JP2004048282A - Original reading apparatus, original feeding device, and original size detecting method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To appropriately detect the size of each of originals having different sizes which are fed from a group of originals placed on an original feeder. <P>SOLUTION: This original reading apparatus has an original tray 11 on which the originals having different sizes to be fed to an original reading position are simultaneously placed, a depth side guide 61 which is displaced and positioned so as to be aligned with one side of an original having a maximum scanning direction size among the originals having different sizes to be placed on the tray 11, a front side guide 62 which is displaced at almost the same displacement amount as that of the guide 61 and is positioned so as to be aligned with the other side of the original having the maximum main scanning direction size, and a detecting sensor 66 for detecting an original having a main scanning direction size other than the maximum main scanning direction size which is simultaneously placed using the position of the guide 61 which is positioned as a reference. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a document feeder used for a copying machine, a facsimile, a scanner, and the like, and more particularly, to a document feeder compatible with a so-called mixed mode.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a reading device such as a copying machine or a facsimile, or a scanner for inputting to a computer, for example, a document reading device that automatically reads image information on both sides of a document has been widely used. These image reading apparatuses include an automatic document feeder that automatically sends a document toward a document reading position, and an image reading device (IIT: Image Input Terminal) that reads a document image conveyed at the document reading position. Have. This image reading device irradiates light to a document which is conveyed by an automatic document feeder and is positioned at the document reading position by irradiating light to an image reading element such as a CCD for reading a document image sent to a document reading position and forms a reflected image. An imaging optical system for forming an image on the reading element.
[0003]
In this type of automatic document feeder, there is an automatic document feeder that determines a document size by providing sensors for the document size and automatically supplies a recording material that matches the size of the document. As a document size detection method for determining the document size, for example, a method is known in which an interrupter-type sensor is provided in a document conveyance path, and the sensor is operated by moving an actuator when the document is conveyed. There is also a method of detecting a document size by performing a pre-scan operation in which a document is pulled in and fixed on a document table provided in an automatic document feeder and an imaging optical system is moved in advance. Further, there is a document which sets a document size detection position on the upstream side of the document conveyance path, and detects the document size by recognizing the size of the document passing through the document size detection position by a reflection sensor or the like. Furthermore, the length of the document in the direction perpendicular to the document transport direction is recognized based on the moving position of the slide-type guide member provided on the document mounting table, and the length of the document to be transported is recognized by a sensor provided in the transport path. Some detect the size.
[0004]
Here, in a normal image reading apparatus, when reading a document image in the main scanning direction (a direction orthogonal to the document feeding direction), the document is read from a predetermined reference position. As a reference position for reading the document, a side registration (side registration) based on the near side and the back side of the image reading apparatus is widely used. When an automatic document feeder is provided in an image reading apparatus employing this side register, an original is abutted against the near side or the back side of the original placing table, and a slide guide is pressed against the other side of the original. The original is positioned. On the other hand, a center registration (center registration) based on the center position of the document (the center position of the document in the main scanning direction) may be adopted. When a document is supplied from an automatic document feeder to an image reading apparatus employing this center register, it is necessary to align the document from the automatic document feeder to the center position. Therefore, a guide member that slides from the center position with the same displacement is provided on the document placing table, and the guide member is used to sort the document to the center and to position the document at the center position.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In these image reading apparatuses, as described above, the document size is detected based on, for example, the slide position of the guide member and the document conveyance distance. However, there is a case where documents having different lengths (mixed documents of different widths) are input together in a direction (main scanning direction, depth direction, document width direction) orthogonal to the document feeding direction. In the depth direction cannot be detected. Nevertheless, when the above-described side register is adopted, for example, with reference to the position on the back side, several document detection sensors provided at a constant interval from the back side are used, and the depth direction of the document can be relatively easily determined. Can be detected. However, in an image reading apparatus that employs a center register, when the mixed-width original is placed against a front-side guide member, or is pressed against a rear-side guide member, the mixed-width original is placed in alignment with the center. For example, there are many possible modes, and there is no effective detection means. In particular, it is difficult for the user to accurately place, for example, mixed-width mixed originals at the center, and it is particularly difficult to read all the mixed-width mixed originals by the center register. There is also a method of measuring the size of a document in advance by using an image reading element or the like that actually reads an image at a document reading position after the document is transported to the document transport path. In addition, the processing speed becomes slow, and it is no longer possible to improve productivity of image reading, which has been strongly demanded in recent years.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above technical problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an original which adopts a center registration (center distribution) when conveying an ordinary original. An object of the present invention is to appropriately detect a document size of a document having a different size supplied from a document group placed on the document feeder.
Another object of the present invention is to simplify a user operation when a document is transported from a document group having documents of different document sizes.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
For this purpose, a document feeder to which the present invention is applied has a document tray capable of simultaneously loading documents of different sizes supplied toward a document reading position, and a document tray placed on the document tray. A first guide that is displaced and positioned in accordance with one document side of the maximum main scanning direction size from among documents having different sizes, and displaced by substantially the same amount of displacement as the first guide; A second guide that is positioned in accordance with the other document side in the scanning direction, and a main scanning direction size other than the maximum main scanning direction size that is simultaneously placed based on the position of the positioned first guide; A sensor for detecting a document. Here, the sensor detects that the position does not change in the main scanning direction of the placed document, or that the position changes in the main scanning direction of the document in conjunction with the displacement of the first guide. It can be a feature.
[0008]
A document feeder to which the present invention is applied is a document placement unit capable of simultaneously placing documents of different sizes supplied toward a document reading position, and is placed on the document placement unit. Positioning means for positioning the document by center distribution from both sides of the document with respect to the main scanning direction of the document, and a document conveying path for conveying the document positioned by one or both sides of the positioning means in the main scanning direction. Document detecting means capable of detecting a document existing at a different position, and recognizing a size in the main scanning direction of a document of different size placed simultaneously on the document placing means based on document detection by the document detecting means. And recognition means for performing the operation.
[0009]
More specifically, the recognition unit detects the document positioned on one side of the positioning unit by the detection unit in a state where the positioning unit is positioned at the assumed maximum width in the main scanning direction, and detects the main document. By recognizing the size in the scanning direction, for example, it is possible to recognize the sizes of mixed documents of different widths having different sizes in the main scanning direction.
[0010]
The apparatus further includes a user request receiving unit that receives an instruction of a mixed mode, which is a mode in which originals of different sizes are simultaneously placed on the original placing unit and sequentially read, and the recognition unit is placed on the original placing unit. When the maximum size of the bundle of originals is smaller than the size determined by the positioning unit, the main scanning direction size of the original can be recognized based on a mix mode instruction from the user request receiving unit.
[0011]
On the other hand, the present invention relates to a document reading apparatus for recognizing the size of a document included in a document group from a document group including documents of different sizes, wherein A guide means for positioning by center distribution, a position recognizing means for recognizing the position of the guide means positioned according to the maximum original width of the original group, and all the originals constituting the original group abut against the guide means. Document width recognizing means for recognizing the document width of a document conveyed from a state of being conveyed, reading means for reading document information based on the recognized document width, and a mix mode for sequentially reading documents of different sizes from a document group User request receiving means for receiving the selection from the user.
[0012]
Further, the present invention is a document size recognition method for recognizing a size of a document included in the document group from a document group including documents of different sizes, wherein the document size recognition method includes: A step of recognizing the position of the guide positioned at the center distribution for the original having the largest size in the original group, and transmitting information on the originals conveyed one by one from the original group in a direction orthogonal to the original conveying direction. A step of recognizing a size of documents conveyed one by one from the document group based on the recognized position of the guide and recognition of information on the document by the detection sensor provided by the provided detection sensor; Recognizing the length of the original in the transport direction from the amount of original to be fed.
[0013]
From a different point of view, the document size recognition method to which the present invention is applied is characterized in that a guide for positioning the document by center distribution in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the transported document has a maximum mounting position. The step of confirming that the document has been spread to the width of the document, and recognizing the document width of the document conveyed from this document group, assuming that all the documents constituting this document group are abutted against the guide. Performing the steps.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.
◎ Embodiment 1
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an image reading apparatus to which the present embodiment is applied. This image reading apparatus uses a document feeder 10 that sequentially transports a document from a stack of document stacks, an ADF controller 90 that controls the document feeder 10, and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor 78 to read an image. It is roughly divided into a scanner device 70 for reading and a processing device 80 for processing an image signal read by the scanner device 70.
[0015]
The document feeder 10 includes a document tray 11 on which a document bundle including a plurality of documents is stacked, and a tray lifter 12 that raises and lowers the document tray 11. Also, a nudger roll 13 for transporting the original on the original tray 11 raised by the tray lifter 12, a feed roll 14 for transporting the original transported by the nudger roll 13 further downstream, and an original supplied by the nudger roll 13 Is provided one by one. The first transport path 31 where the original is transported first has a take-away roll 16 for transporting the originals separated one by one to a downstream roll, a transport for the original further to a downstream roll, and a loop creation. A pre-registration roll 17 to perform, a registration roll 18 for supplying a document while performing a registration adjustment with respect to a document reading unit, a platen roll 19 for assisting document conveyance during reading, An out roll 20 for transporting the read document further downstream is provided. The first transport path 31 includes a baffle 41 that rotates about a fulcrum according to the loop state of the transported document. Further, between the platen roll 19 and the out roll 20, a CIS (Contact Image Sensor) 50, which is the second sensor in the present embodiment, is provided.
[0016]
A second conveyance path 32 and a third conveyance path 33 are provided on the downstream side of the out-roll 20, and a conveyance path switching gate 42 for switching these conveyance paths, a discharge tray 40 for stacking the read originals, and a discharge tray A first discharge roll 21 for discharging a document to the document 40 is provided. Further, a fourth transport path 34 for switching back the original that has passed through the third transport path 33, an inverter roll 22 and an inverter pinch roll 23 that are provided in the fourth transport path 34 and actually switch back the original, The fifth switch 35 guides the document switched back by the fourth transfer path 34 again to the first transfer path 31 including the pre-registration roll 17 and discharges the document switched back by the fourth transfer path 34 to the discharge tray 40. The sixth transport path 36, the second discharge roll 24 that transports the document to be reversely discharged to the first discharge roll 21, the fifth transport path 35, and the transport path of the sixth transport path 36 are provided in the sixth transport path 36. An outlet switching gate 43 for switching is provided.
[0017]
The nudger roll 13 is lifted up at the standby time and held at the retracted position, and moves down to the nip position (document transport position) to transport the uppermost document on the document tray 11 when transporting the document. The nudger roll 13 and the feed roll 14 transport a document by connecting a feed clutch (not shown). The pre-registration roll 17 abuts the leading edge of the document against the stopped registration roll 18 to form a loop. The registration roll 18 returns the leading end of the document bitten by the registration roll 18 to the nip position when a loop is created. When this loop is formed, the baffle 41 opens around the fulcrum, and functions so as not to hinder the loop of the document. Further, the take away roll 16 and the pre-registration roll 17 hold a loop during reading. By this loop formation, the read timing is adjusted, and the skew accompanying the document conveyance at the time of reading can be suppressed, and the position adjustment function can be enhanced. The stopped registration roll 18 starts rotating at the read start timing, and is pressed by the second platen glass 72B (described later) by the platen roll 19, so that the image data is read from the lower surface direction.
[0018]
The conveyance path switching gate 42 switches the document that has passed through the out-roll 20 to the second conveyance path 32 and discharges it to the discharge tray 40 when the reading of the one-sided document is completed and the simultaneous reading of both sides of the double-sided document is completed. Can be On the other hand, the transport path switching gate 42 is switched so as to guide the original to the third transport path 33 in order to reverse the original when sequentially reading the double-sided original. The inverter pinch roll 23 is retracted with the feed clutch (not shown) turned off and the nip is opened at the time of sequential reading of the double-sided document, and guides the document to the inverter path (fourth transport path 34). Thereafter, the inverter pinch roll 23 is nipped, guides the document to be inverted by the inverter roll 22 to the pre-registration roll 17, and conveys the document to be inverted and discharged to the second discharge roll 24 in the sixth conveyance path 36.
[0019]
The scanner device 70 can include the above-described document feeder 10, supports the document feeder 10 with a device frame 71, and reads an image of a document conveyed by the document feeder 10. The scanner device 70 includes a first platen glass 72A on which a document to be read is placed in a stationary state on a device frame 71 forming a housing, and a light for reading the document being conveyed by the document feeder 10. The second platen glass 72B forming the opening of the second platen glass 72B is provided.
[0020]
The scanner device 70 is stationary under the second platen glass 72B, scans the entire first platen glass 72A to read an image, and combines the light obtained from the full rate carriage 73 with the image. And a half-rate carriage 75 provided to the section. The full-rate carriage 73 is provided with an illumination lamp 74 for irradiating the original with light, and a first mirror 76A for receiving reflected light obtained from the original. Further, the half-rate carriage 75 is provided with a second mirror 76B and a third mirror 76C for providing the light obtained from the first mirror 76A to the imaging unit. Further, the scanner device 70 includes an imaging lens 77 that optically reduces the optical image obtained from the third mirror 76C, and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) that photoelectrically converts the optical image formed by the imaging lens 77. A) a driving substrate 79 having an image sensor 78 and a CCD image sensor 78; an image signal obtained by the CCD image sensor 78 is sent to the processing device 80 via the driving substrate 79;
[0021]
Here, first, when reading the image of the document placed on the first platen glass 72A, the full rate carriage 73 and the half rate carriage 75 move in the scanning direction (arrow direction) at a ratio of 2: 1. . At this time, the light of the illumination lamp 74 of the full-rate carriage 73 irradiates the read surface of the document, and the reflected light from the document is reflected in the order of the first mirror 76A, the second mirror 76B, and the third mirror 76C. To the imaging lens 77. The light guided to the imaging lens 77 forms an image on the light receiving surface of the CCD image sensor 78. The CCD image sensor 78 is a one-dimensional sensor and processes one line at a time. When reading of one line in the line direction (main scanning direction of scanning) is completed, the full-rate carriage 73 is moved in a direction (sub-scanning direction) orthogonal to the main scanning direction to read the next line of the document. By executing this over the entire document size, the reading of one page of the document is completed.
[0022]
On the other hand, the second platen glass 72B is formed of, for example, a transparent glass plate having a long plate-like structure. The document conveyed by the document feeder 10 passes over the second platen glass 72B. At this time, the full-rate carriage 73 and the half-rate carriage 75 are stopped at the positions indicated by solid lines in FIG. First, the reflected light of the first line of the document that has passed through the platen roll 19 of the document feeder 10 is imaged by the imaging lens 77 via the first mirror 76A, the second mirror 76B, and the third mirror 76C. An image is read by the CCD image sensor 78 as the first sensor in the present embodiment. That is, after one line in the main scanning direction is simultaneously processed by the CCD image sensor 78, which is a one-dimensional sensor, one line in the next main scanning direction of the document conveyed by the document feeder 10 is read. After the leading edge of the document reaches the reading position of the second platen glass 72B, the document passes through the reading position of the second platen glass 72B, thereby completing the reading of one page in the sub-scanning direction.
[0023]
In the present embodiment, the full-rate carriage 73 and the half-rate carriage 75 are stopped, and at the same time (complete time) when the originals are conveyed for reading the first side of the original by the CCD image sensor 78 on the second platen glass 72B. The second surface of the document can be read by a CIS (Contact Image Sensor) 50 as the second sensor at the time of the same document conveyance, not the coincidence. In other words, by using the CCD image sensor 78 as the first sensor and the CIS 50 as the second sensor, it is possible to read both front and back images of the original by a single transport of the original to the transport path. .
[0024]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the processing device 80. The processing apparatus 80 to which the present embodiment is applied includes a signal processing unit 81 that processes image information obtained from the CCD image sensor 78 and the CIS 50, a CCD image sensor 78, the CIS 50, the document feeder 10, and a scanner. And a control unit 85 for controlling the control unit 70. The signal processing unit 81 includes an AFE (Analog Front End) 82 for processing an analog signal, an ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) 83 for converting an analog signal into a digital signal, and various types of shading correction and offset correction for the digital signal. A digital processing unit 84 for performing processing is provided, and the digital signal processed by the digital processing unit 84 is output to a host system, for example, to a printer as image information.
[0025]
On the other hand, the control unit 85 includes an image reading control 86 for controlling the entire document feeder 10 and the scanner device 70, a CCD / CIS control 87 for controlling the CCD image sensor 78 and the CIS 50, and a lamp (in the CIS 50 in accordance with the reading timing). (Not shown), a lamp control 88 for controlling the illumination lamp 74 of the full rate carriage 73, a scan control 89 for controlling the scanning operation of the full rate carriage 73 and the half rate carriage 75 by turning on / off a motor in the scanner device 70, and the like. Have. From these various controls, control signals are output to the ADF controller 90 and the scanner device 70 of the document feeder 10, and the operation of these can be controlled based on the control signals. The image reading control 86 sets a reading mode based on a control signal from the host system, a sensor output detected at the time of an automatic selection reading function, a selection from a user, and the like, and sets the document feeding device 10 and the scanner device 70 to the scanning mode. Controlling.
[0026]
Next, a mechanism for detecting the size of a mixed mode document to which the present embodiment is applied will be described in detail.
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a document size detection mechanism that detects the size of a document supplied from the document tray 11. In the present embodiment, a document is transported based on a center position (center position in the main scanning direction of the document) in a direction (main scanning direction) orthogonal to the document feeding direction, and a center register (center) that reads the transported document is used. Registration) is employed. In order to realize the center register, two positioning guides (a rear guide 61 and a front guide 62) for allocating the original to the center and positioning the original are provided on the original placing surface of the original tray 11.
[0027]
The rear side guide 61 and the front side guide 62 are configured to be slidable in a direction (depth direction, width direction of the document) orthogonal to the document conveyance direction using a slide groove 65. Further, the rear guide 61 and the front guide 62 are respectively connected to a rack 63 provided on the back side (inside of the document tray) of the document placing surface of the document tray 11, and the rack 63 extending from the rear guide 61 and the front side The rack 63 extending from the guide 62 is connected to a pinion 64. By the rack 63 and the pinion 64, the rear guide 61 and the front guide 62 slide in conjunction with the sliding operation of one of the guides, and the sliding amounts of both of them are controlled equally. If the rear side guide 61 and the front side guide 62 are arranged at equal positions from the center (center position) in the depth direction (if the center is divided), the rear side guide 61 and the front side guide 62 are formed. The center (center position) of the length in the depth direction is maintained even after these guides slide. The pinion 64 is provided with, for example, a potential meter (not shown). The ADF controller 90 recognizes the amount of slide of the guides (the back guide 61 and the front guide 62) that is converted into the rotation of the pinion 64. The position of the set guide in the depth direction, that is, the size of the placed document (the size in the depth direction) is recognized. It is also possible to use a predetermined actuator to recognize the slide amount.
[0028]
Further, in the present embodiment, a plurality of detection sensors 66 for detecting the presence or absence of a document are provided near the downstream side of the feed roll 14 in the first transport path 31, and are supplied from the document tray 11 by the nudger roll 13, The presence or absence of a document in the depth direction of the document conveyed by the feed roll 14 is detected. As the detection sensor 66, for example, a reflection type sensor is used, and the size of an original document to be placed (A / B series such as A4 portrait, A4 landscape, A5 landscape, B4 landscape, B5 portrait, etc.) or inch The arrangement interval is determined in consideration of the detection of the size of the system.
[0029]
Here, in the present embodiment, a mix (MIX) input in which documents of different sizes are simultaneously bundled and placed on the document tray 11, and documents of different sizes are sequentially input from the document bundle. In this mix input, a different width mix (for example, A4 and B4) for inputting documents of different lengths in the depth direction of the document and a same width mix (for example, B5) for inputting documents of the same width in the depth direction of the document. There are longitudinal feed (B5L: B5LEF) and B4 short feed (B4S: B4SEF). In the present embodiment, at the time of these mix inputs, the rear guide 61 and the front guide 62 are slid according to the maximum document width of the mixed document bundle, and the document size from the position of the rear guide 61 is detected, for example. This makes it possible to recognize the size in the depth direction of the documents included in the bundle (document group) of the mixed documents. At this time, in the present embodiment, the originals to be mixed and mixed are bundled so that the originals of different sizes are aligned on the rear side guide 61 and the leading end side in the drawing direction and the originals are placed on the original tray 11. The user is instructed so that the originals are aligned and bundled at the back side and the leading end side in the feeding direction.
[0030]
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the ADF controller 90 in the document feeder 10, and mainly describes the control in the mixed mode. The ADF controller 90 to which the present embodiment is applied has a mixed original mode based on the output from the processing device 80, the output from the detection sensor 66, the displacement of the guides (the back guide 61 and the front guide 62), and the like. Based on the instructions from the mix mode control 91, the CIS control 96 for controlling various image reading, for example, the lighting control of the LED of the CIS 50, and the like, based on the instructions from the mix mode control 91, A transport mechanism control 97 for controlling the transport mechanism is provided. The transport mechanism control 97 controls the motor of the document feeder 10, the operation of various rolls, the operation of a feed clutch, the switching operation of a gate, and the like.
[0031]
The mixed mode control 91 detects a guide position determined by the maximum document width (positions of the rear guide 61 and the front guide 62), and detects a document based on a signal detected by the detection sensor 66. A main scanning direction size detector 93 for detecting a size in the main scanning direction (a direction orthogonal to the document transport direction, a depth direction), a sub-scanning direction size detector 94 for detecting a size in the sub-scanning direction (document transport direction), A reading position determining unit 95 for determining a reading position of the CIS 50 or the scanner device 70 based on outputs from the guide position detecting unit 92, the main scanning direction size detecting unit 93, and the sub-scanning direction size detecting unit 94 is provided. The output from the reading position determination unit 95 controls the sensors and the like of the CIS 50 via the CIS control 96, and is sent to the processing device 80 to perform various image processing such as enlargement / reduction and image rotation in addition to reading control. Be executed. It is also possible to simply provide a display indicating the mix mode on a control panel or the like provided on the surface of the housing.
[0032]
FIGS. 5A to 5D and FIGS. 6A to 6E are diagrams for explaining the positions of the detection sensors 66 to be arranged. FIGS. 5A to 5D illustrate the arrangement of the detection sensors 66 for detecting originals of different width mixes including the A series as an international standard and the B series as a Japanese standard. Each of the guides (the back guide 61 and the front guide 62) is slid, and in FIG. 5A, the maximum document width is up to 297 mm which is the long side of A4 (A4L: A4LEF), that is, the short side of A3 (A3S: A3SEF). 5B, the guide is positioned at the maximum document width of 257 mm, which is the longest length of B5 (B5L), that is, the short side of B4 (B4S), and FIG. In a state where the guide is positioned at the width of the original (A4S) having a width of A4, that is, 210 mm, which is the longitudinal length (A5L) of A5, in FIG. 2 shows a state in which the guide is positioned. As described above, when the rear guide 61 and the front guide 62 are slid, the guides are positioned by the center distribution so as to be at an equal distance from the center (center position). Accordingly, in FIGS. 5A to 5D, the guides are positioned at equal positions from the center (center position) in the direction (depth direction) orthogonal to the document conveyance direction. FIGS. 5A to 5D show the “position of the rear guide 61” and the “position of the front guide 62”, respectively.
[0033]
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the position (here, 66-1 to 66-4) of the detection sensor 66 is constant irrespective of the sliding state of the rear guide 61 and the front guide 62. Also, for example, the document edge and the detection sensor 66 are determined in consideration of the document width tolerance of about ± 2 mm, the document guide position variation of about ± 1 mm, the sensor position variation of about ± 1 mm, the sensor detection range of about ± 3 mm, and the skew effect of about ± 2 mm. The distance between each sensor and the center is 10 mm. Further, in the present embodiment, a reflection sensor is employed in order to prevent the detection sensor 66 not used for detection from being caught on the actuator.
[0034]
In FIG. 5A, at least one of the A4 landscape document, the A5 portrait document, the B5 portrait document, and the B4 landscape document is aligned with the back guide 61 together with the A4 portrait document or the A3 landscape document. The state of being placed on the original tray 11 is considered. Here, "vertical placement" indicates a case where the direction (main scanning direction, depth direction) orthogonal to the document transport direction is the longitudinal direction of the document, and "horizontal placement" indicates that the depth direction corresponds to the width direction of the document. This is the case. When the reflected light from the document cannot be obtained by the detection sensor 66-1, the presence of the A4 landscape document or the A5 portrait document can be detected. When the reflected light is obtained from 66-1 and 66-2 of the detection sensor 66, but the reflected light is not obtained from 66-3, the presence of the B5 portrait document or the B4 landscape document is recognized. be able to. Note that, here, A5 horizontal installation and B5 horizontal installation are prohibited.
[0035]
FIG. 5B shows a state where at least one of the A4 landscape document and the A5 portrait document is placed on the document tray 11 along with the B5 portrait document or the B4 landscape document, aligned with the rear guide 61. Is considered. As in FIG. 5A, A5 landscape and B5 landscape are prohibited. Among the detection sensors 66, 66-1 detects the presence of an A4 landscape document or an A5 portrait document when the reflected light from the document is obtained but the reflected light from the document is not obtained by 66-2. Can be.
[0036]
FIG. 5C considers a state in which the B5 landscape document is placed together with the A4 landscape document or the A5 portrait document. Of the detection sensors 66, 66-1 can detect the presence of a B5 landscape original when reflected light from the original is obtained but 66-2 cannot obtain reflected light from the original. Here, the A5 landscape document is prohibited.
[0037]
FIG. 5D illustrates a case where the A5 landscape document is bundled together with the B5 landscape document. When the reflected light from the original is not obtained by the detection sensor 66-1, the A5 horizontal original can be detected as being conveyed.
[0038]
FIGS. 6A to 6E illustrate the arrangement of the detection sensors 66 for detecting originals of different width mixes including the A series and the inch series. In the inch series, there are a letter, which is the size of European and American letter paper, a Legal, which is the size of a US government official document, and a tabloid, which is the size of evening paper in Europe and the United States. Here, the letter is 8.5 "(215.9 mm) x 11" (279.4mm), the legal is 8.5 "(215.9mm) x 14" (355.6mm), and the tabloid is 11 "(279.mm). 4 mm) × 17 ″ (431.8 mm).
[0039]
In FIG. 6A, an A4 portrait document or an A3 landscape document, an A4 landscape document, an A5 portrait document, and a document (5.5 ″ × 8) placed so that the depth direction is 8.5 inches. 1.5 "LEF, 8.5" x 11 "/ 13" / 14 "SEF), and a document (11" x 8.5 "LEF, 11" x 17 "SEF placed so that the depth direction is 11 inches. ) Shows a state in which at least one of them is aligned with the back guide 61 and placed on the document tray 11. For an A4 landscape document (A4SEF), an A5 portrait document (A5LEF), and a document placed so that the depth direction is 8.5 inches (215.9 mm), 66 of the detection sensor 66 shown in FIG. -2, it is possible to detect when no reflected light is obtained at 66-2. A document (11 ″ × 8.5 ″ LEF, 11 ″ × 17 ″ SEF) placed so that the depth direction is 11 inches (279.4 mm) is detected by the detection sensor 66-66-4. be able to.
[0040]
Here, 8.5 inches (215.9 mm) and 210 mm are difficult to be distinguished by the detection sensor 66 due to variations in the document width, guide position, sensor detection range, and the like as described above. Therefore, in the present embodiment, table information of the multinational version using the inch system and the Japanese version having the B system are prepared and stored in the memory in the ADF controller 90, for example, at the time of product shipment or product installation. By switching the diag at the time or the like, any selection can be made. The same applies to the following.
[0041]
In FIG. 6B, A4 SEF, A5 LEF, and 8.5 inches in the depth direction are used together with an original (11 ″ × 8.5 ″ LEF, 11 ″ × 17 ″ SEF) having a maximum original width of 11 inches (279.4 mm). The presence of at least one of the originals (5.5 ″ × 8.5 ″ LEF, 8.5 ″ × 11 ″ / 13 ″ / 14 ″ SEF) is determined by the detection sensor 66. 66-2.
[0042]
FIG. 6C shows a case where the guides (the back guide 61 and the front guide 62) are slid in accordance with a document having a maximum document width of 8.5 inches (215.9 mm). FIG. 6D shows a case where the guide is slid in accordance with the maximum document width A4SEF / A5LEF (210 mm). FIG. 6E shows a case where the guide is slid according to the maximum document width A5SEF (148.5 mm). In FIGS. 6A to 6D, the short feed (A5 SEF) of A5 and the 5.5 ″ × 8.5 ″ SEF are prohibited, and the determination of these originals is not considered here. In FIG. 6E, by sliding the guides (the back guide 61 and the front guide 62), the short feed (A5 SEF) of A5 or the 5.5 ″ × 8.5 ″ SEF can be determined.
[0043]
As shown in FIGS. 5 (a) to 5 (d) and FIGS. 6 (a) to 6 (e), in the present embodiment, the rear guide 61 and the front guide 62 are slid and moved. However, the four detection sensors 66 (66-1 to 66-4) recognize the width (length in the depth direction) of the mixed document of different width size with the moved rear guide 61 as a reference position. Can be.
[0044]
FIGS. 7A to 7C are diagrams showing an example of placing a mixed document in the first embodiment using the detection sensor 66 as described above. In FIG. 7A, the A4 document and the B4 document are mixed as a mixed document bundle, and the A4 short width (A4S) and the B4 short width (B4S) are set in a direction orthogonal to the feeding direction. Is placed on the document. At this time, in the present embodiment, the rear guide 61 and the front guide 62 are slid to the short width (257 mm) of B4, which is the largest original of the mixed original bundle to be placed. That is, the slide position is determined by pressing the rear guide 61 and the front guide 62 against the short width of the B4 document. The slide position is recognized by the ADF controller 90 based on a signal from, for example, a potential meter linked to the pinion 64 shown in FIG. In addition, in the example of FIG. 7A, originals having the shortest width of A4 (A4S) shorter than the maximum width of the original (the shortest width of B4 (B4S)) are simultaneously loaded. Is placed. Here, when a document having a short width (A4S) of A4 is conveyed, the size of the document in the depth direction is detected by the detection sensor 66, and it is possible to distinguish mixed documents from the mixed document bundle. .
[0045]
In FIG. 7B, the rear guide 61 and the front guide 62 are pressed against the short width (A3S: 297 mm) of A3, which is the largest document of the mixed document bundle to be placed, and the slide position is determined. I have. At this time, the documents of different widths are placed in a bundle in accordance with the rear guide 61 and the leading end in the drawing direction. The determined slide position is recognized by the ADF controller 90 based on a signal from a potential meter linked to the pinion 64. Further, in the example of FIG. 7B, A4 SEF and B4 SEF, which are different width originals placed together with the A3 original, can be recognized using the detection sensor 66. FIG. 7B shows that it is possible to recognize an original of 11 inch × 17 inch SEF which is an inch size.
[0046]
In FIG. 7C, the rear guide 61 and the front guide 62 are pressed against the short width (B4S: 297 mm) of B4, which is the largest document of the mixed document bundle to be placed, and the slide position is determined. I have. Here, the longitudinal width (B5L) of B5, which is the same width as the short width of B4, that is, a state where the same-width mixed original is placed is shown. In such a case, the mixed document cannot be recognized by the detection sensor 66, and as described above, the movement time of the document that is actually conveyed is measured by the predetermined sensor (not shown) provided in the conveyance path. However, it is possible to recognize that originals having the same width but different sizes are placed. As this structure, for example, an interrupter type sensor is provided in a document transport path (the first transport path 31 and the like), and the sensor is operated by moving an actuator by transporting the document. By detecting the time when this sensor is operated, the length of the document in the feed direction can be recognized. For example, as shown in FIG. 7C, when the rear guide 61 and the front guide 62 are set to A3 SEF as shown in FIG. 7B and an A4 LEF document is placed, as shown in FIG. It is the same as the same width mix.
[0047]
Next, processing executed in the ADF controller 90 will be described.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing executed in the ADF controller 90. The ADF controller 90 determines whether or not the user has given an instruction to feed a mixed document, such as pressing a mixed document feed button, from a control panel or the like provided above the scanner device 70 (step 101). If there is no mixed original feed instruction and a start instruction is issued, the control of the normal original feed processing is executed (step 102). In step 101, when there is a mixed original feed instruction, the control of mixed original feed is executed. At this time, for example, it is preferable that an instruction such as “Please place the originals on the back side” is displayed together with a predetermined picture on the control panel or the like.
[0048]
In the mixed document feeding, first, the positions of the guides (the back guide 61 and the front guide 62) are recognized (step 103), and the maximum document width (the document size having the maximum width in the main scanning direction) is recognized. Then, it waits for a start instruction from the user (step 104). When there is no start instruction, the process returns to step 103, and when the start instruction is issued, the nudger roll 13 and the like are driven to start document conveyance (step 105). When the document passes the feed roll 14 and reaches the detection sensor 66, the width of the document is recognized using the detection sensor 66 (step 106). The document feed amount is recognized using a sensor (not shown) provided on the transport path, and the length of the document in the transport direction (length in the sub-scanning direction) is recognized based on the feed amount (step 107). Based on these recognitions, the size of the document is determined from the stored document size information table (step 108), and the document size is output to, for example, the control unit 90 of the processing device 80 (step 109). The process ends.
[0049]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, there is provided a document reading apparatus which reads image information from a document placed with the center allocated in the main scanning direction, and the maximum placed document width (the maximum type scanning direction size) By pressing the guides (the back guide 61 and the front guide 62), it is possible to detect the width in the main scanning direction of the document group in the mixed document of different width / same width. At this time, the user is instructed, for example, using a control panel (not shown) or the like to press the mixed document of different width / same width, for example, against the back guide 61 and place it. . This makes it possible to recognize the size of a document supplied from a document group of mixed documents of different width / same width with the same operability as that for reading a normal document. In the present embodiment, it is possible to receive a mix mode designation by the user from the control panel. For example, the designation can be made by touching a mix mode display button or a mix mode display provided on a touch panel, for example. And so on.
[0050]
Further, according to the present embodiment, when the guides (the back guide 61 and the front guide 62) are set to the machine-readable maximum width, the user can, for example, use a mix mode from a control panel (not shown). Is selected, even if the maximum size of the placed mixed document is smaller than the size determined by the positioned guide, it can be configured to read in the mixed document mode. .
[0051]
◎ Embodiment 2
In the first embodiment, the guides for holding the originals (the back guide 61 and the front guide 62) are set in accordance with the largest width original in the bundle (original group) of the mixed originals at that time, and the mixed originals having different widths are set. With respect to the other document widths of the document, the distance from the back guide 61 in the set state is detected by the detection sensor 66 to recognize the size of the mixed document of different width. In the second embodiment, when performing simultaneous reading of a mixed original, the original pressing guides (the back guide 61 and the front guide 62) are set in advance to the maximum width that can be placed by the original feeding device 10 as a machine. (For example, A3SEF), and reads a mixed document of different width or a mixed document of the same width. Note that the same reference numerals are used for the same functions as those in the first embodiment, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted here.
[0052]
FIGS. 9A to 9C are diagrams illustrating an example of placing a mixed document according to the second embodiment. Also in the second embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the original is transported with reference to the center position in the direction orthogonal to the original feeding direction (the central position in the main scanning direction of the original), and the transported original is A center register for reading (center registration) is employed. 9A to 9C, the maximum document feed width assumed in the document feeder 10 (the maximum width in the direction (main scanning direction) orthogonal to the document feed direction; in this embodiment, A3 short direction) The rear guide 61 and the front guide 62 are spread over the feed width (A3SEF), and all the originals are pressed against the rear guide 61 for positioning, and the width of the original is detected using the detection sensor 66. .
[0053]
In FIG. 9A, the maximum document width of the mixed document is B4, and the mixed document is pressed against the back guide 61 together with the different-width document A4 to be bundled together and conveyed in the drawing direction. Here, if the original cannot be detected by the above-described 66-1 and / or 66-2 of the detection sensors 66 among the detection sensors 66, it is determined that the document is A4 short width (A4S), and If a document can be detected at 1 and / or 66-2 but not at 66-4, it is determined that the width is B4 short width (B4S). In FIG. 9B, the maximum document width of the mixed document is A3, which is the same as that in FIG. In FIG. 9C, the originals (B4S and B5L) 9 of the same width are mixed and placed, with the original having a B4 width smaller than the maximum original width (A3) that can be placed as the maximum original width of the mixed original. The state is shown. When all the mixed originals are pressed against the rear side guide 61 and conveyed in the pull-in direction, the detection sensor 66 recognizes that the original is a B4 width original. Then, as described above, the movement time of the document that is actually conveyed is measured by a predetermined sensor provided in the conveyance path, and it is recognized that a document having the same width but different size is placed. Can be.
[0054]
As described above, according to the second embodiment, in a state where the guides (the back guide 61 and the front guide 62) are always set to the maximum width, it is recognized that the guide exists at the maximum width, and the mixed document group is recognized. By reading the document size, the operability of the user is simple, and the document size can be reliably recognized. After confirming that the guide is widened to the maximum document width of the machine, by recognizing the document size on the assumption that the guide is abutted against one of these guides, for example, It is also possible to omit the specification of the mix mode and to use the operation of this guide as a substitute. The maximum width is recognized by the rotation of the pinion 64 shown in FIG. 3 or a specific sensor (not shown) that the guide such as the back side guide 61 exists at the maximum width. Can be recognized.
[0055]
◎ Embodiment 3
In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, a guide that slides (a back guide 61 and a front guide 62) and a detection sensor 66 including a plurality of sensors whose positions are fixed are used in an apparatus that employs a center register. Document size detection for documents of different widths. The third embodiment is characterized in that the detection sensor is linked to the sliding rear guide 61. The same functions as those in the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the detailed description thereof will be omitted.
[0056]
FIGS. 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating an example of placing a mixed document according to the third embodiment. The back guide 61 and the front guide 62 are evenly slid according to the size of the document (center distribution is performed), and the center register is maintained as in the first and second embodiments. In the present embodiment, an arm 67 having a detection sensor 66 is connected to the rear side guide 61. The arm 67 is provided so as to dispose a detection sensor 66 including a plurality of sensors downstream of the feed roll 14, for example, similarly to the position shown in FIG. , And Embodiments 1 and 2. The arm 67 includes a portion extending from the back guide 61 and a portion having the detection sensor 66, and is arranged at a position where it does not interfere with a feed roll, other transport mechanisms, various actuators, and the like. For example, it is preferable to be provided at a lower portion (back side) of the document placing surface of the document tray 11 or the like.
[0057]
In FIG. 10A, the maximum mixed document width is A3 (A3 SEF), and different width documents B5, A4 SEF, and B4 are placed. At this time, similarly to the first and second embodiments, these different-width originals are placed so as to be aligned with the back guide 61 and the drawing-in direction. For example, the position of the rear guide 61 recognizes that the maximum mixed document width is A3. However, for other different width documents, similarly to the first and second embodiments, by the detection sensor 66, The document conveyed by the nudger roll 13 and the feed roll 14 is recognized by passing through the position of the detection sensor 66.
[0058]
In FIG. 10B, the maximum mixed document width is B4 (B4SEF), and different width documents B5 and A4SEF are placed. At this time, the arm 67 including the detection sensor 66 is interlocked with the rear guide 61, and the relative distance between the rear guide 61 and the detection sensor 66 does not change. As a result, the document width can be recognized by the detection sensor 66 at the same position as in FIG. At this time, all the detection sensors 66 are “sensors to be used”. In FIG. 10B, the position of the near side guide 62 is deviated, and the deviated detection sensor 66 becomes an “unused sensor”. Similarly, in FIG. 10C, the maximum mixed document width is A4SEF, and the detection sensor 66 attached to the arm 67 that slides in conjunction with the rear side guide 61 causes a difference between FIGS. 10A and 10B. The B5 original can be recognized using the same detection sensor 66. In FIG. 10C, two detection sensors 66 are unused sensors. When the arm 67 is slid in conjunction with the sliding of the rear guide 61, when the rear guide 61 moves to the near side for positioning of a document having a small width, the wall of the front housing (the inner wall) is moved. ) 68, which hinders interlocking.
[0059]
Therefore, in the present embodiment, a device is added so as not to hinder the interlocking of the arm 67 even when the arm 67 collides with the wall 68.
FIGS. 11A and 11B are diagrams showing a housing mechanism of the unused sensor. Here, the arm 67 is divided into several stages, abuts against the wall (inner wall) 68, and when the arm 67 slides in the direction of the wall 68, the divided predetermined portion is gradually retracted. An elastic member such as a spring 69 is provided in the retracted portion, and when the arm 67 separates from the wall 68, it can be extended and returned to the original state. FIG. 11A shows a state where the arm 67 is not in contact with the wall, and a detection sensor 66 is provided for each of the divided arms 67. FIG. 11B shows a state in which the arm 67 further slides toward the wall 68 after the arm 67 abuts on the wall 68. As described above, when the arm 67 comes into contact with the wall 68, a predetermined portion of the arm 67 is retracted, so that the sliding operation is not restricted even if the arm 67 comes into contact with the wall 68.
[0060]
It should be noted that not only the spring 69 is provided, but also, for example, after the first-stage split arm 67 completes the retraction, the latch (not shown) is released and the second-stage split arm 67 is removed. It can be configured to initiate a retraction operation. In addition, for example, a lever (not shown) that penetrates the arm 67 is provided instead of the latch, and a spring 69 that supports the first-stage divided arm 67 contracts and retracts inward to complete the retracting operation. This lever is pushed, and the arm 67 divided at the second stage is disengaged from the arm 67 to start the retracting operation of the arm 67 divided at the second stage. With such a configuration, during the retracting operation of the first-stage divided arm 67, the second-stage divided arm 67 does not perform the retracting operation, and the first-stage divided arm 67 does not perform the retracting operation. During the retracting operation, the relative distance between the detection sensor 66 provided on the second-stage divided arm 67 and the back guide 61 does not change. Similarly, the arm 67 divided into a plurality of stages can be configured to perform the retracting operation stepwise, for example, the second and third stages, the third and fourth stages, and the like.
[0061]
As described above, in the third embodiment, in the apparatus in which the guides (the back guide 61 and the front guide 62) are pressed against the maximum document width, and the document size of the mixed document of different width / same width is read by the detection sensor 66, The position of the detection sensor 66 is changed in conjunction with the side guide 61. That is, the original size can be detected using the detection sensors 66 arranged in combination with the designated original size (standard form) without changing the relative position between the rear guide 61 and the detection sensor 66. As a result, the detection accuracy can be improved, and erroneous detection can be suppressed. When a mixed document smaller than the maximum document width (A3 in this case) that can be mounted on the apparatus is placed, the arm 67 for linking the rear guide 61 and the detection sensor 66 is pulled in. did. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the detection sensor 66 from hitting the wall (inner wall) 68 and restricting the sliding operation.
[0062]
As described above in detail, according to the present embodiment (Embodiments 1 to 3), in a document feeder employing a center register for positioning by center distribution, a document group including documents of different sizes is used. When recognizing the sizes of the documents included in the document group, it is possible to reliably recognize the document width of the standard size. In particular, when placing a document group of different width mix / same width mix on the document tray 11, the same settings can be made, so that the user's designation can be simplified. Further, for example, when a mix mode instruction is received from the user, the mixed mode is detected by one of the plurality of detection sensors 66 and an actuator (not shown) provided in the middle of the first transport path 31, for example. Documents of the same width and different widths can be determined for each sheet by a combination with the document length in the document conveyance direction.
[0063]
In the present embodiment, the mixed document is placed in a state where the mixed document is positioned on the rear guide 61, and the size of the different width document is recognized by the detection sensor 66 based on the rear guide 61. However, it is also possible to arrange the detection sensor 66 in accordance with the position of the near side guide 62 with the near side guide 62 as a reference position. Further, instead of using the detection sensor 66, which is a reflection sensor, for example, the movement of an actuator or the like that operates depending on the presence or absence of a document may be recognized by a predetermined sensor to detect the presence or absence of the document.
[0064]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when a normal document is transported, the document is fed from a document group placed on the document feeder in a document feeder employing center registration (center distribution). Thus, the original sizes of originals having different sizes can be appropriately detected.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an image reading apparatus to which an embodiment is applied;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a processing device.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a document size detection mechanism that detects the size of a document supplied from a document tray.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an ADF controller in the document feeder.
FIGS. 5A to 5D are diagrams illustrating the arrangement of detection sensors for detecting a document of a different width mix including an A series which is an international standard and a B series which is a Japanese standard. .
FIGS. 6A to 6E are diagrams illustrating an arrangement of detection sensors for detecting a document of a mixed document having a different width including an A series and an inch series.
FIGS. 7A to 7C are diagrams illustrating an example of placing a mixed document in the first embodiment using the detection sensor described above.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing executed in the ADF controller.
FIGS. 9A to 9C are diagrams illustrating an example of placing a mixed document according to the second embodiment;
FIGS. 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating an example of placing a mixed document according to the third embodiment;
FIGS. 11A and 11B are diagrams showing a mechanism for accommodating an unused sensor.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 10: Document feeder, 11: Document tray, 13: Nudger roll, 14: Feed roll, 31: First transport path, 50: CIS (Contact Image Sensor), 61: Rear guide, 62: Front guide, 63 ... rack, 64 ... pinion, 65 ... slide groove, 66 ... detection sensor, 67 ... arm, 70 ... scanner device, 78 ... CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor, 80 ... processing device, 90 ... ADF controller, 91 ... Mixed mode control, 92: Guide position detecting section, 93: Main scanning direction size detecting section, 94: Sub scanning direction size detecting section, 95: Read position determining section

Claims (13)

A document tray on which documents of different sizes supplied toward the document reading position can be simultaneously placed;
A first guide that is displaced and positioned in accordance with one original side having a maximum main scanning direction size from among originals of different sizes placed on the original tray,
A second guide that is displaced by substantially the same amount of displacement as the first guide and is positioned in accordance with the other document side having the maximum size in the main scanning direction;
A sensor for detecting a document having a main scanning direction size other than the maximum main scanning direction size placed simultaneously with reference to the positioned position of the first guide;
Document feeder having 2. The document feeder according to claim 1, wherein the position of the sensor does not change in the main scanning direction of the placed document. 2. The document feeder according to claim 1, wherein the position of the sensor changes in the main scanning direction of the document in conjunction with the displacement of the first guide. Document placement means capable of simultaneously placing documents of different sizes supplied toward the document reading position;
With respect to the main scanning direction of the document placed on the document placing means, positioning means for performing positioning by center distribution from both sides of the document,
Document detection means capable of detecting a document existing at a different position in the main scanning direction on a document conveyance path for conveying a document positioned by one side or both sides of the positioning means,
A document feeder comprising: a recognition unit configured to recognize a size of a document having a different size simultaneously placed on the document placement unit in the main scanning direction based on the document detection by the document detection unit. 5. The document according to claim 4, wherein the recognition unit recognizes the size of the document placed on the document placement unit based on the position of the positioning unit and the document detection by the document detection unit. Feeder. The recognition unit detects the document positioned on one side of the positioning unit by the detection unit in a state where the positioning unit is positioned at an assumed maximum width in the main scanning direction, and detects the size of the document in the main scanning direction. 5. The document feeder according to claim 4, wherein the document feeder recognizes the document. 5. The document feeder according to claim 4, wherein the recognizing unit recognizes the sizes of mixed documents of different widths having different sizes in the main scanning direction. The apparatus further includes a user request receiving unit that receives an instruction of a mixed mode, which is a mode in which originals having different sizes are simultaneously placed on the original placing unit and sequentially read, and
The recognition unit is configured to determine whether the maximum size of the bundle of originals placed on the original placing unit is smaller than the size positioned by the positioning unit, based on the instruction of the mix mode by the user request receiving unit. 5. The document feeder according to claim 4, wherein the size of the document in the main scanning direction is recognized. A document reading device that recognizes the size of a document included in the document group from a document group including documents having different sizes,
Guide means for positioning by center distribution in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the document conveyed from the document group,
Position recognition means for recognizing the position of the guide means positioned according to the maximum document width of the document group,
A document width recognizing means for recognizing a document width of the document conveyed from a state in which all of the documents constituting the document group abut against the guide means. 10. The document reading apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a user request receiving unit that receives a selection from a user of a mixed mode in which documents of different sizes are sequentially read from the document group. A document size recognition method for recognizing a size of a document included in the document group from a document group including documents having different sizes,
A step of recognizing a position of a guide that is positioned by center distribution with respect to a document having a maximum size in the document group with respect to a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the document to be transported,
Recognizing information on documents conveyed one by one from the document group by a detection sensor provided in a direction orthogonal to the document conveyance direction;
Recognizing the size of documents conveyed one by one from the document group based on the recognized position of the guide and the recognition of information about the document by the detection sensor. 12. A document size recognition method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of: recognizing a length of the document in the transport direction from a feed amount of the document to be transported. A document size recognition method for recognizing a size of a document included in the document group from a document group including documents having different sizes,
A step of confirming that a guide for positioning the original at a center distribution in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the original to be conveyed is in a state where the guide is widened to the maximum placed original width,
Recognizing the width of a document conveyed from the document group on the premise that all the documents constituting the document group abut against the guide.

Images