EP0620503A2 - Système d'indication de capacité de feuilles - Google Patents

Système d'indication de capacité de feuilles Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0620503A2
EP0620503A2 EP94302466A EP94302466A EP0620503A2 EP 0620503 A2 EP0620503 A2 EP 0620503A2 EP 94302466 A EP94302466 A EP 94302466A EP 94302466 A EP94302466 A EP 94302466A EP 0620503 A2 EP0620503 A2 EP 0620503A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sheets
copy
supply
supply source
copy sheets
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP94302466A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0620503A3 (en
Inventor
Gerald M. Devito
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Xerox Corp
Original Assignee
Xerox Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Xerox Corp filed Critical Xerox Corp
Publication of EP0620503A2 publication Critical patent/EP0620503A2/fr
Publication of EP0620503A3 publication Critical patent/EP0620503A3/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/55—Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
    • G03G15/553—Monitoring or warning means for exhaustion or lifetime end of consumables, e.g. indication of insufficient copy sheet quantity for a job
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/65—Apparatus which relate to the handling of copy material
    • G03G15/6502—Supplying of sheet copy material; Cassettes therefor
    • G03G15/6508—Automatic supply devices interacting with the rest of the apparatus, e.g. selection of a specific cassette
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2215/00—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes
    • G03G2215/00362—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes relating to the copy medium handling
    • G03G2215/00367—The feeding path segment where particular handling of the copy medium occurs, segments being adjacent and non-overlapping. Each segment is identified by the most downstream point in the segment, so that for instance the segment labelled "Fixing device" is referring to the path between the "Transfer device" and the "Fixing device"
    • G03G2215/00379—Copy medium holder
    • G03G2215/00383—Cassette
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2215/00—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes
    • G03G2215/00362—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes relating to the copy medium handling
    • G03G2215/00535—Stable handling of copy medium
    • G03G2215/00603—Control of other part of the apparatus according to the state of copy medium feeding

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a reproduction system for reproducing an image from an original document, and to a method for determining the sufficiency of copy sheets in the paper supply source of such a system to complete a print job before the print job commences.
  • a reproduction system in accordance with the present invention has a control system which compares print job data with the quantity of copy paper sheets in a supply source before beginning processing of the print job. Then, the control device sends a signal to the user to indicate the sufficiency of sheets in the copy paper supply source for completing the instant print job before beginning the print job.
  • the present invention provides a reproduction system, and a method for determining a sufficiency of copy sheets in a reproduction system, as claimed in the accompanying claims.
  • the present invention also provides a reproduction system for reproducing an image from an original document, comprising an input inputting print data, including a quantity of copies to be made; a reproducer reproducing the image on at least one copy sheet corresponding to the input print data; a supply source coupled to said reproducer and supplying at least one copy sheet to said reproducer; a supply determiner coupled to said supply source determining a quantity of copy sheets in said supply source; and a controller coupled to said input, said supply determiner and said reproducer, wherein said controller compares the input print data and the quantity of copy sheets in said supply source and controls reproduction based on the comparison.
  • the present invention further provides a reproduction system for reproducing an image from an original document comprising a loading tray receiving an original document comprising at least one original sheet; an input inputting print data, including a quantity of copies to be made; a supply source containing a quantity of copy sheets; a supply determiner coupled to said supply source which determines data corresponding to the quantity of copy sheets in said supply means; a reproduction mechanism coupled to said supply source and reproducing the original document on copy sheets based on the input print data; a controller coupled to said input, said supply determiner and said reproduction mechanism, wherein said controller controls reproduction of the original document in accordance with a comparison of the input print data and the quantity of copy sheets in said supply source and outputs a signal based on the comparison; and a display coupled to said controller and receiving the output signal, wherein said display displays a message corresponding to the output signal.
  • an exemplary reproduction or copy machine 10 for processing print jobs includes a controller 12 and a recirculating document handling system 14.
  • the document handling system 14 includes an original holding tray 40 which receives a document 54, generally comprising a plurality of original sheets 42, for reproduction.
  • a counter 94 is coupled to document handling system 14 to count the number of original sheets in the document to be copied.
  • Counter 94 may be any conventional counting device such as a shuffling mechanism.
  • Handling system 14 advances original sheet 42 facedown onto a transparent platen 22.
  • a belt 50 having a photoconductive surface moves in the direction of an arrow 52 to advance successive portions of the photoconductive surface through various processing stations, starting with a charging station including a corona generating device 60.
  • Corona generating device 60 charges the photoconductive surface of belt 50 to a relatively high substantially uniform potential.
  • the charged portion of the photoconductive surface of belt 50 is then advanced through an imaging station.
  • recirculating document handling system 14 positions original sheet 42 face down.
  • a lamp 46 flashes light rays onto original sheet 42.
  • the light rays reflected from original sheet 42 are transmitted through a lens 48 forming a light image thereof.
  • Lens 48 focuses the light image onto the charged portion of the photoconductive surface of belt 50 to selectively dissipate the charge thereon. This records an electrostatic image on the photoconductive surface of belt 50 which corresponds to the informational areas contained within original sheet 42.
  • Document handling system 14 sequentially feeds the plurality of sheets 42 in document 54 from original holding tray 40, in seriatim, to platen 22. Document handling system 14 recirculates the plurality of original sheets 42 back to original holding tray 40.
  • a pair of magnetic brush developer rollers 56 and 58 advance a developer material into contact with the electrostatic latent image.
  • the latent image attracts toner particles from the carrier granules of the developer material to form a toner powder image on the photoconductive surface of belt 50.
  • Other arrangements of applying toner onto belt 50 are, of course, possible.
  • belt 50 advances the toner powder image to the transfer station.
  • a copy sheet 64 is moved into contact with the toner powder image.
  • the transfer station includes corona generating device 61 which sprays ions onto the backside of copy sheet 64. This attracts the toner powder image from the photoconductive surface of belt 50 to copy sheet 64.
  • Copy sheet 64 is fed from a selected one of a copy paper supply tray 18 or 20 to the transfer station.
  • One of copy paper supply trays 18 or 20 can contain a special type of copy sheet (i.e., cover sheets), or an additional tray (not shown) for holding a special type of sheets can be provided.
  • Each copy paper supply tray 18 and 20 has a measuring device 30 coupled thereto for determining the number of copy sheets in supply tray 18 and 20 as described later.
  • measuring device 30 is a linear velocity displacement transducer 36 coupled to a side of tray 18, for example, for measuring the height of the stack of copy sheets 64.
  • the embodiment of Fig. 3 shows measuring device 30 as a load cell 34 coupled to the bottom of tray 20, for example, for measuring the weight of the stack of copy sheets 64.
  • a conveyor 62 advances copy sheet 64 to a fusing station.
  • the fusing station includes a fuser assembly for permanently affixing the transferred powder image to copy sheet 64.
  • a fuser assembly 66 includes a heated fuser roller 68 and a backup roller 70 with copy sheet 64 passing between fuser roller 68 and backup roller 70 with the powder image contacting fuser roller 68.
  • conveyor 63 transports copy sheet 64 to a gate 72 which functions as an inverter selector.
  • copy sheet 64 will either be deflected into a sheet inverter 74 or fed directly onto a second gate 76.
  • Gate 76 deflects copy sheet 64 into a transport path which carries it on without inversion to a third gate 78.
  • Gate 78 either passes the sheets directly on without inversion into the output path of the copier to an output tray 26, or deflects the sheets into a duplex inverter roll transport 80.
  • Inverting transport 80 inverts and stacks a plurality of copy sheets 64 to be duplexed in a duplex tray 82.
  • Duplex tray 82 provides intermediate or buffer storage for those sheets which have been printed on one side for printing on the opposite side.
  • the previously simplexed copy sheet 64 in tray 82 is fed by a bottom feeder 84 back to the transfer station for transfer of the toner powder image to the opposite side of copy sheet 64.
  • Conveyers 86 and 88 advance a duplex copy sheet along a path which produces an inversion of the duplex copy sheet.
  • the duplex copy sheet is then fed through the same path as the previously simplexed copy sheet 64 to be stacked in output tray 26 for subsequent removal by the printing machine operator.
  • the cleaning station includes a rotatably mounted fibrous brush 90 in contact with the photoconductive surface of belt 50.
  • a user interface 28 includes a keypad 92 and a display area 38.
  • Display area 38 is preferably a liquid crystal display (LCD).
  • display area 38 is merely a lighted signal, for example, a light emitting diode (LED).
  • User interface 28 is described as having the particular form shown in the illustrated embodiment, but it is understood that copy machines may have a variety of user interfaces including, for example, a main frame computer.
  • Controller 12 is generally a conventional programmable controller such as shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,130,750. In this case, however, controller 12 is additionally programmed with functions described herein for scheduling and controlling the determinations regarding the sufficiency of copy sheets for completing the input print job which take place before the reproduction process begins and which integrate the use of measuring device 30 and optionally of counter 94.
  • controller 12 is in communication with counter 94 which is coupled to document handler 14.
  • Counter 94 counts the plurality of original sheets 42 in document 54 and outputs the result to controller 12.
  • Counter 94 is an optional component and may be replaced by manually inputting the number of original sheets 42 in document 54 at user interface 28.
  • Controller 12 communicates with the user interface 28 to receive input print data.
  • the controller 12 communicates with measuring device 30 which, in turn, is coupled to at least one copy paper supply tray 18 and 20.
  • the print job includes a plurality of original sheets 42 in a document 54 for which multiple copies are to be made.
  • the number of copies of the original document 54 to be reproduced is input at keypad 92 on user interface 28.
  • the quantity of original sheets 42 in document 54 is also input either manually at keypad 92 on user interface 28 or via counter 94 on document handling system 14 which automatically counts the quantity of original sheets 42 in document 54.
  • controller 12 activates counter 94 to shuffle or scroll through the original sheets 42 of document 54 for the print job to determine the quantity of original sheets 42.
  • the number of original sheets can be preprogrammed or electronically sent to copy machine 10 from a mainframe computer.
  • copy paper supply source 32 includes copy paper holding trays 18 and 20 which are coupled with a measuring device 30 and controller 12 to determine the quantity of copy sheets 64 in copy paper supply source 32.
  • the quantity of copy sheets in copy paper supply source 32 is determined from measuring device 30 which is in the form of a linear velocity displacement transducer 36.
  • Linear velocity displacement transducer 36 measures the height or thickness of a stack of copy sheets.
  • Linear velocity displacement transducer 36 outputs the height measurement to controller 12.
  • the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 uses a measuring device 30 in the form of a load cell 34 to measure the weight of a stack of copy sheets 64 in supply source 32.
  • Load cell 34 outputs the weight data to controller 12 to determine the quantity of copy sheets 64 in copy paper supply source 32.
  • Controller 12 is programmable to accommodate different types of paper having different weights. Preferably, paper having a weight of 20 pounds per 1,000 sheets is used.
  • Controller 12 includes conventional software to convert the measurement data output from measuring device 30 to data corresponding to the number of copy sheets 64 in supply source 32 and to compare the copy sheet data to the input data from user interface 28 and input data from counter 94 if applicable, corresponding to the number of copies to be made and the number of original sheets 42. Controller 12 is coupled with user interface 28, measuring device 30 and counter 94 via conventional circuit paths which transfer data.
  • Display 38 located on user interface 28, shows a message indicating the ability for uninterrupted completion of a print job. The message reflects the result of the comparison from control device 12.
  • display 38 shows a message indicating to the user the insufficiency of the quantity of copy sheets in copy paper supply source 32 to satisfy a print job and directs the user to replenish copy paper supply source 32 prior to commencing the print job.
  • Display 38 includes, for example, one message for indicating a sufficient supply of copy sheets and another message for indicating an insufficient supply of copy sheets. The message may merely constitute a colored light.
  • controller 12 The total number of copies to be reproduced in a print job is input into keypad 92 on user interface 28.
  • the quantity of original sheets 42 in document 54 loaded into document handler 14 for the print job is automatically counted by counter 94.
  • Print data including the number of copies input at user interface 28 and the number of original sheets counted by counter 94, is output to controller 12.
  • controller 12 activates measuring device 30 which measures the number of copy sheets 64 in copy paper supply source 32.
  • the measurement result is output to controller 12. From this measurement the quantity of copy sheets 64 in copy paper supply source 32 is determined by controller 12 using conventional algorithms.
  • Controller 12 compares the print job data, including the number of original sheets 42 in document 54 and the number of copies to be made, to the number of copy sheets 64 in copy paper supply source 32 to determine if there is a sufficient quantity of copy sheets 64 in copy paper supply source 32 to satisfy the quantity of copy sheets needed to complete the print job. The user is then signalled to add more copy sheets 64 to copy paper supply source 32 if necessary. If the comparison shows that there is a sufficient amount of copy sheets 64 in copy paper supply source 32, the print job will automatically begin.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Control Or Security For Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Printing Methods (AREA)
  • Controlling Sheets Or Webs (AREA)
EP19940302466 1993-04-14 1994-04-07 Paper capacity indication system. Withdrawn EP0620503A3 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US4629493A 1993-04-14 1993-04-14
US46294 1993-04-14

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0620503A2 true EP0620503A2 (fr) 1994-10-19
EP0620503A3 EP0620503A3 (en) 1994-11-23

Family

ID=21942683

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19940302466 Withdrawn EP0620503A3 (en) 1993-04-14 1994-04-07 Paper capacity indication system.

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0620503A3 (fr)
JP (1) JPH06321386A (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2297009A (en) * 1994-12-21 1996-07-17 Samsung Electronics Co Ltd Displaying number of remaining record sheets in an image forming apparatus
GB2374571A (en) * 2001-03-29 2002-10-23 Hewlett Packard Co Method for estimating printer resources by comparing an amount of resources required to print a document to an amount of resources available at the printer
EP1329776A2 (fr) * 2001-11-13 2003-07-23 Xerox Corporation Appareil et procédés de formation d'images pour la gestion de commandes d'impression basées sur la quantité de consommables encore disponible

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3806242A (en) * 1971-12-30 1974-04-23 Xerox Corp Apparatus for regulating the operation of a device in accordance with the supply of material upon which the device operates
US4734747A (en) * 1984-12-27 1988-03-29 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Copying machine with a copy paper detection device
US4748479A (en) * 1986-05-28 1988-05-31 Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming apparatus capable of displaying a capacity and/or a remaining quantity of sheets of paper

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3806242A (en) * 1971-12-30 1974-04-23 Xerox Corp Apparatus for regulating the operation of a device in accordance with the supply of material upon which the device operates
US4734747A (en) * 1984-12-27 1988-03-29 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Copying machine with a copy paper detection device
US4748479A (en) * 1986-05-28 1988-05-31 Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming apparatus capable of displaying a capacity and/or a remaining quantity of sheets of paper

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2297009A (en) * 1994-12-21 1996-07-17 Samsung Electronics Co Ltd Displaying number of remaining record sheets in an image forming apparatus
GB2374571A (en) * 2001-03-29 2002-10-23 Hewlett Packard Co Method for estimating printer resources by comparing an amount of resources required to print a document to an amount of resources available at the printer
GB2374571B (en) * 2001-03-29 2005-02-02 Hewlett Packard Co A method and apparatus for estimating printer resources
US6977742B2 (en) 2001-03-29 2005-12-20 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Method and apparatus for estimating printer resources
EP1329776A2 (fr) * 2001-11-13 2003-07-23 Xerox Corporation Appareil et procédés de formation d'images pour la gestion de commandes d'impression basées sur la quantité de consommables encore disponible
EP1329776A3 (fr) * 2001-11-13 2003-08-06 Xerox Corporation Appareil et procédés de formation d'images pour la gestion de commandes d'impression basées sur la quantité de consommables encore disponible
US7009719B2 (en) 2001-11-13 2006-03-07 Xerox Corporation Systems and methods for controlling an image forming system based on customer replaceable unit status

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH06321386A (ja) 1994-11-22
EP0620503A3 (en) 1994-11-23

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