Document feeder and flattener for moving platen copiers

Abstract

In a document handling system for a copier with a moving platen imaging system, wherein the platen is integral a moving platen unit reciprocally driven relative to the stationary body of the copier in a non-imaging movement and in an imaging movement for imaging a document sheet moving with the platen at a stationary narrow imaging station underlying the platen, including a document registration and clamping system adjacent one end of the moving platen unit and a system for opening and closing it to receive and clamp one end of the document sheet, a stationary document sheet input system for guiding the document sheet into the registration and clamping system while it is opened, and a narrow imaging backing plate, not moving with the moving platen unit, for closely and stationarily overlying only a minor portion of the platen to provide a light reflective imaging background surface optically overlying only the imaging station. A document sheet clamped on the platen is pulled under the imaging backing plate by the imaging movement of the moving platen unit. The imaging backing plate flattens the document sheet pulled thereunder down against the platen at the imaging position during the imaging movement, but has a lifting mechanism for automatically lifting it away from the platen during the opposite, non-imaging movement of the platen. A system is also provided for the document sheet to be automatically removed from the platen after it has been copied a desired number of times.