Image reading apparatus, image reading method and original transport apparatus
AssigneeNisca Corporation
InventorsMasaaki Kawai, Chiaki Osada
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image reading apparatus includes a transport path for transporting an original from an original tray to a reading position; a reading device for reading the original at a reading position; a determining device for determining whether the original includes a black and white image or color image; a circulating path for returning the original to the reading position without turning over the original; a discharge path for guiding the original from the reading position to a discharge tray; and selection means for selecting one of the circulating path and the discharge path. The image reading apparatus reads the same side of the original fed from the circulating path again according to a result of the determining device.
Claims15
An image reading apparatus comprising:
- an original tray for placing an original,
- a transport path for guiding the original from the original tray to a reading position;
- reading means for reading one side of the original at the reading position;
- determination means for determining whether the one side of the original has a black and white image or color image;
- a circulating path for retuning the original passing through the reading position back to the reading position in the transport path without turning over the original so that the reading means reads the one side of the original again according to a result of the determination means;
- a discharge path for guiding the original from the reading position to a discharge tray;
- and
- selection means for selecting one of the circulating path and the discharge path to which the original is guided from the reading position.
An image reading apparatus comprising:
- reading means for reading an original at a reading position in a transfer path;
- determination means for determining whether the original read by the reading means has a black and white image or color image;
- original length determining means for determining a length of the original in a transport direction;
- a switchback path for turning over the original passing through the reading position in the transfer path and returning the original determined by the determination means to the reading position in the transfer path;
- a circulating path for returning the original passing through the reading position in the transfer path to the transfer path again without turning over the original;
- and
- selection means for selecting one of the switchback path and the circulating path according to the length of the original detected by the original length determining means so that the original is returned again to the transfer path.
An image reading apparatus comprising:
- an original tray for placing an original;
- a transport path for guiding the original from the original tray to a reading position;
- reading means for reading the original at the reading position;
- determining means for determining whether the original read by the reading means has a black and white image or color image;
- a circulating path arranged at a downstream side of the reading position in a transfer direction for returning the original again to the reading position in the transport path without turning over the original;
- a switchback path arranged at the downstream side of the reading position for turning over the original and returning the original again to the reading position in the transport path so that in reading two sides of the original, the original passes through the circulating path, the switchback path and the circulating path again in this order;
- and
- a discharge path for guiding the original from the reading position to a discharge tray.
An image reading method for reading an original, comprising the steps of:
- determining a length of the original in a transport direction;
- reading the original passing through a reading position in a transport path;
- determining whether the original has a black and white image or color image;
- selecting one of a switchback path and a circulating path arranged at a downstream side of the reading position according to the length of the original determined;
- transporting the original to the reading position in the transport path again via the one of the switchback path and the circulating path;
- setting a mode of reading the original according to a result in the step of determining whether the original has a black and white image or color image;
- and
- reading the original again using the set mode.
An original transport apparatus comprising:
- an original tray for placing an original;
- a transport path for guiding the original from the original tray to a reading position;
- a circulating path for returning the original to the reading position in the transport path without turning over the original after passing through the reading position;
- a switchback path for turning over the original after passing through the reading position and returning the original to the reading position;
- and
- selection means disposed at a downstream side of the reading position in a transfer direction for selecting one of the circulating path and the switchback path to guide the original.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.