Automatic duplex and simplex document handler for electronic input

In a document handler for sequentially feeding document sheets stacked in an input tray to be imaged at an imaging station and to an output tray for restacking the document sheets after they have been imaged, said document handler providing a document feeding path from said input tray to said imaging station and to said output tray, and said document feeding path further including a duplex document feeding path for returning duplex document sheets imaged on their first sides back to said imaging station for imaging their second sides, the improvement wherein:

• said document feeding path includes a dual mode reversible output sheet feeder which in a first mode feeds out document sheets fully into said output tray, and, in a second mode, feeds a duplex document sheet substantially out over said output tray and then reverses to refeed the duplex document sheet into said document feeding path via said duplex feeding path;
• said input tray and said output tray are in a space saving closely superposed relationship defining a protective confining inverter chute space between said input and output trays within which the duplex document sheets are fed by said dual mode reversible output sheet feeder substantially out over said output tray and then reversed to feed the duplex document sheets into said duplex document feeding path;
• wherein said document feeding path comprises a highly compact "U" shaped document sheet path with its entrance adjacent said input tray and its exit adjacent said output tray,
• wherein said "U" shaped document sheet path is only slightly longer than approximately 43 cm.

In a document handler for sequentially feeding document sheets stacked in an input tray to be imaged at an imaging station and to an output tray for restacking the document sheets after they have been imaged, said document handler providing a document feeding path from said input tray to said imaging station and to said output tray, and said document feeding path further including a duplex document feeding path for returning duplex document sheets imaged on their first sides back to said imaging station for imaging their second sides, the improvement wherein:

• said document feeding path includes a dual mode reversible output sheet feeder which in a first mode feeds out document sheets fully into said output tray, and, in a second mode, feeds a duplex document sheet substantially out over said output tray and then reverses to refeed the duplex document sheet into said document feeding path via said duplex feeding path;
• said input tray and said output tray are in a space saving closely superposed relationship defining a protective confining inverter chute space between said input and output trays within which the duplex document sheets are fed by said dual mode reversible output sheet feeder substantially out over said output tray and then reversed to feed the duplex document sheets into said duplex document feeding path;
• wherein duplex documents are fed through said document feeding path three times before ejecting collated into said output tray.

In a document handler for sequentially feeding document sheets stacked in an input tray to be imaged at an imaging station and then to an output tray for restacking the document sheets after they have been imaged, said document handler providing a document feeding path from said input tray to said imaging station and to said output tray, said document feeding path further providing a duplex document feeding path for returning duplex document sheets imaged on their first sides back to said imaging station for imaging their second sides, said document feeding path including a dual mode reversible output sheet feeder which in a first mode feeds out document sheets fully into said output tray, and, in a mode, feeds a duplex document sheet substantially out over said output tray and then reverses to refeed the duplex document sheet into said document feeding path ;the improvement wherein:

• said input and output trays are substantially parallel to one another and closely vertically stacked one above the other with said input tray closely overlying said output tray with only a small vertical space therebetween to define in said small vertical space between said input tray and said output tray a protective confining inverter chute confining therein said duplex document sheets being fed by said dual mode reversible output sheet feeder in said second mode substantially out over said output tray and then reversed to feed the duplex document sheets into said duplex document feeding path;
• and wherein said dual mode reversible output sheet feeder is vertically spaced between said input tray and said output tray and above the level of said output tray and adjacent to the entrance to said output tray.