JP2002037485A - Image forming device, transfer material replenishment notifying method therefor and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device, a transfer material replenishment notifying method and a recording medium capable of notifying a user of the number of sheets to be required and replenished when transfer materials are run out within a cassette in process of printing. SOLUTION: When running out of sheets within the cassette 50 is discriminated by a sheet presence or absence detection sensor 7 and the number of remaining printing sheets that the number of sheets discharged after printing is subtracted from the number of printing sheets received from an external device 11 is discriminated to be >=1, the remaining number of printing sheets is displayed as the number of sheets to be replenished by a display means 8.

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, a transfer material replenishment notifying method thereof, and a storage medium. The present invention relates to a supply notification method and a storage medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional image forming apparatus, when performing printing,
The paper set in the cassette is fed and conveyed, and a toner image is transferred to the paper by a photosensitive drum and a transfer roller.
The paper on which the toner image has been transferred is discharged onto a paper discharge tray. This image forming apparatus has an operation panel for displaying a message for a user.

Further, the cassette is provided with a paper presence / absence detection sensor for detecting that there is no paper in the cassette. When it is detected that the cassette has run out of paper, a "paper" is displayed on an operation panel. there is not"
Or a message such as "Please replenish paper" is displayed.

[0004]

However, in the conventional image forming apparatus, when the paper in the cassette runs out during printing, the user does not know how many sheets should be supplied to the cassette. Even if paper is replenished, there is a problem that when the number of replenished papers is small, the paper must be replenished immediately.

Further, since it is not known how long printing will be completed after replenishing the paper, there is a problem that the image forming apparatus repeatedly travels between an external device such as a personal computer and the image forming apparatus. In particular, when an image forming apparatus is used via a network, this problem becomes more serious.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus, a transfer material replenishment notifying method, and a storage medium capable of notifying a user of a required replenishment number when a transfer material is exhausted in a cassette during printing. It is in.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a cassette for setting a transfer material, and printing an image on the transfer material set in the cassette. Receiving means for receiving the number of printed sheets from an external device, and printing the remaining number of printed sheets received by the receiving means in an image forming apparatus comprising a printing means for performing printing and a discharging means for discharging the transfer material printed by the printing means. Storage means for storing as a number of sheets; decrement means for reducing the number of transfer materials discharged by the discharge means; transfer material presence / absence detection means for detecting that there is no transfer material in the cassette; Display means for displaying the remaining number of prints reduced by the number reduction means as the number of transfer material replenishment sheets when the detection means detects that there is no transfer material in the cassette. And wherein the Rukoto.

[0008] The image forming apparatus according to the second aspect is the first aspect.
In the image forming apparatus described above, another storage unit that stores at least one comparison value equal to or less than a maximum number of transfer materials that can be set in the cassette, and a value of a remaining number of prints reduced by the reduction unit. Comparing means for comparing the at least one comparison value, the display means,
When the absence of the transfer material in the cassette is detected by the transfer material presence / absence detection means, a value corresponding to the result of the comparison by the comparison means is further displayed as the number of sheets to be supplied.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus according to the first aspect.
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transfer material presence / absence detection means detects that there is no transfer material in the cassette, and the remaining print number reduced by the number reduction means is one.
In the above case, each of the display means and the other display means displays the number of sheets to be supplied.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transfer material supply notifying method, comprising: a cassette for setting a transfer material; and a printing unit for printing an image on the transfer material set in the cassette. A transfer material replenishment notifying method for an image forming apparatus, comprising: a discharge unit that discharges a transfer material printed by the printing unit; a receiving step of receiving the number of printed sheets from an external device; and A storage step of storing the number of remaining print sheets, a reduction step of reducing the number of transfer materials discharged by the discharge unit, a transfer material presence / absence detection step of detecting that there is no transfer material in the cassette; A display step of displaying the remaining number of prints reduced in the number reduction step as the number of replenishment of the transfer material when the absence of the transfer material in the cassette is detected in the material presence / absence detection step. It is characterized in.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the transfer material replenishment notifying method of the first aspect, at least one comparison value of a value equal to or less than a maximum number of transfer materials that can be set in the cassette is set. And a comparing step of comparing the value of the remaining number of printed sheets reduced in the number reduction step with the at least one comparison value. In the displaying step, the presence of the transfer material is detected. When it is detected in the step that there is no transfer material in the cassette, a value corresponding to the result of the comparison in the comparing step is further displayed as the number of sheets to be supplied.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the transfer material supply notifying method according to the fourth or fifth aspect, the transfer material presence / absence detecting step detects that there is no transfer material in the cassette in the transfer material presence / absence detecting step, and When the number of remaining prints reduced in the reduction step is 1 or more, the number of refills is displayed in each of the display step and the other display steps.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium comprising: a cassette for setting a transfer material; printing means for printing an image on the transfer material set in the cassette; A storage medium storing a program for executing a transfer material replenishment notifying method of the image forming apparatus, comprising: a discharge unit configured to discharge a transfer material printed by the unit. Module, a storage module that stores the number of prints received by the receiving module as the remaining number of prints,
A subtraction module for reducing the number of transfer materials discharged by the discharge unit, a transfer material presence / absence detection module for detecting that there is no transfer material in the cassette, and transfer into the cassette by the transfer material presence / absence detection module A display module for displaying the remaining number of prints reduced by the number reduction module as the number of supply of the transfer material when detecting that there is no material.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 1 has a CPU 2 which is a one-chip microcomputer with a built-in ROM. When receiving a print signal from the external device 11 such as a personal computer, the CPU 2 drives the paper feed roller 505 and
Cut paper as a transfer material set in the cassette 503 is fed and transported to the position of the registration roller pair 508. The arrival of the paper is detected by the pre-registration sensor 507,
After the paper forms a predetermined loop at the position of the registration roller pair 508, the driving of the paper feed roller 505 is released. After that, the photosensitive drum 509 (printing means) and the transfer roller 510 (printing means) are driven, and the laser drive unit and the developing unit (not shown) make the toner image on the photosensitive drum 509 noticeable, and in synchronization with the noticeable speed. The registration roller pair 508 is driven, and is transferred onto the paper conveyed by the registration roller pair 508 by the photosensitive drum 509 and the transfer roller 510. Thereafter, the paper on which the toner image has been transferred is fixed by a fixing roller 511 and a pressure roller 512, passes through a paper ejection sensor 6, and is ejected by a paper ejection roller 513 (ejection unit).
14, and the printing process is completed.

The cassette 503 is provided with a paper presence / absence detection sensor 7 for detecting that there is no paper set in the cassette 503. Further, the image forming apparatus 1 has an operation panel 502 for displaying a message for the user.

When the CPU 2 detects that the paper in the cassette 503 has run out by the paper presence / absence detection sensor 7,
"No paper" on the operation panel 502
And a message such as "Please replenish paper" was displayed.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit of the image forming apparatus 1 of FIG.

In FIG. 2, an image forming apparatus 1 has a CPU
2, a receiving means 3, a storage means 4, a paper discharge sensor 6, a paper presence / absence detection sensor 7, and a display means 8. The external device 11 is connected to the CPU 2 via the receiving unit 3, and the receiving unit 3 receives the number of prints from the external device 11 by the print number reception command added to the existing command / status transmission / reception. The CPU 2 is connected with a storage unit 4, a paper discharge sensor 6, a paper presence / absence detection sensor 7, and a display unit 8.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a print control process of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 3, a CPU 2 includes an external device 11.
When the number of prints is received from the receiving unit 3 via the receiving unit 3 (YES in step S100) (receiving unit), the received number of prints is stored in the storage unit 4 as the remaining number of prints (step S100).
101) (Storage means). Next, when a print signal (not shown) for requesting start of printing transmitted from the external device 11 is received (YES in step S102), a printing process is executed (step S103).

During the printing process in step S103, when the discharge detection sensor 6 detects that the printed paper has been discharged (YES in step S104), the value of the remaining number of prints stored in the storage unit 4 is stored. Is reduced by 1 (step S10).
5) (Subtractor), and then the processes from step S102 are performed until the paper presence / absence detection sensor 7 (transfer material presence / absence detector) determines that there is no paper in the cassette 503 (YES in step S106). When there is no more paper in the cassette 503 (YES in step S106), it is determined whether the number of remaining prints in the storage unit 4 is 1 or more (step S107).

If the result of determination in step S107 is that the number of remaining prints is one or more, the number of remaining prints is displayed on the display means 8 (step S108), and this processing ends.
In step S108, for example, when the number of remaining prints is 5, "not enough paper" or "please replenish five papers" is displayed (display means).

On the other hand, if the result of determination in step S107 is that the number of remaining prints is less than 1, that is, zero, a normal display similar to the conventional display is performed (step S109), and this processing ends. In step S109, for example, a message such as "no paper" or "please supply paper" is displayed.

According to the first embodiment, it is determined by the paper presence / absence detection sensor 7 that there is no paper in the cassette 503 (YES in step S106), and after printing based on the number of prints received from the external device 11, When it is determined that the number of remaining prints obtained by subtracting the number of discharged papers is 1 or more (YES in step S107), the display unit 8 displays the number of remaining prints as a necessary supply number (step S10).
8) Therefore, when paper runs out in the cassette 503 during printing, the user can be notified of the required number of sheets to be supplied.

Although only the storage means 4 is used in the first embodiment, a new storage means and a calculation means are provided, the total number of printed sheets is stored by the storage means 4, and the number of printed sheets is determined by the storage means. The same processing can be performed by storing the data and when the paper has run out of the cassette 503, by subtracting the number of printed sheets from the total number of printed sheets to obtain the remaining number of printed sheets.

Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In the first embodiment, the remaining number of printed sheets is displayed as the required number of sheets to be supplied. However, in the second embodiment, the approximate number of sheets to be supplied is compared by comparing the number of remaining printed sheets with a predetermined comparison value. Display a notification of the number of sheets.

The hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment is that of the first embodiment (FIG. 1).
Is the same as

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control unit of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

The configuration of the control unit of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a comparing unit 20, a storage unit 21, and a storage unit 2.
2 and another display means 23.

Further, storage means 21 and storage means 22 are connected to the CPU 2 via the comparison means 20, respectively. Further, another display means 23 is connected to the CPU 2.

The storage means 21 stores the comparison value 1, and the storage means 22 stores the comparison value 2. Comparison value 1 is comparison value 2
It is set to a smaller value, and the comparison value 2 is set to a value equal to or less than the maximum number of stacked cassettes 503. In the present embodiment, the comparison value 1 = 10, the comparison value 2 = 100, and the maximum number of cassettes 503 to be loaded = 250.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are flowcharts showing a print control process of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 5, CPU 2 determines in step S1
From 00 to step S105, the same processing as in the flowchart shown in FIG. 3 is performed, and when there is no more paper in the cassette 503 (YES in step S106), it is determined whether the number of remaining prints in the storage unit 4 is 1 or more. (Step S
107).

If the result of determination in step S107 is that the number of remaining prints is less than 1, ie, zero, step S10
The process proceeds to 9 and ends.

On the other hand, if the result of determination in step S107 is that the number of remaining prints is one or more, the comparing means 20 determines whether the number of remaining prints is smaller than the comparison value 1 (step S200).

If the result of the determination in step S200 is that the number of remaining prints is smaller than the comparative value 1, the numerical value of the comparative value 1 (1
0) is set as the number of sheets to be replenished (step S201).
Proceed to 205. On the other hand, as a result of the determination in step S200,
If the number of remaining prints is equal to or larger than the comparison value 1, it is further determined whether the number of remaining prints is smaller than the comparison value 2 (step S).
202).

If the result of determination in step S202 is that the number of remaining prints is smaller than the comparison value 2, the value of the comparison value 2 (10
0) is set as the number of sheets to be supplied (step S203), and
If the number of remaining prints is equal to or larger than the comparison value 2, the maximum stacking number (250) is set as the supply number (step S20).
4), proceed to step S205.

In step S205, other display means 23
Thus, the number of refill sheets determined in step S201, step S203, or step S204 is displayed. In other words, when the number of sheets to be replenished is 10, a message such as "about 10 sheets of paper is not enough" or "please replenish about 10 sheets of paper" is displayed. When the number of replenishment is 250,
In addition to "not enough paper about 250 sheets", "please supply about 250 sheets of paper", and the like, a display such as "please fill paper" can also be made.

According to the second embodiment, it is determined by the paper presence / absence detection sensor 7 that there is no paper in the cassette 503 (YES in step S106), and when the number of remaining prints in the storage means 4 is one or more, If it is determined that there is (step S1
The result of comparing the number of remaining prints with the comparison value 1 and the value of the comparison value 2 (YES in step 07) is determined as the necessary number of sheets to be supplied (steps S201, S203, S204).
3 (step S205), it is possible to notify the user of the approximate required number of sheets to be supplied to the user when paper runs out in the cassette 503 during printing.

Since the time required for subsequent printing can be known from the number of sheets to be replenished, if the time is short, it is necessary to wait on the spot so that an external device such as a personal computer as an image output device and the image forming apparatus 1 can be used. The problem of going back and forth many times between can be solved. This is particularly effective when the image forming apparatus 1 is used in a network.

It is also said that the present invention can be applied to a case where the present invention is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus using a storage medium storing software program modules for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments. Not even. In this case, the program module itself read from the storage medium implements the novel function of the present invention, and the storage medium storing the program constitutes the present invention.

In the above embodiment, the program module is stored in the ROM built in the CPU 2 in the image forming apparatus 1. However, as a storage medium for supplying the program module, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk,
Hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-
A ROM, a CD-R, a DVD, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, or the like can be used.

[0046]

As described in detail above, the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect and the transfer material supply notifying method of the image forming apparatus according to the fourth aspect, and the storage medium according to the seventh aspect,
When it is detected that there is no transfer material in the cassette, the number of print materials received from the external device minus the number of transfer materials discharged after printing is displayed as the number of replenished sheets. In this case, the user can be notified of the exact required number of sheets to be supplied.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transfer material replenishment notifying method for an image forming apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention. Since the value corresponding to the result of comparing at least one comparison value with the value of the number of transfer materials discharged after printing reduced by the number of transfer materials discharged is displayed as the number of replenished sheets, the transfer material is no longer present in the cassette. In this case, the user can be roughly notified of the necessary number of sheets to be replenished, and when the transfer material is exhausted in the cassette, the user can know how much transfer material should be replenished in the cassette, and further, from the necessary number of replenished sheets, Because the time required for printing is known, if the time is short, it is necessary to wait on the spot, and repeatedly go back and forth between an external device such as a personal computer as an image output device and the image forming apparatus. There can be solved.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transfer material replenishment notifying method for an image forming apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention. The replenishment number is displayed when the number of transfer materials discharged after printing is reduced by one or more, so if the transfer material is exhausted in the cassette during printing, the user is notified of the exact required replenishment number. Can be notified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a control unit configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a print control process of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit of an image forming apparatus 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a print control process of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a print control process of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 CPU 3 Receiving means 7 Paper presence detection sensor 8 Display means 11 External device 503 Cassette 509 Photosensitive drum 510 Transfer roller 513 Discharge roller

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a cassette for setting a transfer material; printing means for printing an image on the transfer material set in the cassette; and discharge means for discharging the transfer material printed by the printing means. , Receiving means for receiving the number of printed sheets from an external device, storage means for storing the number of printed sheets received by the receiving means as a remaining number of printed sheets, and decrement means for reducing the number of transfer materials discharged by the discharging means A transfer material presence / absence detecting means for detecting that there is no transfer material in the cassette; and a decrement by the number reduction means when the transfer material presence / absence detection means detects that there is no transfer material in the cassette. Display means for displaying the remaining number of printed sheets as the number of replenishing transfer materials. 2. A storage unit for storing at least one comparison value equal to or less than a maximum number of transfer materials that can be set in the cassette; and a value of the remaining number of prints reduced by the reduction unit and the at least Comparing means for comparing with one or more comparison values, the display means, when the absence of transfer material in the cassette is detected by the transfer material presence / absence detection means, further compared by the comparison means 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a value corresponding to a result is displayed as the number of sheets to be supplied. 3. The display means and other display means when the transfer material presence / absence detection means detects that there is no transfer material in the cassette and the number of remaining prints reduced by the number reduction means is one or more. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the means displays the number of sheets to be supplied. 4. An image forming apparatus comprising: a cassette for setting a transfer material; printing means for printing an image on the transfer material set in the cassette; and discharge means for discharging the transfer material printed by the printing means. A receiving step of receiving the number of printed sheets from an external device, a storing step of storing the number of printed sheets received in the receiving step as a remaining number of printed sheets, and a number of transfer sheets discharged by the discharging unit. A subtraction step of reducing the number of minutes, a transfer material presence / absence detection step of detecting that there is no transfer material in the cassette, and a detection of the absence of a transfer material in the cassette in the transfer material presence / absence detection step, A display step of displaying the remaining number of prints reduced in the reduction step as the number of supply of the transfer material. 5. A storage step for storing at least one comparison value of a value equal to or less than a maximum number of transfer materials that can be set in the cassette, and a value of a remaining number of printed sheets reduced in the reduction step. A comparing step of comparing the at least one comparison value with the at least one comparison value; and, in the displaying step, when detecting that there is no transfer material in the cassette in the transfer material presence / absence detecting step, further comprising the comparing step 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein a value corresponding to the result of the comparison is displayed as the number of sheets to be supplied. 6. The display step and other displays when the transfer material presence / absence detection step detects that there is no transfer material in the cassette, and when the number of remaining prints reduced in the number reduction step is 1 or more. 6. The transfer material replenishment notification method according to claim 4, wherein the number of replenished sheets is displayed in each of the steps. 7. An image forming apparatus comprising: a cassette for setting a transfer material; printing means for printing an image on the transfer material set in the cassette; and discharge means for discharging the transfer material printed by the printing means. A storage medium storing a program for executing the transfer material replenishment notifying method, wherein the program stores a reception module for receiving the number of prints from an external device, and stores the number of prints received by the reception module as a remaining number of prints. A storage module, a subtraction module for reducing the number of transfer materials discharged by the discharge unit, a transfer material presence / absence detection module for detecting no transfer material in the cassette, and a transfer material presence / absence detection module. When it is detected that there is no transfer material in the cassette, the remaining number of prints reduced by the number reduction module is used as the supply number of transfer material. Storage medium characterized by comprising a display module for displaying a.