Document feeder and cover for an image forming apparatus

A document feeder for use in an image forming apparatus which includes:

• an original table where an original document is placed and exposed to light;
• and an original cover for pressing the original document onto the original table, said document feeder comprising:
• original document detecting means for detecting a document inserted from the outside;
• a feed roller disposed for feeding an inserted document into a space between the original table and the original cover, in response to the detection of a document by said original document detecting means;
• and
• original cover lifting means for automatically lifting said original cover to create a gap between the original table and the original cover, and
• further wherein, when the original document is discharged from the gap, said feed roller stops with the front end of the original document nipped thereby.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an original table where an original document is placed and exposed to light;
• an original cover hinged to be opened and closed for pressing the original document onto said original table;
• feeding means including a feed roller unit disposed upstream of said original table and at a position where a document feeding port is formed, the document feeding port being for insertion of the original document from the outside and being formed between said original cover in its closed position and the top surface of the image forming apparatus body, for feeding an inserted original document toward said original table;
• detecting means disposed before said feeding means for detecting an inserted original document;
• controlling means controlling the operation of said feeding means in response to the detection by said detecting means so as to control insertion and discharge of an inserted original document;
• and
• lifting means for automatically lifting said original cover up from said original table, thereby forming a gap into which the inserted original document is fed.

An original cover for pressing an original document onto an original table of an image forming apparatus, the original document being manually placed at an imaging area of the original table for image reproduction, said cover comprising:

• a cover lifter for automatically lifting said cover relative to the original table, so as to form a gap between the original table and said cover;
• a first feed roller for feeding an original document into the gap;
• and
• a feed mechanism-free region which contains no original document feed mechanism and, when said cover is installed on the image forming apparatus, overlies the entire imaging area.

An image reproducing apparatus, comprising:

• an original table for supporting an original document at an imaging position for image reproduction;
• only one feed roller unit, said feed roller unit being upstream from a region of said original table where an original document would be manually placed, for feeding an inserted original document from an insertion port to the imaging position on said original table, the insertion port allowing insertion of a document from the outside;
• a cover for covering the imaging position on said original table, the insertion port being formed between said cover and a surface of said image reproducing apparatus;
• and
• a gap creator for automatically creating a gap between said original table and said cover at the imaging position.

An original cover for dressing an original document onto an original table of an image forming apparatus, the original document being placed on the original table for image reproduction, said cover comprising:

• a cover lifter for automatically lifting said cover relative to the original table, so as to form a gap between the original table and said cover;
• a first feed roller for feeding an original document into the gap;
• and
• a hinge portion for enabling said cover to be rotated between open and closed portions when installed on the image forming apparatus,
• wherein said cover lifter operates, when installed on the image forming apparatus, to lift said cover about said hinge portion.

An original cover for pressing an original document onto an original table of an image forming apparatus, the original document being placed on the original table for image reproduction, said cover comprising:

• a cover lifter for automatically lifting said cover relative to the original table, so as to form a gap between the original table and said cover;
• and
• a first feed roller for feeding an original document onto the gap,
• wherein said first feed roller is mounted in said cover such that said cover lifter lifts said first feed roller relative to the original table when said cover lifter lifts said cover.