JP2001328740A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To select a paper sheet desired by a user when no specification of a kind of a paper sheet is effected, in an image forming device to receive specification of a kind of a paper sheet from a computer and effect printing. SOLUTION: First, a user sets a priority order classified by a kind of a paper sheet. For example, setting is effected in order of a regeneration paper, an ordinary paper, and a special paper. With this state, a paper selection command is received from a host computer and automatic paper selection is specified. In case of a kind of a paper sheet being not specified, it is looked up whether a paper sheet in highest priority of the set priority order is present. When the paper sheet is absent, it is searched whether or not a paper sheet in the next order of priority is present. When, by repetition of the above, a paper sheet being an object is found, printing is applied on the paper sheet. Further, when a specified paper feed tray is specified, the specified tray is selected to effect printing, and when a kind of the paper sheet is specified, a tray for the specified paper sheet is selected to effect printing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copier, and a facsimile, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus for specifying a paper type from a computer or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional image forming apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, in the case where automatic selection of paper is designated by a print instruction from a host computer and the paper type is "not specified", any type of paper can be used. The tray is searched only based on the paper size and the set orientation of the paper, and if the corresponding paper is found in the search order unique to the apparatus, the paper feed is started from the tray.

Further, in the conventional image forming apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, when printing a plurality of copies, the paper ejected by using a sheet having a different setting direction for each copy and rotating the image. Some printers have a function called rotation sorting that facilitates sorting of printed matter.

Some of the conventional image forming apparatuses according to the third aspect of the present invention have a double-sided printing function for printing on both sides of a sheet.

[0005]

In the conventional image forming apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, if "recycled paper" is to be used if there is no problem, "plain paper" may be used. If you specify "recycled paper", "recycled paper"
When there is no print, printing cannot be performed, and the host computer must change the paper type to "plain paper" again and issue a print instruction, so that "no designation" may be selected because it is troublesome.

In the conventional image forming apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, when the rotation sort is specified and the paper type is "not specified", the paper type is changed when the first copy is printed. If paper is selected without consideration, there will be no paper of the same paper type in the different setting direction when printing the second copy. It may be canceled.

Further, in the image forming apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, there is a case where a sheet which is not suitable for double-sided printing such as a single-sided printed sheet is reused, and only that sheet is excluded from the target and an automatic sheet selection designation is made. You may want to print with.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to designate a specific paper type as described above, but if a plurality of paper types are available, the user can set a priority order among them. A first object is to be able to set arbitrarily.

[0009] Further, when the rotation sort is designated, it is preferable to select a paper type on which paper in two vertical and horizontal directions is set preferentially over a paper type on which only one certain direction is set. This is the second purpose.

Further, in the case of a job for which double-sided printing is specified,
A third object of the present invention is to exclude a paper type specified by the user from being subjected to automatic paper selection even when the paper type is "not specified" from the host computer.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a first image forming apparatus according to the present invention has a plurality of paper feed trays, and externally determines the type of paper for each paper feed tray. In an image forming apparatus which receives a designation, selects a sheet based on the designation, and forms an image, and sets the priority of the sheet type, and sets the setting when the designation is any type of sheet. Selection means for selecting a sheet in accordance with the given priority order.

Further, the second image forming apparatus according to the present invention has a plurality of paper feed trays, and receives a specification of a paper type and a rotation sort for each paper feed tray from outside, and
In an image forming apparatus having a rotation sort function of selecting a sheet based on the specification and performing image formation, when the specification is a specification regardless of the paper type and the rotation sort is specified, the portrait setting required for the rotation sort is performed. Selecting means for preferentially selecting a paper type in which the horizontal and horizontal papers are aligned.

Further, the third image forming apparatus according to the present invention has a plurality of paper feed trays, receives a specification of a paper type for each paper feed tray and a specification of double-sided printing from outside, and based on the specification, In an image forming apparatus having a two-sided printing function of selecting a sheet to form an image, a setting unit for setting a sheet type capable of duplex printing, and a designation regardless of the sheet type and a designation of duplex printing are provided. At this time, there is provided a selecting means for selecting a sheet capable of performing double-sided printing set by the setting means.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a printer as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The bold line in the figure indicates the paper transport path. A to D are paper feed trays. In this example, the paper feed tray has four paper feed trays. E,
F and G are a registration roller, a photoconductor, and a fixing unit, and represent a developing unit. H is a paper discharge tray, I is a controller, and includes operation panel keys and the like (not shown) of the apparatus.

The paper type can be set for each of the paper feed trays A to D. As the setting method, a means such as a mechanical setting switch provided on each tray or a method of storing the setting in a memory of the controller I is generally used.

First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. First, using the operation panel and keys of the controller I, the priority order for each paper type to be referred to when the paper type is "unspecified" is set. As in the example shown in FIG. 2, the user inputs the priority order for each paper type, and stores the value in the memory of the controller I. In this example, there are three types of paper that can be set in the apparatus.
Indicates that the paper is selected in the order of recycled paper → plain paper → special paper.

Next, the flow until the paper is automatically selected will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In (3-1), a paper selection command sent from the host computer is received. Automatic paper selection is specified in (3-2),
If the paper type is "not specified" in (3-3), (3-
In step 4), a search is made as to whether there is a sheet of the highest priority sheet type of the priority set by the user as shown in FIG. (3-5)
If the sheet does not exist in step (3-6), a search is made to determine whether there is a sheet of the sheet type having the next highest priority. If the target paper is found by this repetition, (3-
In step 7), printing is performed on the sheet.

If the automatic paper selection is not specified in (3-2) and a specific paper feed tray is specified, (3-8)
Select the tray specified in and print.

When the automatic paper selection is specified in (3-3) and the paper type is specified, the tray of the size and paper type specified in (3-9) is selected and printed.

The processing when the target paper is not found in (3-8) and (3-9) is not particularly described. For example, printing is performed on the paper selected immediately before, or the target paper is printed. An operation of sending a message to stop replenishment and stopping the operation may be considered.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment according to the second aspect of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The sort setting command is received in (4-1), and (4-
In 2), it is determined whether or not the rotation sort is specified. (4
-3) to (4-6), rotation sort is specified, and automatic paper selection is specified, and the paper type is "not specified".
In the case of, it is searched whether there is a sheet type in which sheets of the same size are set vertically and horizontally in two directions.

In (4-7) to (4-8), if there is a sheet type in which the sheets in the above two directions are set, that is selected.
Perform rotation sort printing.

If the determinations in (4-2) to (4-6) are NO, printing is performed by conventional tray selection in (4-9).

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. First, whether or not double-sided printing is possible is set for each paper type using a panel or keys of the controller.
As in the example shown in FIG. 5, the user inputs and stores the value in the memory of the controller. In this example, there are three types of paper that can be set in the apparatus, only plain paper can be printed on both sides, and the remaining recycled paper and special paper are set to be unprintable.

Next, the flow until double-sided printing is performed at the time of automatic paper selection will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step (6-1), a double-sided print setting command is received.
In -2), it is determined whether double-sided printing is designated. (6
If the double-sided printing is specified in (3) to (6-6), the automatic paper selection is specified, and the paper type is "not specified", the setting state of double-sided printing permission / inhibition in FIG. 5 is referred to. , From the paper type set to be capable of duplex printing.

(6-7) to (6-8) If there is a sheet of a corresponding size in a tray of a sheet type that is set to be capable of double-sided printing, it is selected and double-sided printing is performed.

If the determination in steps (6-2) to (6-7) is NO, the printing is performed by the conventional tray selection in step (6-9).

[0028]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, even when the automatic paper selection is specified in the print instruction from the host computer and the paper type is "not specified", the priority order according to the paper type is set. Can be arbitrarily set by the user, so that, for example, it is possible to carry out tray selection according to the user's request such as "It is not necessary to limit the paper type, but if there is recycled paper, use it from recycled paper". Can also be used effectively.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the rotation sort is specified, the automatic paper selection is specified, and when the paper type is "no specification", only one direction paper is set. It is possible to preferentially select a paper type on which paper in two directions is set, rather than a non-existent paper type. As a result, when there is a sheet type in which sheets in the vertical and horizontal directions are set, it is possible to prevent the sheet types from being mixed in the odd-numbered part and the even-numbered part and to cancel the rotation sort function.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the user can arbitrarily set whether or not double-sided printing can be performed for each type of paper. Is not subject to automatic paper selection even if the paper type from the host computer is "not specified". For example, to prevent double-sided printing on paper that has been printed on one side Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a printer as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of setting a priority order of sheets according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of setting whether or not double-sided printing is possible on a sheet according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A to D Paper trays E, F, G Registration rollers H Paper discharge trays I Controller

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Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus having a plurality of paper feed trays, receiving an external specification of a paper type for each paper feed tray, selecting a paper based on the specification, and forming an image, the paper type comprising: An image forming apparatus, comprising: setting means for setting a priority order; and selecting means for selecting a sheet in accordance with the priority order set by the setting means when the specification is a specification irrespective of a paper type. . 2. A rotary sorter having a plurality of paper feed trays, receiving a specification of a paper type and a rotation sort for each paper feed tray from the outside, and selecting a paper based on the specification to form an image. In the image forming apparatus having the function, when the specification is a specification regardless of the paper type and the rotation sort is specified, priority is given to a paper type in which vertical and horizontal papers required for the rotation sort are aligned. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a selection unit for selecting an image. 3. Double-sided printing which has a plurality of paper feed trays, receives a specification of a paper type for each paper feed tray and a specification of double-sided printing from the outside, selects a paper based on the specification, and forms an image. In an image forming apparatus having a function, setting means for setting the type of paper capable of performing double-sided printing, and when the specification is a specification irrespective of the type of paper and double-sided printing is specified, the both sides set by the setting means An image forming apparatus provided with a selection unit for selecting a printable sheet.