JP4310822B2 - Paper output device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a paper output device, and more particularly to a paper output device capable of sorting and outputting paper for each received job.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, digital copiers and network printers equipped with a sorter having a plurality of bins are known. Also known are those devices having a multi-job function. Here, the multi-job function is a function for independently performing printing (paper output) and image data input. The user can store a plurality of jobs (original image, number of copies, copy mode, etc.) in the apparatus, and the copying machine or the like executes the jobs in the registered order.
[0003]
There is known a technique of switching bins for outputting paper for each job so that the paper output here is not mixed.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if the bin for outputting paper is switched for each job, there is a problem that there is no bin that can be used immediately.
[0005]
The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a paper output device capable of effectively utilizing bins.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, a sheet output device includes a determination unit that determines the number of sheets to be output in one job, and the number of sheets to be output in the one job is a predetermined number or less. If there is, the first setting means for setting the paper output destination of the job to the same bin as the paper output destination of the previous job, and the number of sheets output by the one job exceeds the predetermined number. In this case, a second setting unit is provided for setting the paper output destination of the job to a bin different from the paper output destination of the previous job .
[0008]
Preferably, the second setting means sets a paper output destination of the job to a bin in which no paper is output.
[0009]
Preferably, the sheet output apparatus can set a mode in which the second setting unit is operated and the first setting unit is not operated regardless of the number of sheets to be output in one job. To do.
[0010]
According to these inventions, since the output destination of the paper of the job is determined by the number of papers output in one job, it is possible to provide a paper output device that can effectively use the bin.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a digital copying machine 1 to which a sorter 700 is connected according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0013]
Referring to the figure, a digital copying machine 1 conveys a document one by one on a platen glass 18 by an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) 500, reads an image of the document, and based on the read image data. The laser beam scanning optical system 60 is driven to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 71, and this electrostatic latent image is developed.
[0014]
Specifically, the digital copying machine 1 includes a reading system 10 that reads an original image and converts it into image data, an image data processing unit 20 that processes image data transmitted from the reading system 10, and a memory unit 30. A print processing unit 40 for driving the optical system 60 based on print data transmitted from the memory unit 30; an optical system 60 for scanning the photosensitive drum 71 with a laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser 61; An image forming system 70 for developing and transferring a latent image formed on the drum 71, a sheet conveying system 70B, an ADF 500 having a function of conveying a document and reversing the front and back of a two-sided document, and copying Either the output of the sheet that has been performed is output to the sorter 700 as it is, or the sheet is reversed and sent to the digital copying machine 1 again. Nau and a reversing unit 600.
[0015]
A reading device IR is constituted by the reading system 10, the image data processing unit 20, and the memory unit 30, and a printer device PRT is constituted by the print processing unit 40, the optical system 60, the image forming system 70, and the sheet conveying system 70B. Is configured.
[0016]
The reading system 10 includes an exposure lamp 11, a first mirror 12, a second mirror 13a, a third mirror 13b, and a condensing lens 14 that are assembled to a scanner 19 that moves below the platen glass 18. And a photoelectric conversion element 16 using a CCD array or the like, a scan motor M2, and the like.
[0017]
An external interface 31 is connected to the memory unit 30, and the digital copying machine 1 can input image data from another device such as a personal computer connected to an external network via the external interface 31.
[0018]
The print processing unit 40 drives the optical system 60 line by line in the main scanning direction based on the print data output from the memory unit 30.
[0019]
The optical system 60 includes a semiconductor laser 61 that is modulated (on / off) by the print processing unit 40, a polygon mirror 65 that deflects and scans the laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser 61, and distortion of the deflected laser beam. It comprises an fθ lens 69 that corrects aberrations and the like, and mirrors 67a, 68, and 67c that guide the laser beam to the photosensitive drum 71.
[0020]
In the image forming system 70, a charging charger 72a, a developing device 73a, a transfer charger 75, and a residual toner cleaner 76 are arranged around a photosensitive drum 71 rotated in the direction of an arrow along the rotating direction. It is. Since the image forming process by the image forming system 70 is a well-known technique, the description thereof is omitted.
[0021]
The sheet conveying system 70B includes automatic sheet feeding cassettes 80a and 80b in which sheets are stacked and accommodated, a roller for feeding sheets one by one, a sheet conveying path 81, a timing roller 82, a conveying belt 83, a toner The fixing unit 84 and the discharge roller 85 are included. The sheet conveying system 70B and the photosensitive drum 71 are driven by the main motor M1. In addition, a sheet detection sensor is installed at a key point of the sheet conveyance path.
[0022]
The ADF 500 includes a document tray 510, a pickup roller 501, a separation roller 502, a separation pad 503, a register roller 504, a conveyance belt 506, a reverse roller 507, and a sheet discharge tray 511. The originals placed on the original tray 510 are conveyed one by one from the lowest layer onto the platen glass 18. The conveyed document on the platen glass 19 is temporarily stopped. The original is read by the reading system 10. In the double-sided reading mode, after the reading of one side of the original is completed, the original is rotated once around the reverse roller 507 and returned to the platen glass 18. Therefore, the conveyance belt 506 can be rotated forward and backward. Further, the size of the document is detected by the sensor SE51 immediately before being fed onto the platen glass 18.
[0023]
In the digital copying machine 1 configured as described above, an image of one original is normally read, and necessary corrections are added to the image data to generate print data. This print data is output by the optical system 60, and an image is formed on one sheet.
[0024]
The reversing unit 600 performs either an operation of sending the sheet output via the discharge roller 85 to the sorter 700 as it is, or inverting it and sending it again to the digital copying machine 1. When the original is sent to the sorter 700 as it is, the claw 601 is set to the angle shown in FIG. As a result, the sheet output via the discharge roller 85 is sent to the sorter 700 as it is.
[0025]
On the other hand, when the document is reversed and sent again to the digital copying machine 1, the claw 601 rotates clockwise from the state shown in FIG. In this case, the paper output via the discharge roller 85 is sent via the rollers 602 and 603. After the sensor SE61 detects the passage of the trailing edge of the sheet, the roller 603 is reversed, and then the sheet is sent to the photosensitive drum 71 via the rollers 86a to 86c and the timing roller 82.
[0026]
Sorter 700 has a total of 21 bins. In the first embodiment, the uppermost bin is a bin for outputting a sheet when the number of sheets to be output in one job is equal to or less than a predetermined number (referred to as a predetermined number or less output bin or a specific bin). The other bins are used as bins 701 for sorting sheets for each job.
[0027]
All the bins 701 and 702 are engaged with the spiral shaft 703, and when the spiral shaft 703 rotates, the bins 701 and 702 move in the vertical direction. Thereby, it is possible to set to which bin the paper sent via the rollers 706, 707, 709, 712, and 714 is output. All bins are provided with sensors for detecting whether paper is being output to the bins.
[0028]
2 and 3 are block diagrams showing the control unit of the digital copying machine of FIG. Referring to the figure, the control unit is configured around eight CPUs. Each of the CPUs is provided with ROMs 111 to 118 that store necessary programs and RAMs 121 to 128 that operate as work areas when the programs are executed.
[0029]
The CPU 101 performs control related to input of signals from various operation keys on the operation panel of the digital copying machine 1 and display on the operation panel. The CPU 102 controls each part of the image data processing unit 20. The CPU 103 performs drive control of the reading system 10. The CPU 104 controls the print processing unit 40, the optical system 60, the image forming system 70, and the sheet conveying system 70B.
[0030]
The CPU 105 performs control for overall timing adjustment and operation mode setting of the control unit 100. The CPU 106 is included in the memory unit 30 and controls the memory unit 30 to perform necessary processing on the image data D2 transferred from the image data processing unit 20 to generate print data, and the generated data is printed. Output to unit 40. The CPU 107 is a CPU that controls the ADF 500, and is connected to the CPUs 101, 102, and 105 via a serial I / O. The CPU 105 gives instructions for feeding, conveying, and discharging the original. The CPU 108 controls the refeed unit 600 and the sorter 700.
[0031]
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a specific example of the job management table stored in the RAM 125. Referring to the figure, for each job registered in the digital copying machine 1, a job No. Is assigned to the job number. Jobs are executed in ascending order. For each job, the number of sheets output by the job is registered as the output number (or number of prints). In addition, it is recorded whether the receiving destination of the data of each job is from the image data processing unit 20 or the external interface 31.
[0032]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of the bin management table stored in the RAM 125. As described with reference to FIG. 1, the copying machine according to the present embodiment has 21 bins. In the bin management table, each bin has a bin No. Is assigned and the status of each bin is managed. Based on the output of the sensor connected to each bin, whether or not there is paper in each bin (empty) is recorded in the bin management table.
[0033]
Bin No. 1 functions as an output bin (specific bin) for a predetermined number of sheets or less, and the other bins function as bins for sorting by job.
[0034]
The RAM 125 also stores a pointer (output bin position pointer) indicating a bin outputting a sheet and a switching output bin position pointer for determining a bin to which a sheet is to be output next. In addition, bin No. The maximum value of “21” is set as the Max bin number.
[0035]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control routine of the digital copying machine 1 performed by the CPU 105. Referring to the drawing, initial setting is made in step # 51. In this initial setting, the bin saving mode is set to “1”. Here, the bin-saving mode is a mode in which bins are not assigned to all jobs. If this mode is selected and the number of sheets to be output in one job is small, the number of sheets in that job is the predetermined number. The data is then output to the output bin. As a result, it is possible to prevent the inconvenience that usable bins are quickly lost.
[0036]
In step # 52, timing by an internal timer for controlling the timing of the entire apparatus is started. In step # 53, data input via the image data processing unit 20 or the external interface 31 and data input via the operation panel are analyzed.
[0037]
In step # 54, a mode (bin-saving mode or the like) or a command from the user is set.
[0038]
In step # 55, data output from the digital copying machine 1 is set. In step # 56, other processing is performed. In step # 57, it is determined whether or not the internal timer has ended, and the process waits until the answer is YES. If YES at step # 57, the process returns to step # 52.
[0039]
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a specific process in the mode / command setting process (# 54) of FIG. Referring to the figure, job output processing is executed in step # 101. In step # 102, other mode / command processing is performed. Specifically, this is processing for switching the bin-saving mode to “0” or “1” by an input from the user via the operation panel.
[0040]
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing specific processing in the job output processing (# 101) of FIG. Referring to the figure, in step # 201, it is determined whether or not the bin-saving mode is “1”. If YES, it is determined in step # 203 whether the number of sheets to be output in the job exceeds N. Here, N is the minimum number of sheets output for a job that does not sort the sheets. For example, if N is set to “1”, the number of sheets output in one job is one. There will be no sorting. Increasing the number of N can reduce the use of bins.
[0041]
If YES in step # 203, 1 is added to the pointer of the switching output bin position in step # 205. The initial value of the pointer at the switching output bin position is “1”.
[0042]
In step # 207, it is determined whether or not the pointer value at the switching output bin position exceeds the number of Max bins. If YES, the pointer value at the switching output bin position is set to “1” in step # 209. On the other hand, if NO at step # 207, the process proceeds directly to step # 211.
[0043]
In step # 211, it is determined whether the bin at the switching output bin position is empty according to the bin management table. If YES, it is determined in step # 213 whether the bin at the switching output bin position is a predetermined number or less of output bins. If YES, the process returns to step # 205, and if NO, the process proceeds to step # 215.
[0044]
In step # 215, the output bin position pointer is set to the numerical value recorded in the switching output bin position pointer. Next, “0” is set to the Max bin arrival flag in step # 217. Next, in step # 219, feeding of the job is started. The paper fed here is output to the bin indicated by the output bin position.
[0045]
If NO in step # 201, the process proceeds to step # 205 as it is. If NO in step # 203, the output bin position is set to a predetermined number or less of output bins (bin No. 1) in step # 221. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step # 219.
[0046]
If NO in step # 211, it is determined in step # 223 whether the pointer at the switching output bin position is the Max bin number. If YES, the Max bin arrival flag is "1" in step # 225. Determine whether. If YES, since all bins are used in step # 227, a message indicating that the sorter capacity has been exceeded is displayed on the operation panel. Next, “0” is set to the Max bin arrival flag in Step # 229.
[0047]
If NO at step # 223, the process returns to step # 205.
If NO at step # 225, "1" is set to the Max bin arrival flag at step # 231, and the process proceeds to step # 209.
[0048]
As described above, in this embodiment, when the number of sheets to be output in one job is N or less, the sheets are not sorted for each job using the bin. This makes it possible to provide a digital copier that can effectively use the bin. Further, when the number of sheets output in one job is small, the user can easily identify the sheet of the job output by himself / herself without using the bin.
[0049]
Also, by setting the bin saving mode to “0”, the user can sort using bins for all jobs, so the user can select the paper output method according to his / her preference. .
[0050]
[Second Embodiment]
Since the hardware configuration of the digital copying machine and sorter in the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, description thereof will not be repeated here. In the second embodiment, a flowchart shown in FIG. 9 is executed instead of the flowchart shown in FIG. The flowchart shown in FIG. 9 is obtained by removing steps # 213 and # 221 of the flowchart shown in FIG. According to this flowchart, when it is determined in step # 203 that the number of output sheets of the job is N or less, the process proceeds to step # 219. As a result, the paper output destination of the job is set to the same bin as the paper output destination of the previous job. When the number of sheets to be output is small, the user can easily identify his / her sheet, so even if the sheets are output to the same bin as the sheet output destination of the previous job in this way, There is no problem.
[0051]
If the number of output jobs exceeds N (YES in # 203), the paper output destination of the job is different from the paper output destination of the previous job, as in the first embodiment. Set to bin. Thereby, the paper is sorted for each job.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a digital copying machine 1 and a sorter 700 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit 100 of the digital copying machine.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram subsequent to FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a job management table.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a bin management table.
6 is a flowchart of processing performed by a CPU 105. FIG.
7 is a flowchart showing processing in mode / command setting processing (# 54) of FIG. 6; FIG.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing processing in job output processing (# 101) of FIG.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating job output processing according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
100 Copier 700 Sorter 701 Sorting bin 702 for each job No more than a predetermined number of output bins (specific bin)

Claims (3)

Determining means for determining the number of sheets to be output in one job;
First setting means for setting the output destination of the paper of the job to the same bin as the output destination of the paper of the previous job when the number of sheets to be output in the one job is equal to or less than a predetermined number;
Second setting means for setting a paper output destination of the job to a bin different from the paper output destination of the previous job when the number of sheets output in the one job exceeds the predetermined number; A paper output device. The paper output apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second setting unit sets a paper output destination of the job to a bin in which no paper is output. Characterized in that it is possible to set a mode to allow the operating the second setting means regardless of the number of sheets to be output in one job, and does not operate the first setting means, claim The paper output device according to 1 or 2 .

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