Image input system having an auto-feeder including loading magazine and discharge magazine arranged side by side and method

An image input system comprising:

• an image input device for reading image data from a source document, said image input device having a carriage to hold said source document, wherein said carriage is movable in a secondary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to a primary scanning direction, a light source to emit light along an optical axis substantially orthogonal to said secondary scanning direction to illuminate said source document, and a position adjustment mechanism to adjust the position of said carriage along said optical axis of said light source;
• a feeder that loads said source document into said image input device during a loading operation and receives said source document from said image input device during a discharge operation, said feeder including a loading magazine storing source documents to be loaded into said image input device during said loading operation, a discharge magazine storing source documents discharged from said image input device, said loading magazine and said discharge magazine being positioned on one side of said image input device and in parallel and in side-by-side relationship within said feeder, and a transport surface extending substantially perpendicular to an edge surface of said loading magazine and an edge surface to said discharge magazine;
• and
• a controller that controls the operation of said position adjustment mechanism to position said carriage in said optical axis direction, said carriage being located in a first predetermined position during said loading operation of said source document and a second predetermined position during said discharging operation of said source document.

A feeder for use in an image input system adapted to be mounted on an image input device of said image input system, said feeder comprising:

• loading storage means for storing source documents to be inserted into said image input device for reading image data from said source document;
• discharge storage means for storing source documents discharged from said image input device;
• and
• transport means for transporting said source documents within said feeder;
• said discharge storage means being positioned adjacent a front side of said feeder adjacent said image input device and said loading storage means being positioned adjacent said discharge storage means in spaced relationship to said image input device.

An image input system comprising:

• image input means for reading image data from a source document, said image input means includes a mobile and adjustable source document transport means for moving said source document within said image input means in a secondary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to a primary scanning direction, light generating means for emitting light along an optical axis substantially orthogonal to said secondary scanning direction to illuminate said source document, and position adjustment means for adjusting the position of said image input means along said optical axis of said light source;
• feeder means for loading said source document into said image input means during a loading operation and receiving said source document from said image input means during a discharge operation, said feeder means including loading storage means for storing source documents to be inserted into said image input device for reading image data from said source document, discharge storage means for storing source documents discharged from said image input device, and transport means for transporting said source document within said feeder means;
• and
• control means for controlling the operation of said position adjustment means;
• said loading storage means and said discharge storage means being positioned on one side of said image input means and in parallel and in side-by-side relationship within said feeder means.

A method of reading image information from a source document on a movable carriage in an image input device, said method comprising the steps of:

• adjusting the position of said carriage within said image input device to a loading position;
• loading a source document from a loading magazine in a feeder into said image input device;
• positioning said source document on said carriage within said image input device, said carriage being movable in a secondary scanning direction;
• reading image information from said source document within said image input device;
• adjusting the position of said carriage within said image input device to a discharging position;
• and
• discharging said source document from said image input device into a discharge magazine in said feeder.