JPH06100859B2 - Copier with synthetic copy control function - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a composite for controlling a composite copy that is a multicolor copy by repeating an image on a sheet of paper several times to combine images of different colors. The present invention relates to a copying machine having a copy control function.

<Summary of the Invention> In summary, the copying machine having the composite copy control function of the present invention has the image forming function of the copying machine when a document or a developing tank is manually replaced during composite copying. By utilizing it as it is, it is possible to prevent forgetting to replace the original document and the developing tank, and by making the labor of setting the number of copies equal to that of a normal copying operation, it is possible to obtain a desired composite copy without a mistake. .

<Prior Art> A copying machine can change a toner color by changing a developing tank, or a plurality of developing tanks having different toner colors are provided in a main body, and by switching between these developing tanks, various colors can be changed. There are things that can be copied. If you make a multi-color copy by repeating copying on a sheet of paper several times and combining images with different colors using such a copying machine, when you use it for copying materials, etc. Since it is very easy to see, in a copying machine capable of changing toner colors, synthetic copy work for making this multicolor copy is frequently performed.

The conventional synthetic copying operation by a copying machine is very troublesome because the developer tank and the original are manually replaced, and the operation may be forgotten. For this reason, conventionally, there has been proposed an automatic operation to eliminate the troublesome operation of multicolor composite copying. However, if it is automatically performed, it is necessary to add more functions than the image forming function of the copying machine and special means, and the size of the apparatus as a whole tends to increase and the cost tends to increase.

Therefore, in order to reduce the size and cost of the copying machine,
The normal functions of the copying machine may be used as they are.
However, as mentioned above, the synthetic copy work is very troublesome,
There are many mistaken copies due to forgetting to replace the original document or the developing tank, and there is also an uneconomical aspect due to waste of copying and waste of time.

<Objects of the Invention> The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and, when performing a composite copy, automatically sets the number of copies each time a copy for one color is completed, and also It is an object of the present invention to provide a copying machine having a synthetic copy control function that can prompt the replacement of the developing tank and prevent operation mistakes.

<Structure of the Invention> The copying machine having the composite copy control function of the present invention can be equipped with a single developing tank, and the developing tank to be mounted is exchanged so that different colors are formed on the same surface of the paper. In a copying machine capable of setting a composite copy mode for forming an image of an original, a single developing tank installation in which any one of a plurality of developing tanks containing toners of different colors is selectively installed in the copying machine main body. Section, a combination mode key for setting the combination copy mode, copy number storage means for storing the set number of copies, and document replacement detection means for detecting manual replacement of documents placed on the document table. And a developing tank replacement detecting means for detecting a manual replacement of a developing tank of a color different from the previous color in the developing tank mounting portion of the copying machine main body, and the copying machine in the composition mode set by the composition mode key. Mounted on the body A first-stage copy control means for forming an image of an original document placed on a document table on a sheet of the number of copies stored in the copy number storage means using a developing tank of the same color; At the end of copying by the control means,
Based on both detection signals by the original document replacement detection means and the developing tank replacement detection means, permitting means for enabling image formation start with a color different from the previous color by composite copying, and based on the permission by the permitting means, Second step of forming images of originals exchanged by using exchanged developing tanks of different colors on the same surface of the sheet formed by using the developing tanks according to the number of sheets stored in the number-of-copies storing unit And a copy control means of.

<Operation and Effect> With the configuration described above, in the copying machine of the present invention, when the composite copy mode is set by operating the composite mode key, the first-stage copy control is executed according to the copy start command. That is, an image corresponding to the original on the original table by the developing tank of the mounted color is formed on the paper fed from the paper feeding unit. This is repeated for the number of copies stored in the copy number storage means. The operation for this first-stage copy control is the same as the normal copy operation,
It is only necessary to operate the composite mode key to set the composite copy mode.

Next, when the above-mentioned copying is completed, both the detecting means detect the manual replacement of the original and the developing tank. At this time, the detection signal from both detection means, that is, the permission signal from the means for permitting the start of image formation is not output unless the exchange state is detected.

Therefore, the start of image formation is prohibited because the condition of the synthetic copy for forming an image in another different color on the same surface of the set number of sheets on which the image in the color of the preceding developing tank is formed is not satisfied, Miscopy is blocked. Therefore, when the original document is replaced and the developing tank different from the previous color is replaced, both detecting means detect this. As a result, the permitting unit permits the start of image formation.

As a result, the image formation is executed by the copy control means in the second stage, and the number of copies of the number of sheets stored in the copy number storage means is performed. In other words, the paper on which the image was previously formed is sent to the image forming portion, and the image of the different color corresponding to the replaced original is also combined on the image forming surface of the paper, and the desired composite copy is made. Can be obtained.

Therefore, according to the copying machine of the present invention, the number of copies can be set by the same operation as in normal copying, and the setting operation for copying does not require any troublesome operation. In addition, it is not necessary to add a special image forming structure to the copying machine, and the image forming function of the copying machine can be used as it is, and the copying machine is not upsized and the cost is high.

In particular, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent miscopying due to replacement of the developing tank and forgetting manual replacement of the original at the time of composite copying with different colors, and it is possible to obtain a remarkable effect of saving waste of copying and waste of time. it can.

<Embodiment> FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control unit of a copying machine having a composite copy control function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The copying machine having the composite copy control function of this embodiment is composed of a composite mode setting means, a copy number setting storage means, a document replacement detection means, a developing tank replacement detection means, and a composite copy permission means. The combination mode setting means confirms that the combination mode setting key 2 on the operation panel 1 has been pressed.
Input from CPU4 via I / O interface 3 and input this to R
The composition mode is set by storing in the memory area M0 on AM5. When the combination mode is set by the combination mode setting means, the combination mode display LED 2 provided near the combination mode setting key 2 on the operation panel 1
2 lights up. The number-of-copies setting storage means sets and stores the number of copies by inputting the operation of the numeric keypad 6 on the operation panel 1 through the I / O interface 3 and storing it in the memory area M1 on the RAM5. Is. The copy number set by the copy number setting storage means is displayed by the copy number display 17 on the operation panel 1. The document exchange detection means detects that the document has been exchanged by inputting a signal from the document detection switch 7 to the CPU 4 via the I / O interface 3 and storing it in the memory area M2 on the RAM 5. Is. As shown in FIG. 3, the document detection switch 7 is composed of a light emitting diode 9 installed upward on the back of the document table 8 and a phototransistor 10 installed in front of the back of the document table 8 to emit light. Light from the diode 9 is reflected by the reflecting plate 11 and is received by the phototransistor 10 through the glass plate of the document table 8 to detect the presence and size of the document. The original detection switch 7 is conventionally provided in a copying machine having an automatic original size detection function. When replacing a document, first, the document cover 12 is opened, the document on the document table 8 is replaced, and the document cover 12 is closed again. Therefore, the phototransistor 10 always receives the light from the light emitting diode 9 when the document cover 12 is opened or when the document is replaced. It is possible to determine that the document has been replaced and store in the memory area M2 that the document has been replaced. The developing tank replacement detecting means receives signals from the outer cover opening / closing switch 13 and the developing tank detection switch 14 via the I / O interface 3 and sends them to the CPU 4
Is input and stored in the memory area M3 on the RAM 5 to detect that the developing tank has been replaced. As shown in FIG. 4, the outer cover opening / closing switch 13 is a micro switch provided on the opening / closing part of the outer cover 16 of the copying machine body 15. When the micro switch is turned off, the CPU 4 opens the outer tank cover 16. The state can be detected. The exterior lid open / close switch 13 is also conventionally provided in the copying machine as a safety device. To replace the developing tank 18,
After the outer cover 16 is opened, it is pulled out from the copying machine main body 15 and replaced with a new developing tank 18 to be mounted. As shown in FIG. 5, the developing tank detecting switch 14 is a micro switch provided in the developing tank mounting portion of the copying machine main body 15. The developing tank detection switch 14 is a detection block 19 provided on the developing tank 18 when the developing tank 18 is pulled out.
Turns off when the actuator comes out of the actuator 26 of the micro switch, and when installed, the detection block 19 turns the actuator 2
Push 6 up to turn it on. This developing tank detection switch 14 also
In order to confirm the toner color of the mounted developing tank 18, the conventional developing tank 18 is provided in a replaceable copying machine. By the OFF / ON operation of the developing tank detection switch 14, the CPU 4 can detect that the developing tank 18 has been replaced. Therefore, the CPU 4 sets the exterior lid open / close switch 13 to OF
When the developing tank detection switch 14 is turned OFF and ON while it is at F, it is determined that the developing tank 18 has been replaced, and this is stored in the memory area M3. Synthetic copy permission means is RAM5
When the number of copies set and stored in memory area M1 of is completed, CPU4 searches the memory contents of memory areas M0, M2 and M3, and whether to allow the start of the next copy operation depending on the state of the memory contents. The decision is made. Specifically, when the combined mode state of the memory area M0 is not stored, all the settings are canceled and the initial state is restored to the copyable state. When the memory area M0 stores the composite mode state, the memory areas M2 and M3 are further searched, and the memory contents M2 and M3 are waited until the stored contents of the original and the developing tank 18 have been exchanged. When both tanks 18 have been exchanged, the copy is made possible and the print switch 20 on the operation panel 1 is turned on to inform the operator that the copy is possible. At this time, the setting of the number of copies stored in the memory area M1 is maintained as it is, and is set as the number of copies for the next copy. RA
The memory areas T ₁ and T ₂ on the M5 are memory areas for the timer, and are provided to measure the time to return to the initial state when the next operation is not performed for a long time in the composite mode. is there. Reference numeral 21 is a ROM, which is a storage device for storing the control program and the like of this copying machine.

Next, the operation of the control unit of the copying machine having the composite copy control function of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

Step n1 (hereinafter, simply. That ni Step ni) in resets the timer memory area T _1, and resets the mode setting of the memory area M0 to M3.
As a result, after returning the control unit to the initial state, the timer in the memory area T ₁ is set to start time counting. This time counting is performed by storing predetermined time data in the memory area T ₁ by the timer set and subtracting the stored time data every time the time counting pulse is input to the CPU 4. Next, the composition mode setting is accepted (n2), and it is determined whether the composition mode setting key 2 has been pressed (n2).
3). When the combination mode setting key 2 is pressed, the combination mode display LED 22 is turned on and the memory area M
The stored content of 0 is set to 1 (n4), and the process proceeds to n5. If the composite mode setting key 2 is not pressed, the process proceeds to n5.
At n5, the number of copies set by the numeric keypad 5 is stored in the memory area M1, and other settings necessary for the copy operation such as the exposure amount and the copy magnification which are not described here are performed. When these settings are made, it is judged whether or not the time data stored in the memory area T ₁ is 0 or less (n6). If it is not 0 or less, it is determined whether the print switch 20 has been pressed. (N7).
If the print switch 20 is not pressed, the process returns to n2 and waits for the print switch 20 to be pressed. If the print switch 20 is not pressed for a long time after the timer set in n1 and the time data stored in the memory area T ₁ becomes 0 or less in n6, the process returns to n1 to cancel the composite mode or the like. The initial state. This is because if an operator cancels the copy operation and leaves it after setting the composite mode, another operator who does not know that the composite mode is set causes an operation error using the copying machine. This is a mechanism provided to prevent this. When the print switch 20 is pressed at n7, the photoconductor is exposed and developed due to the movement of the optical system, and an image is formed such that the image formed on the photoconductor is transferred to the paper sent from the paper feeding unit. The copy cycle is executed (n8). When a series of copy cycles ends, it is judged whether or not the number of repetitions of this copy cycle has reached the number of copies set and stored in the memory area M1 (n9), and if it has not reached the number of copies yet, it returns to n8. Then, the copy cycle is repeated until the number of copies is reached. When the number of repetitions of the copy cycle reaches the set number of copies, it is judged whether the stored content of the memory area M0 is 1 (n1
0). If the stored content of the memory area M0 remains 0 and the synthesis mode is not set, the copy operation ends here, and the process returns to n1 to enter the initial state. If the stored content is 1 synthesis mode of the memory areas M0 is set, in preparation for the next copy work done by changing the copy color, resets the timer memory area T _2, the memory area T Set the timer of ₂ and start timing (n11). The timer of the memory area T ₂ is timed in the same way as the timer of the memory area T ₁ . Further, in n11, the stored contents of the memory area M1 are maintained, and the display contents of the number display 17 on the operation panel 1 are returned to the number stored in the memory area M1.
Next, it is determined whether the time data stored in the memory area T ₂ is 0 or less (n12). If the time data is not 0 or less, it is first determined whether the document detection switch 6 has detected replacement of the document (n13). If the document has been replaced, the contents stored in the memory area M2 are checked. Set to 1 (n14) and proceed to n15. If the originals have not been replaced, proceed directly to n15. Next, at n15, it is determined whether or not the outer cover opening / closing switch 13 has detected that the outer cover 16 has been opened. When it is detected that the outer cover 16 is opened, it is judged whether or not the developing tank detection switch 14 has detected that the developing tank 18 has been replaced (n16) that the developing tank 18 has been replaced. If not detected, return to n15 and wait for replacement. When it is detected that the developing tank 18 has been replaced, the memory content of the memory area M3 is set to 1 (n1
7) Go to n18. If it is not detected in n15 that the outer cover 16 has been replaced, the process directly proceeds to n18. At n18, it is first determined whether or not the stored content of the memory area M2 is 1. If the stored content is 1, then it is determined whether the stored content in the memory area M3 is 1 (n19). If any of the stored contents remains 0 in n18 and n19, the process returns to n12 and waits for replacement of the original with the developing tank 18. After the timer set in n11, a long period of time elapses without the original and the developer tank 18 is replaced, when the time data stored in the memory area T ₂ is less than or equal to zero in n12, the memory area T ₁ timer Similar to the case, the process returns to n1 and cancels the composite mode, etc., and becomes the initial state. If the stored contents are both 1 in n18 and n19, that is, it can be judged that both the original document and the developing tank 18 have been exchanged, the print switch is sent to inform the operator that copying is possible.
Turn on 20 (n20). When the print switch 20 is turned on, it is judged whether or not the time data stored in the memory area T ₂ is 0 or less (n21). This time data is still 0
If the following does not occur, it is determined whether the operator has pressed the clear key C on the numeric keypad 6 on the operation panel 1 (n22). When clear key C is pressed,
Since it means that the composite mode was canceled by the manual operation, in this case as well, the state returns to n1 and becomes the initial state. If the clear key C has not been pressed, it is determined whether the print switch 20 has been pressed (n23). If not, the process returns to n21 to wait for the print switch 20 to be pressed. Even if a long time elapses while waiting for the print switch 20 to be pressed and the time data stored in the memory area T ₂ becomes 0 or less in n21, the memory area T ₁
Similar to the case of the timer of (1), it returns to n1 and becomes the initial state. n2
In 3, when the print switch 20 is pressed, the process returns to n8, the copy cycle is executed, and a series of copying with the next copy color is performed for the set number of sheets. In this case, although not shown in the drawings and the like, as a method of feeding so that the image forming surface of the paper on which the image is previously formed is opposed to the image formed on the photoconductor so as to be transferred, For example, there is a method in which a sheet on which an image has been previously formed is returned to a sheet feeding unit and is fed from the sheet feeding unit so as to face the image forming surface of the photoconductor. By this method, the sheet on which the image has been formed in advance is fed to the transfer position of the photoconductor, and the images of different colors are combined with the preceding image to perform copying. Then, this operation is repeated until the clear key C is pressed at n22 to cancel the composition mode, or at n12 and n21, the timer of the memory area T ₂ times out.

In the copying machine having the composite copy control function of the present embodiment configured as described above, by pressing the composite mode setting key 2 to set the composite mode, the copy cycle is executed for the set number of sheets and a copy for one color is made. The print switch indicates that the original and developer tank 18 will be replaced each time
Since the system waits without turning on 20, the copy cycle is not executed even if the print switch 20 is pressed without forgetting to replace the original or the developing tank 18, and it is possible to prevent erroneous copying. Further, since the stored contents of the memory area M1 is maintained when the original and the developing tank 18 are exchanged and the copy is made possible, the same number of copies is set every time copying of one color is completed. You can save time,
The troublesomeness of the work can be eliminated.

In the embodiment, the position where the developing tank 18 is mounted on the main body of the copying machine corresponds to the single developing tank mounting portion of the present invention, and in the flowchart shown in FIG. 1, n5 is a numerical value operated by the ten-key pad 6. Is stored in the area M1 of the RAM 5 corresponds to the copy number storage means. Further, the document replacement detecting means and the developing tank replacement detecting means are as described above, but in the flowchart of FIG.
3 → n14 corresponds to the document exchange detecting means, and n15 → n16 → n17 corresponds to the developing tank exchange detecting means. Further, n7 → n8 → n9 in the flowchart of FIG. 1 is the first step for forming an image corresponding to the original on the paper fed from the paper feeding section by using the developing tank mounted in the main body of the copying machine. Corresponding to the copy control means of n18 → n19, it is possible to perform image formation operation by composite copy based on detection of replacement of original and development tank after image formation by the development tank previously installed in the copying machine main body Corresponding to the permission means to
n23 → n8 → n9 correspond to the copy control means of the second stage for executing the image formation by the original and the developing tank exchanged based on the permission of the permission means.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing the operation of a control unit in a copying machine having a composite copy control function according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the control unit in the copying machine, and FIG. Partial side view of the document table in the copying machine,
FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view showing a state in which the developing tank is replaced in the copying machine, and FIG. 5 is a partial side view showing the inside of the developing tank mounting portion in the copying machine.

Continuation of front page (56) Reference JP 54-69488 (JP, A) JP 54-89736 (JP, A) JP 56-25751 (JP, A) JP 57-194675 (JP , A) JP 58-43482 (JP, A) JP 60-22139 (JP, A) JP 60-48669 (JP, A) JP 56-43659 (JP, A) US Pat. (US, A)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A single developing tank can be mounted, and the developing tank to be mounted can be replaced to set a composite copy mode in which an image of an original is formed on the same surface of paper in different colors. In the copying machine, a single developing tank mounting portion in which any of a plurality of developing tanks containing toners of different colors are selectively mounted in the copying machine main body, and a composite mode for setting the composite copy mode. A key, a copy number storage means for storing the set number of copies, a document replacement detection means for detecting manual replacement of a document placed on the document table, and a developing tank mounting portion of the copying machine body. The developer tank replacement detection means for detecting the manual replacement of the developer tank of a color different from the color of the above, and the developer tank of the color mounted on the main body of the copying machine at the time of the composition mode set by the composition mode key are used. Original placed on the platen A copy control means of the image of the first step of forming the sheet storage number of sheets of the number of copies storage means, when copying is completed by the first stage of the copy control unit,
Based on both detection signals by the original document replacement detection means and the developing tank replacement detection means, permitting means for enabling image formation start with a color different from the previous color by composite copying, and based on the permission by the permitting means, Second step of forming images of originals exchanged by using exchanged developing tanks of different colors on the same surface of the sheet formed by using the developing tanks according to the number of sheets stored in the number-of-copies storing unit A copying machine having a composite copy control function, characterized by comprising: