicate or 
discontinuity of a line not presented in the original images to occur in 
the images completely reproduced on the another recording medium. 
In order to reduce the number of rotations of the feed roller for the image 
sensor and the rotation of the feed roller for the printing means to one, 
the number being required until all the image printed on the recording 
medium is completely reproduced on the another recording medium, and to 
prevent the duplication or discontinuity of a line, a memory device of 
large capacity must be employed, and the memory device of such large 
capacity causes the price of the facsimile to increase and the profile 
size of the facsimile to be enlarged. Since the image reading from the 
recording medium with the image by the image sensor and the printing of 
the read-out image on the another recording medium by the printing means 
cannot be simultaneously executed even when the memory device of such 
large capacity is employed, the feeding speed of the recording medium with 
the image and the another recording medium without image at the copy mode 
time is still slower than those at the transmission and reception mode 
times. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a recording 
medium feeding apparatus which can eliminate the loss of the output of a 
driving motor and the decrease in the operability of a facsimile both of 
which are produced in conventional examples, and which is not necessary to 
employ a memory device of large capacity and high price, light in weight 
with only one driving motor, a simple in structure, and can simultaneously 
feed a recording medium with an image and a recording medium without an 
image in a copy setting mode at the same feeding speed as that of a 
recording medium with an image and another recording medium without an 
image either at transmission mode setting time and reception mode setting 
time. 
The above object of the present invention is achieved by a recording medium 
feeding apparatus, comprising a first feed roller for moving a recording 
medium on a printing means of a facsimile; a second feed roller for moving 
a recording medium with an image on an image sensor of the facsimile; a 
bi-directional driving motor; a first one-way clutch interposed between 
the driving motor and the first feed roller to transmit the rotational 
force of the output shaft of the driving motor in one direction to the 
first feed roller so that the first feed roller is rotated for moving the 
recording medium on the printing means, and to interrupt the transmission 
of the rotational force of the output shaft of the driving motor in the 
other direction to the first feed roller; a second one-way clutch 
interposed between the driving motor and the second feed roller to 
interrupt the transmission of the rotational force of the output shaft of 
the driving motor in the one direction to the second feed roller, and to 
transmit the rotational force of the output shaft of the driving motor in 
the other direction to the second feed roller so that the second feed 
roller is rotated for moving the recording medium with the image on the 
image sensor; rotational force transmitting route switching means for 
selectively and directly transmitting the rotational force of the output 
shaft of the driving motor in the one direction to the second feed roller 
without through in the second one-way clutch so that the second feed 
roller is rotated for moving the recording medium with the image on the 
image sensor; and rotational force transmitting route switching control 
means for controlling the driving motor to rotate the output shaft thereof 
in the one direction and controlling the switching means not to directly 
transmit the rotational force of the output shaft of the driving motor in 
the one direction to the second feed roller without through in the second 
one-way clutch when the printing means in the facsimile prints an image on 
the supplied recording medium in accordance with the supplied printing 
signal, controlling the driving motor to rotate the output shaft thereof 
in the other direction when the image sensor reads the image printed or 
drawn on the recording medium with the image and generates a printing 
signal corresponding to the read-out image, and controlling the driving 
motor to rotate the output shaft thereof in the one direction and 
controlling the switching means to directly transmit the rotational force 
of the output shaft thereof in the one direction to the second feed roller 
without through in the second one-way clutch when an image read out from 
the recording medium with the image by the image sensor is printed on 
another recording medium supplied to the printing means. 
In the recording medium feeding apparatus as described above, when the 
printing means in the facsimile prints an image on the supplied recording 
medium in accordance with the supplied image signal, the rotational force 
of the output shaft of the driving motor in the one direction is 
transmitted only to the first feed roller by means of the first one-way 
clutch, the switching means does not transmit the rotational force of the 
output shaft in the one direction to the second feed roller, and the 
second one-way clutch does not transmit the rotational force to the second 
feed roller. Therefor, the recording medium is moved on the printing means 
so as to be printed by the first feed roller, and the recording medium 
with the image is not moved on the image sensor by the second feed roller. 
When the image sensor reads the image printed or drawn on the recording 
medium and generates a printing signal corresponding to the read-out 
image, the rotational force of the output shaft of the driving motor in 
the other direction is transmitted to the second feed roller through the 
second one-way clutch, the switching means does not transmit the 
rotational force of the output shaft in the other direction to the second 
feed roller, and the first one-way clutch does not transmit the rotational 
force in the other direction to the first feed roller. Therefor, the 
recording medium with the image is moved on the image sensor by the second 
feed roller, and the recording medium is not moved by the first feed 
roller on the printing means so as to be printed. And, when an image read 
out from the recording medium with the image by the image sensor is 
printed on another recording medium supplied to the printing means, the 
rotational force of the output shaft of the driving motor in the one 
direction is transmitted to the first feed roller through the first 
one-way clutch, and the switching means directly transmits the rotational 
force of the output shaft in the one direction to the second feed roller 
without through in the second one-way clutch. Therefor, the recording 
medium with the image is moved on the image sensor by the second feed 
roller and the other recording medium is moved by the first feed roller on 
the printing means so as to be printed. 
The above-mentioned object of the present invention is also achieved by a 
recording medium feeding apparatus comprising a first feed roller for 
moving a recording medium on a printing means of a facsimile; a second 
feed roller for moving a recording medium with an image on an image sensor 
of the facsimile; a third rotatable feed roller provided at a position 
separate from the image sensor to feed the recording medium with the image 
toward the image sensor; a bi-directional driving motor; a first one-way 
clutch interposed between the driving motor and the first feed roller to 
transmit the rotational force of the output shaft of the driving motor in 
one direction to the first feed roller so that the first feed roller is 
rotated for moving the recording medium on the printing means, and to 
interrupt the transmission of the rotational force of the output shaft of 
the driving motor in the other direction to the first feed roller; a 
second one-way clutch interposed between the driving motor and the second 
feed roller to interrupt the transmission of the rotational force of the 
output shaft of the driving motor in the one direction to the second feed 
roller, and to transmit the rotational force of the output shaft of the 
driving motor in the other direction to the second feed roller so that the 
second feed roller is rotated for moving the recording medium with the 
image on the image sensor; rotational force transmitting route switching 
means for selectively and directly transmitting the rotational force of 
the output shaft of the driving motor in the one direction to the second 
feed roller without through in the second one-way clutch, and transmitting 
the rotational force of the output shaft of the driving motor in the other 
direction to the third feed roller so that the third feed roller is 
rotated for moving the recording medium with the image toward the image 
sensor; and rotational force transmitting route switching control means 
for controlling the driving motor to rotate the output shaft thereof in 
one direction and controlling the switching means not to directly transmit 
the rotational force of the output shaft of the driving motor in the one 
direction to the second feed roller without through in the second one-way 
clutch when the printing means in the facsimile prints a image on the 
supplied recording medium in accordance with the supplied printing signal, 
controlling the driving motor to rotate the output shaft thereof in the 
other direction when the image sensor reads the image printed or drawn on 
the recording medium and generates a printing signal corresponding to the 
read-out image, and controlling the driving motor to rotate the output 
shaft thereof in the one direction and controlling the switching means to 
directly transmit the rotational force of the output shaft thereof in the 
one direction to the second feed roller without through in the second 
one-way clutch when an image read out from the recording medium with the 
image by the image sensor is printed on another recording medium supplied 
to the printing means. 
In the latter recording medium feeding apparatus, when the printing means 
in the facsimile prints an image on the supplied recording medium in 
accordance with the supplied printing signal, the rotational force of the 
output shaft of the driving motor in the one direction is transmitted only 
to the first feed roller by means of the first one-way clutch, the 
switching means does not transmit the rotational force of the output shaft 
in the one direction to the second and third feed rollers, and the second 
one-way clutch does not transmit the rotational force in the one direction 
to the second feed roller. Therefor, the recording medium is moved on the 
printing means so as to be printed by the first feed roller, and the 
recording medium with the image is not fed to the image sensor and is not 
moved on the image sensor by the third and second feed rollers. When the 
image sensor reads the image printed or drawn on the recording medium and 
generates a printing signal corresponding to the read-out image, the 
rotational force of the output shaft of the driving motor in the other 
direction is transmitted to the second feed roller through the second 
one-way clutch, the switching means transmits the rotational force of the 
output shaft in the other direction to the third feed roller, and the 
first one-way clutch does not transmit the rotational force in the other 
direction to the first feed roller. Therefor, the recording medium with 
the image is fed toward the image sensor by the third feed roller and 
moved on the image sensor by the second feed roller. At this time, the 
recording medium is not moved on the printing means so as to be printed by 
the first feed roller. And, when an image read out from the recording 
medium with the image by the image sensor is printed on another recording 
medium supplied to the printing means, the rotational force of the output 
shaft of the driving motor in the one direction is transmitted to the 
first feed roller through the first one-way clutch, the switching means 
directly transmits the rotational force of the output shaft in the one 
direction to the second feed roller without through in the second one-way 
clutch, and the switching means does not transmit the rotational force of 
the output shaft in the one direction to the third roller. Therefor, the 
recording medium with the image is moved on the image sensor by the second 
feed roller and the other recording medium is moved on the printing means 
so as to be printed by the first feed roller.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIG. 1 shows printing means 12 for printing an image on supplied recording 
medium 10 in accordance with a supplied printing signal, and image sensor 
16 for reading an image already printed on another recording medium and 
for generating a printing signal corresponding to the read-out image. 
Printing means 12 is disposed in an upper portion in a housing, not shown, 
of a facsimile. Image sensor 16 is disposed in a front portion (right end 
in FIG. 1) in the housing. In this embodiment, each of printing means 12 
and image sensor 16 is formed in a slender shape extended in a direction 
perpendicular to the surface of the drawing paper, and printing means 12 
is composed of a thermal head. 
First feed roller 18 is disposed under printing means 12 in the housing, 
not shown. The rotating center line of first feed roller 18 is extended in 
longitudinal direction of printing means 12, and first feed roller 18 is 
rotatably supported by a chassis, not shown, in the housing. 
In the embodiment described above, recording medium 10 is a rolled thermal 
sensitive paper. The forward end of recording medium 10, extended from a 
roll holder, not shown, provided adjacent to first feed roller 18 in the 
upper portion of the housing, is pinched by first feed roller 18 and 
printing means 12. The outer peripheral surface of first feed roller 18 is 
formed of an elastic material and first feed roller 18 functions as a 
platen for printing means 12. Recording means 10 is drawn from a roll 
holder, not shown, by rotation of first feed roller 18 in a 
counterclockwise direction as shown by arrow A in FIG. 1, and moved on 
printing means 20 toward the rear (leftward in FIG. 1) of the housing, not 
shown, of the facsimile, as shown by arrow B in FIG. 1. First one-way 
clutch 20 is mounted on the rotational center shaft of first feed roller 
18. First one-way clutch 20 has input gear (input rotary member) 22 at its 
input side to transmit only a rotational force in the counterclockwise 
direction transmitted to input gear (input rotary member) 22 to first feed 
roller 18. 
Second feed roller 24 is disposed in the back side of image sensor 16 in 
the housing, not shown. The rotational center line of second feed roller 
24 is extended in the longitudinal direction of image sensor 16, and the 
second feed roller 24 is rotatably supported by the chassis, not shown, in 
the housing, not shown. 
Image sensor 16 is rockably provided on the chassis, not shown, to come 
into contact with the outer peripheral surface of second feed roller 24 
from obliquely forwardly upward (obliquely rightwardly upward in FIG. 1), 
and passage 26 for guiding a recording medium with an image (not shown in 
FIG. 1) from the upside of the housing to a contact line between image 
sensor 16 and second feed roller 24 is formed in the housing. 
Second feed roller 24 is so formed that at least its outer peripheral 
surface is white, and second one-way clutch 28 is mounted on the 
rotational center shaft of second feed roller 24. As shown in FIG. 2, 
second one-way clutch 28 has input gear (input rotary member) 30 at its 
input side to transmit only a rotational force (FIG. 1) in a clockwise 
direction, transmitted to input gear (input rotary member) 30, to second 
feed roller 24. Second one-way clutch 28 further has output gear (output 
rotary member) 32 at its output side, as shown in FIG. 2. Output gear 
(output rotary member) 32 is concentrically fixed to the rotational center 
shaft of second feed roller 24. 
Second feed roller 24 can drive the recording medium with the image (not 
shown in FIG. 1), which is introduced into passage 26 and the forward end 
of which reaches at the contact line between image sensor 16 and second 
feed roller 24, to move the recording medium with the image downward on 
image sensor 16 by its rotation in clockwise direction in FIG. 1. 
Third feed roller 34 is disposed at a position along passage 26 above image 
sensor 16 in the housing. Third feed roller 3 is rotatably supported by 
the chassis, not shown, so as to dispose its rotational center shaft in 
parallel with the rotational center shaft of second feed roller 24. Gear 
36 is concentrically fixed to the rotational center shaft of third feed 
roller 34. Gear 36 is substantially disposed in the same plane as input 
gear (input rotary member) 30 of second one-way clutch 20 is disposed, as 
shown in FIG. 2. 
A bi-directional driving motor 38 is disposed between first feed roller 18 
and second feed roller 24 in the housing, not shown. First gear train 42 
is interposed between driving pinion 40 concentrically fixed to the output 
shaft of driving motor 38 and input gear 22 of first one-way clutch 20. 
Second gear train 43 is interposed between driving pinion 40 of driving 
motor 38 and input gear 30 of second one-way clutch 28. 
First gear train 42 has first rotational force transmitting gear 44 engaged 
with driving pinion 40 of driving motor 38, second rotational force 
transmitting gear 46 of small diameter engaged with first rotational force 
transmitting gear 44, and third rotational force transmitting gear 48 of 
large diameter concentrically fixed with second rotational force 
transmitting gear 46 and engaged with input gear 22 of first one-way 
clutch 20. These gears of first gear train 42 are rotatably supported by 
the chassis, not shown, described above. 
Second gear train 43 has first rotational force transmitting gear 50 
engaged with driving pinion 40 of driving motor 38, second rotational 
force transmitting gear 52 of small diameter engaged with first rotational 
force transmitting gear 50, third rotational force transmitting gear 54 of 
large diameter concentrically fixed with second rotational force 
transmitting gear 52, fourth rotational force transmitting gear 56 of 
small diameter engaged with third rotational force transmitting gear 54, 
and fifth rotational force transmitting gear 58 of large diameter engaged 
with fourth rotational force transmitting gear 56. Fifth rotational force 
transmitting gear 58 is engaged with input gear 30 of second one-way 
clutch 28. Fifth rotational force transmitting gear 58 functions as a 
driving rotary member for transmitting a rotational force from the output 
shaft 40 of driving motor 38 to input gear 30. 
Planetary lever 60 is rotatably mounted on the rotational center shaft of 
fifth rotational force transmitting gear 58. Planet gear 62 is rotatably 
supported on one end portion of planetary lever 60 to turn around the 
rotational center shaft of fifth rotational force transmitting gear 58 
remaining in engagement with fifth rotational force transmitting gear 58. 
Planetary lever 60 is urged to rotate in a direction of the rotation of 
the fifth rotational force transmitting gear 50 by the inertia of the 
rotation of the fifth rotational force transmitting gear 58 as the driving 
rotary member, and planet gear 62 functions as a position change rotary 
member which varies its position on the fifth rotational force 
transmitting gear 50 upon rotation of the planetary lever 60. 
Planetary gear 62 extends substantially perpendicularly to a plane 
including output gear 32 of second one-way clutch 28 and gear 36 of third 
feed roller 34, and output gear 32 and gear 36 are disposed on the moving 
trace of planet gear 62. 
When planet gear 62 is engaged with output gear 32 of second one-way clutch 
28, planet gear 62 can transmit a rotational force from fifth rotational 
force transmitting gear 58 (i.e., rotational force from the output shaft 
of driving motor 38) to second feed roller 24 bypassing second one-way 
clutch 28. This is because, as stated above, output gear 32 is fixed to 
the outer shaft of second feed roller 24. When planet gear 62 is engaged 
with gear 36 of third feed roller 34, planet gear 62 transmits a 
rotational force from fifth rotational force transmitting gear 58 (i.e., 
rotational force from the output shaft of driving motor 38) to gear 36 of 
third feed roller 34. 
Planet gear 62 and planetary lever 60, constructed to switch the rotational 
force transmitting route in this manner, compose rotary force transmitting 
route switching means. 
Rotational force transmitting route switching control means 63 for 
controlling the operation of the rotational force transmitting route 
switching means is provided at the other end of planetary lever 60. In the 
embodiment described above, switching control means 63 has cutout 64 
formed on the peripheral edge of the other end of planetary lever 60, 
engaging lever 68 attached on rotational center shaft 66 fixed to the 
chassis, not shown, so as to be rotatable around rotational center shaft 
66 between an engaging position in which the one end of engaging lever 68 
is disposed in cutout 64 and a disengaging position in which the one end 
of engaging lever 68 is separated from cutout 64, plunger and solenoid 
driving means 70 connected to the other end of engaging lever 68 so as to 
selectively rotate engaging lever 68 between the engaging position and the 
disengaging position, and electric circuit control means 72 electrically 
connected to plunger and solenoid driving means 70 and driving motor 38 to 
control the operations of plunger and solenoid driving means 70 and 
driving motor 38. 
Here, cutout 64, engaging lever 68, plunger and solenoid driving means 70 
and electric circuit control means 72 form planetary lever control means 
for controlling the operation of the rotary force transmitting route 
switching means by controlling the operation of planetary lever 60. 
Planetary lever 60 forms position selecting means for selectively 
controlling the position of planet gear 62 by being selectively controlled 
as to its own position by switching control means 63. 
Cutout 64 is formed to have a shape which inhibits the rotation of 
planetary lever 60 causing planet gear 62 to engage with output gear 32 of 
second one-way clutch 28 and allows the rotation of planetary lever 60 
causing planet gear 62 to engage with gear 36 of third feed roller 34, 
while engaging lever 68 is engaged with cutout 64. 
In the embodiment of the recording medium feeding apparatus according to 
the present invention and constructed as described above, when printing 
means 12 in the facsimile to which the embodiment is applied prints an 
image on supplied printing medium 10 without an image in accordance with 
supplied printing signal (i.e., when a reception mode is set in the 
facsimile), electric circuit control means 72 controls driving motor 38 to 
rotate its output shaft in the clockwise direction as shown by arrow C in 
FIG. 1, and controls plunger and solenoid driving means 70 to engage 
engaging lever 68 with cutout 64 of planetary lever 60 as shown in FIG. 1. 
The rotational force of the output shaft of driving motor 38 in the 
clockwise direction shown by arrow C in FIG. 1 is transmitted to input 
gear 22 of first one-way clutch 20 and input gear 30 of second one-way 
clutch 28 through first and second gear trains 42 and 43. At this time, 
third rotational force transmitting gear 48 of first gear train 42 rotates 
in the clockwise direction as shown by arrow D in FIG. 1, thereby rotating 
input gear 22 in the counterclockwise direction as shown by arrow A in 
FIG. 1. First one-way clutch 20 transmits the rotation of input gear 22 to 
first feed roller 18. 
First feed roller 18 rotated in the counterclockwise direction by the 
rotational force from the output shaft of driving motor 38 moves recording 
medium 10 without image in a direction as shown by arrow B in FIG. 1. In 
accordance with the supplied printing signal, printing means 12 prints an 
image on recording medium 10 without image moving on printing means 12 in 
this manner. 
When the output shaft of driving motor 38 is rotated in the clockwise 
direction as described above, fifth rotational force transmitting gear 58 
of second gear train 43 is rotated in the clockwise direction as shown by 
arrow E in FIG. 1, and the clockwise rotation of fifth rotational force 
transmitting gear 58 causes input gear 30 of second one-way clutch 28 to 
rotate in the counterclockwise direction. However, second one-way clutch 
28 interrupts the transmission of the rotation to first feed roller 18. 
The clockwise rotation of fifth rotational force transmitting gear 58 also 
generates an inertia in planetary lever 60, the inertia urging planetary 
lever 60 to rotate in the clockwise direction. However, engaging lever 68 
engaged with cutout 64 of planetary lever 60 prevents planetary lever 60 
from rotating in the clockwise direction. As a result, planet gear 62 is 
held at the substantially intermediate position between input gear 30 of 
second one-way clutch 28 and gear 36 of third feed roller 34 as shown in 
FIGS. 1 and 2, where planet gear 62 is separated from both the gears. The 
positions of planetary lever 60 and planet gear 62 at this time are 
defined as first positions thereof. 
As described above, when the reception mode is set in the facsimile, the 
rotational force from the output shaft of driving motor 38 is not 
transmitted to second and third feed rollers 24, 34, so that these rollers 
24, 34 are not rotated. Therefore, no loss occurs in the output of driving 
motor 38. Even if a recording medium with an image is inserted into 
passage 26 when the reception mode is set in the facsimile, the recording 
medium with the image is held in passage 26 with its forward end 
contacting the contact line between second feed roller 24 and image sensor 
16, so that the recording medium with the image is prevented from being 
moved on image sensor 16 by second feed roller 24. 
In the embodiment of the recording medium feeding apparatus according to 
the present invention and constructed as described above, when the image 
printed or drawn on the recording medium is read out by image sensor 16 in 
the facsimile and a printing signal corresponding to the read-out image is 
generated (i.e., a transmission mode is set in the facsimile), at first, 
recording medium 74 with the image is inserted from above to passage 26. 
Recording medium 74 with the image is ordinarily a recording sheet on 
which an image, such as characters, numerals, symbols, or figures, is 
printed or drawn. 
When a detecting means, not shown, provided in the entrance opening of 
passage 26 detects the forward end of recording medium 74 with the image 
which is inserted into passage 26, electric circuit control means 72 
controls the driving motor 38 to rotate its output shaft in the 
counterclockwise direction as shown by arrow F in FIG. 3, and controls 
plunger and solenoid driving means 70 to engage engaging lever 68 with 
cutout 64 of planetary lever 60 as shown in FIG. 3. 
The rotational force of the output shaft of driving motor 38 in the 
counterclockwise direction as shown by arrow F in FIG. 3 is transmitted to 
input gear 22 of first one-way clutch 20 and input gear 30 of second 
one-way clutch 28 through first and second gear trains 42 and 43. At this 
time, third rotational force transmitting gear 48 of first gear train 42 
is rotated in the counterclockwise direction as shown by arrow G in FIG. 
3, and input gear 22 is thereby rotated in the clockwise direction. First 
one-way clutch 20 interrupts the transmission of the rotation of input 
gear 22 to first feed roller 18. As a result, recording medium 10 without 
image is not moved on printing means 12. 
When the output shaft of driving motor 38 is rotated in the 
counterclockwise direction as described above, fifth rotational force 
transmitting gear 58 of second gear train 43 is rotated in the 
counterclockwise direction as shown by arrow H in FIG. 3 to cause input 
gear 30 of second one-way clutch 28 to rotate in the clockwise direction 
as shown by arrow I in FIG. 3. Second one-way clutch 28 transmits the 
clockwise rotation of input gear 30 to second feed roller 24 to rotate 
second feed roller 24 in the clockwise direction as shown by arrow J in 
FIG. 3. The counterclockwise rotation of fifth rotational force 
transmitting gear 58 also generates inertial force in planetary lever 60 
to urge planetary lever 60 to rotate in the counterclockwise direction. In 
this case, planetary lever 60 rotates in the counterclockwise direction 
while keeping the engagement of engaging lever 68 with cutout 64, and the 
rotation of planetary lever 60 is stopped by engagement of planet gear 62 
with gear 36 of third feed roller 34 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. 
Thus, gear 36 of third feed roller 34 also functions as rotational distance 
limiting means for limiting the rotational distance of planetary lever 60 
to a predetermined value in the counterclockwise direction (i.e., in a 
direction that planetary lever 60 goes away from second feed roller 24). 
The positions of planetary lever 60 and planet gear 62 at this time are 
defined as second positions. 
Planet gear 62 disposed at the second position transmits the rotational 
force from fifth rotational force transmitting gear 58 (i.e., from the 
output shaft of driving motor 38) to gear 36 of third feed roller 34, 
thereby rotating third feed roller 34 in the counterclockwise direction as 
shown by arrow K in FIG. 3. 
Recording medium 74 with the image inserted into passage 26, as described 
above, is fed by third feed roller 34 toward the contact line between 
image sensor 16 and second feed roller 24. Electric circuit control means 
72, which detects the arrival of the forward end of recording medium 74 to 
the contact line by another detecting means provided immediately before 
the contact line, stops the rotation of the output shaft of driving motor 
38. Then, when a transmission mode is set in the facsimile by a 
transmission mode setting switch means, not shown, provided in the 
facsimile, electric circuit control means 72 controls driving motor 38 to 
rotate again the output shaft thereof in the counterclockwise direction as 
shown by arrow F. Therefor, the recording medium 74 is driven by second 
feed roller 24 at the contact line to be moved on image sensor 16. Image 
sensor 16 reads the image on recording medium 74 with the image and 
generates a printing signal corresponding to the read out image. 
In the embodiment of the recording medium feeding apparatus according to 
the present invention and constructed as described above, when the image 
read out from recording medium 74 with the image by image sensor 16 in the 
facsimile to which the embodiment is applied is printed on another 
recording medium 10 supplied to printing means 12 (i.e., the copy mode is 
set in the facsimile), recording medium 74 with the image inserted from 
above to passage 26 is at first fed by third feed roller 34 until the 
forward end of recording medium 74 reaches at the contact line between 
image sensor 16 and second feed roller 24 in the same manner as the 
transmission mode setting time. 
When the copy mode is set in the facsimile by copy mode setting switch 
means, not shown, in facsimile while the forward end of recording medium 
74 reaches at the contact line, electric circuit control means 72 
immediately controls driving motor 38 to rotate the output shaft in the 
clockwise direction as shown by arrow C in FIG. 5, and controls plunger 
and solenoid driving means 70 to separate engaging lever 68 from cutout 6 
of planetary lever 60 as shown in FIG. 5. 
The clockwise rotation of the output shaft of driving motor 38 as shown by 
arrow C in FIG. 5 is transmitted to input gear 22 of first one-way clutch 
20 and input gear 30 of second one-way clutch 28 through first and second 
gear trains 42 and 43. At this time, fifth rotational force transmitting 
gear 58 of second gear train 43 is rotated in the clockwise direction as 
shown by arrow E in FIG. 5, and clockwise rotation of fifth rotational 
force transmitting gear 58 causes input gear 30 of second one-way clutch 
28 to rotate counterclockwise. Second one-way clutch 28 interrupts the 
transmission of the rotation of input gear 30 to second feed roller 24. 
The clockwise rotation of fifth rotational force transmitting gear 58, 
however, generates inertial force in planetary lever 60 to urge planetary 
lever 60 to rotate in the clockwise direction. As a result, planetary 
lever 60, the cutout 64 of which is not engaged with engaging lever 68, is 
rotated in the clockwise direction until planet gear 62 is engaged with 
output gear 32 of second one-way clutch 28 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. 
The positions of planetary lever 60 and planet gear 62 at this time are 
defined as third positions. 
Planet gear 62 disposed at the third position transmits the rotational 
force from fifth rotational force transmitting gear 58 (i.e., from the 
output shaft of driving motor 38) to output gear 32 of second one-way 
clutch 28 to transmit the rotational force directly to third feed roller 
34 thus bypassing one-way clutch 28 and rotating third feed roller 34 in 
the clockwise direction as shown by arrow J in FIG. 5. 
Recording medium 74 with the image inserted into passage 26 as described 
above is fed by third feed roller 34 toward the contact line between image 
sensor 16 and second feed roller 24, and is driven by second feed roller 
24 at the contact line to be moved on image sensor 16. At this time, image 
sensor 16 reads the image on recording medium 74 with the image to 
generate a printing signal corresponding to the read-out image. 
When the output shaft of driving motor 38 is rotated in the clockwise 
direction as described above, third rotational force transmitting gear 48 
of first gear train 42 is rotated in the clockwise direction as shown by 
arrow D in FIG. 5, thereby rotating input gear 22 in the counterclockwise 
direction as shown by arrow A in FIG. 5. First one-way clutch 20 transmits 
the rotation of input gear 22 to first feed roller 18. 
First feed roller 18 rotated in the counterclockwise direction by the 
rotational force from the output shaft of driving motor 38 moves recording 
medium 10 without image in a direction as shown by arrow B in FIG. 5. 
Printing means 12 prints an image on recording medium 10 without image 
moved on printing means 12 in accordance with a printing signal generated 
from image sensor 16.