Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.

Jyun Kusakabe

Kazuhisa Kondo

Shigeo Kurando

Tadanobu Nakajima

Toshio Yoshiyama

Toru Tanjoh

An automatic document feeder according to the present invention is mountable on a copying machine. The automatic document feeder mounted on the copying machine is displaceable to a closed state and an open state with respect to the copying machine. In the closed state, originals can be automatically set on the copying machine by the automatic document feeder. When the originals are manually set on the copying machine, the automatic document feeder is brought into the open state. A tray 11 provided in the automatic document feeder is divided into a main tray 61 and a sub tray 62. The main tray 61 and the sub tray 62 are so connected to each other that their connected state is changeable to an extending state or a contracted state. When the automatic document feeder is brought into the open state, the connected state between the main tray 61 and the sub tray 62 is automatically brought into the contracted state.

Document feeder with responsive paper receiving tray

An automatic document feeder 1 automatically operates a tray depending on the operating conditions of the automatic document feeder. The automatic document feeder 1 has a set surface 7 on which originals to be conveyed are to be set. An original receiving tray 11 for receiving discharged originals is provided in the vicinity of an original discharge port 10. A lower end of the original receiving tray 11 is rotatable, and a tray driving device is connected to the back of the original receiving tray 11. The tray driving device rotates and displaces the original receiving tray 11 around the lower end depending on the operating conditions of the automatic document feeder 1. The original receiving tray 11 is raised almost perpendicularly until the originals are set on the set surface 7 (see FIGS. 4A and 4D). When the originals are conveyed, the original receiving tray 11 is rotated to an obliquely laid state (see FIGS. 4B and 4C) in order to receive the paper sheets discharged from the discharge port 10. When the originals are set on the set surface 7, the original receiving tray 11 does not interfere with the setting. Further, the original receiving tray 11 is automatically driven, whereby the automatic document feeder 1 is convenient for use.

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Osaka, Japan

Jyun Kusakabe