Circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatus and duplex copying apparatus provided with said apparatus

A circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatus comprising a document hopper which is adapted to take out the top document from the hopper or take it out from the bottom to return in onto the topmost side, a first carrying means for carrying the document form the document hopper to a first exposure portion, a document presentation portion having the first exposure portion and the second exposure portion, a second carrying means which is equipped with an inside and outside inverting means for inverting the carrying direction of the document between the first exposure portion and the second exposure portion, and a third carrying means for returning the document to the document hopper from the second exposure portion. One face of the duplex document may be exposed in the first exposure portion to continuously expose the other face thereof in the second exposure portion, so that the copying operation of the duplex document may be effected at higher speeds and furthermore with considerably reduced operations on the part of the operator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention generally relates to a circulating type of automatic 
document feeding apparatus and an automatic duplex copying apparatus 
provided with the apparatus. More particularly, when many copies are made 
from a plurality of documents arranged in the sequential order of the 
pages, copy sheets with images being formed in the page order are 
discharged and also a copying method of fourth types, i.e., duplex copying 
from a duplex document onto a copy sheet, simplex copying from a duplex 
document onto a copy sheet, duplex copying from a simplex document, and 
simplex copying from a simplex document may be effected by easier 
switching operations. Particularly, an inverting route, wherein after one 
face of the document has been exposed, the document is inverted so that 
the other face thereof may be exposed, is provided in the circulating type 
of automatic document feeding apparatus so that the duplex document may be 
copied in a short time. 
Conventionally, in the copying machine, various types of automatic document 
feeding apparatuses proposed require resetting of the discharged documents 
into the document feeding apparatus again by manual operation when the 
document once copied is recopied The operation is uncertain when the speed 
becomes higher The operation becomes complicated when many copies are 
required to be made from the same document and when the copies are 
required to be made from both faces of the sheet document. Particularly, 
it is difficult to make many sheets of copies in page order from documents 
with a plurality of sheets. 
Recently, a copying machine provided with a document feeding apparatus 
which makes it possible to copy a duplex document is proposed in, for 
example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,150 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,387, with such 
various problems as described hereinafter. Namely, in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,099,150, an apparatus is proposed which circulates the duplex documents, 
and inverts the documents via an inverting apparatus during the duplex 
copying operation. When a document jam has occurred in the apparatus, it 
is difficult to provide the copied sheets in accordance with the order of 
the document pages. Also, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,387, an apparatus is 
provided which feeds the duplex documents onto an exposure stand from a 
document feeding portion and copies them, thereafter reverses them without 
returning them to the document feeding portion to make outside copies. 
However, in the apparatus, sheets having unfixed images thereon have to be 
carried through and inverted by air on the side of the main body of the 
copying machine in the apparatus, thus resulting in an apparatus higher in 
price and larger in size. As the apparatus includes a step of inverting 
the document which has been exposed, a waiting time is required before the 
exposure completion of the duplex copying step of the former document to 
present the following document, so that the document exchange time becomes 
longer, with faster copying speed becoming difficult to obtain. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a circulating 
type of automatic document feeding apparatus (Recirculating Document 
Handler: RDH), which eliminates the above-described disadvantages, and is 
capable of circulating the exposure-completed document again into the 
exposure portion by short steps so that the duplex copying may be made 
continuously from the duplex document and also a plurality of sheets may 
be continuously copied, and the documents in sequential pages arranged are 
adapted to be returned into the document hopper in the order of the pages, 
the above-described copying operation may be efficiently effected in a 
short time by extremely simple operations. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic duplex 
copying apparatus provided with the circulating type of automatic document 
feeding apparatus, wherein the copy sheet copies from the documents 
arranged in the order of the pages are discharged in the sequential order 
of the pages through mutually operative cooperation with the circulating 
type of automatic document feeding apparatus, and four types of copying 
operation, i.e., duplex copying onto a copy sheet from a duplex document, 
simplex copying onto a copy sheet from a duplex document, duplex copying 
onto a copy sheet from a simplex document, and simplex copying from a 
simplex document. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a copying 
apparatus which is capable of selecting a copying mode in the copying 
operation from a plurality of duplex documents, of exposing the other face 
of the whole document on the other exposure portion after having exposed 
the one face of the whole document in the same exposure portion, and a 
copying mode of inverting the document after having exposed the single 
face of the document one by one to expose the other face thereof, 
sequentially effecting the steps for each of the documents. 
In accomplishing these and other objects, according to the present 
invention, there are provided a circulating type of automatic document 
feeding apparatus and a duplex copying apparatus provided with the 
apparatus. 
Firstly, a circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatus for 
automatically carrying a plurality of documents is provided, comprising a 
document hopper for receiving documents of the sequential order of pages, 
which are upward in face or downward in face, feed-sheet means for feeding 
the documents, from the topmost side or the bottommost side, one by one 
from the document hopper, document presentation means which is located 
away from the document which has a first presentation portion and a second 
presentation portion each having the documents presented with a first 
exposure portion and a second exposure portion, wherein the respective 
documents of the first presentation portion and the second presentation 
portion are exposed, being provided in approximately the same plane, and 
in nearby position, a first carrying means for carrying the documents from 
the hopper to the first presentation portion and the second carrying means 
located between the first presentation portion and the second presentation 
portion to include the document inverting means for inverting the document 
presentation face, a third carrying means for returning the documents to 
the bottommost side when the documents placed within the document hopper 
are fed from the topmost side to the first carrying means from the second 
presentation portion to the document hopper or for returning the documents 
onto the topmost side when the documents are fed from the bottommost side. 
According to the above-described circulating type of automatic document 
feeding apparatus, the exposure-completed documents may be circulated by 
the short steps again to the exposure portion by the second carrying 
means, so that the duplex copying may be continuously made from the duplex 
documents. Also, when the documents have been picked up from the top from 
the document hopper, they are returned onto the bottommost side of the 
document hopper. When the documents have been picked up from the bottom, 
they are returned onto the topmost side, so that the documents may be 
returned into the document hopper in an order placed in the document 
hopper and with the pages being arranged. As the apparatus is simple in 
construction, it may be provided without being increased in price, the 
above-described operations by the apparatus may be effected with extreme 
ease, shorter time, better efficiency, and more stability. 
Secondly, the present invention provides a circulating type of automatic 
document feeding apparatus described in the above-described claim 1, 
wherein the first presentation portion and the second presentation portion 
of the document presentation portion are composed of two first and second 
cylinders arranged in parallel, the first exposure portion and the second 
exposure portion are respectively formed vertically downwardly of the 
respective cylinders, the respective cylinders themselves are rotated or 
the carrying rollers disposed on the outer periphery of each cylinder are 
rotated to wind the fed documents around the cylinders to carry them to 
the exposure portions. 
According to an apparatus provided with the above-described document 
presentation portion, in the case of the duplex document, both the faces 
of the document may be continuously copied in the first exposure portion 
and the second exposure portion by the inversion of the document, while a 
simplex document is copied, the document is exposed at one of the exposure 
portions, and is passed without being exposed at the other thereof, so 
that a change-over gate for switching the duplex document and the simplex 
document thereto, and the carrying route may be made unnecessary. Also, as 
the first exposure portion and the second exposure portion are formed on 
the same plane, the switching operation of the exposure portions may be 
effected easily, because the optical system provided on the copying 
machine main-body is necessary to be moved in the scanning direction. Even 
when the document has been placed within the document hopper with the face 
being up or with the face being down, the duplex document may be copied as 
the document is being kept inverted. Furthermore, a switching operation 
may be effected between a copying mode where, after one face of each 
document has been copied in the first exposure portion with respect to a 
plurality of documents set up within the document hopper, the document is 
inverted to copy the other face of the document in the second exposure 
portion so as to copy both faces for each of the documents, and a copying 
mode wherein, after the single face of the whole document has been copied 
in the first exposure portion, the other face of the whole document is 
copied in the second exposure portion. 
Thirdly, the present invention provides a circulating type of automatic 
document feeding apparatus, wherein the inverting means of the second 
carrying means is provided with an inside and outside inverting route 
composed of a first route which is branched from the document carrying 
passage of the outer periphery of the first cylinder after having passed 
the first exposure portion so as to extend, a second route which is 
branched from the document carrying passage of the outer periphery of the 
second cylinder before passing the second exposure portion so as to 
extend, a third route having the two branch routes merged, normal, reverse 
carrying means is provided in the third route, the carrying direction of 
the document to be carried from the first route by the carrying means is 
inverted to carry the document to the second route so as to make it 
possible to expose in the second exposure portion the other face opposite 
to one face of the document exposed on the first exposure portion, and 
carrying route selecting means is respectively provided, at a branch point 
between the first route and the carrying passage on the outer periphery of 
the first cylinder, and at a branch point between the document carrying 
passage on the outer periphery of the second cylinder after having passed 
the second exposure portion and the carrying passage of the third carrying 
passage means, to make it possible to select the carrying direction of the 
document, so that the number of the exposing of the same face of the 
document in each exposure portion may be selected. 
According to the present apparatus, the route between the first exposure 
portion may be shortened, so that the duplex document may be copied at a 
high speed. The exposure of one time only or the exposures of the required 
time in the first exposure portion and the second exposure portion may be 
effected by the operation of the gate flapper, so that a plurality of 
documents may be copied at a high speed. 
Fourthly, the present invention provides a circulating type of automatic 
document feeding apparatus described in claim 1, wherein a by-pass route 
for carrying the document without passing the inside, outside inversion 
route from the first exposure portion to the document hopper is provided 
on the second carrying means. 
According to the apparatus, as the document inversion route and the by-pass 
route are provided between the first exposure portion and the route to the 
document hopper, a plurality of duplex documents may be copied at a high 
speed by passing the document inversion route when they are exposed in the 
second exposure portion continuously after they have been exposed in the 
first exposure portion in the copying operation of the plurality of the 
duplex documents. When the other face is exposed in the second exposure 
portion after the single face of the whole document has been copied 
through the exposure in the first exposure portion, the document may be 
returned to the document hopper through the by-pass route after the 
exposure has been exposed in the first exposure portion to shorten the 
copying time. Also, even when the copying operation is effected from the 
simplex document, the copying time may be shortened by the passing of the 
simplex document through the by-pass route. 
Fifthly, the present invention provides a duplex copying apparatus provided 
with a circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatus described 
in claim 1, wherein a circulating type of automatic document feeding 
apparatus is engaged with the duplex copying machine main body provided 
with an optical system having a light source or the like which is 
selectively moved into the first exposure portion and the second exposure 
portion of the circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatus, a 
copy sheet accommodating portion, copy sheet feeding means for feeding 
sheets one by one from the copy sheet accommodating portion, copy process 
processing means arranged on the periphery of the photosensitive member, 
discharge carrying means for discharging onto the tray the copy sheet with 
images being copied thereon by the copy process processing means, copy 
sheet circulation means, which is branched from the discharge carrying 
means, for carrying the copy sheets to circulate the copy sheets to the 
copy process processing means again after the copy sheets have been 
accommodated on the intermediate tray, copy sheet inverting means which is 
provided on the above-described copy sheet circulation carrying means 
inverts the carrying direction of the copy sheet to exhibit the other face 
of the copy sheet having the images copied on its one face when the 
document is exhibited again at the copy process step, and carrying passage 
selecting means for selecting whether or not it should circulate to the 
copy sheet circulation carrying means. 
By the above-described apparatus, the copy sheet may be carried in mutual 
operative cooperation with the carrying operation of the document by the 
circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatus. Particularly, in 
the case of the duplex copying operation, the sheet with its one face 
being copied is inverted through the circulation carrying route. 
Thereafter, it is accommodated in the intermediate tray, and is carried 
again to the copy process means in synchronization with the document from 
the intermediate tray, so that the duplex copying may be easily made. In 
addition, as the copy sheets copied may be discharged onto the tray in the 
sequential order of the pages from the page-arranged documents, the 
complicated operation of arranging the inside and outside of the pages is 
not required to be effected, thus resulting in considerable reduction in 
operation troubles by the operation. Furthermore, four types of copying 
operations, i.e., duplex copying from the duplex document onto the copy 
sheet, simplex copying from the duplex document onto the copy sheet, 
duplex copying from the simplex document onto the copy sheet, and simplex 
copying from the simplex document, may be effected through the operative 
cooperation of the duplex copying operation in accordance with the types 
duplex document, simple document) and the copying method of the documents 
to be fed by the circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatus. 
Sixthly, the present invention provides an automatic duplex copying 
apparatus provided with a circulating type of automatic document feeding 
apparatus described in claim 5, wherein a controlling apparatus is 
provided which receives key input signals corresponding to the desired 
copy contents of the operator and also detection signals from a document 
detection sensor provided in the desired position of the circulating type 
of automatic document feeding apparatus and the duplex copying machine to 
select the carrying route of the document and the carrying route of the 
copy sheet so as to control driving means such as a motor for driving the 
carrying roller for respective documents, copy sheets, and a solenoid or 
the like for operating the respective gate flappers, the controlling 
apparatus is adapted to selectively operate four types of copying 
operations, i.e., copying operation from the duplex document to both faces 
of the copy sheet, simplex copying from the duplex document, duplex 
copying from the simplex document, and simplex copying from the simplex 
document. 
By the provision of the above-described control ling apparatus, in 
accordance with the desired copy contents through the key operations by 
the operator, the circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatus 
is operatively cooperated mutually with the duplex copying machine main 
body to allow it to be selectively performed by the simple selecting 
operation to effect four types of copying operations, i.e., copying 
operation from the duplex document onto both face of the copy sheet, 
simplex copying from the duplex document, duplex copying from the simplex 
document, and simplex copying from the simplex document, in which one 
faces of the document is exposed in the first exposure portion, 
continuously the other face of the document is exposed in the second 
exposure portion, or a mode in which each one face of all the ones of a 
plurality of documents is exposed in the first exposure portion to copy on 
the copy sheet, then each other face of all the documents is exposed in 
the second exposure portion to perform the copying operation when the 
copying operation is effected from the duplex document through the 
controlling operation by the controlling apparatus. 
Seventhly, the present invention provides a duplex copying apparatus 
provided with a circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatus 
described in claim 6, wherein the controlling apparatus is provided with 
changeover means for selecting the copying mode in accordance with the 
construction of the circulating type of automatic document feeding 
apparatus, or in accordance with a case where the document is accommodated 
with the face being upward within the document hopper, and a case where 
the document is accommodated with the face being downward. 
By the apparatus, a circulating type of automatic document feeding 
apparatus, wherein a document is accommodated within the document hopper, 
the feeding operation may be effected from the document on the topmost 
side, the exposure-finished document is adapted to return onto the 
lowermost side of the document which is set within the document hopper or 
a circulating type of automatic document feeding document hopper or a 
circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatus, wherein the 
document is accommodated within the document hopper, the feeding operation 
is effected from the document on the bottommost side to return the exposed 
document to the topmost side of the document which is set within the 
document hopper, may be engaged with the duplex copying machine main-body. 
The above-described four types of copying operations may be made even when 
either of the circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatuses 
has been engaged with. 
Eighthly, the present invention provides an automatic duplex copying 
apparatus provided with a circulating type of automatic document feeding 
apparatus described in claim 6, wherein a change-over means for the 
copying mode composed of select switch or the like is provided on the 
controlling apparatus, when the duplex copying operation is effected from 
the duplex document, a copying mode in which copy sheets accommodated in 
the intermediate tray are circulated again to the copying process means 
after the one face of the whole document has been copied on one face of 
the copying sheet in the first exposure portion so as to copy the other 
face of the whole document on the other face of the copy sheet in the 
second exposure portion, and a copying mode in which, after the document 
has been copied on one face for each sheet on one face of the copy sheet 
in the first exposure portion, the document is inverted to copy the other 
face on the other face of the copy sheet in the second exposure portion, 
the step is sequentially performed for each document sheet, may be 
selected. 
By the copying mode change-over means provided, two types of copying modes 
become selectable, when the circulation route of the copy sheet of the 
copying machine main-body is short, the duplex copying operation may be 
made at a high speed through the adoption of the copying mode to be 
described later. Also, when the copying mode has been adopted, the period 
of maintenance inspection may be made longer, because the switching 
operation between the first exposure portion of the optical system on the 
side of the copying machine main body and the second exposure portion 
thereof is fewer in number. 
Ninthly, the present invention provides an automatic duplex copying 
apparatus provided with a circulating type of automatic document feeding 
apparatus described in claim 6, wherein a switching means for the copying 
mode is provided on the controlling apparatus, when the simplex copying 
operation is effected from the duplex document, a first copying mode in 
which these copying sheets are accommodated in the intermediate tray after 
the one face of the whole document has been copied on the copy sheet in 
the first exposure portion, then the other face of the whole document is 
copied on the copy sheet in the second exposure portion alternately with 
the discharging operation of the copy sheet accommodated in the 
intermediate tray to discharge the copy sheet with the document being 
copied thereon in the sequential order of the pages to the offset tray, 
and a second copying mode in which a first step of discharging the copy 
sheet after the documents have been copied for each face at its one face 
on the copy sheet, in the first exposure portion, a second step of 
inverting the document to carry the other face to the second exposure 
portion to copy the other face on the following copy sheet being carried 
to discharge it are sequentially effected for each document, may be 
selectable. 
By the above-described apparatus, the two types of copying modes may be 
adopted through selection when the simplex copying operation is effected 
from the duplex document, thus having the similar operation to the one 
described in claim 8. 
Tenthly, the present invention provides an automatic duplex copying 
apparatus provided with a circulating type of automatic document feeding 
apparatus described in claim 5, wherein a third exposure portion is 
provided to expose book items or sheet documents which can not be fed in 
the circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatus; the first 
exposure portion, the second exposure portion, and an optical system which 
selectively moves to the third exposure portion are provided. 
According to the above-described apparatus, documents which can not be 
copied through the feeding operation of the circulating type of automatic 
document feeding apparatus may be copied, thus improving the utility.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Before the description of the present invention proceeds, it is to be noted 
that like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the 
accompanying drawings. 
(Circulating Type of Automatic Document Feeding Apparatus) 
Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a duplex 
copying apparatus provided with a circulating type of automatic document 
feeding apparatus (RDH) according to a first embodiment of the present 
invention, which includes a hopper 2, a document feeding means 3 for 
feeding documents one by one from the document hopper 2, a document 
presentation portion provided with a first presentation portion 5 and a 
second presentation portion 6 each having the document exhibited, a first 
carrying means 7 for carrying the document from the document hopper 2 to 
the first presentation portion 5, a second carrying means 8 positioned 
from the first presentation portion 5 to the second presentation portion 
and including an inversion means which inverts the document presentation 
face, and a third carrying means 9 for returning the document form the 
second presentation portion 6 to the document hopper 2. 
The document hopper 2 is adapted to receive the document placed on the 
document carrying belt 11 with a plurality of sheet documents X in 
page-sequential order composed of the duplex document being arranged at 
their edges (left-hand edges in FIG. 1) by a side-edge aligning member 10. 
A sheet-feeding roller 12 composed of a document sheet-feeding means 3 is 
provided above the document hopper 2 to separate and feed the sheet 
documents X, placed within the document hopper 2, sequentially to the 
first carrying means 7 one by one from the topmost side. The sheet-feeding 
roller 12 is rotatably driven in the direction of an arrow at a timing 
specified by a document delivery motor M2. The sheet-feeding roller is 
depressed against the sheet document X on the topmost side through a lever 
13 by the force of a solenoid or the like during the rotation so that it 
is sequentially separated and fed to the first carrying means 7 from the 
sheet manuscript X.sub.1. It is to be noted that the sheet-feeding roller 
12 may be always put in contact against the sheet document by the weight 
of the roller. 
The first carrying means 7, to which the sheet documents X are fed one by 
one from the sheet-feeding roller 12 from the document hopper 2, is 
provided with a carrying passage curved in the downward vertical direction 
from the horizontal direction, and is curved again the horizontal 
direction so as to invert the top and bottom of the document as shown. 
Manipulating rollers 15A, 15B, for preventing the sheet documents X from 
being overlappingly fed, are disposed near the front end on the entrance 
side of the carrying passage k4. The upper-side roller 15A is rotated in 
its carrying direction and the lower-side roller 15B is inversely rotated 
so that the sheet document X are positively fed to the carrying passage 
one by one through the passing operation between these rollers. A 
respective pair of carrying rollers 16A, 16B, 16C and 16D are provided at 
intervals in their carrying directions in the carrying passage 14. Each 
respective pair of rollers 16A through 16D are rotatably in contact 
against both faces of the sheet documents X to cause the rollers 16A 
through 16D to rotate by a document carrying motor M3 for carrying the 
documents X in their arrow direction P along the carrying passage 14 
through the guiding operation by each of the rollers. A document feed 
detecting sensor S2 is disposed close to the entrance side of the carrying 
passage 14, while a detecting sensor S3 located before the first exposure 
portion is disposed close to the exit side. Also, a pair of resist rollers 
19A, 19B are disposed on the exit portion (near the first presentation 
portion 5) of the carrying passage 14. The resist rollers 19A, 19B (not 
shown) are coupled through a clutch to the driving shaft so that the 
rotation is set to be stopped and rotated again by the on and off control 
of the clutch CLT 1. The on and off control of the clutch is effected in 
accordance with the desired copy contents of the operator. When the 
exposure of the sheet documents X is required, the rotation of the rollers 
19A, 19B are stopped, for the synchronous operation with copy sheets, to 
once stop the sheets documents X to rotate them again after the 
synchronous operation with copy sheets has been effected so as to feed the 
documents to the first presentation portion 5. On the other hand, when the 
exposure of the sheet document X is not necessary, the rollers 19A, 19B 
are normally rotated to cause the sheet documents X to pass without 
stopping. 
A document portion 4 is composed of a first presentation portion 5 
(hereinafter referred to as a first exposure portion 5) and a second 
presentation portion 6 (hereinafter referred to as a second exposure 
portion 6), which are correspondingly provided on the respective vertical 
lower end faces of a first document cylinder 20 and a second document 
cylinder 21 disposed in parallel at an interval in the horizontal 
direction, with the first exposure portion 5 and the second exposure 
portion 6 being located on the same plane as shown. 
The respective document cylinders 20, 21 are respectively driven rotatably 
in the arrow directions of the drawings at a speed synchronized with the 
copying speed of a copy sheet by document carrying motors M4, M5. Inverted 
rollers 22A through 22D, and 23A through 23D are disposed respectively at 
constant intervals along the external peripheral faces of respective 
document cylinders 20, 21. The sheet documents X are windingly depressed 
against the external peripheral faces of the document cylinders 20, 21 by 
these inverted rollers, so that the documents X are adapted to be carried 
along the carrying passages 20a, 21a of the external peripheral faces of 
the document cylinders 20, 21. Hard transparent glasses 24, 25 are 
disposed vertically downwardly of the carrying passages 20a, 21a to form 
the above-described first exposure portion 5 and the second exposure 
portion 6. When the sheet documents X pass between the document cylinder 
20 and the exposure glass 24, the top faces of the sheet documents X are 
exposed to form the top-face images, while when they pass between the 
document cylinder 21 and the exposure glass 25, the under faces of the 
sheet documents X are exposed to form underface images as described later. 
It is to be noted that the sheet document X may pass as it is without being 
exposed in accordance with the desired copy contents of an operator in the 
first and second exposure portions 5, 6. 
In the first exposure portion 5 of the document presentation portion 4, the 
sheet documents X are wound on the first document cylinder 20 by the 
rotating force of the resist rollers 19A, 19B for the carrying operation 
from the carrying passage 14 of the first carrying means 7. As shown, 
between the first exposure portion 5 and the second exposure portion 6 are 
disposed a second carrying means 8 provided with an inside, outside 
inversion route portion (hereinafter referred to as a switch back route 
portion) 30, which inverts the presentation faces of the sheet documents 
X. The inside, outside inversion route portion 30 is composed of a first 
route 30a and a second route 30b, which extend upwardly with upward 
inclination respectively from the portions opposite to the external 
peripheral carrying passages 20a and 21a of the first document cylinder 20 
and the second document cylinder 21, a third route 30c which extends in 
the horizontal direction from a junction point of the routes 30a and 30b. 
A gate flapper 31 is provided in the entrance portion of a route 30a 
leading to the carrying passage 20a of the first document cylinder 20. The 
gate flapper 31 is operated by a solenoid SOL 1 so as to selectively 
carrying the sheet documents X onto the route 30a or the carrying passage 
20a of the first document cylinder 20. Namely, when the sheet document X, 
which has passed through the first exposure portion 5, requires one 
exposure in accordance with the desired copy contents of the operator, the 
gate flapper 31 is operated into the solid-line operation shown so as to 
carry the sheet document X into the route 30a. When a plurality of 
exposures are required for the documents, the gate flapper 31 is operated 
into a chain-line position shown so as to rotate by a plurality of times 
along the external peripheral carrying passage 20a of the first document 
cylinder 20. After the completion of the exposures, the gate flapper 31 is 
operated into a solid line position to carry the sheet documents X into 
the route 30a. A first exposure-portion rear-detection sensor S4 which 
detects the rear end of the sheet document X, a pair of rollers 34A and 
34B, and a gate flapper 35 are sequentially provided from the upstream 
side on the route 30a. The following inside, outside inversion operation 
(switch back operation) is controlled by the detection signal of the 
detection sensor S4. 
The sheet documents X are carried into the route 30c through the gate 
flapper 35 by the rotation of the rollers 34A and 34B disposed, with the 
rollers 36A, 37A normally being inversely rotated by a motor for document 
inversion use M6. These carrying rollers advance the sheet document X, 
which has come from the gate flapper 35, into the route 30c in an arrow 
direction Z.sub.1. Thereafter, when the rear end of the sheet document X 
has passed the tip end portion of the gate flapper 35, the motor M6 is 
inverted to carry the sheet document X in the inverse arrow direction 
Z.sub.2. At this time, the gate flapper 35 is operated into a position for 
closing the route 30a, shown by a solid line in the drawing, by a solenoid 
SOL2 to retain the carrying operation onto the side of the route 30b of 
the sheet document X. The route 30b has the roller 34C disposed. The 
roller 34C is separated by a solenoid SOL3 so that it may become a pair of 
the roller 34A. The switch back operation described hereinabove is 
performed in the document by the normally reversely rotating roller, and 
may be effected by, for example, a belt carrying apparatus, an air 
carrying apparatus, or the like. 
The sheet document X is wound on the second document cylinder 21 by the 
rotating forces of the rollers 34A, 34C to be guided to the second 
exposure portion 6. A detection sensor S5 before a second exposure-portion 
provided for detecting the passing of the rear end of the sheet document X 
is disposed in the downstream position of the roller 34C. 
A pair of resist rollers 59A, 59B are provided downstream of the sensor S5. 
The resist rollers 59A, 59B (not shown) are coupled through a clutch CLT 2 
to a driving shaft, so that the rotation is set to stop and rotate again 
by the on and off control of the clutch CLT 2. The turning on and off of 
the clutch CLT 2 is controlled in accordance with the desired copy 
contents of the operator. When the exposure of the sheet document X is 
necessary, the rotation of the rollers 59A, 59B is stopped, for 
synchronism with the copy sheet, to once stop the sheet document X. After 
the synchronism with the copy sheet has been provided, it is rotated again 
to feed the document to the second exposure portion 6. When the exposure 
of the sheet document X is unnecessary, the rollers 59A, 59B are always 
rotated to pass the sheet document X without stopping. The operation of 
the solenoid SOL 3 is controlled in accordance with the rotating operation 
of the rollers 59A, 59B. 
As described hereinabove, the carrying direction of the sheet document X is 
inverted at the switch back carrying passage 30 to cause the top-face side 
of the sheet document X to come into contact against the outer peripheral 
face of the second document cylinder 21 so that the under face side of the 
sheet document X becomes the external face side to be wound around the 
second document cylinder 21. In the second exposure portion 6, the under 
face side of the sheet document X is exposed to form the underface images. 
It is to be noted that in the second exposure portion 6, the sheet 
document may be sometimes caused to pass and advance without being exposed 
in accordance with the desired copy contents of the operator. 
After it has passed the second exposure portion 6 of the second document 
cylinder 21, the external peripheral carrying passage 21a is branched from 
the carrying passage 45 of the third carrying means 9 for the connecting 
operation, and the gate flapper 46 is operated on the branch portion. The 
gate flapper 46 is operated by a solenoid SOL 4 to selectively open and 
close the carrying passage 45 and the external peripheral carrYing passage 
21a. Namely, in accordance with the copy contents of the operator, the 
carrying passage 21a is closed to feed the sheet document X to the 
carrying passage 45 when the exposure in the second exposure portion 6 is 
one time only. When a plurality of exposures are effected, the carrying 
passage 45 is closed, it is fed to the carrying passage 21a, is rotated 
the necessary amount of times, and thereafter the sheet document X is 
carried to the carrying passage 45. 
As described hereinabove, in the document presentation portion 4, the top 
face of the sheet document X is exposed in the first exposure portion 5 
and the bottom face is exposed in the second exposure portion 6, so that 
both the top and bottom faces of the sheet content X may be copied. As the 
exposure may be made the necessary number of times in the first exposure 
portion 5 and the second exposure portion 6, a plurality of necessary 
sheets may be copied. 
The carrying passage 45 of the third carrying means 9 for returning the 
sheet document X into the document hopper 2 from the second exposure 
portion 6 is connected with the lower end tip-end portion of the carrying 
belt 11, so that the sheet document X may be carried into the carrying 
belt 11. Namely, the respective pair of carrying rollers 50, 51 are 
disposed on the carrying passage 45 to advance the sheet document X. A 
detecting sensor S6 before a document hopper-return, which is adapted to 
detect the passing of the sheet document X, is provided near the exit of 
the carrying passage 45. The detection signal of the detection sensor S6 
is adapted to control the operation control portion of the carrying belt 
11 of the document hopper 2. 
The carrying belt 11 is entrained on driving rollers 55A, 55B, 55C, and 55D 
disposed vertically and horizontally as shown. The driving roller 55B is 
rotated in its arrow direction by a return carrying motor M7 to drive the 
carrying belt 11 in its arrow direction for the circulation driving 
operation, with the motor M7 being driven by the detection signal of the 
detection sensor S6. The top side face of the carrying belt 11 composes 
the placement portion of the sheet document X. A document inducing roller 
56 is provided in a position adjacent to the carrying passage 45. The 
sheet document X is adapted to be fed into the lowermost side of the sheet 
document X placed and on the top face of, the carrying belt 11 by the 
carrying force by the rollers 56 and the carrying belt 11. At this time, a 
document rear-end jumping roller 58 is provided on the underside of the 
rear-end position of the sheet document X as is smoothly delivered, so 
that the rear-end portion underside of the accumulated sheet document X 
may be floated and the opening for the feeling operation into the 
lowermost end portion may be positively provided widely. When the tip end 
of the sheet document X fed into the lowermost end position has reached a 
side-portion aligning member 10 for aligning the edge portions, a motor M7 
for driving the carrying belt 11 comes to a stop to stop the sheet 
document X. 
Also, a detecting actuator 60 for detecting one circulation of the sheet 
document X placed as shown is placed on the document hopper 2. The 
actuator 60 is located in the lower-end position, shown by a solid line in 
the drawing, before the sheet document X is placed into the hopper 2 by 
the operator, so that the sheet document X is placed on it. The sheet 
documents X are delivered one by one and are sequentially raised as they 
return again respectively. They arrive at the its topmost position, as 
shown by the dotted line in the drawing, when all the sheet documents X 
have made one circulation. The actuator 60, reaching the topmost position, 
is detected by a document hopper so as to generate a detection signal 
which shows the completion of one circulation. The signal is used to 
control the operation on the side of a copying machine main body for the 
desired number of copy sheets by the operator. Thereafter, the actuator 60 
rotates by 180.degree. through the driving operation of a document 
one-circulation detection actuator driving motor Ml to return the sheet 
document X into the lowermost side position (the original position) of the 
sheet document X. 
The document retaining mechanism of the first document cylinder 20 and the 
second document cylinder 21 may be constructed as shown in the modified 
examples of FIGS. 2 through 6 without being restricted to such 
construction as shown in FIG. 2. 
In the modified embodiment shown in FIG. 3, chargers 85 and 87, and power 
removers 86 and 88 are respectively provided on the entrance portion and 
the exit portion of the first exposure portion 5 of the first document 
cylinder 20 with the surfaces of the first and second document cylinders 
being insulated, similarly on the entrance portion and the exit portion of 
the second exposure portion 6 of the second document cylinder 21. The 
surfaces of the document cylinders of the first exposure portion 5 and the 
second exposure portion 6 are electrically charged and removed to adhere 
the sheet documents X on the document cylinders 20 and 21, or to separate 
the documents from them. Also, the power removing brushes 89 and 90 are 
set in the respective downstream positions of the power removers 86 and 88 
of the exit portion to remove the electric charge on the surfaces of the 
document cylinders 20 and 21 to remove the adhering force onto the 
document cylinder. 
When the document is carried to the carrying passage 20a (21a) of the 
document cylinder 20 (21), the power-removing brushes 89 and 90 required 
to be kept away from the carrying passage 20a (21a) or the earth of the 
power-removing brushes are required to be removed, with the gate flapper 
31 (46) being moved to the position of the chain line, the power removers 
86 and 88 being turned off. 
In the modified embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the document cylinders 20, 21 
are composed of cylindrical paper guides fixed without being rotated. The 
carrying rollers 91A through 91D, and 92A through 92D are rotatably driven 
in the arrow direction and are disposed on the external peripheral portion 
of the cylinders 20, 21 by these carrying rollers. Depressing rollers 94 
and 95 are provided on the first exposure portion 5 and the second 
exposure portion 6. These rollers depress the documents X through the 
light pressure application against the glass faces 24, 25 to effect the 
exposure. 
In the other embodiment shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6(I) through 
6(III),+electrode 96A and-electrode 97A are pasted (or on the cylinder 
external peripheral surface) on the external peripheral faces of the 
document cylinders 20 and 21, these electrodes 96A and 97A are 
respectively connected with+electrode terminal 96B and-electrode terminal 
97B disposed near both ends. The documents X are wound on the manuscript 
cylinders 20 and 21 by the use of static electricity through the 
application of the voltage upon these electrode terminals. At this time, 
the document cylinders 20 and 21 are normally rotated, and the voltage is 
applied by+electrode brush 96C and-electrode brush 97C upon the electrode 
terminals 96B and 97B. In FIG. 6, reference character 98A shows Teflon 
coating region for the protection of the electron, reference character 98B 
represents-electrode exposure region, reference character 99A depicts an 
electrode plate, reference character 99B represents conductive fiber, and 
reference character 79 is a DC power supply which is controlled in on and 
off, when necessary, by the I/O 203 of FIG. 8. 
Also, the documents X which have finished being exposed are peeled off from 
the document cylinder by peeling pawls 31, 46. In the present modified 
embodiment, an improvement is performed in this point. The voltage to be 
applied upon the electrode is cut off at a time point when the tip end of 
the sheet document X has passed the rollers 77, 78 in the downstream of 
the exposure position so as to peel off the sheet document from the 
document cylinders 20, 21. The carrying force is given to the documents X 
by the rollers 77, 78 and the document cylinders 20, 21. Also, the gate 
flappers are not always needed in each embodiment when the thickness, 
waist-strength of the document, and furthermore the diameter of the 
cylinder are properly selected. 
It is to be noted that instead of the document cylinders, belt carrying 
means of an air suction type or grip carrying means for carrying the 
document with the tip end being grasped by a grip or the like may be used. 
(Duplex Document Copying Apparatus) 
FIG. 1 shows the construction of the both-face copying apparatus which is 
provided with the above-described circulation type of automatic document 
feeding apparatus (hereinafter referred to as RDH). The RDH1 is rotatably 
mounted above with a rotation shaft 201 as a center with respect to the 
copying machine main body 100 on the lower end portion on the side face of 
the RDH1 and is fixed in the position of FIG. 1 during the copying 
operation. The opening and closing operations are effected when the 
document jam has been caused, the split releasing may be effected so as to 
open the carrying passages 20a, 21a. A photosensitive member drum 101 is 
rotatably provided at the central portion within the copying machine main 
body 100, with a changing charger 102, a developing apparatus 103 and so 
on, together with various copying process portions which are image forming 
means, being provided on the external peripheral portion, and a fixing 
apparatus 104 being provided on the left-hand side portion in the drawing. 
A circulation type automatic document feeding apparatus 1 in the first 
embodiment is provided on one side portion on the top face of the copying 
machine main body 100, with the first exposure portion 5 and the second 
exposure portion 6 which are downwardly disposed vertically of the first 
document cylinder 20 and the second document cylinder 21 of the apparatus 
1 are disposed in parallel on almost the same plane of the top end face of 
the main body 100. Also, a third exposure portion 105 corresponding to the 
book document is provided on the other side portion on the top face of the 
copying machine main body to constitute an optical system having an 
exposure system of two series. 
The sheet feed cassettes 106A and 106B, each being different in 
accommodation size for the copy sheet Y, are engaged on one side face of 
the copying machine main body 100, the sheet feed cassettes 106C and 106D 
are also engaged on the left-hand side. The copy sheets Y placed within 
the sheet feed cassettes 106A through 106D are picked up from the top to 
feed the sheets to the sheet feed routes 108A through 108D. The sheet feed 
rollers 109A through 109B disposed on the top face of each of the sheet 
feed rollers 106A through 106D are respectively rotated selectively by 
driving means such as M8 for the sheet feed driving use so as to feed the 
sheets one by one to the sheet feed routes 108A through 108D. The resist 
rollers 160A, 160B provided on the carrying route between the sheet feed 
routes 108A through 108D and the photosensitive member drum 101 are 
coupled to the motor M9 through the clutch CLT 2 which is not shown in 
FIG. 1, so that the images on the photosensitive member and the copy sheet 
Y may be carried controllingly synchronous relation. Rollers 107A through 
107E for sheet carrying use are disposed on the sheet feed routes 108A 
through 108D and the sheet feed route 115 from an intermediate tray 113 to 
be described later. These carrying rollers are rotatably driven by a 
driving motor M9 to feed the copy sheet Y to the copy process step. An 
offset tray 110 is provided on the other side face of the copying machine 
main body 100, and has a solenoid SOL 8 mounted. When the solenoid SOL 8 
is on for a given time, the offset tray 110 is shifted in the direction on 
this side of the sheet face in FIG. 1. Then, when the solenoid SOL 8 is 
turned on for a given time, it is shifted in the direction on the reverse 
side of the sheet. Thus, the offset tray 110 is able to receive with a 
plurality of copy sheets Y being sorted out with respect to one portion of 
the documents. The sheets are fed to the offset tray 110 for the copy 
process portion, with a discharge route 111, which discharges the copy 
sheet Y through the image receiving means, the fixing apparatus 104, and a 
copy sheet inside, outside inverting route (switch back route) 112 
branched from the discharging route 111. The copy sheet Y passes the copy 
process portion and the fixing apparatus 104. The copy sheets Y which have 
the document copied on one face are discharged into the offset tray 110 by 
the following three types of methods in accordance with the desired copy 
contents of the operator. 
(i) The copy sheet Y is discharged into the offset tray 110 after passing 
as it is through the discharge route 111. 
(ii) After moving from the discharge route 111, the copy sheet Y is 
inverted by the switch back 112 so as to copy on the other side of the 
copy sheet Y, and is temporarily accommodated onto the intermediate tray 
113 to be carried to the copy process again. The copy sheet Y accumulated 
on the intermediate tray 113 is fed into a recarrying route 115 by the 
sheet feed roller 114, which is rotatably driven by a motor M14 
sequentially from the lowermost portion, is fed into the copy process, and 
passes through the fixing apparatus 104 to pass the discharge route 111 
for discharging into the offset tray 110. 
(iii) After moving from the discharge route 111, the copying sheet Y is 
inverted in the switch back route 112. Thereafter, the sheet is discharged 
into the offset tray 110 from the discharging route 111. 
In order to make the three above-described types of methods feasible to 
carry out, the discharge route 111 and the switch back route 112 are 
composed as shown in FIG. 7. Namely, the switch back route 112 is composed 
of routes 112a, 112b branched from two positions of the discharge route 
111, a route 112c with these routes 112a, 112b being merged, a route 112d 
which is branched from the route 112c to lead to the intermediate tray 
113. A gate flapper 115 is disposed in the branch portion of the route 
112a and the discharge route 111, a gate flapper 116 in the branch 
position of the route 112a and 112b, and a gate flapper 117 is disposed in 
the branch position of the routes 112c and 112d, so that they are 
respectively operated by driving solenoids SOL 5, SOL 6, and SOL 7 to 
automatically select the carrying route of the copy sheet Y in accordance 
with the desired copy contents of the operator. Rollers 118A, 118B, and 
118C are disposed near the branch portion of the routes 112a and 112b, 
rollers 119A, 119B, and 119C are disposed near the branch portion of the 
routes 112c, 112d to feed the copy sheet Y. Also, a roller 120 for 
inverting use is disposed on the route 112c near the branch portion of the 
routes 112a, 112b, is rotated in its normal, reverse way by the driving 
motor M11 to invert the carrying direction of the copy sheet Y, and an 
inverting roller 121 is provided in the downstream position of the branch 
portion between the route 112c and the route 112d to rotate in its normal, 
reverse way by the driving motor M12. A paper delivery detecting sensor 
S13 is disposed near the exit of the discharge route 111, sheet inversion 
detecting sensors S14, S15 are delivered near the entrance portion of the 
route 112a, and the route 112c are disposed near the entrance portion of 
the route 112a, and the route 112c, an intermediate tray entrance 
detecting sensor S16 are disposed near the exit of the route 112d. In the 
drawings, carrying rollers 122A through 122C are disposed along the 
discharge route 111, a carrying roller 123 is disposed on the route 112d. 
The carrying rollers 122A through 122 are driven by a motor M10 in 
synchronous relation, together with a copy process portion of 
photosensitive member drum 101 or the like and the fixing apparatus 104. 
By the above-described construction, the route 112a is closed by the gate 
flapper 115 in the case of the above-described (i) so as to discharge the 
copy paper Y along the discharge route 111. In the case of the [ii), the 
discharge route 111 is closed by the gate flapper 115 to guide the copy 
sheet Y to the route 112a of the switch back route 112, the route 112c is 
opened by the gate flapper 116 to pass the paper Y through the route 112c 
to invert it in the carrying direction by the inverting roller 121, and 
the route 112d is opened by the gate flapper 117 to guide the copy sheet Y 
into the intermediate tray 113. In the case of the (iii), after the copy 
sheet Y has been guided into the route 112c, the carrying direction is 
inverted by the inverting roller 120 to open the side of the route 112b by 
the gate flapper 116 so as to guide the copy paper Y into the discharge 
route 111 from the route 112b. 
An optical system provided on the copying machine main body 100 will be 
described hereinafter in further reference to FIG. 1. An optical apparatus 
system provided with a light source 150 for effecting a slit exposure of 
the document face, mirrors 151A, 151B, 151C, 151D and a lens 152 is 
disposed for its free scanning operation above the interior of the copying 
machine main body 100. In the optical apparatus system, the light of the 
light source 150 is applied upon the image face of the document X, the 
reflection lights are applied upon the surface of the photosensitive 
member drum 101 through mirrors 151A through 151D and the lens 152. Also, 
in the optical apparatus system, in accordance with the sheet document X 
of the circulation type of automatic document feed apparatus 1, the 
exposure portion 5 of the first document cylinder 20 and the second 
exposure portion 6 of the second document cylinder 21, or the exposure is 
effected, with the optical system being scanned when the book document or 
the like has been placed in the third exposure portion 105. These two 
systems are adopted, with the mirror system being driven by a driving 
motor M13 (not shown). 
It is to be noted that the lens is composed of a self-focusing light 
transmission member array and so on with the top face of the 
photosensitive member as a belt photosensitive member being arranged 
parallel to the face formed by the first, second and third exposure 
portions, so that the images may be formed on the exposure member without 
the use of the mirrors. 
In the present copying apparatus, detection sensors are provided in the 
respective positions. They are an optical system second exposure position 
detection sensor S7, an optical system first exposure position detection 
sensor S8, an OC portion document tip-end position detection sensor S9, a 
copy sheet hopper exit detection sensor S10, a detection sensor S11 before 
copy sheet transfer, a detection sensor after fixing S12, an intermediate 
tray in sheet existence detection sensor S17, and an intermediate tray 
exist detect sensor S18. Though not shown in FIG. 1, in the present 
apparatus, a clutch CLT 1 for delivering the document into the first 
exposure portion 5, a clutch CLT 2 for delivering the document into the 
second exposure portion 6 are provided within the circulation type 
automatic document feed apparatus 1, a copy sheet and a document tip-end 
exposure synchronizing clutch CLT 3 are provided within the copying 
machine main body 100. 
By a duplex copying apparatus provided with the above-described circulating 
type automatic document feed apparatus, the copy operation may be freely 
effected by the circulating operation of the document a plurality of times 
in accordance with the desired copy contents of the operator even in 
either of: 
(i) a plurality of assorted simplex copy sheets from simplex documents; 
(ii) a plurality of associated duplex sheets from simplex documents; 
(iii) a plurality of associated simplex sheets from duplex documents; and 
(iv) a plurality of associated duplex sheets from duplex documents. 
Also, the exposure is effected with the sheet document being wound around 
the document cylinder a plurality of times in accordance with the desired 
copy contents of the operator, so that a plurality of copies may be 
effected in one circulation of the sheet document. 
Various types of copying modes will be described later. The controlling 
apparatus for the whole copying apparatus which may make it possible to 
effect various types of copying operations will be described hereinafter. 
(Controlling Apparatus for Copying Apparatus) 
A copying apparatus 100 provided with the abovedescribed circulation type 
of automatic document feed apparatus 1 causes the copying machine 
main-body to operatively cooperate with a circulation type of automatic 
document feed apparatus 1 for controlling operation by the controlling 
apparatus shown in a block diagram of FIG. 8. Namely, the respective 
motors M1 through M14 are connected with a motor driver 200, the clutches 
CLT 1 through CLT 3 are connected with a clutch driver 201, the respective 
solenoids SOL 1 through SOL 8 are connected with a solenoid driver 202, 
the respectively drivers 200 through 202 and controlling elements which 
are used for controlling the DC power supply 79, document carrying 
operation, sheet carrying operation process portion are connected with an 
interface circuit (1/0) 203, the respective detection sensors S1 through 
S18 are also connected with the interface circuit 203. The interface 
circuit 203 is connected with a microcomputer 204 so as to output the 
detection signal from the detection sensor into the micro-computer 204 and 
to controllingly operate the respective drivers 200 through 203 in 
accordance with the control signal from the microcomputer 204. The 
microcomputer 204 is connected with a ROM 205 and a RAM 206, with the 
microcomputer 204 being adapted to effect its controlling operation in 
accordance with a controlling program stored in advance in the ROM 205. 
The RAM 206 includes flag, counter, timer and the other operating region 
to be described later which become necessary for the buffer memory or copy 
control. 
Also, the interface circuit 203 is connected with a light adjusting unit 
208, an exposure-light lamp 150 through a driver 207, is connected with an 
operator manipulating key 211 of an operation panel 210 and a display 
driver 212, which is connected with a display apparatus 213. The interface 
circuit 203 is connected with selection switches SSW 1 through SSW 4 to be 
described later. 
The above-described operation panel 210 is constructed as shown in FIG. 9, 
having 10 keys 211 - 1 for setting the number of copy sheets, clear key 
211 - 2, an RDH - SELECT key 211 - 3 for setting copying conditions, an 
ADF key 211 - 5, a print switch 211 - 4, a SET display portion 213 - 1, 
COUNT display portion 213 -2, four types of copying mode display portions 
213 - 3 through 213 - 6 for RDF, a mode display portion 213 - 7 for ADF. 
The RDF copying mode display portions 213 - 3 through 213 - 6 show four 
copying modes of a single-face copying operation from a single-face 
document (SIMPLEX --- SIMPLEX), a both-face copying operation from a 
single-face document (SIMPLEX --- DUPLEX), a single-face copying operation 
from a both-face document (DUPLEX --- SIMPLEX), both-face copying 
operation from a both-face document (DUPLEX --- DUPLEX). Every time the 
RDF SELECT key 211 - 3 is depressed one, the lamps are sequentially lit 
from the top. The lamp returns to the topmost position from the bottommost 
position. In the initial condition, the position automatically returns to 
the topmost position. The number of the necessary copy sheets is set by 
the 10 key 211 - 1, and the set number is displayed by the SET display 
portion 231 - 1. When the copy operation is started, the number of the 
finished sheets is sequentially displayed on the COUNT display portion 213 
- 2. When the number of the SET copies is confirmed to the number of the 
COUNTs, the machine comes to a stop, the SET counter automatically returns 
to the "0 display". The COUNT counter is maintained till the following 
print switch 211 - 4 is turned on. 
(Copy Mode) 
According to the duplex copying apparatus provided with the circulation 
type automatic document feed apparatus 1, it may be used through the 
switching operation into the various copying modes shown in the flow chart 
of FIG. 11. FIG. 10 shows a pattern model for illustrating the operation 
patterns of the copying modes shown in FIG. 12 and its subsequent. 
In FIG. 10, when the document is exposed through the scanning by the front 
document cylinder 20 by the exposure pattern of the sheet document X, an 
exposure-light lamp (light source) 150 is described under the first 
exposure portion 5 on behalf of the optical system, with the optical 
system exposing the light with the system being stopped in the first 
exposure portion. Also, when the document is scanned in exposure likewise 
by the second document cylinder 21, the exposure-light lamp 150 is 
described in the pattern model under the second exposure portion 6 of the 
second document cylinder 21. 
The sheet document X has .DELTA. marks and page number on the sheet 
document X, while the copy sheet Y has marks and page numbers thereon. 
These marks and page numbers are given in accordance with the following 
regulation. In the document, 
(a) all the .DELTA. marks given to the document are given to the tip end of 
the document in the advancing direction of the document when the feeding 
operation of the document X has been started from the document hopper 2, 
(b) in the duplex document, the .DELTA. mark is given only on the side of 
the odd-number of the document, 
(c) in the simplex document, the .DELTA. mark is given on the side of the 
tip end in the sheet feeding direction of all the pages, 
(d) in the illustrating view of FIG. 12 and its subsequent operation 
patterns, all the pages of all the documents which have been set are given 
in the order of the pages like .circle.1 , .circle.2 , . . . . in the 
drawing of the "document set-up" which is a first operation. 
On the other hand, in the copy sheet Y, 
(a) when images have been formed on the copy sheets, the page numbers 
.circle.1 , .circle.2 , . . . . of the document corresponding to the 
formed picture images are given, 
(b) the marks on the copy sheets are given corresponding to the positions 
of the .DELTA. marks of the document images. However, the marks are 
given only to the odd-number pages on the copy sheets with the images 
being formed on both the front, reverse faces, the marks are given in 
accordance with the positions where the page number of the document is 
given corresponding to the picture image on the copy sheet with the 
picture-images being formed on the single face. 
The simplex copy and the duplex copy in accordance with the present 
apparatus will be schematically described in the copying step with 
reference to FIG. 10. Two duplex documents each having images on its both 
faces are accommodated in the document hopper 2 with faces being upward (a 
first page is upward). The topmost document X which has been picked from 
the top by the document sheet feeding roller 12 is carried along the 
document carrying passage shown in broken line to pass the first exposure 
portion 5 through the inversion in the vertical direction. It passes 
through the switch back carrying passage 30 so as to be inverted in the 
vertical direction, and passes the second exposure portion 6. Thereafter, 
without being inverted in its vertical direction, the document X is 
restored into the hopper in its original direction from the bottommost 
side of the document X from the lower opening of the document hopper 2. 
On the other hand, the copy sheet Y is fed from the sheet feeding cassette 
106 by the sheet feeding roller 109 and is carried along the carrying 
passage shown in broken line towards the lower portion (copy process 
portion) of the photosensitive member drum 101. The copy sheet Y which has 
images copied by the photosensitive member drum 101 is discharged towards 
the outlet tray 110 at the simplex copying operation, is accommodated 
within the intermediate tray 113 with a transfer image face being upward 
through the switch back route 112 at the duplex copying operation. 
Thereafter, the paper is fed by the sheet feeding roller 114 on the lower 
side from the intermediate tray 113, is carried with the vertical face of 
the sheet being inverted so that the second images may be transferred on 
the second face (the reverse face). Thereafter, the sheet having images 
formed on its both faces is delivered onto the offset tray 110 through the 
discharging route 111. 
FIG. 11(II) explains each program step in the flow chart of the portion, 
wherein various types of copying modes are selected in a program used in 
the automatic duplex copying apparatus of the present invention. In the 
drawings, the (D) mark shows the both faces, the (S) mark shows the single 
face. The mark described in the first place shows the document, while the 
mark described later shows the copying condition of the sheet. The DD1 
mode shows a mode, wherein the duplex copies are made by two circulations 
of the duplex documents, the DD2 mode shows a mode, wherein the duplex 
copies are made by one circulation of the duplex documents, the DS1 mode 
shows a mode, wherein the duplex copies are made by two circulations of 
the duplex document, the DS2 mode shows a mode, wherein the simplex 
copying is made by one circulation of the duplex document. The SD mode 
shows a mode, wherein the duplex copies are made from the simplex 
document. The SS mode shows a mode, wherein simplex copy is made from the 
simplex document. 
The select switches SSW 1 through SSW 4 are selection switches for the 
modes. Namely, the SSW 1 switch is one for selecting a face down and a 
face up, the SSW 2 is a switch for selecting RDH (copying mode for 
circulating, recirculating the document) and ADF (Automatic Document 
Feeder: a plurality of modes for exposing the same document a plurality of 
times), the SSW 3 is a switch for selecting the SW1 mode and the DS2, the 
SSW 4 is a switch for selecting the DD1 mode and the DD2 mode. These 
functions of the switches SSW 1 through SSW 4 are shown in the following 
Table 1. 
TABLE 1 
______________________________________ 
ON OFF 
______________________________________ 
SSW 1 face down face up 
SSW 2 RDH ADF 
SSW 3 DS1 DS2 
SSW 4 DS1 DS2 
______________________________________ 
FIG. 11(I) is a flow chart for illustrating the flow of the program. 
Namely, after the program has been started, the program advances from the 
top to the bottom. The signal of the program step n1000 surrounded by the 
frame of a diamond is a program step for effecting the judgement. The CPU 
204 makes its judgement in accordance with the condition of the contents 
described within the frame to effect a downward advance in the case of 
YES, and to effect a lateral advance in the case of NO. In the case of the 
program step n1001 (hereinafter omitted as "nXXX" simply in the case of 
the program step nXXX) surrounded by a square, the contents surrounded by 
the square are processed. Then, the description of the flow chart will be 
concretely described in accordance with FIG. 11(II). 
At first, at the n0, the power-supply switch (not shown) of an automatic 
duplex copying machine of the present invention is put to work, so that 
the program accommodated in the ROM 205 is actuated by the CPU 204. 
Thereafter, at the n1, the CPU 204 reads the inputting of the various 
copying conditions by the keys 211 - 1 through 211 - 5 of the operation 
panel, SSW 1 through SSW 4, or the like so as to store the contents 
thereof within the RAM 206. 
At the n2, it is judged whether or not the print switch (PSW) 211 4 
instructing the copy start of the operation panel has been turned on. When 
the print switch 211 - 4 has not been turned on, it is returned to n1 
again to check the existence or absence of the input of the copying 
conditions. When the print switch 211 - 4 has been turned on, thereafter 
the copying conditions are not checked again before the program end of the 
respective modes comes after the various types of copying modes have been 
completed. It is to be noted that the copying conditions at the n1 are 
referred to as the following. 
(1) The number of the copies to be inputted by 10 keys 211 - 1. 
(2) Various types of copying modes inputted, combined by the SSW 1 through 
the SSW 4. When all the SSW 1 through SSW 4 are turned on, it means that a 
mode that the document is set up in the document hopper with its face 
being down is selected, with the selection of the RDH and the ADF being 
the RDH copying mode. Likewise, the RDH of the present invention may be 
used as an automatic document feeding apparatus which performs a copying 
operation on the side of the copying modes of the DD1, DS1 (see Table 1). 
(3) Four types of copying modes are selected in accordance with the fact as 
to whether the document and the duplicate are respectively of a single 
face (S) or both faces (D) by each one-time depression of the RDH SELECT 
key 211 - 3 (the modes are referred to as SS mode, SD mode, DS mode, DD 
mode as described hereinabove in accordance with the combination, one 
among the LED 213 3 through the selection mode). However, when the print 
switch 211 - 4 has been turned on, with the ADF key 211 - 5, the RDH key 
211 - 3 being not on, it is judged as NO at the n11 or the n17 to mean 
that the copying mode for performing the scanning exposure in the third 
exposure portion 105 has been selected. 
When the sensor S1 of the document hopper has detected the document, the 
mode becomes the RDH mode, so that the copying mode which is more used in 
frequency from among the four types of copying modes is adapted to be 
automatically set, thus saving the key inputting trouble of the copying 
conditions. 
4)One among the sheet feeding cassettes 106A, 106B, 106C, 106D, is selected 
by the key not shown) of the operation panel 210. Then, at the n3, the 
data within the RAM 206 memorized at the n1 is read to judge whether or 
not the ADF mode is selected by the SSW 2 or the ADF key 211 - 5. When the 
ADF mode is selected, the n3 moves to the n4 to carry out the production 
program of the ADF mode, in which the same document is repeatedly exposed 
by the number of the required copies. 
When things are judged as NO at the n3, the n3 moves to the n5. At the n5, 
it is judged whether or not the SSW 1 is turned off. When it is on, the 
program moves to the copying mode selection program in a case where the 
document has been set with the face up of the n6 through n11. When the SSW 
1 is on, the program moves to the copying mode selection program in a case 
where the document has been set with the face down of the N12 through n17. 
At the n6 through n11 and the n12 through n17, the DD1 mode, DD2 mode, DS1 
mode, DS2 mode, SD mode, SS mode during the face-up are selected 
respectively by the depressed number of the RDH SELECT key 211 - 3 or the 
ON, OFF condition of the SSW 3, SSW 4. When the CPU 204 judges which one 
of the respective copying modes has been selected at the n17, the selected 
program is carried out. 
The relationships between the flow charts in the respective copying modes 
and the operation pattern views of the automatic duplex copying apparatus 
are shown in Table 2. 
TABLE 2 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
Document Setting Method 
Operation Operation 
How to Take 
Copying 
Pattern 
Flow Pattern 
Flow 
Out Document 
Mode View Chart 
View Chart 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
Taking out from 
DD1 FIG. 12 
FIG. 13 
FIG. 25 
FIG. 13 
topmost face 
DD2 FIG. 15 
FIG. 16 
FIG. 26 
FIG. 16 
Returning to 
DS1 FIG. 17 
FIG. 18 
FIG. 27 
FIG. 28 
bottommost face 
DS2 FIG. 19 
FIG. 20 
FIG. 29 
FIG. 30 
SD FIG. 21 
FIG. 22 
FIG. 31 
FIG. 32 
(1st Embodiment) 
SS FIG. 23 
FIG. 24 
FIG. 33 
FIG. 34 
Taking out from 
DD1 FIG. 38 FIG. 44 
bottommost face 
DD2 FIG. 39 FIG. 45 
Returning to 
DS1 FIG. 40 FIG. 46 
topmost face 
DS2 FIG. 41 FIG. 47 
SD FIG. 42 FIG. 48 
(2nd Embodiment) 
SS FIG. 43 FIG. 49 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
The above Table 2 shows a method of setting the document hopper 2 (face 
down or face up), copying modes (DD1, DD2, DS1, DS2, SD, SS), an 
embodiment 1 in which the documents X are picked up from the side of the 
topmost face from the document hopper 2 and are returned to the bottommost 
face, or an embodiment 2 in which the documents X (to be described later) 
are picked up from the side of the bottommost face and are returned to the 
topmost face, the pages of the operation pattern views, of the flow charts 
shown in accordance with the respective combinations. As described in 
Table 2, the operation pattern view is shown in FIG. 17 and its 
corresponding flow chart is shown in FIG. 18 when the copying operation is 
effected in the DS1 mode with the document being face down in, for 
example, embodiment 1. Likewise, the operation pattern view is shown in 
FIG. 33 and its corresponding flow chart is shown in FIG. 34 when the 
copying operation is effected in the SS mode with the document being face 
up in embodiment 1. The same flow charts of FIG. 13 and FIG. 16 are used 
regardless of the respective document setting method (face up and face 
down) even in either the DD1 mode and the DD2 mode. 
(Illustration of the Operation Pattern Views) 
FIG. 12 through FIG. 34 show the flow charts of the operation patterns and 
the operation patterns of the first embodiment. The operation patterns 
will be described hereinafter with reference to the respective views. 
FIGS. 12(I) through 12(VIII) are the operation pattern view of the 
face-down DD1 mode, showing the first embodiment for the duplex copying 
operation with the duplex document being face down, i.e., the operation 
pattern in the DD1 mode. 
FIG. 12(I) is a view wherein the documents X are set up with the face being 
downward. A case in which the minimum two documents are required to 
understand the operation will be described hereinafter. When the copying 
operation is started, the document X.sub.1 (fourth page and third page) on 
the topmost side is picked up by the sheet feeding roller 12 at first by 
the automatic document feeding apparatus 1 (hereinafter referred to as 
RDH) as shown in FIG. 12(II) so as to be inverted, and the exposing 
operation is started in the first exposure portion 5 by an optical system 
located downwardly of the first document cylinder 20. And on the side of 
the copying main body hereinafter referred to simply as main body 100), a 
first copy sheet Y.sub.1 is fed towards the photosensitive member drum 101 
from the sheet feeding cassette 106 to copy the document fourth page on 
the copy sheet Y.sub.1. 
In FIG. 12(III), the first copy sheet Y.sub.1 is changed in the advancing 
direction of the copy sheet in the switch back route 112 so as to be 
accommodated into the intermediate tray 113. At this time, on the RDH 
side, the second document X.sub.2 is taken out from the document hopper 2 
as the document X.sub.1 is so as to expose the second page thereof in the 
first exposure portion 5. Even on the side of the main body 100, the 
second copy sheet Y.sub.2 is taken out from the sheet feeding cassette 106 
as the Y.sub.1 is, and is carried towards the photosensitive member drum 
101. FIG. 12(IV) shows the operation pattern, wherein the copying 
operation of all the even pages has been completed through such a repeated 
operation as described hereinabove. At this time, all the documents X 
effect their one rotation through the carrying passage of the RDH and are 
returned to the document hopper 2 in the same order of the pages set up 
originally. On the other hand, the copied sheets of all the even pages 
have the imageless face of the initially copied sheet Y.sub.1 downward, 
with the copy sheets of all the even pages being accommodated in an 
intermediate tray 113 as shown in FIG. 12(IV) in the order of the even 
pages. In FIG. 12(V), an optical system exposure lamp 150 and so on are 
moved to a portion rightly under the second exposure portion 6, the 
document X.sub.1 on the topmost side is taken out again from the document 
hopper 2 and is inverted to pass without being exposed in the first 
exposure portion 5. And the copy sheet Y.sub.1 picked up from the 
bottommost portion of the sheets accommodated in the intermediate tray 113 
is inverted to the imageless face on the side of the photosensitive member 
drum 101 so as to effect the carrying operation so that the images may be 
met with the timing in order to copy the third page of the document 
X.sub.1 on the copy sheet Y.sub.1. In FIG. 12(VI), the copy sheet Y.sub.1 
makes a straight advance on the discharge route 111 and is discharged onto 
the offset tray 110. And the next document X.sub.2 is taken out from the 
document hopper 2 as the document X.sub.1 is so as to expose the first 
page in the second exposure portion 6. Also, the copying sheet Y.sub.2 
within the intermediate tray is carried so that the face of the copy sheet 
with no images being formed thereon, as in the Y.sub.1, may be exhibited 
on the photosensitive drum 101 to copy the images of the first page on the 
face of the photosensitive member side of the copy sheet Y.sub.2. 
When all the documents have completed their second rotation as described 
hereinabove, the documents are returned and accommodated in the page order 
as when they were originally set up in the document hopper 2. On the other 
hand, on the offset tray 110, the copied sheets corresponding to all the 
documents X have the one sheet completed with their first page being 
upward as shown in FIG. 12(VII). Thereafter, the offset tray is kept 
shifted. 
By the repetition of the operations of the above-described FIG. 12(II) 
through FIG. 12(VII) by the number of the required sheets, the duplicates 
of the required number are provided in the page order without being 
changed in the page order of the documents. 
FIG. 13 is a flow chart in a case where the duplex document with its face 
being up or down is set up in the document hopper to effect an automatic 
duplex copying operation of the DD1 mode, and is used to effect an 
operation corresponding to the operation pattern view of FIG. 12. 
FIG. 14 is the further detailed description of the flow chart of FIG. 13, 
with the corresponding portion being surrounded by a broken line to show 
the same control contents. For example, the steps from n100 to n103 of 
FIG. 14(A) are equivalent to step N100 of FIG. 13. Also, the steps from 
n104 to to n113 of FIG. 14(B) are equivalent to N101 of FIG. 13. The rest 
is the same. 
As the respective processings (N120, N121, . . . ) of each flow chart to be 
described later use the same words as those in the respective processings 
of FIG. 13, with such a detailed flow chart as in FIG. 14 being omitted. 
The flow chart of FIG. 14 will be described hereinafter. 
N100 (processing for setting the optical system in the first exposure 
portion 
The n100 judges the existence or absence of the A flag which is a flag to 
be erected in a case where the optical system (a mirror base unit 
including an exposure lamp 150, a first mirror 151A, thereinafter the rest 
is similar) exists directly under the first exposure portion 5. When the A 
flag is not erected, i.e., in the case of NO, the program advances to the 
n101. When the A flag is erected, i.e., in the case of YES, the program 
advances to the n104. 
At the n101, it is judged whether or not the sensor S8 is on, which detects 
whether or not the optical system is arranged directly under the first 
exposure portion 5. When the S8 is not on, the program advances to the 
n102 to turn on the optical-system moving motor M13. Also, when the S8 is 
on, the program advances to the n103 to turn off the optical system and 
also, the flag A Flag showing that the optical system is arranged directly 
under the first exposure portion 5 is set, i.e., "1" is set. 
N101 (document feeding) 
The n104 judges the existence or absence of the flag B Flag, which shows 
whether or not the exposure start preparations have been completed by the 
document X arriving at the resist rollers 19A, 19B located before the 
first exposure portion. At first, it is judged as NO as the document is 
still being fed. The program advances to the n105 to judge the existence 
or absence of the C Flag showing whether or not the delivery of the 
document has been completed. Even here, as the document is not fed, it is 
judged as NO. The program advances to the n106 to judge whether or not the 
document feed detecting sensor S2 is on. When the S2 is off, the program 
advances to the n107 to turn on the feeding motor M2 and the carrying 
motor M3. Also, when the document reaches the S2 to turn on the S2 after 
the motors M2, M3 have been turned on, it is judged as YES at the n106. 
The program advances to the N108 to turn off the feeding motor M2 and also 
to set the feed completion flag C Flag as "1". After the C Flag has become 
"1", it becomes YES when the judgement of the n105 is performed again. The 
program advances to the n109 to judge whether or not the sensor S3 is on 
which detects whether or not the document has reached the first exposure 
portion 5. When the sensor S3 is off, it is judged as NO to advance the 
program to the N114. Thereafter, at the time when the sensor S3 turns on, 
the document sensor S3 is turned on at the N110 and thereafter a timer (1) 
which is adapted to measure time required for the document to be applied 
upon the resist rollers 19A, 19B judges whether or not the time counting 
has been started. In the case of NO, the timer (1) is started at the n111. 
If the timer (1) has already started the time counting, at the n112 it is 
judged whether or not the timer has completed the time counting, i.e., 
whether or not it is an end. When it is NO, the program comes to the n114. 
When it is YES, the timer (1) is cleared to set a flag B Flag (namely "1") 
that the preparation for the document to be able to start exposing before 
the first exposure portion 5 has been completed. At the same time, the 
copying motor M3 is turned off to stop the carrying operation of the 
document. 
The above-described n110 through n113 shown in FIG. 14(A) shows a flow 
chart that a direction correcting operation is effected (hereinafter 
referred to as skew correcting operation), which returns, into a parallel 
feeding even when the document tip and has been fed slantly with the 
document tip-end being applied against the resist rollers 19A, 19B. 
N102 (sheet feeding from a sheet-feeding portion) 
The n114 through n123 shown in FIG. 14(B) is a flow chart that the copy 
sheet Y is taken out from one selected by an operator among the 
sheet-feeding cassettes 106A through 106D and is carried to the resist 
rollers 160A, 160B. 
As, at first, the copy sheet Y does not exist on the carrying passage from 
the sheet-feeding cassette 106 to the resist rollers 160A, 160B, the D 
Flag showing the preparation completion before the transfer of the copy 
sheet Y is not set at the n114, so that it is judged as NO. Then, as the E 
Flag showing the sheet feeding completion of the copy sheet Y is judged as 
NO at the n115. As the sensor S10 for the copy sheet disposed at the 
entrance of the sheetfeeding cassette 106 does not detect the copy sheet 
at the n116 either, it is judged as NO, so that the program advances to 
the n117. At the n117, a sheet feeding motor M8 and a sheet carrying motor 
M9 are turned on the copy sheet Y fed by one from the sheet-feeding 
cassette 106 in this way reaches S10 soon, so that it is judged as YES at 
the n116 and the program moves to the n118. The sheet-feeding motor M8 is 
turned off to set E Flag as "1", showing the sheet feeding completion of 
the copy sheet Y. 
When the judgement is made at the n115 after the E Flag has become 1, the 
program advances to the n119 so as to judge whether or not the transfer 
sheet has reached a sensor S11 disposed immediately before the resist 
rollers 160A, 160B. When the S11 has been turned on, the skew correcting 
operation of the copy sheet is effected with respect to the resist rollers 
160A, 160B at n120 through n123 as the document has been adjusted at its 
tip end with respect to the resist rollers 19A, 19B at n110 through n113. 
N103 (judgement of OK at the first exposure adjusting time) 
At the n124, it is judged whether or not three of an A Flag showing that 
the above-described optical system has moved immediately under the first 
exposure portion 5 to complete the arrangement, a B Flag showing that the 
document X has been completed in its tip end adjustment by the resist 
rollers 19A, 19B through reaching immediately before the first exposure 
portion 5, and a D Flag showing that the copy sheet Y has been completed 
in its tip end adjustment by the portions of the resist rollers 160A, 160B 
through reaching immediately before the copy process portion are all "1". 
When it is judged as YES, the program advances to the n125 to reset the A 
through E flags. 
When even one among the Flag A, the Flag B, the Flag D is 0 (namely, it is 
not set), the copy start in the first exposure portion can not be 
effected, so that the program returns to the n100 again to make 
arrangements for each flag to become 1. 
N104 (copy process control) 
The flow chart of n126 through n130 shown in FIG. 14(C) is provided to 
sequentially turn on each control element of the copy process portion and 
also to provide the document X in synchronization with the copy sheet Y. 
At the n126, the charging charger 102, the exposure lamp 150, the 
developing apparatus 103 and so on which are the respective controlling 
elements of the copy process portion are sequentially turned on at the 
n126. Then, at the n127, the carrying motors M3, M4 and the clutch CLT 1 
are turned on to start carrying the document from the resist rollers 19A, 
19B, and also, the top ends of the documents are started in exposure in 
the first exposure portion 5 to form the images of the document X on the 
photosensitive member drum 101. Thereafter, the timer (3) is started, 
which is provided to cause the tip end of the image to conform to the tip 
end of the copy sheet Y when the above-described images are copied on the 
copy sheet Y in the process portion. 
At the n128, the timer (3) is cleared at the n129 after the waiting 
operation till the end of the timer (3), and also, the clutch CLT 3 is 
turned on, after the sheet carrying motor M9 has been turned on, so as to 
start carrying the copy sheet Y from the resist rollers 160A, 160B. 
Thereafter, at n130, 1 is respectively put into an A counter provided to 
judge the carrying condition of the document X in the first exposure 
portion 5 and a B counter to judge the condition when the sheet Y is 
carried from before the transfer to the intermediate tray 113. 
N105 (document discharge) 
The n131 through n155 shown in FIG. 14(C) is a flow chart that the document 
X is carried from the resist rollers 19A, 19B to the document hopper 2. 
In Case the A Counter is 1 
At first, at the n131, it is judged as NO as 1 is kept inputted in the A 
counter at the n131. The program advances to the n132, where is is judged 
as YES, and the program advances to the n133. When a document detection 
sensor S4 provided on the side downwardly of the first exposure portion 5 
is not kept on at this time, the program advances to the n156. When the 
document X reaches S4, the program advances to the n134 to turn on the 
carrying motor M6 of the route 30 to input 2 into the A counter. 
In Case the A Counter is 2 
After the sensor S4 has been turned on, at the n132, it is judged as NO, 
and the program advances to the N135, where it becomes YES, and advances 
to the n136. At the n136, the sensor S4 judges whether or not the next one 
becomes off. With the carrying motor M6 being turned on, the document X is 
carried in the direction of the Z.sub.1 towards the rollers 37A, 37B along 
the inversion route 30. Soon the sensor S4 is turned off. It is a time 
point when the sensor S4 has been turned on, it is judged as YES at the 
n136 and the program advances to the n137. At the n137, the rear end of 
the document starts the timer (4) which counts the time required for the 
rear end of the document to pass the gate flapper 35 after the passing of 
the S4, and also the carrying motor M3 and the CLT 1 are turned off so as 
to input 3 into the A counter. 
In Case the A Counter is 3 
After 3 has been inputted into the A counter, the n131, n132, n135 are 
continuously judged as NO. At the n138, it is judged as YES, so that the 
program advances to n139. 
At the n139, it is judged as NO till the timer (4) comes to an end, so that 
the step jumps over the n140 to advance to n156 and its subsequent. When 
the timer (4) comes to an end, it is judged as YES at the n139 to advance 
to the n140 so as to turn on the solenoid SOL 2 for driving the gate 
flapper 35. When the SOL 2 has been turned on, the document may be 
advanced in the direction of a route 30b if the document is carried along 
the Z2 direction in the route 30c. Then, the M6 is inverted to start 
carrying the document in the Z.sub.2 direction to put 4 into the A counter 
for turning on the motor M5. 
In Case the A Counter is 4 
The n131, n132, n135, n138 become NO, the n141 becomes YES so as to judge 
whether or not the document sensor S5 located immediately before the 
second exposure portion 6 is on. Unless the sensor S5 is turned on, the 
step advances to n156. When the S5 is on, the SOL 2 is turned off to put 5 
into the A counter. 
In Case the A Counter is 5 
At the n145, the sensor S5 is judged to watch whether or not the document 
has passed the sensor S5. When the sensor S5 is turned off, the carrying 
motors M6, M4 are turned off to put 6 into the A counter. 
In the same way, hereinafter, the following respective flow charts are 
selected by the value of the A counter. 
In Case the A Counter is 6 
Whether or not the document has reached immediately before the document 
hopper 2 through passing the second exposure portion 6 is watched at the 
n148 by the on of the sensor S6. When the document X reaches the S6, the 
carrying motor M7 for returning the document is turned on at the n149 to 
put 7 into the A counter. 
In Case the A Counter is 7 
As it is judged as YS at the n151, it is watched whether or not the 
document X has passed the S6 at the n152. When the sensor S6 has turned 
off, the timer 5 which counts the time required for the document to return 
to the document hopper 2 is started at the n153 to turn off the carry 
motor M5 and also, to put 8 into the A counter. 
In Case the A Counter is 8 
At the n151, it is judged as NO, and it is watched that the timer (5) comes 
to an end at the n154. When the timer (5) comes to an end, the carrying 
motor M7 for returning the document is turned off at the N155 to put 0 
into the A counter. 
In Case the A Counter is 0 
At the n131, it is judged as YES to mean that the processing of returning 
the document to the document hopper 2 has been completed. 
N106 (copy sheet Y is inverted and is accommodated in the intermediate tray 
113 
The n156 through n184 of FIG. 14(D) show a flow chart for carrying the copy 
sheet Y from the resist rollers 160A, 160B to the intermediate tray 113. 
In the flow chart, a B counter is provided to judge the condition or the 
position of the copy sheet Y, with the respective JOBs to be described 
hereinafter being effected in accordance with the contents 0 through 8 of 
the B counter. 
In Case the B Counter is 1 
At the n158, is is watched whether or not the copy sheet Y has passed the 
position of the sensor S11 located immediately before the copy process 
portion. When the sensor S11 is turned off, a timer (6) which counts the 
time required for the copy sheet Y to pass to the resist rollers 160A, 
160B is started later at the n159 to input 2 into the B counter. 
In Case the B Counter is 2 
At the n161, the end of the timer (6) is watched. When the timer (6) comes 
to an end, the carrying motor M7 and the CLT 3 are turned off at the n162 
to put 3 into the B counter. 
In Case the B Counter is 3 
At the n164, the one of the copy sheet sensor S12 provided on the side 
downstream of the fixing apparatus 104 is watched. When the S12 is turned 
on, the SOL 5 is turned on at the n165 to lift the flapper 115 onto the 
upper side. Thus, the copying sheet Y which has been carried through 
passing the fixing apparatus 104 is carried in the direction of the switch 
back route 112. And 4 is inputted into the B counter. 
In Case the B Counter is 4 
At the n167, the sensor S14 watches whether or not the copy sheets has been 
carried to the switch back route 112. When the sensor S14 is turned on, 
the driving motor M11 of the roller 120 is turned on at the n168 and also, 
5 is inputted into the B counter. 
In Case the B Counter is 5 
At the n170, the S15 is watched. When the sensor S15 is turned on, the 
driving motor M12 of the roller 121 is turned on and also, 6 is inputted 
into the B counter. 
In Case the B Counter is 6 
At the n173, it is watched that the copy sheet Y completes the passing of 
the sensor S15. When the sensor S15 is turned off, the SOL 5, the carrying 
motor M11 are turned off at the n174 and also, the timer (7) which counts 
the time required for the copy sheet to pass the gate flapper 117 is 
started later to put 7 into the B counter. 
In Case the B Counter is 7 
In the n176, the end of the timer (7) is watched. When the timer (7) comes 
to an end, the driving solenoid SOL 7 of the gate flapper 117 is turned 
on, and also the M12 is inverted to carry the copy sheet Y to the route 
112d. And 8 is inputted into the B counter. 
In Case the B Counter is 8 
At the n179, it is watched whether or not the copy sheet Y has passed the 
sensor S16. When the sensor S16 is turned off, a timer (8) which counts 
the time required for the copy sheet Y to be completely accommodated in 
the intermediate tray 113 started later at the n180 to turn off the 
carrying motors M12, SOL 7 and also, to put 9 into the B counter. 
In Case the B Counter is 9 
At the n181, the end of the timer (8) is watched. When the timer (8) comes 
to an end, 0 is inputted into the B counter with the copy sheet Y being 
completely accommodated into the intermediate tray 113. 
In Case the B Counter is 0 
When the copy sheet Y has been completely carried from the carrying rollers 
160A, 160B to the intermediate tray 113, it is judged as YES at the n156, 
so that the step advances to the n183, n184. 
At the n183, n184, both the A counter and the B counter become 0. It is 
watched whether or not the respective JOBs of the N105, N106 have been 
completed. When either the A counter or the B counter is not 0, the step 
is restored to the n131 to complete both the JOBs of the N105, N106. 
N107 (judgement of one rotation completion of the document) 
At the n185, the on of the sensor S1 is watched. It becomes NO till the 
document completes one rotation, and the step returns to the n100. When 
the steps from the n100 to the n184 are repeated by the number of a few 
documents, all the documents which have been set up in the document hopper 
2 are completely exposed in the first exposure portion 5 and are returned 
into the document hopper 2 in the order of the pages. 
Also, the corresponding images are copied on the copy sheet Y at each page 
on the upper side of the document X exposed by the repetition of the 
above-described operation, with only the copy sheets as many in number as 
the documents being accommodated in the intermediate tray 113. As the copy 
sheet Y accommodated within the intermediate tray 113 is accommodated 
through the switch back route 112, the images are provided upward in face, 
so that the copy sheets Y copied later are accommodated so as to be piled 
on the previously copied sheets. 
When one face of the document X makes one rotation within the RDS after it 
has finished exposing in the first exposure portion 5 in this manner, the 
sensor S1 which detects one rotation of the document is turned on, so that 
the step advances to the n186. 
N108 (optical system is set in the second exposure portion) 
The n186 through n189 shown in FIG. 14(E) show a flow chart for moving the 
optical system immediately under the second exposure portion 6 to arrange 
it. 
This flow chart is extremely similar to the flow chart of the N100. The 
difference between it and the N100 (n100 through n103) is that an F Flag 
showing that the optical system has completed its movement to portion 
immediately under the second exposure portion. The A Flag is provided with 
a sensor S7 for detecting the provision of the optical system immediately 
under the second exposure portion 6 corresponding to the sensor S8. As the 
control flow chart is similar in the other aspects, the detailed 
description is omitted. 
N109 (document feeding) 
The n190 through n213 shown in FIG. 14(E) and FIG. 14(F) show a flow chart 
that the document X is carried from the document hopper 2 to the resist 
rollers 59A, 59B located immediately before the second exposure portion 6. 
The n190 through n198 show a flow chart that the document X is carried from 
the document hopper 2 to the resist rollers 19A, 19B, they are operated 
almost similarly as the N101 (n104 through n113) are. 
The difference from N101 is that in the case of N101, the skew correcting 
operation of the document is effected by the resist rollers 19A, 19B at 
the n109 through n113, while at the n192 through n196 of the N109, the S3 
passing of the document is watched. 
The detailed description will be omitted, because the flow chart is 
extremely similar in other respects. 
The n199 through n213 show a flow chart that the document X is carried from 
the resist rollers 19A, 19B to the resist rollers 59A, 59B located 
immediately before the second exposure portion 6. The n199 through n213 
are performing almost the same control as in the flow chart of the n131 
through n143 of the N105. 
At the n131 through n143, the condition of the document was judged by the A 
counter, while at the n196 through n213, the condition of the document is 
judged by the C counter, with the control contents corresponding to the 
number of the counts in the respective counters being equal when they are 
the same in the number of the counts. The difference between them is that 
the document is carried towards the document hopper 2 without the stopping 
of the resist rollers 59A, 59B of the document in the case where the A 
counter is 5, while in the case where the C counter is 5, it is stopped 
after the skew correcting operation of the document in the resist rollers 
59A, 59B at the n212, n213. As in the other respects, it is a similar flow 
chart which may be easily understood by the explanation of the flow chart 
of the n131 through n143, the detailed description will be omitted. 
N110 (sheet feeding from intermediate tray) 
The flow chart of the n214 through n223 shown in FIG. 14(G) is one where 
the copy sheet Y, with images formed on its single face, accommodated in 
the intermediate tray 113, is carried from the intermediate tray 113 to 
the resist rollers 160A, 160B. 
The flow chart performs a controlling which is almost similar to that of 
the flow chart of the n114 through n123 of the N102. At the N102, the copy 
sheet Y is fed from the sheet-feeding cassette 106. However, it is 
different at the N110 that the copy sheet Y is fed from the intermediate 
tray 113. The other controlling operation is similar to that of the N102, 
with the detailed description being omitted. 
N111 (judgement of OK at the second exposure adjusting time) 
The judgement at the n224 is that as in the judgement in the N103, an F 
Flag showing the completion of the operation where the optical system has 
moved to and arranged in a location immediately under the second exposure 
portion 6, a G Flag showing that the skew correcting operation has 
completed through the reaching of the document X to the resist rollers 
59A, 59B located immediately before the second exposure portion 6, an I 
Flag showing that the skew correcting operation has been completed through 
the reaching of the copy sheet Y to the resist rollers 160A, 160B located 
immediately before the transfer portion through the delivery of the copy 
sheet Y from the intermediate tray 113, become respectively "1", and C 
counter is 0. When the F Flag of each F, G, I is turned on, and the C 
counter becomes 0, the program advances to the n225 to reset each Flag of 
the F, G, H, I, J into "0". When either of the Flag of each F, G, I is "0" 
or the C counter is a numeral except for "0", the step returns to n186 
again. 
N112 (copy process control) 
The flow chart of the n226 through n230 shown in FIG. 14{H) is a control 
flow chart, wherein the document X starts feeding from the resist rollers 
59A, 59B, the copy sheet Y is carried so that the tip end of the document 
image may be brought into synchronization with the tip end of the copy 
sheet Y from the resist rollers 160A, 160B. 
As the flow chart is of approximately similar construction to that of the 
N104 (n126 through n130), the detailed description will be omitted. 
N113 (document discharge) 
Likewise, the n231 through n242 shown in FIG. 14(H) is effecting a carrying 
control of returning the document X into the document hopper 2 from the 
resist rollers 59A, 59B. 
Here, the control of the n231 through n242 effects the similar control that 
that of the n144 through n155 of the N105, with the detailed description 
being omitted. 
N114 (copy sheet Y is discharged to an offset tray) 
The n243 through n256 shown in FIG. 14(I) is a flow chart, wherein the copy 
sheet Y is discharged and controlled into the offset tray 110 from the 
resist rollers 160A, 160B. 
The n243 through n252 show a flow chart, wherein the copy sheet Y is 
carried to the sensor S13 provided downstream of the fixing apparatus 104 
from the resist rollers 160A, 160B. As the flow chart of the n243 through 
n252 show the controlling operation which is similar to that in the n156 
through n165 of the N106, with the detailed description being omitted. 
As the SOL 5 is not turned on, the gate flapper 115 is located in the 
position of the solid line. The copy sheet Y makes a straight line along 
the route 111. 
At the n243 through n252, the copy sheet Y reaches the position of the 
sensor S13 with images being formed on both the faces. 
At the n253, it is watched that the copy sheet Y completes its passing the 
sensor S13. When the S13 is turned off, 0 is inputted into the E counter 
for distinguishing the condition of the copy sheet Y at the carrying 
operation of the copy sheet Y to the sheet delivery from before the 
transfer. As it is judged that the copy sheet Y has completed its passing 
the S13 at the n253, the program advances to the n255. The program returns 
to the n231 till it is judged by the "0" of the D counter that the 
document X has returned to the document hopper 2 from the second exposure 
portion 6, also till it is judged by the "0" of the E counter that the 
copy sheet Y has completed its carrying operation from the resist rollers 
160A, 160B to the offset tray 110, respectively at the n255, n256. It is 
watched till the respective operations are completed. 
When the D counter and the E counter become "0", the step advances to the 
n257. 
N115 (judgement of document one-rotation completion) 
At the n257, the document is circulated by the repetition of the operation 
of the N108 through N114, all the copy sheets Y accommodated within the 
intermediate tray 113 are discharged into the offset tray 110, with the 
images corresponding to the document X being copied on both faces. When 
the document X completes its second one-circulation, the sensor S1 for 
detecting one-circulation of the document X provided with the document 
hopper 2 is turned on, it becomes YES at the n257. The program advances to 
the n258 to sequentially turn off the respective control elements 
(charging charger 102, exposure lamp 150, developing apparatus 103, etc.) 
of the copy process. 
N116 (CN.rarw.CN-1) 
At the n259, one sheet of copy has been completed by the n100 through n258, 
so that 1 is subtracted from the number counter CN for counting the number 
of the copies N inputted by key from the operation panel 210 by an 
operator. And the solenoid SOL 8 for shifting the offset tray 110 is 
turned on for a given time .DELTA.t at the n259-1 to shift the offset tray 
110. 
N117 (CN=judgement of 0), N118 (END) 
At the n260, it is watched whether or not all the copying operations of the 
number of the copies N set by the operator has been completed. When it has 
not been completed, the step returns to the n100 to carry out the JOB 
again shown in the flow chart of the n100 through n259-1. 
As all the copying JOBs have been completed, in the case of the CN=0, the 
step returns to the n1 of FIG. 11 waiting for the instructions of the 
following operation through the END processing the operating completion of 
the whole copying apparatus at the n261. 
In the above described embodiment, the document is adapted to be taken out 
from the document hopper for the exposing operation of the next document 
after the document has been taken out from the document hopper, exposed in 
the first or second exposure portion, accommodated in the document hopper. 
Higher speed of the copying operation is provided by the side by side 
performance of the following operations (1) through (3). 
(1) While the first document is passing through the third carrying route 
45, the second document is moved to the second exposure portion 6 from the 
switch back carrying route 30 (N112 "copy process control" during the 
processing of the N113 "document discharge" of FIG. 13). 
(2) While the second document is moving, the third document is carried to 
the sensor S4 of the second carrying route (During the processing of the 
N112 "copy process control" of FIG. 13, the n213 is processed from the 
n199 which is one portion of the N109 "document feeding" of FIG. 14(F). 
(3) During the movement of the third document, the fourth document is moved 
to the resist rollers 19A, 19B of the first carrying route 7 (During the 
processing operation of the n213 from the n199 of FIG. 14(F), i.e., 
"movement process of the document from the first exposure portion to the 
resist rollers 59A, 59B", the processing operation of "the movement of the 
document from the document hopper to the resist rollers 19A, 19B" shown in 
the flow chart of the n19 from the n190 of FIG. 14(E)). 
FIG. 15 is an operation pattern view of a face down DD2 mode. Namely, this 
is an operation pattern view showing the second copying mode (hereinafter 
referred to as DD2 mode) in which the duplex copying is effected from the 
duplex document X when the duplex document X has been set up in the 
document hopper 2 with its face being downward. 
The description of FIG. 15 of the operation pattern view will be explained 
through the comparison with the DD1 mode of FIG. 12 which is the basic 
operation pattern view already described. 
In FIG. 15(I) document set-up, (II) 4-page copying are the same in 
operation as the (I), (II) of the DD1 mode of FIG. 12. In FIG. 15(III), 
the first document X.sub.1 exposed in FIG. 15(II) is inverted in the 
switch back carrying route 30. On the side of the copying machine main 
body 100, the first copy sheet Y.sub.1 is accommodated in the intermediate 
tray 113 as shown in FIG. 12(III)&gt;. In FIG. 15(IV), the operation which is 
similar to that of FIG. 12(V) is effected. Namely, the third page the face 
on the exposure-finished reverse side of the first document) of the first 
document X.sub.1 is exposed in the second exposure portion 6 to effect the 
copying operation on the face wherein the images of the first copy sheet 
Y.sub.1 with images being formed on both the faces is discharged onto the 
offset tray 110 with the images of the third page being upward in the 
face. In FIG. 15(VI), the even page (second page) of the next document 
X.sub.2 is copied in the first exposure portion as shown in FIG. 15(II). 
In FIG. 15(VII), the second document X.sub.2 is inverted in the switch 
back carrying passage 30 and also the second copy sheet Y.sub.2 
accommodated within the intermediate tray 113 as shown in FIG. 15(III). In 
FIG. 15(VIII), the face (first page) not exposed of the second document 
X.sub.2 is exposed, the images are formed, copied on the imageless face of 
the second copy sheet Y.sub.2 accommodated in the intermediate tray 113, 
as shown in FIG. 12(VI), to complete the duplex copying operation. In FIG. 
15(IX), the document. X is placed in the document hopper 2 or the copy 
sheet Y, with images corresponding to the document X being formed, copied 
on both the faces thereof are by one set completed and placed on the 
offset tray 110. The duplex document X is rotated by one time by the 
repetition of the operations of FIGS. 15(II) through (IX) to complete the 
duplex copying of one sheet. FIG. 15(X) is a view of the duplex copying 
operation of two sheets completed in the same manner. 
FIG. 17 is an operation pattern view of the SD1 mode of the face down. 
Namely, it shows the first copying mode, in which the sheet of simplex 
copy is provided from the duplex document (D) through two rotations of the 
document. The (I) through (IV) of FIG. 17 are the same as the even-number 
page copying operation in the DD1 mode described in FIGS. 12(I) through 
12(IV), with the description being omitted. 
In FIG. 17(V), the copy sheet Y.sub.1 with the last even-number page 
(fourth page) piled on the underside within the intermediate tray 113 
being formed is inverted and fed to the photosensitive member drum 101, is 
passed without being copied in the process portion, furthermore is 
inverted on the switch back route 112, and is discharged onto the offset 
tray 110 so that the last even-number page (4 page) may become upward. In 
FIG. 17(VI), the first document X.sub.1 is taken out from the document 
hopper 2 again to expose the last odd-number page (third page) in the 
second exposure portion 6, to operate the copy process portion to copy the 
last odd-number page on the new third copy sheet thereafter is discharged 
without being inverted onto the offset tray 110. In FIG. 17(VII), the 
copying operation is not effected as in FIG. 17(V), the copy sheet Y.sub.2 
(which is formed on the second page) accommodated within the intermediate 
tray 113 is discharged with the image face being upward towards the offset 
tray 110 through the switch back route 112. In FIG. 17(VIII), the 
odd-number page (first page) of the second document is exposed in the 
second exposure portion 6 to form the images on the photosensitive member 
drum 101, as in FIG. 17(IV), to copy the images on the copy sheet Y.sub.4. 
FIG. 17(IX) is a view wherein the operation of FIG. 7(VIII) is completed, 
the document X.sub.2 is accommodated in the same order of the original 
page again in the document hopper or the copy sheet Y.sub.4 has completed 
discharging with the image faces being upward on the copy sheet Y.sub.3 on 
the offset tray. Namely, the duplex document X is rotated two times by the 
operation of FIGS. 17(II) through 17(X) to provide the simplex duplicates 
Y.sub.1 through Y.sub.4. FIG. 17(X) is a view completing the two-sheet 
copying operation through again repeating the operation of FIGS. 17(II) 
through 17(IX). 
FIG. 19 is an operation pattern view of the DS2 mode of the face down 
showing a case where the copying operation is effected in a copying mode 
for providing one sheet of the simplex duplicate through the rotation of 
the duplex document X. 
In FIG. 19(II), the same operation is effected as that in FIG. 12(II), so 
that the last even-number page (fourth page) of the document is copied on 
the first copy sheet Y.sub.1. In FIG. 19(III), the copy sheet Y is 
discharged into the offset tray 110 without being inverted. Thereafter, 
the document X.sub.1 taken out in FIG. 19(II) is inverted on the switch 
back carrying passage 30. Then, the reverse face (third page) is exposed 
in the second exposure portion 6 to copy the images (images of the third 
page on the second copy sheet Y.sub.2 taken out from the sheet-feeding 
cassette 106. In FIG. 19(IV), the copy sheet Y.sub.2 is discharged to the 
offset tray 110 without being inverted. The second page of the second 
document X is exposed in the first exposure portion 5 as shown in FIG. 
19(II) to copy the images of the second page on the third copy sheet 
Y.sub.3. In FIG. 19(V), the copy sheet Y.sub.3 is discharged to the offset 
tray 110 without being inverted. After the second document X.sub.2 has 
been inverted in the switch back passage 30 as shown in FIG. 19(III). the 
first page is exposed in the second exposure portion 6 to copy the images 
of the first page on the fourth copy sheet Y.sub.4. In FIG. 19(VI), the 
document X.sub.2 is returned from the bottommost face side of the document 
X to the document hopper 2 so that the document X.sub.2 may become the 
same in its vertical direction. Also, the copy sheet Y.sub.4 is discharged 
without being inverted onto the offset tray 110. 
One sheet of the simplex duplicates Y.sub.1 through Y.sub.4 may be provided 
by one circulation of the duplex document X from the above described 
operation. FIG. 19(VII) is a view showing how two sheets of the duplex 
duplicates are provided through the repeated operation of FIGS. 19(II) 
through 19(VI). 
FIG. 21 is an operation pattern view of an SD mode of the face down. It is 
a copying mode, in which the duplex duplicate Y (which is shown by 
Y.sub.1, Y.sub.2 in FIG. 21) from the simplex document X (which is shown 
by four sheets X.sub.1 through X.sub.4 in FIG. 21). 
In FIG. 21(I), the simplex document X of four pages is placed in the 
document hopper 2 with its face being downward. 
The document is even in the number of the sheets 
In FIG. 21(II), a first document X.sub.1 is picked up from the bottommost 
face of the document hopper 2, is inverted one time along the carrying 
route of the RDH, is passed without being disposed in the first exposure 
portion 5, is switched back in the switch back carrying passage 30 and 
thereafter the four-page are exposed in the second exposure portion 6. On 
the other hand, the sheet is taken out from the sheet-feeding cassette 106 
onto the first copy sheet Y.sub.1 to copy the images located on the 
photosensitive member drum with the images of four pages being formed 
thereon. 
The document is odd number in page 
By the detection of the odd number of the document (the detection in the 
similar manner even in the even number) through the known method of 
detecting the number of documents by one circulation of the document 
before the copying operation is effected or of using the keys (not shown) 
on the operation panel, the document odd-number page on the topmost face 
as shown in FIG. 21(III) is fed idle (namely, the document X is carried 
along the carrying route of the RDH without being exposed or being copied, 
and is returned to the bottommost face of the document of the document 
hopper 2). 
When the copy sheet Y.sub.1 which has the even-number page copied exists in 
FIG. 21(III), the copy sheet Y.sub.1 is accommodated with the image face 
being upward on the intermediate tray 113 in FIG. 21(II). 
In FIGS. 21(IV) and 21(V), the operation of FIGS. 21(II) and 21(III) is 
repeated to copy the two-page of the document on the second copy sheet 
Y.sub.2 to accommodate it onto the intermediate tray 113. FIG. 21(VI) 
shows a view when the copying operation of the documents of all the 
evennumber pages has been completed by the above-described operation. FIG. 
21(VII) shows the condition in which the document is the second 
circulation. 
The document is even number in page 
As shown in FIG. 21(VII), the document (four-page) on the topmost face is 
fed idle as described hereinabove, and advances to FIG. 21(VIII). 
The document is odd number in page 
As shown in FIG. 21(VIII), the document on the side of the topmost is 
carried up to the second exposure portion 6, as in FIG. 21(II), to expose 
the images of the odd-number page. On the other hand, the copy sheet 
Y.sub.1 on the side of the bottommost which is accommodated in the 
intermediate tray is fed to copy the images of the three-page on the face 
of the copy sheet Y.sub.1 with no images being formed thereon. In FIGS. 
21(IX) and 21(X), the copy sheet Y.sub.1 is discharged onto the offset 
tray 110 without being inverted and the images of the one page are formed 
on the imageless face of the copy sheet Y.sub.2 and are copied by the 
operation of FIGS. 21(VII) and 21(VIII). FIG. 21(XI) is a view in which 
the operation of FIG. 21(X) is completed. Namely, the document X.sub.4 is 
returned without being changed in its original vertical direction from the 
bottommost face of the document hopper 2 and the copy sheet Y.sub.2 is 
discharged without being inverted onto the offset tray 110. The copying 
operation of all the odd-number pages is completed by FIGS. 21(VII) 
through 21(XI) in this manner. The duplex copying operation has been 
completed from the simplex document by the operation of the 
above-described FIGS. 21(II) through 21(XI). FIG. 21(XII) is a view in 
which the two sheets of copying operation is completed by the repetition 
of the operations of FIGS. 21(II) through 21(XI). 
FIG. 23 is an operation pattern view of an SS mode of the face down, 
wherein the two sheets of simplex copying operation is effected from two 
simplex documents. 
In FIG. 23(I), the simplex document X is put into the document hopper 2 
with its face being downward. In FIG. 23(II), the document on the topmost 
face is taken out from the topmost face of the document hopper 21 is 
inverted in accordance with the carrying route of the RDH. Thereafter, the 
document is directed to pass the first exposure portion to pass and is 
switched back to the switch back carrying passage 30 so as to expose the 
two-page in the second exposure portion 6. The copy sheet Y.sub.1 fed from 
the sheet-feeding cassette 106 is carried towards the photosensitive 
member to copy the images of the two-page and is carried towards the 
offset tray 110. In FIG. 23(III), the copy sheet Y.sub.1 is discharged 
into the offset tray 110 without being inverted, and the one page of the 
document X is exposed in the second exposure portion 6 by the repetition 
of the operation of FIG. 23(II). Or the one-page of images are copied on 
the second copy sheet Y.sub.2. In FIG. 23(IV), the copy sheet Y.sub.2 is 
discharged without being inverted onto the offset tray 110. By the 
above-described operation, the simplex document is caused to make one 
rotation so as to be restored to the document hopper 2 in the original 
order of the pages, with the simplex duplicate of the sheet corresponding 
to the document X being provided. FIG. 23(V) is a view in which two sheets 
of copying operation is completed through the repetition of FIGS. 23(II) 
through 23(IV). 
FIGS. 25, 26, 27, 29, 31 and 33 are operation pattern views, wherein the 
document X with its face being upward is placed in the document hopper 2 
in the duplex copying apparatus of the first embodiment, showing the DD1 
mode through SS mode as shown respectively in Table 2. 
The operation patterns of the above-described face up show operations 
corresponding to the operations shown respectively in FIGS. 12, 15, 17, 
19, 21 and 23, which are the operation pattern views in a case where the 
document X has been placed with its face being downward in the document 
hopper 2 of the duplex copying apparatus in the above described first 
embodiment. 
In the case of the face up in FIG. 25, it subsequently will be described 
through comparison with FIGS. 12 through 23. 
FIG. 25 is an operation pattern view of the DD1 of the face up, wherein the 
duplex document X is placed with its face being upward on the document 
hopper 2, showing the flow of the operation of the first copying mode for 
effecting the duplex copying operation on the copy sheet Y. 
As in FIG. 25, the method of setting the document is inverted in top and 
bottom with respect to FIG. 12. 
(1) The first page of the document X in FIG. 12 is replaced by the fourth 
page in FIG. 25. In the same manner, the second, third and fourth pages of 
FIG. 12 are respectively replaced by the third, second and first pages of 
FIG. 25. 
(2) The document X and the copy sheet Y on the offset tray 110 is replaced 
reversely in direction by FIG. 12. 
(3) The odd number is replaced by the even number. 
Through the respective operations of the above-described items (1) through 
(3), the operation patterns of FIGS. 25(I) through 25(VIII) and the 
operations of the respective portions may be replaced by the same 
operation, corresponding respectively to (I) through (VIII) of FIG. 12. 
Thus, the detailed description of the individual operation patterns is 
omitted. 
FIG. 26 is an operation pattern view of the DD2 mode of the face up, 
wherein the duplex documents X are set up with its face being upward on 
the document hopper 2, showing the flow of the operation when the duplex 
duplicate may be provided in the DD2 mode. 
FIGS. 26(I) through 26(X), as in FIG. 25, become respectively the same as 
the operation pattern as FIGS. 15(1) through 15(X) by: 
(1) the first through the fourth pages are respectively replaced by the 
fourth through first pages; and 
(2) the direction of the document X within the document hopper 2 is 
replaced by the top and bottom direction of the copy sheet Y on the offset 
tray 110, with the detailed description of each operation being omitted. 
FIG. 27 is an operation pattern view of the DS1 mode of the face up, where 
the duplex document X is set up on the document hopper 2 with its face 
being upward, showing the flow of the operation when the simplex duplicate 
is provided. 
FIGS. 27(I) through 27(X) effect approximately similar operation as in 
FIGS. 17(I) through 27(X), wherein the copying operation is performed by 
the use of the DS1 mode with the face being downward in the document 
setting. 
Even in FIG. 27, as in FIG. 25, (1) the first page is replaced by the 
fourth page with the page order of the document being reversed; (2) the 
direction of the document within the document hopper 2 and the top and 
bottom of the copy sheet Y on the offset tray 110 are reversed; and (3) 
the operations become those approximately corresponding to FIGS. 17(I) 
through 17(X) by the replacement between the odd numbers and the even 
numbers. In FIG. 17(V) and FIG. 17(VII), the copy sheets Y.sub.1 and 
Y.sub.2 are inverted and discharged by the switch back 112 at the idle 
discharging operation of the even-number pages, while in FIG. 27(V) and 
FIG. 27(VII), the copy sheets Y.sub.1 and Y.sub.2 are discharged onto the 
offset tray 110 without being inverted at the idle discharging operation 
of the odd-number pages. The copy sheets Y.sub.3 fed in FIG. 17(VI) and 
the copy sheets Y.sub.4 fed in FIG. 17(VIII) are discharged onto the 
offset tray 110 without being inverted, while the copy sheet Y.sub.3 fed 
in FIG. 27(VI) and the copy sheet Y.sub.4 fed in FIG. 27(VIII) are 
inverted and discharged in the switch back route 112, which is different 
from FIG. 17. 
FIG. 29 is an operation pattern view of the DS2 mode of the face up, 
wherein the duplex documents are placed on the document hopper 2 with 
faces being upward, showing the flow of the operation when the simplex 
copying operation is effected. 
FIGS. 29(I) through 29(VII) show that the operations are approximately the 
same through the replacement of the following two points that (1) the 
order of the first through fourth pages is inverted, and (2) the document 
X within the document hopper 2 and the copy sheet Y on the offset tray 110 
are inverted in the top and bottom in the operation pattern views of FIGS. 
19(I) through 19(VII). The difference between them is that in FIGS. 
19(III) through 19(IV), all the copy sheets Y.sub.1 through Y.sub.4 are 
inverted through the use of the switch back route 112 and are discharged 
onto the offset tray 110 so that the images ay become downward. As the 
other operations are similar to those of FIG. 19, the detailed described 
will be omitted. 
FIG. 31 is an operation pattern view of the SD mode of the face up, wherein 
the simplex documents X are set up with the faces being upward on the 
document hopper 2, showing the flow of the operation for effecting the 
duplex copying operation. 
FIG. 31(I) shows a condition wherein the simplex documents X of the fourth 
page are set up with their faces being upward on the document hopper 2 in 
the order of the pages. In FIG. 31(II), the document X.sub.1 on the 
topmost face of the document hopper 2 is fed and inverted along the route 
of the RDH, and is carried to the first exposure portion 5 so as to expose 
the first page. On the other hand, the first copy sheet Y.sub.1 is taken 
out from the sheet-feeding cassette 106 to copy the first page of images 
formed on the photosensitive member drum 101. In FIG. 31(III), the first 
document X is inverted in the switch back carrying passage is inverted, 
then is passed without being exposed in the second exposure portion 6 so 
that it is returned to the document hopper 2 from the side of the 
bottommost face of the document hopper 2 without being changed in the 
direction of the original page. The next document X.sub.2 is taken out 
from the topmost face of the document hopper 2, at this time is carried 
along the route of the RDH without being exposed even in the first 
exposure portion 5, the second exposure portion 6 and is returned (loose 
feeding operation is effected) onto the bottomost face of the document 
hopper 2 without being changed in the direction of the original page. 
The first copy sheet Y is inverted by the switch back route 112 so that it 
is accommodate with its image face being upward in the intermediate tray 
113. In FIG. 31(IV), the third page is exposed in the first exposure 
portion 5 by the operation similar to that of FIG. 31(II) to copy the 
images on the second copy sheet Y.sub.2. In FIG. 31(V), the fourth 
document is idly fed by the operation similar to that of FIG. 31(III) so 
that it is returned in its original page orientation onto the side of the 
bottomost of the document hopper. The images of the third page are formed 
on the second copy sheet Y.sub.2 so that the copy sheet is accommodated 
onto the intermediate tray 113. It follows that the copying operations of 
all the odd-number pages of the four simplex documents X have been 
completed through one rotation (FIG. 31(VI)) by the operation of FIGS. 
31(II) through 31(V). In FIG. 31(VII), the first page of the document X is 
idly fed as described hereinabove. In FIG. 31(VIII), the second page of 
the document X is taken out from the document hopper 2, is exposed in the 
first exposure portion 5, while the first copy sheet Y.sub.1 accommodated 
on the bottommost face of the intermediate tray 113 is carried so that the 
imageless face may be exhibited with respect to the document drum 101 from 
the intermediate tray 113 to copy the images on the second page. In FIG. 
31(IX), the copy sheet Y.sub.1 is discharged onto the offset tray 110 
without being inverted, while the document X.sub.3 of the third page with 
the topmost face being provided on the document hopper 2 is idly fed and 
is returned in the orientation of the original page onto the bottommost 
face of the document hopper 2. In FIG. 31(X), the fourth page of the 
document is exposed in the first exposure portion as in FIG. 31(VIII), 
while the second copy sheet Y.sub.2 accommodated in the intermediate tray 
13 has the fourth-page images of the document copied on the imageless 
face. When the last page of all the documents is odd in number, the 
document of the last operation of FIG. 31(X) is not fed, and the copy 
sheet within the intermediate tray 113 is discharged with the image face 
being provided downward without being copied. In FIG. 31(XI), the copying 
operation of the even-numbered page is completed in FIGS. 31(VII) through 
31(X), and simultaneously duplex duplicate is completed by one sheet on 
the offset tray 110. In FIG. 31(XII), two duplex duplicates are provided 
by the repetitions of FIGS. 31(II) through 31(XI). 
FIG. 33 is an operation pattern view of the SS mode of the face up, wherein 
three simplex documents X are set up with their face being upward in the 
document hopper 2, showing the operation of providing the single-face 
duplicates. 
FIG. 33(I) is a view wherein the simplex document X is set up with its face 
being upward in the document hopper 2. In FIG. 33(II), the document 
X.sub.1 on the topmost face of the document hopper is taken out, is 
carried to the first exposure portion 5 to effect the exposing operation. 
The first copying sheet Y.sub.1 is taken out from the sheetfeeding 
cassette 106 to copy the images (one page) of the document X.sub.1 formed 
on the photosensitive member. In FIG. 33(III), the copy sheet Y is 
inverted by the switch back 112 and is discharged onto the offset tray 
110. The second document X.sub.2 is then exposed in the first exposure 
portion 5 as shown in FIG. 33(II) to copy the images on the second copy 
sheet Y.sub.2. In FIG. 33(IV), the images of the third document X.sub.3 
are copied on the third copy sheet Y.sub.3 as shown in FIG. 33(III), with 
the copying operation being completed by one sheet. In FIG. 33(V), the 
copying operation of two sheets is completed by the repetition of FIGS. 
33(II) through 33(IV). 
The relationship between each copying mode of the face-down of the first 
embodiment and each copying mode of the face-up and the flow chart is 
shown in Table 2. Namely, flow charts in a case where the copying 
operations are performed in the respective copying modes of DD2, DS1, DS2, 
SD, and SS with the face being downward are shown in the drawings next to 
the respective operation pattern views, i.e., FIGS. 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24. 
Similarly, the flow charts in a case where copying operations are effected 
in the respective copying modes of DS1, DS2, SD and SS with the face being 
upward are shown in the drawing next to the respective operation patters, 
i.e., in FIGS. 28, 30, 32 and 34. 
The above-described flow charts are made in accordance with the flow charts 
of FIG. 13 and FIGS. 14(A) through 14(I) with respect to the operation 
pattern view of the DD1 mode of FIG. 12. As they are fully explained in 
the description of FIGS. 13 and 14, the description of the flow charts 
will be omitted. 
It is to be noted that the flow charts of FIGS. 13 and 16 are used commonly 
with the face being upward and the face being downward. 
Second Embodiment 
(Construction of the Second Embodiment) 
FIGS. 35 through 49 show the second embodiment of the present invention. 
In the automatic duplex copying apparatus with a circulating type of 
automatic document feeding apparatus (RDH) of the second embodiment 
attached thereon, the construction of the document hopper 2' of the RDH1' 
changes a style in which the document X is picked up from the bottommost 
face and is returned onto the topmost face, and the document hopper 2' is 
arranged on the right side of the first exposure portion 5 as shown in 
FIGS. 35(I) and 35(II), and FIG. 36. In the carrying passage 14 between 
the document hopper 2' and the first exposure portion 5, the document X is 
carried to be once inverted in the first embodiment, while the document X 
is adapted to be carried to the first exposure portion 5 without being 
inverted in the second embodiment. Also, in the carrying passage 9 of the 
document returning to the document hopper 2' from the second exposure 
portion 6, the document X is returned without being inverted, in contrast 
with the above description, in the first embodiment, while the document X 
is inverted and is adapted to return to the document hopper in its 
original page orientation in the second embodiment. 
The construction of the automatic duplex copying apparatus of the second 
embodiment will be described hereinafter. 
The basic construction of the copying machine main body 100' of the second 
embodiment is similar to that of the copying machine main body in the 
first embodiment as shown in FIG. 35, with the same reference characters 
being given to the portions of the functions as those of FIG. 1, showing 
the copying apparatus of the first embodiment. 
A sorter 400 which is mounted on the left side of the copying machine main 
body 100' is functionally important in the different construction between 
the second embodiment and the first embodiment. The sorter 400 is 
effective in the sorting operation of the duplicates performed in a 
shorter time, when the RDH1' has been used in the ADF mode to be described 
later or when a plurality of sheets are copied in the third exposure 
portion. 
Also, the RDH1' is rotatably supported through the shaft in the directions 
of R1 and R2 through the rotary shaft 201 with respect to the copying 
machine main body 100'. It is adapted to be vertically split and opened 
along the carrying passages 14, 30a and 30b of the bottommost face when 
the document X is copied in the third exposure portion 105, if the 
exposure X has the JAM caused in the first exposure portion 5 or the 
second exposure portion 6 or for services. The other constructions are 
almost similar to the construction of the first embodiment, with the 
description being omitted. 
The size of the copying machine main body 100' becomes larger. The light 
path of the optical system is made longer so that the third exposure 
portion 105 may be arranged on the further right-hand side of the document 
hopper 2 or the light path is changed so that the third exposure portion 
105 may be arranged on the left-hand side of the second exposure portion 
6. In this case, when the document X is copied in the third exposure, it 
is not required to have the third exposure portion 105 through the 
rotating operation of the RDH1'. 
The construction of the RDH (circulating type of automatic document feeding 
apparatus) of the second embodiment is adapted through the selection when 
necessary in the mechanism or the like of the document drum described in 
FIGS. 3 through 6 showing the construction of the RDH of the first 
embodiment in that the document X placed within the document hopper 2 is 
adapted to be taken out from the bottommost side and is fed onto the 
carrying passage on the side of the exposure. Namely, an opening 70a for 
taking out use is provided in the lower end document stand 70 on which the 
documents X of the document hopper 2' are placed, a sheet-feeding roller 
12' is provided in opposition to the opening 70a so that the sheet 
documents X are delivered one by one onto the carrying passage 14 of the 
first carrying means 7 by the sheet-feeding roller 12'. The sheet 
documents X are carried into the first exposure portion 5 of the document 
presentation portion 4 by the first carrying means 7. After the carrying 
direction has been inverted in the switch face carrying passage 30 of the 
second carrying means 8, they are carried to the second exposure portion 
6. Then, by the carrying passage 46 of the third carrying means 9, the 
sheet documents X are returned above the document hopper 2' so as to feed 
the circulated document X onto the accumulated topmost end document X. 
In the second embodiment schematically described, the construction thereof 
is similar to that of the first embodiment except for the construction 
that the documents X are picked up from the bottom from the document 
hopper 2' to feed them, with the same reference characters being given to 
omit the description. Namely, various sensors, motors, clutches and 
solenoids are provided in the similar positions as in FIGS. 1, 2 and 7 
shown in the first embodiment. As the controlling circuit in the second 
embodiment, the controlling circuit shown in FIG. 8 of the first 
embodiment is used, with the operation panel of FIG. 9 being similarly 
used. The selection mode of the select switches SSW 1 through SSW 4 which 
performs the respective copying mode selections of Table 1, and the flow 
chart showing the mode-selection condition shown in FIG. 11 are used even 
in the second embodiment. 
(Operation Pattern of Second Embodiment) 
The basic shape of the operation pattern in the second embodiment is shown 
in FIG. 37. 
FIG. 37 shows only the representative mechanism portion for illustrating 
the relationship between the movement of the document X and the copy sheet 
Y in the second embodiment, and the timing thereof as in the operation 
pattern in the first embodiment. The difference between FIG. 37, which is 
a basic operation pattern view of the second embodiment, and FIG. 10, 
which is a basic operation pattern view of the first embodiment, is that 
the document hopper 2' arranged on the right side of the first exposure 
portion 5 and the document X placed within the document hopper 2' is taken 
out from the bottommost face and is carried along the carrying passage of 
the RDH1', thereafter it is returned (namely, the document hopper of 
taking out from the bottom and returning to the top) without being changed 
in its original orientation from the side of the topmost face of the 
document hopper 2'. Also, the sorter 400 will be briefly described as the 
mode of the basic operation mode, instead of the offset tray 110 described 
in the first embodiment. The other constructions are similar to those of 
FIG. 10. 
FIGS. 38 through 43 are operation pattern views showing the flow of the 
operations in a case where the copying operations are effected in the 
respective copying modes of the DD1, DD2, DS1, DS2, SD and SS, with the 
documents X being set up with their faces being downward with respect to 
the document hopper 2' in the second embodiment as shown in Table 2. The 
operation pattern view with the documents X being set up with their faces 
being downward in the document hopper 2' in the second embodiment shows 
that the extremely similar operations are effected in the respective same 
copying modes as compared with a case where the documents have been set up 
with their faces being upward in the document hopper 2 in the first 
embodiment. 
Namely, on the RDH side, (1) the order of taking out the document X or 
returning it; (2) the exposing order of the taken out document X; and (3) 
the exposure portions become the same in the above-described embodiment. 
The operation of the copy sheet Y in the copying machine main body 100' 
corresponds to the operation of the document X within the above-described 
RDH. In the second embodiment of the face-down, the operation of is the 
same in the same copying mode as in the first embodiment of the face-up. 
FIG. 38 shows the face-down DD1 mode in the second embodiment. The mode is 
the same in operation as FIG. 25 showing the face-up DD1 mode of the first 
embodiment with the exception of the document hopper portion. 
FIG. 39 shows the face-down DD2 mode in the second embodiment. The mode is 
almost similar to FIG. 26 showing the DD2 mode of the face up in the first 
embodiment. 
FIG. 40 shows the face-down DS1 mode in the second embodiment. The mode is 
almost similar to that of FIG. 27 of the first embodiment. 
FIG. 41 shows the face-down DD2 mode in the second embodiment. The mode is 
almost similar to that of FIG. 29 in the first embodiment. 
FIG. 42 shows the face-down SD mode in the second embodiment, the mode is 
almost similar to that of FIG. 31 in the first embodiment. 
FIG. 43 shows the face-down SS mode in the second embodiment. The mode is 
almost similar to that of FIG. 33 in the first embodiment. 
The above respectively show the same operation except for the neighboring 
portion of the document hopper portion. The difference in the operation 
pattern view between both modes of the second embodiment and the first 
embodiment is only one between the position of the document hopper, and 
the face-up setup thereof. 
As in the flow charts of the respective modes of the face-down in the 
second embodiment, FIG. 13 may be used in the DD1 mode. Likewise, in the 
respective modes of DD2, DS1, DS2, SD and SS, the flow charts of FIGS. 16, 
28, 30, 32 and 34 in the first embodiment may be used. 
As shown in Table 2, FIGS. 44 through 49 are operation pattern views 
showing the flow of the operation in a case where the copying operations 
are effected in the respective copying modes of DD1, DD2, DS1, DS2, SD and 
SS, with the documents X of the face-up being set up in the document 
hopper 2' in the second embodiment. 
Each operation pattern with the face-up in the second embodiment is 
extremely similar to the operation pattern in the same copying mode of the 
face down in the first embodiment. Namely, as described in accordance with 
FIGS. 38 through 43 in the operation pattern of the face down in the 
second embodiment, the characteristic difference between them is the 
position of the document hopper and the face-up setting of the document or 
the face-down setting thereof. 
Namely, FIG. 44 shows the face-up DD1 mode in the second embodiment. The 
operation pattern of the mode is almost similar in operation in accordance 
with FIG. 12, showing the operation pattern of the face down in the first 
embodiment, with the flow chart of the operation pattern being shown in 
FIG. 13. 
FIG. 45 shows the face-up DD2 mode in the second embodiment. The flow chart 
which corresponds to, likewise, FIG. 15 becomes FIG. 16. 
FIG. 46 shows the face-up DS1 mode in the second embodiment. The flow chart 
which corresponds to, likewise, FIG. 17 becomes FIG. 18. 
FIG. 47 shows the face-up DS2 mode in the second embodiment. The flow chart 
which corresponds to, likewise, FIG. 19 becomes FIG. 20. 
FIG. 48 shows the face-up SD mode in the second embodiment. The flow chart 
which corresponds to, likewise, FIG. 21 becomes FIG. 22. 
FIG. 49 shows the face-up SS mode in the second embodiment. The flow chart 
which corresponds to, likewise, FIG. 23 becomes FIG. 24. 
Third Embodiment 
FIGS. 50 through 55 show a third embodiment of a duplex copying apparatus 
provided with a circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatus 
in accordance with the present invention. 
(Construction of the Third Embodiment) 
FIG. 50(I) shows a central section of an automatic duplex copying apparatus 
having a circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatus 1" 
(hereinafter referred to as RDH 1") of the third embodiment mounted and 
using the copying machine main body of the second embodiment. FIG. 50(II) 
is a partially enlarged view of a route 111 connecting the copying machine 
main body 100' of FIG. 5(I) with the sorter portion 401. 
A circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatus 1" of the third 
embodiment is composed of the construction shown in FIG. 51, wherein a 
switch back carrying passage 30 which inverts the carrying direction of 
the sheet document X is provided between the first exposure portion 5 of 
the document presentation portion 4 and the second exposure portion 6 
thereof is provided, a bypass route 80 which does not invert it is 
provided. 
Namely, the bypass route 80 is provided which causes the first exposure 
portion 5 of the lower end of the first document cylinder 20 to almost 
linearly communicate with the second exposure portion 6 of the lower end 
of the second document cylinder 21. The bypass route 80 may be a route 
which returns to the document hopper without being inverted, and is not 
required to go from the first exposure portion 5 to the second exposure 
portion 6. The gate flapper 81 is provided at the connection portion 
between the bypass route 80 and the external periphery carrying passage 
20a of the first document cylinder 20. Also, a gate flapper 82 is provided 
at the connection portion of the external periphery carrying passage 2a of 
the second document cylinder 21. When the sheet document X is carried to 
the bypass route portion 80, both the gate flappers 81, 82 are operated to 
open the passage. The gate flappers 81, 82 are operated to open the 
passage. The gate flappers 81, 82 are respectively operated closed by 
solenoids SOL 21, SOL 22 (not shown). These solenoids SOL 21, SOL 22 are 
operated by the detection signal of a rotate on-number detecting sensor 
(not shown) disposed on the document cylinders 20, 21. The document 
cylinder is rotated by the set number through the instructions of the 
operation so that the gate flappers 81, 82 are adapted to open, close as 
the document X is exposed. 
Also, in the document hopper 2", the sheet documents X placed therein are 
picked up from the top and are fed one by one to the first carrying means 
7. But in the present embodiment, the sheet documents X are supported by a 
plurality of document support roller 83. These document support rollers 83 
are mounted at intervals like the rungs of a ladder on the endless belt or 
chain 84 so as to support the sheet documents X. The sheet document stand 
75 is located under the document support roller 83 to form the space 86 so 
that the sheet documents X, which are exposed and discharged after having 
passed the carrying passage 46, may be naturally accommodated thereinto. 
When the sheet documents X discharged are accommodated in the space 86, 
the belt 84 is rotated by 180 degrees. When the document support roller 83 
moves, a plurality of sheet documents X supported by the document support 
roller 83 are lowered on the sheet document stand 75 so as to lie on the 
discharged sheet documents. Thereafter, the belt 84 is further rotated to 
return the document support roller 83 into its original position to 
support the sheet documents, with the discharged sheet document and a 
plurality of sheet documents being piled up, by the document support 
roller 83 so that the following sheet document to be discharged may be 
accommodated onto the sheet document stand 75. 
As the other constructions of the third embodiment ar almost the same, the 
reference characters are given to omit the description. 
When the bypass route portion is used in the present embodiment, the top 
face of the sheet document X is exposed in the first exposure portion 5 by 
the required number, thereafter it is drawn into the bypass route portion 
80 through the gate flapper 82, is wound on the second document cylinder 
21 through the gate flapper 82, so that the sheet document X is 
accommodated onto the sheet document stand 75 from the carrying passage 45 
of the third carrying means 9 without being exposed in the second exposure 
portion 6. In the accommodating condition, the sheet documents X are 
accommodated in the condition with the bottom face of the sheet document X 
being upward, which is opposite to a condition (having the top face of the 
sheet document X upward), wherein the operator has, at first, placed 
within the hopper 2". In this manner, the top face of one sheet document X 
is exposed in the first exposure portion 5, thereafter the top face of the 
next sheet document is exposed in the first exposure portion 5, the sheet 
documents X which have the top-face exposing operations of all the sheet 
documents X completed are piled up with the bottom faces of the original 
setting condition being upward within the document hopper 2". On the other 
hand, the copy sheet (not shown) which has the top face of the sheet 
document X copied in the first document portion 5 is accommodated in the 
intermediate tray 113 within the copying machine main body 100". At a time 
point when the exposing operation of the top faces of all the sheet 
documents X has been completed, all the copy sheets with their top faces 
copied are temporarily stored with their image faces being up in the 
intermediate tray 113. 
In the next cycle, the bottom face of the sheet document is copied in the 
first exposure portion 5 with respect to the imageless face of the copy 
sheet to be carried from the intermediate tray, so that the sheet document 
X is restored, in the original setting condition with the top face of the 
sheet document X being upward, into the document hopper 2'. This process 
is performed with respect to all the bottom faces of the sheet documents 
X, so that the bottom faces of the documents are copied upon the bottom 
faces of the copy sheets. 
Even when the bottom face (reverse face) copying operation is effected by 
the use of the above-described bypass route 80, the exposing operation may 
be effected in the first exposure portion 5. As the sheet is not required 
to be reflected in the switch back carrying passage 30, the danger of 
causing the document jam is reduced. The copying speed may be increased by 
the shorter exchange time of the documents. 
(Operation Pattern of the Third Embodiment) 
FIG. 52 shows a model view of the major construction portion for 
illustrating the operation of the circulating type of automatic document 
feeding apparatus in the third embodiment. The difference from FIG. 10, 
which is an operation pattern view of a circulating type automatic 
document feeding apparatus of the first embodiment, is as follows. 
(1) In the third embodiment, the document X was returned by the carrying 
belt 11 with respect to the document hopper 2, while in the third 
embodiment, the document is restored onto the document stand 75. 
(2) A bypass route 80 is provided between the first exposure on portion 5 
and the second exposure portion 6. 
(3) In the third embodiment, a sorter 400 is provided on the side of the 
copying machine main body 100', with the respective bottles 40a through 
401n of the sorter 400 being provided. The copy sheets are adapted to be 
discharged one by one from the first copy sheet in the sequential order 
from above, when the copying operation is effected in the ADF mode, into 
each bottle of the sorter 400. 
As the other portions are approximately similar to FIG. 10 in the first 
embodiment, the same reference characters are given to omit the 
illustration. 
FIG. 53 describes the flow of the operation of a case (DD1 mode) where the 
document X is rotated two times by the use of the bypass carrying route 80 
to perform the duplex copying operation with the duplex document X being 
set up with the face being upward in the document hopper 2" in the 
automatic duplex copying apparatus of the third embodiment. 
FIG. 53(I) is a view with a document X being set up with the faces being up 
in the document hopper 2". 
In FIG. 53(II), the documents X are taken out one by one from the topmost 
face of the document hopper 2", are inverted and carried along the 
carrying route of the RDH1", and thereafter the first page is exposed in 
the first exposure portion 5. On the side of the copying machine main body 
100', the first copy sheet Y.sub.1 is taken out from the sheet-feeding 
cassette 106 to transfer the images on the first-page face from the 
photosensitive body drum 101. Thereafter, the advancing direction of the 
copying sheet Y is inverted by the switch back route 112 so that it is 
accommodated in the intermediate tray 113. 
In FIG. 53(III), as in FIG. 53(II), the second document X.sub.2 is taken 
out from the document hopper 2", is inverted, then is exposed in the first 
exposure portion 5, so that the images are copied on the second copy sheet 
Y.sub.2 so as to accommodate the copy sheet Y.sub.2 into the intermediate 
tray 113 through the switch back route 112. At this time, the document 
X.sub.2 which has completed its exposing in FIG. 53(II) is not passed 
through the switch back carrying passage 30, but is passed through the 
bypass route 80 and is returned to the document hopper 2". Thereafter, the 
second document X.sub.2 is also exposed, likewise, in the first exposure 
portion 5, thereafter is returned to the document hopper 2" from the side 
of the bottommost face of the document through the bypass carrying passage 
80 without passing through the switch back carrying passage 30. The 
copying operation of all the odd-number pages is completed by the 
above-described operation. At this time, the document X within the 
document hopper 2" is different in the order of the pages from the 
document X set up, in FIG. 53(I), with its face being upward in the 
document hopper 2". (Namely, the order becomes the second page, the first 
page, the fourth page, the third page from the top.) It follows that the 
document X has made one rotation of the RDH carrying route. 
In FIG. 53(IV), the first document which has been inverted in the order of 
the pages is taken out from the topmost face of the document hopper 2", 
and is inverted so as to expose the second page in the first exposure 
portion 5. On the other hand, the first copy sheet Y.sub.1 which has been 
taken out from the bottommost face of the intermediate tray 113 has the 
second-page images copied on its non-image face. The copy sheet Y.sub.1, 
with the first page being provided under, is discharged into the sorter 
bottle 401. Thereafter, the document X.sub.1 passes through the bypass 
route 80 again, passes without being exposed in the second exposure 
portion, and is returned in the same orientation as that provided in FIG. 
53(I) from the side of the bottommost face to the document hopper 2", 
i.e., without being inverted. In FIG. 53(V), the fourth page of the second 
document X.sub.2 is exposed as in FIG. 53(IV) to copy the images of the 
fourth page on the non-image face of the second copy sheet Y.sub.2 Then, 
the document X.sub.2 is returned from the side of the bottommost face of 
the document X to the document hopper 2" in the same orientation as that 
in the setting up of the document, so that the copy sheet Y.sub.2 with its 
fourth page being above is discharged onto the sorter bottle 40a. In FIGS. 
53(II) through 53(V), the duplex document makes two rotations to provide 
the duplex duplicate. FIG. 53(VI) is a view showing the completion of 
two-sheet copying operation through the repetition of FIGS. 53(II) through 
53(V). 
In the third embodiment, the bypass route 80 is used without the use of the 
inverting route 30 in the DS1 mode as in the DD1 mode, so that the optical 
system is not required to be moved, and time required for switch back 
operation is shortened in the route 30, thus reducing all the copying 
time. 
It is to be noted that things are similar to those in the first embodiment 
in the copying mode, except for the DD1 and DS1 modes, with the detailed 
description thereof being omitted. 
FIG. 54 is a flow chart in a case where the copying operation is operated 
in the ADF mode in the apparatus of the third embodiment. The flow chart 
will be fully described with reference to the drawings. 
At N502, the third document is wound on the first document cylinder 20. 
At N503, the copy sheet Y is fed from the sheet-feeding cassette 106 and is 
carried in the direction of the photosensitive drum. The nth document is 
exposed in the first exposure portion 5 to copy the images of the nth 
document on the copy sheet Y through the operation of the respective 
control element of the copying process. 
At N504, the copy sheet Y is accommodated through the switch back route 
112, which inverts the direction of the copying sheet Y. 
Then, at N505, 1 is subtracted from the counter CN to watch whether or not 
the counter CN has become 0 at N506. It returns to N503 till the counter 
CN becomes "0", so as to repeat the operations of N503 through N506. 
Namely, the document X is wound on the document drum 20 by N502 through 
N506 to rotate the exposure cylinder by the desired number (Cx times to 
perform the exposing operation so as to copy the images of the first 
document by the Cx sheets, so that they are accommodated in the 
intermediate tray 113. 
At N507, the nth document is carried to the bypass route 80 through the 
opening operation of the gate flappers 81, 82 to be returned from the side 
of the bottommost face of the document of the document hopper 2". At N508, 
the number of the copies is inputted again into the copy-number counter 
CN.sub.1. 
Then, at N509, 1 is added into a condition counter n. At N510, it is 
watched whether or not the document has completed one rotation to return 
to the N502 when the document X is not rotated by one. When the document X 
has completed one rotation, 1 is inputted again into the condition counter 
n at N511 to advance to N512. 
At N512, the first document X.sub.1 is again wound on the first exposure 
cylinder 20. Then, at N513, the copy sheet Y whose single face is already 
copied is taken out form the bottommost face from the intermediate tray 
113 to feed so that the non-image face may be exhibited on the 
photosensitive member 101. At the same time, the nth document wound on the 
first exposure cylinder 20 as exposed to copy the images formed by the 
copy process portion on the copy sheet Y feed through the operation of the 
copy process portion. At N514, the copy sheet Y copied already at N513 is 
discharged into the sorter. 
At N515, "1" is subtracted from the counter CN, and it is watched at N516 
whether or not the copying operation of the nth document of the desired 
number of sheets has been completed. 
After the copying operation of the nth document is completed by the desired 
number, the step advances to N517. At N517, the gate flappers 81, 82 are 
opened again, the nth document hopper 2" through the bypass route 80. At 
N518, the number of the copy sheets Cx is again inputted into the counter 
CN to add 1 to the condition counter n at N519. 
At N520, one rotation of the document X is watched. In the case of NO, the 
step returns to N512 to continue the feeding operation from the 
intermediate tray 113. When the document X makes one rotation, YES is 
provided at N520. At N521, the various processes are effected for the 
completion of the copying operation to return again to FIG. 11(II) so as 
to wait for the next copying process. 
The copy sheet Y which is discharged for the sorter 400 at the N514, is 
accommodated one after another into the respective bins 40a through 401n 
of the sorter 400. When the CN becomes 0 at the N516, the sheets start to 
be accommodated again from the first bin of the sorter. 
FIG. 55 is an operation pattern view of the ADF mode of the face up, 
showing a series of operations of the ADF mode of performing the duplex 
copying operation by the use of the sorter with the duplex document X set 
up in the document hopper 2" with the face being upward. The ADF mode will 
be described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 55. 
In FIG. 55(I), two duplex documents X are set up with the face being upward 
with respect to the document hopper 2". 
In FIG. 55(II), the document on the side of the topmost face of the 
manuscript hopper 2" is fed by one, is inverted by one time in accordance 
with the carrying route to be wound on the first document cylinder 20, so 
that the first page is exposed by the same Cx time (twice in the 
illustration) as the set number of copies. The copy sheet Y starts to be 
fed with respect to the photosensitive member drum 101 from the 
sheet-feeding cassette 106. After the images of the first page have been 
copied, the advancing direction is inverted by the switch back 112 to 
accommodate the copy sheet Y with the image faces on it into the 
intermediate tray 113. The second copy sheet Y.sub.2 is likewise 
accommodated in the intermediate tray 113. 
In FIG. 55(III), the document X.sub.1 already exposed in FIG. 55(II) is 
separated from the document cylinder 20 and is passed into the bypass 
route 80 so as to return to the document hopper 2" from the side of the 
bottommost face of the document in the orientation inverted from the 
direction set up in FIG. 55(I). The second document X.sub.2 is taken out 
from the document hopper 2" to be wound up on the first document cylinder 
20 as in FIG. 55(II) to expose the third page by the set number of the 
copies Cx. namely, the first document cylinder 20 is rotated by Cx times 
for the copying operation. The copy sheets Y.sub.3, Y.sub.4 are also 
accommodated in the intermediate tray 113 in the same manner as in FIG. 
55(II). The document X.sub.2 which has completed exposing the set number 
of sheets is returned to the document hopper 2" as the above-described 
document X.sub.1 is. 
In FIG. 55(IV), the document X.sub.1 which is inverted from the original 
orientation is taken out from the document hopper 2" and is wound on the 
first exposure cylinder 20 as described hereinabove so as to expose the 
second page by the Cx time. The copy sheet Y.sub.1 on the side of the 
bottommost face, which is accommodated in the intermediate tray 113, is 
inverted and fed so that the non-image face thereof may be exhibited on 
the photosensitive member drum 101. After the second-page images are 
copied, the copy sheet Y.sub.1 is fed without being inverted in the route 
111 and is accommodated in the first bin 40a of the sorter 400. Then, the 
copy sheet Y.sub.2 reaches the route 111 as the copy sheet Y.sub.1 does, 
and is accommodated in the next bin 401b in the sorter 400. On the other 
hand, the document X.sub.1 passes through the bypass 80 and is returned 
from the side of the bottommost face of the document X into the document 
hopper 2" in the same direction as the orientation of the document X set 
up in FIG. 55(I). 
In FIG. 55(V), the fourth page of the document X.sub.2 is copied in the 
same manner as in FIG. 55(IV) to copy the images of the fourth page on the 
copy sheets Y.sub.3, Y.sub.4 to be accommodated into the bins 40a, 401b of 
the sorter. 
FIG. 55(VI) is a view showing the completion of the operation in FIG. 
55(V). The document X is returned to the orientation at the set up of the 
document and the page order thereof. The copy sheets Y, which have images 
corresponding to the document X formed, are accommodated one by one into 
the bins 40a, 401b of the sorter 400. 
The ADF mode may be used to increase the total JOB speed by the joint use 
of the RDH as described hereinabove. 
The ADF mode shown in the above-described FIGS. 54 and 55 may be used, 
likewise, by the engagement of the sorter 400 even in the second 
embodiment. 
Also, when a book or a document too thin to be carried by the RDH is used, 
or a plurality of duplicates are required to be provided from the too 
thick document, the multiple copies may be used with a book or the like 
being set up in the third exposure portion, and the sorter may be used. 
As is clear from the foregoing description, according to the arrangement of 
the present invention, in a circulating type of automatic document feeding 
apparatus comprising a document hopper which is adapted to take out the 
top document from the hopper or take it out from the bottom to return it 
onto the topmost side, a first carrying means for carrying the document 
from the document hopper to a first exposure portion, a document 
presentation portion having the first exposure portion and the second 
exposure portion, a second carrying means which is equipped with an inside 
and outside inverting means for inverting the carrying direction of the 
document between the first exposure portion and the second exposure 
portion, a third carrying means for returning the document to the document 
hopper from the second exposure portion, one face of the duplex document 
may be exposed in the first exposure portion to continuously expose the 
other face thereof in the second exposure portion, so that the copying 
operation of the duplex document may be effected at higher speeds and 
furthermore with considerably reduced operations on the part of the 
operator. Also, various advantages are provided in that a plurality of 
documents in the sequential page order may be returned into the document 
hopper in the arranged order. Furthermore, a case where the continuous 
exposing operation is effected by both the first exposure portion and the 
second exposure or a case where only the one face of the document is 
exposed in one exposure portion may be selected. The various copying modes 
of duplex copying from the duplex document to the copy sheet, simplex 
copying from the duplex document, duplex copying from the simplex 
document, and simplex copying from the simplex document may be efficiently 
effected with simpler switching operations through the simpler 
construction. Especially when the duplex copying operation is effected 
from the duplex document, labor and time is reduced. 
Also, the first mode in which the second face is copied after all the first 
faces of the respective document have been copied with respect to a 
plurality of documents set up in the document hopper, and the second mode 
in which the first face and the second face are sequentially copied with 
respect to each document may be switched to each other. In the mode for 
effecting the second-face copying operation after having copied all the 
first faces of each document with respect to a plurality of documents set 
up in the document hopper, the order of the documents on the document 
hopper remains unchanged when one circulation of the document has been 
completed. In the conventional apparatus, the complicated page inside and 
outside arranging operation was required when the document jam was caused. 
However, in the present apparatus, the problem may be avoided. 
In the document presentation portion of the circulating type of automatic 
document feeding apparatus, the first exposure portion and the second 
exposure portions are provided downwardly in the vertical direction on the 
same plane with two cylinders being provided in parallel. The effects are 
as follows. 
(1) A switching gate for switching the simplex document and the duplex 
document, and a carrying route may be removed. 
(2) A switching operation between the exposure portion may be effected only 
by the movement of the scanner (the exposure lamp 150 and the first mirror 
151A integrated). 
(3) As a retaining mechanism for passing the exposure portion through the 
rotation with the documents being wound with respect to these cylinders, 
various proper mechanisms such as a mechanism for carrying the document 
with respect to the carrying roller disposed on the outer periphery 
through the rotation of the cylinder itself, a mechanism for carrying the 
document through the rotation of the carrying roller with the cylinder 
being fixed, an electrostatic adhering mechanism or the like may be 
adopted. 
(4) The switching operation between a face-up specification and a face-down 
specification may be effected in accordance with the specification of the 
copying apparatus itself. 
An inside and outside inverting route and an inverting roller, which are 
adapted to invert the document between the first exposure portion and the 
second exposure, are provided on the second carrying means of the 
circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatus, a mechanism 
which can select the carrying passage of the document passage the first 
exposure portion between the inverting route and the route for passing the 
first exposure portion again through the rotation along the outer 
periphery of the first cylinder, and a mechanism which can select the 
carrying passage of the document passing the first exposure portion 
between the discharging route and the route for carrying it to the second 
exposure portion again through the rotation along the second cylinder 
outer periphery are provided, so that the necessary plurality of sheets 
may be continuously copied with the same-face exposure of the document as 
the given number. 
The higher copy speed may be effected when the bypass route, together with 
the inverting route, for carrying the document from the first exposure 
portion to the second exposure portion without the inverting operation of 
the document is disposed on the second carrying means, when the single 
faces of a plurality of duplex documents are exposed in the first exposure 
portion, thereafter the other faces thereof are exposed in the second 
exposure by the use of the bypass route, and when the simplex documents 
are copied. 
As the duplex copying apparatus provide with the above-described 
circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatus is adapted to 
carry the copy sheet in synchronization with the carrying operation of the 
document of the circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatus, 
the four types of copying operations described above may be effected. 
Also, the size may be made smaller through the simpler construction, thus 
resulting in the considerable decrease in the cost. 
As the above-described controlling apparatus is provided on the duplex 
copying apparatus equipped with the circulating type of automatic document 
feeding apparatus, the switching operation may be effected through simpler 
operation by the operator, so that the operation load on the operator may 
be reduced, the copy time may be shortened, and the accuracy may be 
improved. 
Various switching means, which are switched by the operation of the 
selection switches, are provided on the above-described controlling 
apparatus. A copying mode for copying one face of the document in the 
first exposure portion and thereafter the other face thereof in the second 
exposure portion, and a copying mode for copying the single faces of all 
the documents in the first exposure and thereafter the other faces thereof 
in the second second exposure portion may be selected between them in the 
case of the switching between the face up specification and the face down 
specification, the duplex copying operation from the duplex document and 
the simplex copying operation from the duplex document. The copying 
machine may be used with various advantages in accordance with 
characteristics, etc. of the functions of the machine main body. 
Also, when the third exposure portion has been provided on the duplex 
copying machine main body, the document which can not be fed to the 
circulating type of automatic document feeding apparatus, such as a book, 
a sheet or the like may be copied. 
Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with 
the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying 
drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are 
apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are 
to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as 
defined by the appended claims unless they depart therefrom.