Copier with an automatic document feeder

An automatic document feeder for a copier has the position for reading the image of an original fed by the automatic document feeder disposed near the rear edge of the original table of the copier. In this automatic document feeder, essential parts such as a pickup roller, etc., for feeding originals to the reading position of the original table are arranged concentratedly on the rear side of the copier. Therefore, the center of gravity of the automatic document feeder resides near the rear side of the copier. This automatic document feeder is hinged at the rear side of the copier so as to cover the top surface of the original table in an openable and closable manner. Accordingly, the automatic document feeder is opened and closed with respect to the top of the copier, at a pivot which resides on the rear side near the center of gravity thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
(1) Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a copier which has an automatic document 
feeder laid over the top of the original table thereof in an openable and 
closable manner and can selectively implement either the manual copy mode 
in which the image of an original manually set on the original table is 
copied or the automatic copy mode in which the images of originals 
automatically fed by the automatic document feeder are copied. 
(2) Description of the Related Art 
There have been copiers which can selectively implement either the manual 
copy mode in which the image of an original manually set on the original 
table is copied or the automatic copy mode in which the images of 
originals automatically fed by the automatic document feeder are copied. A 
copier of this kind, as shown in FIG. 1, scans the image of the original 
set on an original table 138 in the manual copy mode by moving a mirror 
base 112 of an optical system unit 102 along the undersurface of original 
table 138 that is disposed on the top of a copier body 100, in the 
direction in parallel with the print sheet conveying direction inside 
copier body 100, while in the automatic copy mode it reads the images of 
originals fed by an automatic document feeder 109 mounted on the top of 
copier body 100, with mirror base 112 set stationarily at its home 
position which is detected by a home-position sensor 140. 
Specifically, a glass slit 139 is arranged on the top face of copier body 
100 at the position corresponding to the home position of mirror base 112. 
When, in the automatic copy mode, an original is fed within automatic 
document feeder 109, the image is sequentially read at the portion 
corresponding to glass slit 139 by optical system unit 102. More 
detailedly, in the automatic copy mode, mirror base 112 is set 
stationarily at the home position in copier body 100, then the original 
set on a document stacker 118 in automatic document feeder 109 is conveyed 
by the rotations of a pickup roller 113 and a feed roller 114 to a 
position where the leading edge abuts a resist roller 115. This resist 
roller 115 starts rotating at a predetermined timing, so that the original 
is introduced to the position opposing glass slit 139. The original having 
passed through the position opposing glass slit 139 is then discharged by 
the rotation of a discharge roller 116 to a document discharge tray 117. 
In this way, in the copier in which manual and automatic copy modes can be 
selectively effected, the scanner unit for reading the image of an 
original set on the original table in the manual copy mode is also used to 
read the images of originals fed by automatic document feeder in the 
automatic copy mode. Therefore, the automatic document feeder is mounted 
on the top of the copier body where the original table is located, 
typically in such a manner that it can be opened and closed with respect 
to the top surface of the original table so as to allow for the manual 
placement of an original over the original table in the manual copy mode. 
Further, in order to allow the operator to set an original on and remove 
it from the original table from the front side of the copier body in the 
manual copy mode, the automatic document feeder is hinged at the rear side 
so that it can be opened and closed. 
However, in general, in conventional copiers, the document feeding 
direction in automatic document feeder 109 and the direction of the 
movement of mirror base 112 of the scanner unit in copier body 100 are 
configured so as to be perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction of the 
copier body while, in the automatic copy mode, the scanner unit is 
configured so as to be set stationarily at the home position at the one 
side of the moving range. As a result, the essential parts such as pickup 
roller 113, feed roller 114, etc. in the automatic document feeder are 
arranged concentratedly on one side with respect to the direction 
perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction of the copier body. 
Resultantly, a weight imbalance occurs in the direction perpendicular to 
the opening and closing direction during opening and closing automatic 
document feeder 109, making it difficult to smoothly open and close it. 
When the original feeding direction of automatic document feeder 109 as 
well as the direction of the movement of mirror base 112 of the scanner 
unit inside copier body 100 is configured so as to be along the front to 
rear direction of copier body 100, the reference position in original 
table 138 will be laid out on the front side of copier body 100 when the 
ease of setting originals is considered. Therefore, if a conventional 
automatic document feeder 109 is used without any modification, the center 
of gravity of automatic document feeder 109 having heavy load on the 
reference position side of original table 138 will inevitably reside on 
the front side of copier body 100 where the opening of automatic document 
feeder 109 is performed, which degrades the operativity when automatic 
document feeder 109 is opened and closed. 
Further, since reading of the image of an original on original table 138 in 
the manual copy mode is effected from the home-position side of mirror 
base 112 in the scanner unit, a stopper is provided for original table 138 
on the home-position side of mirror base 112 in order to regulate the 
position of setting the original to the reference position. Therefore, it 
is impossible to perform reading the original in the automatic copy mode 
using this area, so the conventional copier needs to have glass slit 139 
which is dedicated to the automatic copy mode, resulting in increase in 
size and cost of the apparatus. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a copier with 
an automatic document feeder wherein reading of the original image in the 
automatic copy mode is performed not on the reference position side of the 
original table but on the hinge side of the automatic document feeder so 
that the weight load in the automatic document feeder is concatenated on 
the hinge side to allow for a smooth opening and closing operation of the 
automatic document feeder without losing ease of handling documents in the 
manual copy mode and wherein the number of parts and hence the size and 
cost of the apparatus can be reduced by eliminating the necessity of the 
glass slit dedicated to the automatic copy mode. 
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured 
as follows: 
In accordance with the first aspect of the invention, a copier with an 
automatic document feeder, comprises: 
an original table; 
an automatic document feeder hinged at the rear side of the original table 
so as to cover the top surface of the original table in an openable and 
closable manner; and 
a scanner portion which, in the manual copy mode in which the image of an 
original manually set on the original table is copied, is set at a 
reference position from which the scanner portion starts moving, near the 
front edge of the original table, and is set stationarily at a reading 
position near the rear edge of the original table in the automatic copy 
mode in which the image of an original fed by the automatic document 
feeder is copied. 
In accordance with the above first aspect of the invention, the reading 
position where the essential parts in the automatic document feeder are 
arranged concentratedly is laid out near the rear edge of the original 
table while the automatic document feeder is mounted at a hinge near the 
rear edge so as to cover the top surface of the original table in an 
openable and closable manner. This configuration allows for smooth opening 
and closing of the automatic document feeder about the hinge on the rear 
side which is in proximity to the center of gravity thereof. 
Further, the reference position to which the set original is positioned is 
disposed near the front edge of the original table while the reading 
position for reading the image of the original in the automatic copy mode 
is disposed near the rear edge of the original table. Therefore, since the 
member for providing the reference position will not interfere with 
reading of the original image even when the reading position is provided 
within the original table, it is no longer necessary to provide any glass 
slit or the like for providing a reading position, separately from the 
original table. 
In accordance with the second aspect of the invention, the copier with an 
automatic document feeder having the above first aspect further comprises 
a copy image normalizing means which makes the copy image in the manual 
copy mode correspond to the copy image in the automatic copy mode. 
In accordance with the above second aspect of the invention, the copy image 
obtained in the automatic copy mode and that in the manual copy mode are 
made to agree with each other. Therefore, the copy image in one of the 
manual and automatic copy modes will not be reproduced as a reversal of 
the image in the other mode. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a 
pertinent copy image at any mode. 
In accordance with the third aspect of the invention, the copier with an 
automatic document feeder having the above second aspect is characterized 
in that the copy image normalizing means is configured so that the 
direction of the relative movement of the original image face to the 
scanner portion in the manual copy mode is made correspondent to the 
direction of the relative movement of the original image face to the 
scanner portion in the automatic copy mode. 
In accordance with the above third aspect of the invention, the movement of 
the image of the original relative to the scanner portion in the manual 
copy mode in which the scanner portion moves relative to the original set 
on the original table is made agree with that in the automatic copy mode 
in which the original is moved relative to the scanner portion which is 
set stationarily at the reading position. Thus, the image data captured by 
the scanner portion in one of the manual and automatic copy modes will 
agree with that in the other mode without needing inversion of the read 
image data. 
In accordance with the fourth aspect of the invention, the copier with an 
automatic document feeder having the above first aspect, further 
comprises: 
a front-side correction member used for an image correcting process in the 
manual copy mode, disposed near the front edge of the original table; and 
a rear-side correction member used for an image correcting process in the 
automatic copy mode, disposed near the rear edge of the original table. 
In accordance with the above fourth aspect of the invention, in the manual 
copy mode in which the scanner portion starts to move from the proximity 
to the front edge of the original table, the front-side correction member 
provided near the front edge of the original table is used to perform 
image correction while in the automatic copy mode in which the scanner 
portion is set stationarily in the proximity to the rear edge of the 
original table, the rear-side correction member provided near the rear 
edge of the original table is used to perform image correction. This 
configuration shortens the moving distance of the scanner portion during a 
copy operation including image correction and hence reduces the time 
required for a copy operation and improves the operational efficiency of 
the copier. 
In accordance with the fifth aspect of the invention, the copier with an 
automatic document feeder having the above fourth aspect is characterized 
in that the image correcting process is performed using the rear-side 
correction member during preparation of the automatic copy mode, in which 
the scanner portion moves from a home position disposed near the front 
edge of the original table to the reading position disposed near the rear 
edge of the original table. 
In accordance with the above fifth aspect of the invention, upon the start 
of a copy operation in the automatic copy mode, image correction is 
performed using the rear-side correction member during preparation of the 
automatic copy mode, in which the scanner portion moves from the home 
position disposed near the front edge of the original table to the reading 
position disposed near the rear edge of the original table. Therefore, 
image correction to be done before the start of the copying operation can 
be performed during movement of the scanner portion, thus making it 
possible to reduce the time required for the copying operation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIG. 2 is a schematic front sectional view showing the configuration of a 
copier having an automatic document feeder in accordance with the 
embodiment of the present invention. Inside a copier 10, a scanner unit 3 
and a laser writing unit 2 are arranged in the upper and middle portions, 
respectively while a paper feeder cassette 1 is mounted at the bottom. 
Provided on the right side (in the drawing) inside copier 10 is a copy 
processing portion 4 having a photosensitive member drum 6, a developing 
unit 5 and a fixing unit 7. Further, the upper position of copier 10 is 
provided with an automatic document feeder 9 so as to cover the top of an 
original table 8 in openable and closable manner. 
In this copier 10, scanner unit 3 reads the image of an original manually 
set on original table 8 in the manual copy mode or the image of an 
original fed by automatic document feeder 9 in the automatic copy mode and 
supplies the image data captured by scanner unit 3 to laser writing unit 
2. Laser writing unit 2 irradiates photosensitive member drum 6 with a 
laser beam in accordance with the image data. The surface of 
photosensitive member drum 6 has been electrified uniformly with charge of 
a single polarity before the irradiation by the laser beam so that a 
static latent image is formed on the surface of photosensitive member drum 
6 by the photoconductive effect produced by irradiation by the laser beam. 
The developer is supplied from developing unit 5 to the surface of 
photoreceptive drum 6 having been illuminated by the laser beam so that 
the static latent image is visualized into an image with the developer. In 
parallel, a copy sheet fed from paper feeder cassette 1 is synchronized 
with the rotation of photosensitive member drum 6 by the function of a 
resist roller 13 to be delivered to copy processing portion 4, where the 
developer image carried on the surface of photosensitive member drum 6 is 
transferred to the surface of the copy paper. The copy paper with the 
developer image transferred thereon is heated and pressurized by fixing 
unit 7 so that the developer image is fused and fixed to the surface of 
the copy paper. The copy paper with the developer imaged fixed thereon is 
discharged by a paper discharge roller 11 to a paper output tray 12. 
FIG. 3 is a sectional side view showing the configuration of the upper part 
of copier 10 including automatic document feeder 9. Automatic document 
feeder 9 mounted on the top of copier 10 comprises: a document detecting 
sensor 21 for detecting the presence of originals on a document stacker 
20; a pickup roller 23 for delivering the originals stacked on document 
stacker 20, sheet by sheet, in the feeding direction; a feed roller 24 for 
feeding the original delivered by pickup roller 23; a resist roller 25 for 
delivering the fed original at a predetermined timing to reading position 
8b; and a discharge roller 26 for discharging the original having passed 
through reading position 8b to a discharge tray 27. 
Scanner unit 3 arranged in the upper interior of copier 10 includes: a 
first mirror base 31 having a copy lamp 33 and a mirror 34 therein; a 
second mirror base 32 having mirrors 35 and 36 therein and a CCD sensor 38 
including a lens 37. In this scanner unit 3, first mirror base 31 and 
second mirror base 32 are provided so as to freely move reciprocatingly 
along the underside of original table 8. Copy lamp 33 illuminates the 
image surface of the original. Mirrors 34 to 36 direct the light from copy 
lamp 33 and reflected by the original image face to CCD sensor 38. Lens 37 
focuses the light reflected from the original image face and directed by 
mirrors 34 to 36, onto the light receiving surface of CCD sensor 38. CCD 
sensor 38 detects the reflected light and outputs light receiving data. 
Provided near the edge of original table 8 on the front side of copier 10 
(on the right side in FIG. 3) is a reference position 8a to be used when 
the image of an original set on original table 8 is read. In this 
arrangement, scanner unit 3, in the manual copy mode in which the image of 
an original manually set on original table 8 is copied, causes first 
mirror base 31 to move from the position where the light from copy lamp 33 
can irradiate reference position 8a of original table 8, in the direction 
of arrow A, to start the scan of the image face of the original. 
Provided near the edge of original table 8 on the rear side of copier 10 
(on the left side in FIG. 3) is a reading position 8b for reading the 
image of an original fed by automatic document feeder 9. In this 
arrangement, in the automatic copy mode in which the image of an original 
fed by automatic document feeder 9 is copied, scanner unit 3 keeps first 
mirror base 31 stationary at the position where the light from copy lamp 
33 can irradiate reading position 8b of original table 8, and relatively 
scans the image face of the original. 
Because of this configuration, automatic document feeder 9 has its 
essential components such as pickup roller 23 etc., concentratedly 
disposed on the rear side of copier 10 in order to convey originals to 
reading position 8b of original table 8. Therefore, the center of gravity 
of automatic document feeder 9 resides near the rear side of copier 10. 
Automatic document feeder 9 covers the top of copier 10 and is hinged at 
the rear side thereof so that the top of original table 8 can be opened 
and closed. Accordingly, automatic document feeder 9 is opened and closed 
at a pivot located near the rear side close to the center of gravity, with 
respect to the top surface of copier 10, in the direction of arrows C and 
D in FIG. 3. This arrangement enables markedly smooth opening and closing 
of automatic document feeder 9 when an original is manually set on 
original table 8 in the manual copy mode. 
Since reference position 8a is arranged near the edge of original table 8 
on the front side of copier 10 while reading position 8b is arranged near 
the edge of the rear side of copier 10, the stopper to be located at 
reference position 8a will not be an obstacle to the reading operation of 
the image of an original fed by automatic document feeder 9 in the 
automatic copy mode. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a glass 
slit, which would be formed to secure a reading position 8b outside 
original table 8. This contributes to reduction of the number of parts and 
hence reduction in size and cost of the apparatus. 
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control portion 
of the copier. The control portion of copier 10 (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 
3) comprises a CPU 41 with ROM 42 and RAM 43, and input/output devices 
provided for copier 10 and automatic document feeder 9 which are connected 
to the CPU. These input/output devices include: a control panel controller 
44 for controlling the display and key input operation on an unillustrated 
control panel disposed on the top of copier 10; a motor, clutches and 
sensors constituting sheet conveying portion 45 inside copier 10; a 
polygon motor and a laser driving circuit for laser writing unit 2, 
scanner motor and sensor for scanner unit 3, motors and high-voltage power 
circuits for copy processing portion 4; and a motor, clutch, sensors etc., 
provided for automatic document feeder 9. 
CPU 41 totally controls the input/output devices in accordance with the 
algorithm which has been programmed beforehand in ROM 42. The data input 
to and output from CPU 41 during the control is stored in a predetermined 
memory area in RAM 43. 
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the procedural steps of the control portion 
of the copier. CPU 41 (FIG. 4) as a constituent of the control portion of 
copier 10 (FIGS. 2 and 3) determines, in the ready state after the 
completion of initialization, whether there are any originals stacked on 
document stacker 20 (FIG. 3) based on the presence or absence of the 
signal from document detecting sensor 21 (FIG. 3) of automatic document 
feeder 9 (FIGS. 2 and 3) (s1). The CPU sets up the automatic copy mode 
(s2a) if any documents are stacked while the CPU sets up the manual copy 
mode (s2b) if no documents are stacked. CPU 41 then waits for a copy 
request through the operation of the copy switch on the control panel 
(s3). When a copy request is made by the operation of the copy switch, the 
CPU outputs a driving signal to the main motor to start the copying 
operation (s4). 
Subsequently, CPU 41 starts a paper feeding operation by activating the 
paper feed clutch (s5) and then halts the paper until the set time on the 
timer, which is triggered by the ON-signal of the paper feed sensor 
located before resist roller 13 (FIG. 2) and measures the predetermined 
time T1, is up (s6 to s8). When the time on this timer is up, CPU 
determines which mode, the automatic copy mode or manual copy mode has 
been set up (s9). 
If the manual copy mode has been set up, after shading correction (s11a and 
s12a) in scanner unit 3 (FIGS. 2 and 3), scanning of the image face of the 
original set on original table 8 is started (s14). The image data of the 
original thus read by CCD sensor 38 (FIG. 3) in scanner unit 3, is 
subjected to the predetermined image processings through the image 
processing circuits (s15), and then the data is supplied to the laser 
driving portion of laser writing unit 2 (FIG. 2). 
Also, the resist roller clutch is activated so as to rotate resist roller 
13, which conveys the print paper into the nip between photosensitive 
member drum 6 (FIG. 2) and the transfer charger (s16), and also the 
polygon motor in laser writing unit 2 is activated so as to be driven 
(s17). Then, another timer for measuring the predetermined time T2 is 
started so as to make the leading part of the print paper, starting to be 
conveyed by resist roller 13, correspond to the leading edge of the 
developer image formed on photosensitive member drum 6 between 
photosensitive member drum 6 and the transfer charger (s18). When the time 
on this timer is up (s19), the semiconductor laser in the laser driving 
portion is started to be driven based on the image data, so as to start 
laser writing with the laser beam emitted from laser writing unit 2 (s20). 
Then, CPU 41, triggered by switching off of the unillustrated paper feed 
sensor located before resist roller 13 (s21), activates the timer for 
measuring the predetermined time T3 (s22 and s23). When the time on this 
timer is up, the laser writing process is finished (s24) and the resist 
roller 13 is stopped rotating (s25). Further, in the manual copy mode, 
after an unillustrated paper discharge sensor has detected the discharge 
of the paper to the paper output tray 12 (s26 and s28), CPU 41 judges 
whether the designated number of copies have been completed (s29 and s30). 
If the copy operation of the designated number of copies is completed, CPU 
41 stops the driving of the main motor to return to the ready state 
(S30.fwdarw.S33). If the copy operation has not been completed, the next 
paper feed is started (s30.fwdarw.s5). 
When the automatic copy mode has been set up upon the judgement at s9, 
scanner unit 3 is moved to reading position 8b (FIG. 3) on the rear side 
of original table 8 (FIGS. 2 and 3) (s10). After shading correction (s11b 
and s12b) of scanner unit 3, feeding of the original is started (s13). 
While the original passes through reading position 8b on original table 8, 
the image face of the original is read by scanner unit 3, whereby the same 
copy operation as in the manual copy mode is effected (s15 to s25). 
Further, in the automatic copy mode, an unillustrated original discharge 
sensor of automatic document feeder 9 detects the discharge of the 
original to discharge tray 27 (FIG. 3) while the paper discharge sensor 
detects the discharge of the print paper to paper output tray 12 (FIG. 2) 
(S26 to s28). After this detection, the CPU judges whether the designated 
number of copies has been completed (s29 and s30). If the copy operation 
of the designated number of copies is completed, the CPU stops the driving 
of the main motor and the original feeding motor to return to the ready 
state (s30.fwdarw.s33). If the copy operation has not been completed, the 
next paper feed is started (s30.fwdarw.s5). 
In the above two modes of operation, the direction of the movement (the 
auxiliary scan direction) of the image of an original, relative to CCD 
sensor 38 of scan unit 3 during image reading in the manual copy mode in 
which the image of an original set on original table 8 is scanned by 
moving mirror bases 31 and 32 (FIG. 3) from the reference position 8a 
(FIG. 3) near the front edge of original table 8 to the rear side, is 
opposite to that in the automatic copy mode in which the image of an 
original, whilst it is conveyed from the front side of original table 8 to 
the rear side by automatic document feeder 9, is scanned with first mirror 
base 31 set stationarily at the position opposing reading position 8b 
located near the rear edge of original table 8. 
Further, at the image processing at s15, CCD sensor 38 as a line sensor 
spanning the full width across original table 8 in the left to right 
direction (in the main scan direction), reads all the pixel contained in 
one line in the main scan direction, and sequentially supplies the signals 
from the pixels to the image processing portion, pixel by pixel, from the 
leftmost pixel to the rightmost one. In the image processing portion, the 
image signals for all the pixels are subjected to the predetermined image 
processes in their input order, and the processed data is output to laser 
writing unit 2. 
From these facts, when an original is set on original table 8 with the 
leading edge of the image laid on reference position 8a in the manual copy 
mode, the image data is output from CCD sensor 38, sequentially from the 
leftmost pixel of the original image. In contrast, when an original is set 
on automatic document feeder 9 so that the leading edge of the image is 
fed first into reading position 8b in the automatic copy mode, the image 
data is output from CCD sensor 38, sequentially from the rightmost pixel 
of the original image. Illustratively, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the 
image data is output in the order of A1, A2, . . . , A1000 in the manual 
copy mode, whereas the image data is output in the order of A1000, A999, . 
. . , A1 in the automatic copy mode. Thus, the copied image of the 
original in the manual copy mode will be reproduced with right and left 
reversed in the automatic copy mode. 
To deal with this, memory capable of at least storing one line of pixels in 
the main scan direction, of the image signal supplied from CCD sensor 38 
(FIG. 3) during image processing in the automatic copy mode or storing the 
image data after image processing is provided for the image processing 
portion, so that the image data after image processing, is output to laser 
writing unit 2 (FIG. 2) from the image processing portion, in the inverse 
order to that in which the data was stored into the memory. Thus, it is 
possible to make the copy image in the automatic copy mode correspond to 
the copy image in the manual copy mode. 
If, for example, the image data from one line of pixels in the main scan 
direction, namely A1000, A999, . . . , A1, are stored in this sequential 
order into the memory at addresses .alpha. to .alpha.+999 as shown in FIG. 
7, the image data is read out from addresses .alpha.+999, .alpha.+998, . . 
. , .alpha., in this sequential order to be supplied to laser writing unit 
2 (FIG. 2). This situation is also the same as in the case where the image 
data from multiple lines of pixels in the main scan direction is stored 
into the memory. 
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 8, scanner unit 3 (FIGS. 2 and 3) may be 
provided with two CCD sensors, namely, a first CCD sensor for capturing 
each line of pixels, in the manual copy mode, in the main scan direction 
38a from the leftmost pixel to the rightmost one, and supplying the image 
data, pixel by pixel, to the image processing portion, and a second CCD 
sensor for capturing each line of pixels, in the automatic copy mode, in 
the main scan direction 38b from the rightmost pixel to the leftmost one, 
and supplying the image data, pixel by pixel, to the image processing 
portion. This configuration enables the copy image in the manual copy mode 
to correspond to that in the automatic copy mode, without the necessity of 
providing any memory for storing the image data in the automatic copy 
mode. 
Further, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the rotational direction of a polygon 
mirror 2b for deflecting the beam of image from a semiconductor laser 2a 
in laser writing unit 2 (FIG. 2) to scan in the main scan direction and 
irradiate the photosensitive member drum 6 (FIG. 2) with the beam of image 
may be reversed between the manual copy mode (FIG. 9A) and automatic copy 
mode (FIG. 9B). This configuration also enables the orientation of the 
copy image in the manual copy mode to correspond to that in the automatic 
copy mode, without the necessity of providing any memory for storing the 
image data in the automatic copy mode. 
Further, document stacker 20 and document discharge tray 27 in automatic 
document feeder 9 shown in FIG. 3 may have their positions changed, from 
one to the other, as shown in FIG. 10, so that the feed direction of the 
original relative to the reading position 8b of original table 8 may be 
inverted with respect to that in the configuration shown in FIG. 3. Thus, 
the movement (the auxiliary scan direction) of the image of the original 
relative to CCD sensor 38 (FIG. 3) of scan unit 3 (FIGS. 2 and 3) in the 
manual copy mode can be made to agree with that in the automatic copy 
mode, to thereby enable the orientation of the copy image in the manual 
copy mode to correspond to that in the automatic copy mode, without the 
necessity of providing any memory for storing the image data in the 
automatic copy mode. 
In copier 10 having automatic document feeder 9 according to the above 
embodiment (FIGS. 2 and 3), mirror bases 31 and 32 (FIG. 3) are set at 
their home positions near the front edge of original table 8 while first 
mirror base 31 in the automatic copy mode opposes to reading position 8b 
set near the rear edge of original table 8. In this configuration, if 
first mirror base 31 is moved from its home position to the position 
opposing reading position 8b after a copy request through the copy key in 
the automatic copy mode, it takes long time before starting the copy 
operation, which lowers the operational efficiency of the copier. 
To avoid this, as shown in FIG. 11, in the ready state in which a copy 
request through the operation of the copy key is waited for (s44), it is 
judged whether any original documents are set on document stacker 20 
(FIGS. 3 and 10) of automatic document feeder 9 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 10) (s41). 
If any documents are set on document stacker 20 of automatic document 
feeder 9, mirror bases 31 and 32(FIG. 3) move until first mirror base 31 
reaches the position opposing reading position 8b (FIGS. 3 and 10) (s42). 
If no document is set on document stacker 20 of automatic document feeder 
9, mirrors 31 and 32 move to their home positions (s43). 
By this operation, when the originals are set on document stacker 20 of 
automatic document feeder 9, mirror bases 31 and 32 are moved until first 
mirror base 31 reaches the position opposing reading position 8b, so as to 
enable starting the copy operation as soon as a copy request is made, thus 
making it possible to reduce the time required for the copy operation and 
hence improve the operational efficiency of the copier. 
In copier 10 having automatic document feeder 9 according to the above 
embodiment (FIGS. 2, 3 and 10), shading correction (image correction 
process) of scan unit 3 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is executed before reading the 
image of an original at step s12a and s12b shown in FIG. 5. In the shading 
correction, the driving voltage of copy lamp 33 (FIG. 3) is corrected so 
that the output signal from CCD sensor 38 (FIG. 3) when reading the 
reference density image will meet the reference value. For this purpose, a 
white plate (correction member) as the reference density image to be read 
by scanner unit 3 upon shading correction is attached to a position 
opposing first mirror base 31 residing near its home position, on the 
interior side of the top of copier body 10. 
This shading correction is effected not only in the manual copy mode in 
which reading of the original image is started from reference position 8a 
set near the front edge of original table 8 but also in the automatic copy 
mode in which reading of the original image is effected at reading 
position 8b set near the rear edge of original table 8. Therefore, if 
shading correction in the automatic copy mode is effected using the white 
plate attached to the position corresponding to the home position, first 
mirror base 31 needs to be moved after the completion of shading 
correction from the position where the white plate is attached near the 
front edge of original table 8 to reading position 8b near the rear edge 
of original table 8b, which lengthens the time required for the copying 
operation and hence lowers the operational efficiency of the copier. 
To avoid this, in a copier 10 shown in FIG. 12, while a front-side white 
plate 39a is provided near the reference position 8a of original table 8 
for shading correction in the manual copy mode, a rear-side white plate 
39b is provided near reading position 8b on the undersurface of original 
table 8 for shading correction in the automatic copy mode, to thereby 
reduce the distance of first mirror base 31 moving after the completion of 
shading correction in the automatic copy mode. 
Referring next to the flowchart shown in FIG. 13, the operation relating to 
FIG. 12 will be described. Upon the start of shading correction, first, it 
is judged which mode, either the manual copy mode or the automatic copy 
mode, is selected (s51). When the automatic copy mode is selected, first 
mirror base 31 is moved to the position opposing rear-side white plate 39b 
(s52) so as to implement the predetermined shading correction using 
rear-side white plate 39b (s53). Then, first mirror base 31 is moved to 
the position opposing reading position 8b (s54). When the manual copy mode 
is selected, first mirror base 31 is moved to the position opposing 
front-side white plate 39a (s55) so as to implement the predetermined 
shading correction using front-side white plate 39a (s56). Thereafter, 
first mirror base 31 is moved to the home position (s57). 
By the above operation, it is possible to effect shading correction in 
either the manual copy mode or the automatic copy mode, using front-side 
white plate 39a or rear-side white plate 39b, each provided near the 
respective position from where reading of the original image is started. 
Thus, it is possible to reduce the distance that first mirror base 31 
needs to be moved after the end of shading correction and hence improve 
the operational efficiency of copier 10. 
The procedures from s51 to s57 may either be effected after a copy request 
through the copy key, or in the ready state before a copy request. 
As shown in FIG. 14, a white plate portion 28a may be formed as a part of a 
guide member 28 which is provided for automatic document feeder 9, above 
and in proximity to reading position 8b of original table 8 for guiding 
originals to the feeding direction so as to effect shading correction 
using this white plate portion 28a in the automatic copy mode. 
Alternatively, if CCD sensor 38 has an effective image reading area having 
a width greater than the that of image area 8c as shown in FIG. 15, a 
black line 39c representing the mid position of the movement (in the 
auxiliary scan direction) of mirror bases 31 and 32 (FIGS. 3 and 12) may 
be displayed within the effective image reading area of CCD sensor 38 and 
outside image area 8c. With this configuration, the position where CCD 
sensor 38 reads black line 39c may be used as the position for shading 
correction in the automatic copy mode so as to control the movement in the 
auxiliary scan direction of mirror bases 31 and 32. 
Referring next to the flowchart shown in FIG. 16, the operation relating to 
FIG. 15 will be described. Upon the start of shading correction, first, it 
is judged which mode, either the manual copy mode or the automatic copy 
mode, is selected (s61). When the automatic copy mode is selected, mirror 
bases 31 and 32 (FIGS. 3 and 12) are moved from their home positions to 
the rear side of copier 10 until CCD sensor 38 detects black line 39c 
(FIGS. 3 and 12) (s62 and s63). Upon this, the distance of the movement is 
memorized as the measurement (s64) while the predetermined shading 
correction is implemented using rear-side white plate 39b (s65). Then, 
based on the preset value as the distance from the home position to 
reading position 8b and the measurement from the home position to black 
line 39c, the distance that first mirror base 31 needs to be moved to be 
opposed to reading position 8b is calculated (s66), and first mirror base 
31 is moved by the distance thus calculated (s67). 
This operation provides for exact movement of mirror bases 31 and 32 to the 
positions for shading correction and reading position 8b even if the 
distance that mirror bases 31 and 32 to be moved for shading correction 
has varied due to some error or if the attachment of rear-side white plate 
39b has produced a positional error. 
The procedures from s61 to s67 may either be effected after a copy request 
through the copy key, or in the ready state before a copy request. 
Also, as shown in FIG. 17, in the automatic copy mode (s61), during the 
movement of mirror bases 31 and 32 (FIG. 3) for shading correction at s62 
and s63 described with reference to FIG. 16, if black line 39c (FIG. 15) 
could not be detected even when mirror bases 31 and 32 have moved beyond 
the respective preset threshold distances, mirror bases 31 and 32 may be 
carried back to their home positions (s71 and s72), so that first mirror 
base 31 can be moved to the position for shading correction, opposing 
front-side white plate 39a (FIG. 12) for the manual copy mode (s73). Then, 
after effecting shading correction at that position (s65), first mirror 
base 31 may be moved to reading position 8b (FIGS. 3, 10, 12 and 14) 
(s67). 
Thus, if black line 39c could not be detected by CCD sensor 38 (FIG. 3), 
shading correction for the automatic copy mode can be implemented by using 
front-side white plate 39a for shading correction in the manual copy mode, 
whereby it is possible to prevent shading correction errors from arising 
in the automatic copy mode and hence maintain good quality copy images. 
Further, during the movement of mirror bases 31 and 32 for shading 
correction at s62 and s63, if black line 39c could not be detected even 
when mirror bases 31 and 32 have moved beyond the respective preset 
threshold distances, the operation of the automatic copy mode may be 
stopped while a message indicating that anomaly with rear-side white plate 
39b is occurring and a message that promotes the operator to perform a 
copy operation in the manual copy mode may be displayed on the display in 
the control panel. 
Also, it is also possible to provide a configuration as shown in FIG. 18. 
That is, after a copy request by the control of the copy key, it is judged 
which mode, either the manual copy mode or the automatic copy mode, is 
selected (s101). When the automatic copy mode is selected, a counter for 
measuring the movement of first mirror base 31 (FIGS. 3 and 12) is reset 
(s102) and mirror bases 31 and 32 are started to move from home position 
to the rear side of copier 10 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 12) (s103). As the mirror 
bases move, shading correction is performed from a first point of time 
when the movement measured by the counter corresponds to the predetermined 
movement Lx to a second point of time when the movement corresponds to the 
predetermined movement Ly (s104 to s106). Then, when the movement measured 
by the counter corresponds to the movement for first mirror base 31 to 
oppose reading position 8b, mirror bases 31 and 32 are stopped moving 
(s107 and s108) so as to start a copy operation. 
By this operation, shading correction can be performed whilst mirror bases 
31 and 32 are moving in preparation for a copying operation in the 
automatic copy mode, thus making it possible to reduce the time required 
for the copying operation including shading correction and thereby improve 
the operational efficiency of the copier. Further, if multiple shading 
corrections are performed whilst first mirror base 31 moves from the point 
of movement Lx to the point of movement Ly, it is possible to prevent 
shading correction error from arising due to partial pollution of 
rear-side white plate 39b (FIGS. 12 and 15). 
In accordance with the first aspect of the invention, the reading position 
where the essential parts in the automatic document feeder are arranged 
concentratedly is laid out near the rear edge of the original table while 
the automatic document feeder is mounted at a hinge near the rear edge so 
as to cover the top surface of the original table in an openable and 
closable manner. This configuration allows for smooth opening and closing 
of the automatic document feeder about the hinge on the rear side which is 
in proximity to the center of gravity thereof. Further, the reference 
position to which the set original is positioned is disposed near the 
front edge of the original table while the reading position for reading 
the image of the original in the automatic copy mode is disposed near the 
rear edge of the original table. Therefore, since the member for providing 
the reference position will not interfere with reading of the original 
image even when the reading position is provided within the original 
table, it is no longer necessary to separately provide any glass slit or 
the like for providing a reading position. Thus, it is possible to reduce 
the number of parts and hence realize reduction of the apparatus in size 
and cost. 
In accordance with the second aspect of the invention, since the copy image 
obtained in the automatic copy mode and that in the manual copy mode are 
made to agree with each other, the copy image in one of the manual and 
automatic copy modes will not be reproduced as a reversal of the image in 
the other mode. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a pertinent copy 
image at any mode. 
In accordance with the third aspect of the invention, the movement of the 
image of the original relative to the scanner portion in the manual copy 
mode in which the scanner portion moves relative to the original set on 
the original table is made agree with that in the automatic copy mode in 
which the original is moved relative to the scanner portion which is set 
stationarily at the reading position. Thus, the image data captured by the 
scanner portion in one of the manual and automatic copy modes can be made 
to agree with that in the other mode without needing inversion of the read 
image data. This configuration makes it possible to provide a pertinent 
copy image at any mode. 
In accordance with the fourth aspect of the invention, in the manual copy 
mode in which the scanner portion starts to move from the proximity to the 
front edge of the original table, the front-side correction member 
provided near the front edge of the original table is used to perform 
image correction while in the automatic copy mode in which the scanner 
portion is set stationarily in the proximity to the rear edge of the 
original table, the rear-side correction member provided near the rear 
edge of the original table is used to perform image correction. This 
configuration can shorten the moving distance of the scanner portion 
during a copy operation including image correction and hence can reduce 
the time required for a copy operation and improve the operational 
efficiency of the copier. 
In accordance with the fifth aspect of the invention, upon the start of a 
copy operation in the automatic copy mode, image correction is performed 
using the rear-side correction member during preparation of the automatic 
copy mode, in which the scanner portion moves from the home position 
disposed near the front edge of the original table to the reading position 
disposed near the rear edge of the original table. Therefore, image 
correction to be done before the start of the copying operation can be 
performed during movement of the scanner portion, thus making it possible 
to reduce the time required for the copying operation and hence improve 
the operational efficiency of the copier.