JP2000214731A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device which is easily used not only by a specified physically disabled person but also by a person having another kind of disability and a non-disabled person. SOLUTION: A copying machine main body 100 is provided with a speaker 101 for guiding an operation method, etc., an IC card reading part 102 reading the information of an IC card in which information concerning personal operation circumstances is written, and an operation part 103. The main body 100 is provided with a leg part 300 at its lower part. The leg part 300 is allowed to ascend/descend by a contorl mechanism, whereby the height of the operation part can be adjusted within a fixed range. The name, the age and the distinction of sex, and the kind of disability of the physically disabled person using a copying machine, and the kind and the class of the disability and the height obtained when the person sits on a wheelchair, or the height of the leg part 300 at which the person easily uses the copying machine are stored in the memory of the IC card.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a copying machine, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus for a physically handicapped person, but which is easy to use for not only physically handicapped but also healthy persons.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine for a physically handicapped person having a physical disability has been developed and spread. For example, in a copier for the visually impaired, in addition to providing guidance on a copy operation, when a recording paper jam occurs during image formation, a sound explaining the jam processing procedure is sent to the main body of the copier. In some cases, a speaker is provided to notify a user of the situation. In addition, the copy machine for persons with disabilities who are wheelchair-bound and use a wheelchair is provided with the operation surface of the copy machine below the normal copy machine to make it easier for people with disabilities to perform copy operations. There is.

[0003]

However, since the conventional copying machine for the physically handicapped is designed for a specific disabled person, such a copying machine may be used by persons with other disabilities. Also, when used by healthy persons, there is a problem that the usability is poor and the operation becomes difficult. In addition, even in a copying machine for a physically handicapped person, the image forming mode in which copying is performed differs from person to person. Is required. In this case, especially in the case of a visually impaired person, it may be difficult to select an image forming mode that the user wants to use without the help of a person even if voice guidance is provided.

[0004] As described above, there is a copying machine designed for a physically handicapped person who uses a wheelchair or the like so that the operation surface is provided below a normal copying machine so that the handicapped person can use it easily. However, when a healthy person tries to use such a copying machine, there is a problem that the operation surface is too low to use.

The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus which is easy to use not only for a specific physically disabled person but also for a person with another type of disability and a healthy person. Aim.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention uses an image forming apparatus which can set a desired image forming mode when forming an image. The operation information of the user at the time is recorded, an information recording medium provided separately from the image forming apparatus, an information reading means for reading information recorded on the information recording medium, and an image forming mode. An operation support mode for assisting the setting and an operation support mode setting means for automatically setting the operation support mode based on the information read by the information reading means are provided.

In the above-mentioned image forming apparatus, there is further provided a lifting / lowering means at a lower portion of the apparatus for raising / lowering the apparatus body.
The operation support mode setting means controls the elevating means to automatically set the height of the image forming apparatus based on the information on the height setting of the elevating means read by the information reading means.

Further, the information reading means has a function of writing an operation support mode on the information recording medium.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a copying machine according to one embodiment, in which (a) shows a state in which an operation unit is at a high position, and (b)
Indicates a state where the operation unit is at a low position. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system of the copying machine shown in FIG.
4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the copying machine shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a plan view of the legs of the copying machine main body shown in FIG.
It is a figure showing arrangement of sensors for performing height control.

In FIG. 1, an automatic document feeder 400 is mounted on the main body 100 of the copying machine. The automatic document feeder 400 is a device for automatically feeding a document to a document exposure section of a copying machine. Copying machine body 100
Is provided with a speaker 101 for guiding an operation method and the like, and an IC card reading unit 10 for reading information of an IC card in which information on personal operation status is written.
2 and an operation unit 103 are provided.

A leg 300 is provided at the lower part of the copying machine main body 100.
Is provided. The leg 300 is controlled by a control mechanism.
As described later, the operation unit can be moved up and down, so that the height of the operation unit can be adjusted within a certain range. FIG. 1B shows the leg 300
In a state where the height of the operation unit 103 of the copier is lowered.

In the present embodiment, an IC card is used as a recording medium. The memory of the IC card contains the name, age, gender,
The type and grade of the obstacle, the height when sitting in a wheelchair, or the height of the leg 300 that can be easily used by the person are stored. After the information stored in the IC card is read by the IC card reading unit 102, it is processed by the operation of the control system whose block diagram is shown in FIG.

When the IC card is inserted into the IC card reading section 102 shown in FIG. 1, information stored in the IC card is read. This information is stored in the storage unit 201 (see FIG. 2) of the main body, and the control unit 202 controls the operations of the voice guidance unit 203 and the copying machine height control unit 204 based on the recorded information ( This is an example of the operation as the operation support mode control means according to the present invention).

For example, when the user of the copying machine is a person using a wheelchair, the height control means 204 of the copying machine is used.
(See FIG. 2) controls the operation of the leg 300 to lower it from the standard state, and adjusts the height of the operation unit to an optimal position.
(This is an example of the operation support mode according to the present invention). When the user of the copier has low vision, it is difficult to recognize the arrangement of the buttons and the like of the operation unit 103.
3 is operated, and a voice guide prepared in advance is made to flow from the speaker 101 (this is another example of the operation support mode according to the present invention).

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the copying machine according to the present embodiment. In the copying machine main body 100 shown in FIG. 3, two paper feed cassettes 107 and 108 are prepared. Paper cassette 10
The recording papers placed on the recording papers 7 and 108 are sent out of the paper supply cassette by the rotation of the paper supply roller 112, and then come into contact with the registration rollers 122 and temporarily stop.

The photosensitive drum 126 is charged by a primary charger 154. The optical system 100a irradiates a document placed on the document table glass 2 with light from a halogen lamp, and irradiates the charged photosensitive drum 126 with reflected light from the document. Thus, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 126, and is developed by the developing device 156 to form a toner image (developed image) on the photosensitive drum 126.

The registration roller 122 is connected to the photosensitive drum 12.
The recording paper is conveyed in time with the toner image of No. 6,
The toner image is transferred by the transfer charger 128. afterwards,
The recording paper is separated from the drum by the discharging needle 160, the toner on the recording paper is fixed by the fixing device 164,
To load. Reference numeral 176 denotes an intermediate tray unit, in which recording paper is temporarily placed at the time of completion of one-sided copying in the double-sided copy mode or the multiple copy mode.

Reference numeral 400 denotes an automatic document feeder. When the original to be copied is set on the original tray 423 and the start button of the operation unit 103 is pressed, the original is set on the original table glass 2 via the conveyance roller 404, the registration roller 422, and the conveyance belt 421, and the copy operation is performed. Is started. When the one-sided copy of the document is completed, the document is discharged onto a document tray 423 via a conveyance belt 421, a reversing roller 401, and a discharge roller 406. In the case of double-sided copying, the original does not return to the original tray after the one-sided exposure is completed, but is inverted and conveyed again to the original platen glass 2, but detailed description of the operation in this case is omitted.

As described above, when the automatic document feeder 400 is used, the originals can be automatically circulated by simply loading the originals on the document tray and pressing the start button. The automatic document feeder 400 is not included in the device for the physically handicapped since the operation of
It is desirable to use

The portion indicated by reference numeral 300 is a leg of the copying machine main body. As shown in FIG. 4, a pair of lifting screws 301a and 301b are provided at both ends of one diagonal line with respect to the bottom plate 309. The lifting screws 301a and 301b are
A nut 308a at the bottom of the main body 100 with a φ50 screw,
308b, and are supported by corresponding bearings 311a and 311b provided on the bottom plate 309.

Driving gears 302a and 302b are attached to the elevating screws 301a and 301b, respectively, and when the driving motor 307 is driven, the rotation is performed via timing belts 305 and 306 and gears 303a and 303b, and the elevating screws are driven. Drive gears 302a of 301a and 301b,
It is transmitted to 302b.

As shown in FIG. 4, two lifting screws are mounted diagonally, and the timing belts 305 and 306 and the gear 303 are driven by a single motor 307 as a drive source.
The lifting screws 301a and 301b are rotated by a and 303b. The lifting screws 301a and 301b are φ50 screws, and are right-hand screws with a pitch of 5 mm. That is, one rotation clockwise reduces the length of the leg 300 by 5 mm,
One rotation counterclockwise, the length of the leg 300 is 5 mm
become longer. Thus, the lifting screw 301 is
By rotating a and 301b, the height of the copying machine main body can be adjusted.

The adjustment range of the height is the height H of the operation unit 103.
Is 900mm (for healthy person)-600mm (for wheelchair users
Height) of the leg 300 within a range of 300 mm.
H ₁Is variable.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an arrangement of sensors for performing height control. Each part shown in FIG. 5 is indicated by a broken line 3 in FIG.
It is provided at the portion indicated by 50. In FIG. 5, 32
Reference numeral 5 denotes a sensor mounting plate, which is mounted on the bottom plate 309. The sensor mounting plate 325 is provided with a photo interrupter 322 and a limit switch 323.

The sensor plate 326 is attached to the bottom 100a of the copier main body 100,
00 moves up and down together with the copying machine main body 100 in accordance with the raising and lowering operation of 00. A projection 326a is provided below the sensor plate 326. The projecting portion 326a is used for the photointerrupter 3
22, a light emitting surface and a light receiving surface (both projecting portions 32 parallel to the paper surface).
6a) is a home position in the vertical direction of the leg. That is, light traveling from the light emitting surface to the light receiving surface is transmitted to the sensor plate 326.
When interrupted by the lower protruding portion 326a, the above-described control unit 202 having received the signal to that effect recognizes that the leg is at the home position.

When changing the height, after confirming the home position, a command is issued to the copier height control means 204 so that the height is in accordance with the command from the control unit 202, and the motor 307 is turned upright. Invert or reverse. The lifting screw 301 changes vertically by 5 mm per rotation.
Since the gear ratios of the gear 303a and the drive gear 302a and the gear 303b and the drive gear 302b are also known, the motor 307
Can be easily calculated. The height is controlled to the appropriate height stored in the IC card, and when another card is replaced next, the height is adjusted from that position to the height stored in the next card. When the main power of the main body is turned off, the next time the main power is turned on, the home position is checked once, and then the height adjustment operation is performed.

Further, limit switches 323 and 324 are provided in consideration of a case where the photo interrupter 322 and the like do not operate for some reason. That is, the height of the copier body 100 reaches the upper limit and the sensor plate 3
26 protrusion 326a turns on limit switch 323
Alternatively, if the height of the copying machine main body 100 reaches the lower limit and the protruding portion 326a turns on the limit switch 324, the power supply is cut off and the ascending and descending operation is forcibly stopped at that time.

The cover 312 covering the periphery of the leg is
It is made of a soft material such as rubber and has a bellows-like fold in advance. When the legs move up and down, the bellows-like folds expand and contract flexibly. Such a cover 312
The reason for providing is to prevent the internal elevating mechanism from being in sight and to prevent a situation in which a hand or the like is accidentally put into the elevating mechanism and the user is injured.

Next, a description will be given of a method of providing an operation guide by voice. Mainly for people with low vision,
An operation guide by voice is provided to make it difficult to see the panels or to make it difficult to see the jam handling knob related to the conveyance of the copying machine body during the jam processing.

When a person with low vision inserts the IC card in which the operation information for the individual is recorded into the reading unit 102 and sets the original in the automatic document feeder 400, the information written in the IC card is read. Based on the information, the current image forming mode is notified by voice for the first time.
For example, the voice of a copy mode is "1 copy, copy density standard, magnification of 100%, and if this setting is acceptable, press the green-lit copy button." If the operator determines that the settings are satisfactory, the operator presses the start button, and if the operator wants to change the settings, the setting is changed using a volume or the like. When the setting is changed, the set contents are notified again by voice.

When the image forming mode for the user is always the same, for example, when the copy size is A5, the magnification is 50%,
If the mode is set to perform copying on both sides, an IC card on which the contents are recorded is inserted, the recorded contents are read, and at the same time, the above-described image forming mode is set and the copy operation is automatically started. You may do so. In this case, audio guidance may be provided only for guidance of the end of copying. This eliminates the need for operations before image formation, and makes it easier for the visually impaired operator to use.

Further, when a recording paper jam occurs, a message "Jam has occurred in the conveyance section. Open the front cover, lower the conveyance pressure lever, and remove the recording paper.
After removing, raise the transport pressure lever and close the front cover. "
Notify by voice. For a healthy person, the jammed portion displayed on the operation panel can recognize the jammed portion, but for a low-vision person, a small portion displayed on the operation panel is difficult to see and recognize. Therefore, the operation can be performed smoothly by providing the voice guide means as described above.

In the above-described manner, the voice guidance which is necessary for a person with visual impairment but not necessary for a healthy person can be cut off by a healthy person. As described above, the content of the operation guide can be changed depending on whether the person is a healthy person or, in the case of a disabled person, what kind of disability he has.

In the above embodiment, the types of obstacles have been described as being limited to low-vision persons and wheelchair users, and corresponding operations and operation guides are performed. However, the types of obstacles assumed in the present invention are limited to these. However, the present invention can be easily applied to copiers for people with other types of disabilities, and the operation scope and operation guides corresponding to those are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, although the description has been made assuming that there is only one IC card reading means, the number and position thereof are not limited to the above embodiment.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which only the card reading means is provided in the copying machine main body, and the information is written in the card at another place. It is also within the technical scope of the present invention to provide the card and write the contents set at the time of operation on the card each time.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case where an IC card is used as the information recording medium has been described. However, the type of the information recording medium is not limited to the IC card, but may be a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, or the like. It may be a recording medium.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, a recording medium such as a disk or a card for storing data required as information, a device for reading information stored on the recording medium, and a data reading device are used. In the image forming apparatus provided with means for instructing the copying machine or the printer, the type of the obstacle for the physically handicapped is stored in the recording medium, so that the operation corresponding to the type of the obstacle and the operation guide can be performed. It is an image forming apparatus characterized by providing an image forming apparatus that can be easily operated by a disabled person and a healthy person.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) shows a state where an operation unit is at a high position, and (b) shows a state where an operation unit is at a low position.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system of the copying machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the copying machine shown in FIG.

4 is a plan view of the legs of the copying machine main body shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the direction of arrow A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an arrangement of sensors for performing height control.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Original platen glass 100 Copy machine body 101 Speaker 102 IC card reading unit 103 Operation unit 201 Storage unit 202 Control unit 203 Voice guidance unit 204 Copy machine height control unit 300 Legs 301a, 301b Lifting screws 302a, 302b Driving gear 303a, 303b Gear 305, 306 Timing belt 307 Drive motor 309 Bottom plate 311a, 311b Bearing 322 Photo interrupter 323, 324 Limit switch 326 Sensor plate 326a Projection 400 Automatic document feeder

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus capable of setting a desired image forming mode when forming an image, wherein the operation information of a user when using the image forming apparatus is recorded. Is an information recording medium provided separately, information reading means for reading information recorded on the information recording medium, an operation support mode for assisting a user to set an image forming mode, and the information reading means An operation support mode control unit that controls the operation support mode based on the read information. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
Further, the apparatus further comprises elevating means at the lower part of the apparatus for elevating and lowering the apparatus main body, and the operation support mode control means controls the elevating means based on the information on the height setting of the elevating means read by the information reading means. An image forming apparatus, wherein the height of the image forming apparatus is automatically controlled to be set. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information reading unit has a function of writing an operation support mode on the information recording medium.