JP2001117433A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device capable of displaying that a cover different from the cover to be opened is opened if such a state occurs. SOLUTION: A display part 17 displays the cover to be opened and a method for opening/closing the cover while making an original sensor 14a, a toner sensor 65 and first-fourth recording paper sensors 81-84 correspond to a message to be displayed on the display part 17 on the basis of detecting signals from these sensors. When any cover different from the cover displayed on the display part 17 is opened, a message showing such a state is displayed on the display part 17. Thus, it can be displayed any cover different from the cover, which is displayed on the display part 17, to be opened is opened. As a result, a user can know he mistakes a cover for the cover to be opened.

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 facsimile apparatus, and more particularly, to a function of displaying a cover to be opened when a trouble such as a jam or running out of toner occurs. Related to an image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent image forming apparatuses, a method of recording an image on a recording sheet by using an electrophotographic method is frequently used. In such an image forming apparatus, when a start key is pressed after a document is placed on the document table of the reading unit, the document is read, and the read image is printed on a recording sheet conveyed from a recording sheet cassette. Be recorded.

[0003]

By the way, since the reading section conveys the original and the recording section conveys the recording paper, a jam may occur during the conveyance of the original or the recording paper.
If a jam occurs, a message indicating the fact is displayed on the display unit.However, in a device that accommodates various types of recording paper, it is necessary to open which cover to release the jam. It is difficult to understand. For this reason, the cover may be opened by mistake.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to display a message when a cover different from the cover to be opened is opened. To provide a simple image forming apparatus.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there are provided a plurality of covers provided in the apparatus and a detecting means for detecting the open / closed state of the covers. In the image forming apparatus, a display unit that displays a message indicating a cover to be opened, and a cover that should be opened when a failure occurs is displayed on the display unit,
When a cover different from the cover to be opened is opened, there is provided control means for displaying the fact on the display means based on the detection means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus of the first aspect, the image forming apparatus includes a storage unit for storing a voice message and a sounding unit for sounding the voice message, and the control unit includes a cover to be opened. If a cover different from the above is opened, the sound message stored in the storage means is sounded from the sounding means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the control means deletes the message displayed on the display means when the failure is cleared. .

In the embodiments of the invention described below, the "image forming apparatus" described in the claims or the means for solving the problems corresponds to the facsimile apparatus 1, and the "cover" is also a reading cover. 121, a side cover 122, a first drawer cover 123, and a second drawer cover 124.
21a to 124a, the "display means" also corresponds to the display unit 17, and the "control means" also corresponds to the MPU 11, R
Corresponds to the OM 12 and the RAM 13, and is also “storage means”
Corresponds to the voice storage unit 22, and the “ringing unit” also corresponds to the ringing unit 23.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is embodied in a facsimile machine will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, a facsimile apparatus 1
Are MPU 11, ROM 12, RAM 13, reading unit 1
4, a recording unit 15, an operation unit 16, a display unit 17, an image memory 18, a codec 19, a modem 20, an NCU 21, an audio storage unit 22, and a sounding unit 23,
The units 11 to 23 are connected via a bus 24, respectively.

The MPU 11 controls each part of the facsimile machine 1. The ROM 12 stores a program for controlling the facsimile machine 1. Also, RO
M12 stores a message to be displayed when a jam occurs. The RAM 13 is a facsimile machine 1
Temporarily store various information related to

The reading section 14 reads image data on a document and outputs black and white binary image data. Also,
The reading unit 14 includes a document sensor 14a for detecting a document jam.

The recording unit 15 is composed of an electrophotographic printer, and records received image data or image data of a document read by the reading unit 14 on recording paper in a recording operation or a copying operation of received image data. I do.

Here, a specific configuration of the recording unit 15 will be described in detail according to a recording process. The photoconductor drum 30 is rotatably supported on a shaft, and a photoconductive film 31 is formed on an outer peripheral surface thereof.

The charger 40 is constituted by a brush roller on which a conductive brush is implanted. The charger 40 uniformly charges the photoconductive film 31 of the photosensitive drum 30 to a predetermined potential.
The exposure device 50 is configured by an LED array 51. The codec 52 decodes the image data stored in the image memory 18 into binary data. Then, the exposure device 50 irradiates the photoconductive film 31 of the photosensitive drum 30 with light based on the data binarized by the codec 52 to form an electrostatic latent image.

The developing unit 60 includes a toner case 61 for storing toner, a supply roller 62 disposed below the toner case 61 and supplied with a predetermined voltage, the supply roller 62 and the photosensitive drum 30. And a developing roller 63 that is disposed at the lower end opening of the toner case 61 and is supplied with a predetermined voltage. The toner conveyed from the toner case 61 by the supply roller 62 and the developing roller 63 and charged to a predetermined polarity changes the applied polarity and the potential of the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 30. Is selectively attached to the same electrostatic latent image. A toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 30 by the toner attached to the electrostatic latent image.

A stirring body 64 is rotatably supported in the toner case 61. By the rotation of the stirring body 64, the toner in the toner case 61 is constantly stirred, and the toner is maintained at a uniform density. A toner sensor 65 for detecting the presence or absence of toner is provided at the bottom of the toner case 61.
Are arranged.

The first and second recording paper cassettes 71 and 72 contain recording papers 73 and 74 of a predetermined size in a stacked state. The half-moon rollers 75 and 76 feed the uppermost recording paper 73 and 74 stored in the first and second recording paper cassettes 71 and 72 one by one. Then, the sent recording papers 73 and 74 are conveyed toward the photosensitive drum 30.

The first and second recording paper sensors 81, 82
The recording paper 73 immediately after being sent out from the first and second recording paper cassettes 71 and 72 by the half moon rollers 75 and 76,
74 is detected.

The third recording paper sensor 83 is provided with a recording paper 73 conveyed to a predetermined position immediately before the developing unit 60,
74 is detected. The dashed line P indicates the recording papers 73 and 7.
4 shows a transport path.

The transfer unit 90 is provided below the photosensitive drum 30, and is controlled to a predetermined potential. Then, the transfer device 90
Indicates that the toner image on the photosensitive drum 30 is to be recorded on the recording paper 73, 7 based on the difference between the predetermined potential and the potential of the toner image.
Transfer onto 4

The memory removing brush 91 is made of a conductive brush, and disturbs the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 30 after the transfer, so that the toner is uniformly dispersed on the photosensitive drum 30.
The heat fixing device 100 is disposed on the recording paper sending side of the photosensitive drum 30, and the recording papers 73 and 74 are heated by the heat fixing device 100.
Is fed between the heating roller 101 and the pressure roller 102 to heat and fix the toner images on the recording papers 73 and 74. In the present embodiment, the above-described series of processes of charging the photosensitive drum 30, exposing, developing, transferring to the recording papers 73 and 74, and fixing by heating constitute one unit of the recording process.

The fourth recording paper sensor 84 is connected to the heat fixing unit 10.
The recording paper 73 is disposed on the side of the recording paper feeding unit 0 and detects that the recording papers 73 and 74 have passed through the heat fixing unit 100. That is, in the present embodiment, the first, third, and fourth recording paper sensors 81, 83, and 84 correspond to the first and second recording paper cassettes 7, respectively.
The recording paper 73 is disposed on the transport path of the recording paper 73 at an interval shorter than the minimum length of the recording paper (length in the transport direction) accommodated in the recording papers 73. Further, the second, third and fourth recording paper sensors 82, 83, 84 are similarly arranged. As a result, the occurrence of a jam is detected based on a detection signal from any one of the first to fourth recording paper sensors 81 to 84.

The interface 110 has first to fourth
Detection signals indicating the arrival of the recording papers 73 and 74 are transmitted from the recording paper sensors 81 to 84. Also, interface 1
A detection signal indicating the presence or absence of toner is sent from the toner sensor 65 to 10.

The operation unit 16 includes numeric keys (including * and # keys) for inputting telephone numbers and the like, registration of abbreviated numbers, abbreviated keys for transmitting from abbreviated numbers, and an operation for starting an original reading operation. Start key, "Communication (FA
X) Communication for setting "operation" or "copy" operation /
Various operation keys such as a copy key and an image quality setting key for setting the image quality at the time of reading to “standard”, “high image quality”, and “ultra high image quality” are provided. Display unit 1 such as LCD
Reference numeral 7 displays various information indicating the operation state of the facsimile machine 1 and the like.

The image memory 18 temporarily stores the received image data and the image data read by the reading unit 14, binarized, and compression-encoded by the codec 19. The codec 19 encodes the image data read by the reading unit 14 for transmission according to the MH, MR, MMR method, or the like. The codec 19 decodes the received image data.

The modem 20 conforms to ITU-T Recommendation T.30. 30 based on a facsimile transmission control procedure according to V.30. 1
7, V. 27ter, V.A. Modulation and demodulation of transmission / reception data in accordance with any one of E.29, etc. The NCU 21 has a function of controlling connection with the telephone line L and detecting transmission and reception of a dial signal corresponding to the telephone number of the other party.

The voice storage unit 22 stores the voice message and sends the voice message to the sounding unit 23 under the control of the MPU 11. Sounding part 23
Is based on the control from the MPU 11,
Sounds the voice message sent from.

Next, a cover to be opened when a jam occurs or the toner runs out will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG.
Is opened / closed based on a detection signal from the document sensor 14a to release the jam of the document.

The side cover 122 moves the recording paper 7 based on detection signals from the third and fourth recording paper sensors 83 and 84.
It is opened and closed to release the jam of 3,74. Also,
The side cover 122 is opened and closed based on a detection signal from the toner sensor 65 to cope with running out of toner.

The first drawer cover 123 is opened and closed based on a detection signal from the first recording paper sensor 81 to release the jam of the recording paper 73 in the first recording paper cassette 71. The second drawer cover 124 is opened and closed based on a detection signal from the second recording paper sensor 82 to release the jam of the recording paper 74 in the second recording paper cassette 72.

Next, an open / close sensor for detecting the open / closed state of each cover will be described with reference to FIGS. An opening / closing sensor 121a is disposed near the reading cover 121 in the reading unit 14, and the opening / closing sensor 1
21a detects the open / closed state of the reading cover 121.

An opening / closing sensor 122a is provided near the side cover 122 in the recording section 15, and detects the open / closed state of the side cover 122. An opening / closing sensor 123a is disposed near the first drawer cover 123 in the recording unit 15, and the opening / closing sensor 123a is provided.
23a detects an open / closed state of the first drawer cover 123.

The second drawer cover 124 in the recording section 15
, An open / close sensor 124a is provided. The open / close sensor 124a detects the open / close state of the second drawer cover 124.

A detection signal indicating the open / closed state of the side cover 122, the first drawer cover 123, and the second drawer cover 124 is sent from the open / close sensors 122a to 124a to the interface 110.

Next, a description will be given of a message displayed when a jam or out of toner occurs. This message is stored in the ROM 12. FIG.
(A) and (b) are messages displayed when a document jam occurs. FIGS. 4A and 4B are messages displayed when a jam occurs in the printing process or when the toner runs out. FIG. 5 (a),
(B) is a message displayed when a jam occurs in the first recording paper cassette 71. FIG. 6 (a), (b)
Is a message displayed when a jam occurs in the second recording paper cassette 72. 3 (b) and FIG.
(B), FIGS. 5 (b) and 6 (b) show the covers 121 to 1
24 are all in the same drawing because they are in the closed state, but are shown for ease of explanation. Therefore, ROM
12 corresponds to FIGS. 3 (b), 4 (b), 5 (b) and 6
Only one message in the closed state of the covers 121 to 124 shown in (b) is stored. In the present embodiment, the ROM 12 stores a message in the closed state shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, the message refers to a message that illustrates the cover (one of 121 to 124) itself. That is, the facsimile machine 1
Is an illustration of the cover itself from which the position of the cover can be determined.

Next, the operation when a jam or a toner shortage occurs will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. This operation is executed under the control of the MPU 11 based on a program stored in the ROM 12.

In step S1, it is determined whether a jam or a toner shortage has occurred. Specifically, the document sensor 14a, the first to fourth recording paper sensors 81 to 84,
Alternatively, the determination is made based on a detection signal from the toner sensor 65. If a jam or running out of toner has occurred, the process proceeds to step S2. On the other hand, if no jam or running out of toner has occurred, the process proceeds to step S9.

In step S2, a message indicating the closed state of the cover corresponding to a jam or running out of toner is displayed on the display unit 17. Specifically, the document sensor 14
a, toner sensor 65, first to fourth recording paper sensors 81 to 81
A message in the closed state shown in FIG. 3B is displayed on the display unit 17 based on the detection signal from 84.

In step S3, a predetermined time (for example, 0.5 seconds) elapses. In step S4, a message indicating the open state of the cover corresponding to the jam or running out of toner is displayed on the display unit 17. Specifically, the document sensor 14a, the toner sensor 65,
Based on the detection signals from the fourth recording paper sensors 81 to 84, the display unit 17 displays the open messages shown in FIGS. 3A, 4A, 5A, and 6A, respectively. Will be displayed.

In step S5, a predetermined time (for example, 0.5 seconds) elapses. In step S6, it is determined whether covers 121 to 124 corresponding to the message being displayed on display unit 17 have been opened.
Specifically, the determination is made based on detection signals from the open / close sensors 121a to 124a. When the covers 121 to 124 corresponding to the message displayed on the display unit 17 are opened, the process returns to step S4. On the other hand, if the covers 121 to 124 corresponding to the message being displayed on the display unit 17 have not been opened, the process proceeds to step S7.

In step S7, it is determined whether or not a cover other than the covers 121 to 124 corresponding to the message being displayed on the display unit 17 has been opened. Specifically, the determination is made based on detection signals from the open / close sensors 121a to 124a. Then, when the covers other than the covers 121 to 124 corresponding to the message being displayed on the display unit 17 are opened, the process proceeds to step S8. On the other hand, if no cover other than the cover 121 to 124 corresponding to the message being displayed on the display unit 17 is not opened, that is, if a predetermined time has elapsed without opening any of the covers 121 to 124 in step S6, the display unit 17 When the covers 121 to 124 corresponding to the message currently displayed are opened, the process returns to step S1.

In step S8, a message indicating that covers 121 to 124 different from the covers 121 to 124 corresponding to the message being displayed on the display unit 17 is displayed on the display unit 17.

In step S9, the voice storage unit 22
Is sounded from the sounding unit 23. Then, after the sounding of the sounding unit 23 is completed, the process returns to step S1.

In step S10, the message displayed on display 17 is deleted. As described above, according to the present embodiment, the following operations and effects can be obtained.

(1) Original sensor 14a, toner sensor 6
5 and the first to fourth recording paper sensors 81 to 84 and the messages to be displayed on the display unit 17 based on the detection signals from those sensors, and the covers 121 to 12 to be opened.
4 and the method of opening and closing the covers 121 to 124 are displayed on the display unit 17. Then, the cover 1 displayed on the display unit 17
When a cover 121 to 124 different from 21 to 124 is opened, a message to that effect is displayed on the display unit 17. Therefore, the cover 1 to be opened displayed on the display unit 17
It can be displayed that covers 121 to 124 different from 21 to 124 have been opened. Therefore, the user can know that the covers 121 to 124 to be opened have been mistaken.

(2) In addition, the sound message stored in the sound storage unit 22 is sounded by the sounding unit 23. For this reason, a voice message indicating that the covers 121 to 124 different from the covers 121 to 124 to be opened is opened. Therefore, the user does not need to check the message displayed on the display unit 17.

(3) When jam or running out of toner is released, the message displayed on the display unit 17 is deleted. Therefore, the user can know that the jam or the running out of toner has been reliably released.

(4) When a jam or toner run out occurs, a voice message is sounded only once. As a result, even if the jam or the toner runs out and the voice message is sounded from the sounding unit 23, no trouble is caused.

The above embodiment can be embodied with the following modifications. -Instead of displaying the open state and the closed state of the covers 121 to 124 to be opened on the display unit 17 at predetermined time intervals, the covers 121 to 124 to be opened themselves, that is, the corresponding covers (any of the 121 to 124) May be configured so that the entire display is flashed or inverted (for example, black and white inverted display).

The messages shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B are displayed on the display unit 1 based on the detection signal from the document sensor 14a.
7, a message such as “Please remove the document” may be displayed on the display unit 17.

The messages shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B are displayed on the display unit 1 based on the detection signal from the toner sensor 65.
7, a message such as “Please replace the developing unit” may be displayed on the display unit 17.

When displaying the messages shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B on the display unit 17 based on the detection signals from the third and fourth recording paper sensors 83 and 84, for example, " Please remove it. "
7 may be displayed.

When the messages shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B are displayed on the display unit 17 based on the detection signal from the first recording paper sensor 81, for example, "Please remove the recording paper." May be displayed on the display unit 17 as well.

When the messages shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B are displayed on the display unit 17 based on the detection signal from the second recording paper sensor 82, for example, "Please remove the recording paper." May be displayed on the display unit 17 as well.

A message displayed on the display unit 17, that is, a front view of the facsimile machine 1 instead of the perspective view of the facsimile machine 1 shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b) to 6 (a) and 6 (b). Or a side view may be used to show a method of opening and closing the cover.

The message displayed on the display unit 17 may be deleted when the jam or running out of toner is released and the covers 121 to 124 to be opened are closed.

When the jam or running out of toner is released and the covers 121 to 124 to be opened are closed, the voice message from the sounding section 23 may be stopped. Also, the sounding of the voice message in step S8 shown in FIG. 7 may be configured so that the sounding unit 23 sounds the voice message until the jam or the running out of toner is released.

Instead of the sounding of the voice message in step S8 shown in FIG. 7, a warning sound such as an alarm may be sounded from the sounding unit 23. Further, technical ideas other than the claims grasped from the embodiment will be described below together with their effects.

[1] The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control means blinks or reversely displays the cover to be opened on the display means.

With this configuration, when a cover different from the cover to be opened is opened, it is possible to display the fact. [2] The image forming apparatus according to [3] or [1], wherein the control unit deletes the message on the display unit when the obstacle is cleared and the cover to be opened is closed.

With this configuration, it can be seen that the fault has been cleared.

[0063]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects. According to the first aspect of the present invention, when a cover different from the cover to be opened is opened, the fact can be displayed.

According to the invention described in claim 2, according to claim 1
In addition to the effects of the invention described in (1), a voice message can be sounded. According to the third aspect, in addition to the effects of the first or second aspect, it is understood that the obstacle has been cleared.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view for explaining a cover of the facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a message displayed when a document jam occurs.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view for explaining a message displayed when a jam occurs in the recording process or when the toner runs out.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view for explaining a message displayed when a jam occurs in the first recording paper cassette.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view for explaining a message displayed when a jam occurs in a second recording paper cassette.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an operation when a jam or a toner shortage occurs.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Facsimile machine as an image forming apparatus, 11 ... MPU which comprises a control means, 12 ... R which comprises a control means
OM, 13 RAM constituting control means, 17 display section as display means, 22 audio storage section as storage means, 23 sounding section as sounding means, 121 reading cover as cover, 121a detection Open / close sensor as means, 122... Side cover as cover, 122
a: open / close sensor as detecting means, 123: first drawer cover as cover, 123a ... open / close sensor as detecting means, 124: second drawer cover as cover, 12
4a: Open / close sensor as detecting means.

Claims (3)

[Claims] In an image forming apparatus having a plurality of covers provided in an apparatus and a detecting means for detecting an open / closed state of the cover, a display means for displaying a message indicating a cover to be opened, and a failure has occurred. The cover to be opened in the case is displayed on the display means, and if a cover different from the cover to be opened is opened, based on the detection means,
An image forming apparatus comprising: a control unit for displaying the fact on a display unit. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: storage means for storing the voice message; and sounding means for sounding the voice message, wherein the control means opens a cover different from the cover to be opened. An image forming apparatus that sounds the voice message stored in the storage means from the sounding means. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit deletes a message displayed on the display unit when the failure is cleared.