JP2007160882A - Component life calculation means - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a correct timing for component replacement to be notified of to a user and eliminate the premature wasteful practice to replace a component yet useful enough. <P>SOLUTION: In electronic equipment possessing a power save mode, the cumulative time each of a routine operation mode and the power save mode is calculated, and the cumulative time spent in the routine operation mode and the power save mode and time spent until the timing of component exchange are calculated from the component life each under the respective modes. Then a message on the timing of component replacement is outputted. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a power saving mode, and relates to a component life determination unit for consumable parts.

  In recent years, there has been a demand for product recycling and longer life in image forming apparatuses. As a conventional technique for solving the problem, the total operating time of the main body is compared with the consumable parts that need to be replaced in advance as in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 4-195342 and the data of the endurance time paired. A means for informing the user of the replacement time for a certain part has been made public.

  Similarly, power saving has been required in image forming apparatuses.

  In response to power saving, there is a device that has a main body state called a sleep mode. The sleep mode is a state in which the system is not operating, and is a state in which power is supplied to only a minimum necessary circuit or a clock frequency is reduced in order to reduce power consumption. When the printing operation or key operation is performed in the sleep mode, the power is turned on again to return to the normal operation mode in which the normal operation such as printing can be performed, and the system is started.

By the above means, total power consumption can be reduced without sacrificing user operability.
JP-A-4-195342

  However, in the case of a product having a sleep mode, the ratio of the operation time to the sleep mode varies for each user. Further, since the temperature rise and the power consumption greatly change during the normal operation and the sleep mode, there is a part in which the part life greatly changes between the two modes. For this reason, an accurate part life cannot be calculated only by the total operation time of the main body, and there is a waste that it is necessary to inform the user of the replacement time with a margin.

  In an electronic device having a power saving mode, the cumulative time of each of the normal operation mode and the power saving mode is calculated, and the cumulative time of each of the normal operation mode and the power saving mode is multiplied by the component deterioration per certain time in each mode. The time until the life of the part is calculated by the above, and a message output of the part replacement time is provided.

  According to the present invention, it becomes possible to inform the user of a more accurate time for the parts replacement time, and it is possible to improve the waste of replacing parts that are still sufficiently usable.

  FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. The system includes a power supply unit 115 that supplies power to the entire system, a print head 110 and a sensor 112 that are controlled by an input / output circuit 102, a display unit 111, and a motor 113, an external interface 117, and a main memory 116. The central control unit 103, the nonvolatile memory 118, and the like. The central control unit 103 controls the power supply unit 115, the input / output circuit 102, the key 101, the nonvolatile memory 118, the external interface 117, and the main memory 116.

  If no print job is received from the key input 101 of the operation unit or the external interface 117 for a certain period, the system shifts from the normal operation mode to the sleep mode. The sleep mode detects a request from the external interface 117 or the key input 101 of the operation unit, and leaves only a minimum function that can quickly return to a normal operation such as a printing operation, and the entire system is in a low power consumption state. It is in a state. Specifically, when the main memory 116 is a DRAM, it is in a self-refreshing state in which only internal data is held and data cannot be read or written. The input / output unit 114 and the input / output circuit 102 such as the display unit 111 and the motor 113 turn off the power supply.

  Next, the case where the system shifts from the sleep mode to the normal operation mode will be described. When the central control unit 103 detects that a print job is received from the key input 101 of the operation unit or the external interface 117, the main memory 116, the power supply unit 115, and the input / output unit 114 are set in a normal state and the entire system shifts to a normal operation mode. To do.

  Since the system shifts to sleep mode when the system is not operating, power is supplied to only the minimum necessary circuits that return to normal operation by printing or key operation, and the clock frequency is reduced, resulting in power consumption. Can be greatly reduced.

  In addition, since power consumption is low in the sleep mode, heat generation of the power supply unit can be suppressed, and deterioration of components due to heat generation of the power supply unit can be suppressed.

  In particular, the electric field capacitor is greatly deteriorated with time and has a short life compared to other electronic components. And the lifetime of a power supply unit can be estimated by calculating the estimated lifetime of an electrolytic capacitor.

  The life of an electrolytic capacitor is determined by the amount of excess electrolyte, the speed at which the electrolyte passes through the sealing rubber and evaporates, and the temperature that determines the speed.The relationship between the life L of the electrolytic capacitor and the ambient temperature T2 is that of Arrhenius The temperature double speed is applied, and can be calculated by the equation (1) using the maximum allowable temperature T1 of the electrolytic capacitor and the basic life L0 of the electrolytic capacitor.

また電解コンデンサは、電源の信頼性の点から見ても重要な部品であり、電解コンデンサの性能が劣化すると、電源の入力平滑回路に用いられている場合、リップル電圧が大きくなることによる電源の停止や、電源の出力平滑回路に用いられている場合は、リップル電圧が大きくなることで矩形波状の電圧を出力する弊害が起きる。

Electrolytic capacitors are also important components from the viewpoint of power supply reliability. When the performance of electrolytic capacitors deteriorates, when they are used in the input smoothing circuit of power supplies, the ripple voltage increases. When used in a stop or an output smoothing circuit of a power supply, the ripple voltage increases, which causes a problem of outputting a rectangular wave voltage.

  Next, a description will be given of a component life and a sequence for unit replacement considering the ratio of the operation time to the sleep mode.

  In the sleep mode or during normal operation, each operation time is calculated by a timer, and each accumulated time is stored in the nonvolatile memory 118.

  Then, the temperature around the electrolytic capacitor in the sleep mode and the normal operation is measured in advance, and the lifetime of the electrolytic capacitor in each mode is calculated and stored in the nonvolatile memory 118.

  Then, the ratio of the accumulated operating time in the sleep mode and the normal operation mode to the electrolytic capacitor life is calculated, and the ratio of the accumulated time in each mode to the electrolytic capacitor life is added. If this value is L1, Equation (2) Can be expressed as

L1が１より大きくなると電解コンデンサの寿命に達することになる。ユーザーへの電源ユニットの交換を促す場合には交換に要する日数も考慮して、L1が０．９５より大きくなった場合にユーザーに知らせるといったマージンを持たせることが望ましい。

When L1 is greater than 1, the life of the electrolytic capacitor is reached. When urging the user to replace the power supply unit, it is desirable to provide a margin for notifying the user when L1 exceeds 0.95 in consideration of the number of days required for replacement.

  Then, it is possible to inform the user of the exact replacement time of the power supply unit through output means such as an LCD, LED, and buzzer in the display unit 111, and to prompt the user to replace the power supply unit.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an image forming apparatus of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

101 Key Input 102 Input / Output Circuit 103 Central Control Unit 110 Print Head 111 Display Unit 112 Sensor 113 Motor 114 Input / Output Unit 115 Power Supply Unit 116 Main Memory 117 External Interface 118 Nonvolatile Memory

Claims (4)

  In an electronic device having a power saving mode, the cumulative time of each of the normal operation mode and the power saving mode is calculated, and the accumulated time of each of the normal operation mode and the power saving mode and the time from the component life to the component replacement time in each mode are calculated. A consumable part life determination means comprising a message output for calculating and replacing parts.   The component replacement time is calculated from a value obtained by calculating a cumulative time of each of the normal operation mode and the power saving mode, and adding a ratio of the cumulative time of each of the normal operation mode and the power saving mode to the component life in each mode. 2. The means for determining the life of a consumable part according to claim 1.   3. The consumable component life determination means according to claim 1, wherein the component replacement time is calculated and a power supply unit is included as a component for outputting a message of the component replacement time.   4. The consumable component life determining means according to claim 1, wherein the component includes an electrolytic capacitor as a component for calculating a component replacement time and outputting a message of the component replacement time.

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