JP2002040883A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device which prevents a user from recovering a form ejected at the time of interruption of a job without finding that this form is incompletely printed. SOLUTION: When the form ejected to an ejection tray is taken out at the time of discriminating interruption of job output by a job output interruption discrimination means 142, it is discriminated by a form removal discrimination means 142, and a warning means 151 gives a warning. Thus the user is given the warning to find that the form is incompletely printed when trying to remove the form ejected to the ejection tray at the time of interruption of job output.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus applied to a digital color copying machine or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a copying machine, for example,
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 267953, when a certain period of time has elapsed from the end of printing, if paper remains in the paper discharge tray, this is detected and a warning message is issued, or When the setting of the operation panel is reset in a state in which the sheets remain in the tray, there is an example in which a warning prompting removal of the remaining sheets is issued.

In a copying machine, if paper empty occurs during execution of a job or if a mode is forcibly released, job output is stopped halfway. In this case, the paper (bundle) discharged to the paper discharge tray is in a print incomplete state.

[0004]

However, in the prior art including the above-mentioned known example, although the remaining of the paper discharged to the paper discharge tray can be notified, the paper in the unprinted state has been removed. Sometimes, they do not have the function of notifying them immediately.

[0005] Therefore, even if the job output is stopped halfway while the user temporarily leaves the copying site after designating the job, the user returning to the site does not discharge the job to the output tray. Unless the paper on which the paper is printed is carefully checked, the user often does not notice that the paper is not yet printed. In this case, if the unfinished paper is collected as it is, the user has to notice it later and perform the processing again.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is an image forming apparatus capable of preventing a user from recognizing that a sheet ejected when a job is stopped halfway is incomplete, without noticing that the print is incomplete. The purpose is to provide.

[0007]

The above objects are attained by an intermediate stop judging means for judging whether or not a job output is halfway stopped, and a sheet removing judging means for judging whether a sheet has been removed from a sheet discharging section. If it is determined that the sheet has been removed from the paper discharge unit by the paper removal determining unit, and if the job output is determined to be halfway stopped at that time, the job output is halfway stopped. And a warning unit that warns of the problem.

According to this image forming apparatus, when the job output is stopped halfway while a predetermined job is being executed, this is determined by the halfway stop determining means. At this time, when the unprinted paper discharged to a paper discharge unit such as a paper discharge tray is removed, this is determined by the paper removal determination unit, and a warning that the job output is stopped halfway is issued by the warning unit. Be emitted.

For this reason, when the user tries to remove the sheet when the job output is stopped halfway, the user recognizes from the above warning that the sheet is incompletely printed due to the job output being stopped halfway. Can be
Unfinished paper will not be collected as it is.

When a warning is issued by the warning means,
The configuration provided with the post-warning job selection means capable of selecting any of aborted jobs, discarding, continuation, and redoing is provided because the action when a warning is issued can be easily selected. desirable.

[0011]

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

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a digital full-color copying machine to which an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

The digital full-color copying machine 1 generally includes an image reader unit 101 for reading a document image and a printer unit 102 for printing the read image on paper.

In the image reader unit 101, a scanner 10 is placed on an image surface of a document placed on a document table 103.
The light from the exposure lamp 100 provided in 4 is irradiated. Light reflected from the original image surface is reflected by mirrors 105 to 10.
8. Full-color CCD sensor 11 via condensing lens
Form an image on 0.

The full-color CCD sensor 110 converts the reflected light from the original into red (R), green (G), and blue (B) electric signals (analog signals) and outputs the electric signals to the image signal processing unit 111. The scanner 104 is moved in the sub-scanning direction (the direction of the arrow) by the scanner motor 112 to scan the entire document.

The image signal processing section 111 converts an input analog signal into a predetermined digital signal (laser drive signal) and outputs the digital signal to a laser device 113. Laser device 113
Emits a laser beam based on an input digital signal.

In the printer section 102, the laser device 1
The laser beam emitted by 13 scans and exposes a photosensitive drum 115 serving as an image carrier charged by a charging charger 114 to form an electrostatic latent image. The toner developing units 116 to 119 of four colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black are selected in this order, and the photosensitive drum 1
Develop the electrostatic latent image on 15.

An appropriate sheet is conveyed from the sheet feeding cassettes 120 to 122, and the electrostatic attraction charger 1 provided opposite to the attraction roller 124 via the timing roller 123.
25 attracts the transfer drum 126. The toner image developed on the photosensitive drum 115 is transferred to the transfer charger 1.
The image is transferred to the paper wound on the transfer drum 126 by the reference numeral 27.

The rotation of the transfer drum 126 is controlled by a drum motor 128. When performing a full color copy,
The image forming mode of the transfer drum 126 is a color image forming mode in which the transfer drum rotates four times, and transfer is repeatedly performed for four colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.
On the other hand, in the case of monochrome copying, the image forming mode of the transfer drum 126 is a monochrome image forming mode in which the transfer drum makes one rotation, and printing is completed by one rotation of the transfer drum 126.

Thereafter, the sheet is separated from the transfer drum 126 by the action of the separation charger 129 and the separation claw 131, is fixed through the fixing device 132, and is then discharged to a discharge tray 133 serving as a discharge section.

The transfer drum 126 from which the paper has been separated is electrically neutralized by the neutralization charger 130 after the oil attached to the outer peripheral surface is removed by the cleaner 137.

The fixing device 132 includes upper and lower rollers 134,
135, each roller 134, 135
Is adjusted to a predetermined temperature by a heater.

The output tray 133 is composed of a plurality of output bins (sort bins) 139, 139,... In the vertical direction, and each output bin 139 holds sheets (bundles) sorted according to a designated job. Each is discharged. Each discharge bin 139 is provided with a paper detection sensor 138 for detecting the paper on the discharge bin.

At the time of duplex copying, the sheet reversing unit 136
The paper discharged by the transfer drum 12
6, the image is formed by suction.

The copying machine 1 is provided with a connection section 140 for connecting to a network connection device such as a personal computer to be described later and using the copying machine 1 in a printer mode.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electric configuration of the copying machine 1. As shown in FIG. Here, the copier 1 is a personal computer PC that has established a LAN with the workstation WS so that it can be used in the printer mode.
Are connected via a connection unit 140.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 141 denotes an interface unit for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the personal computer PC. Image data from the personal computer PC is taken in via the interface unit 141.

The CPU 142 controls the image reader 1
1, the printer unit 102, the panel display unit 150 provided for setting various modes, and the like. Further, the CPU 142 determines whether or not the output of the job by the personal computer PC or the like has stopped halfway.
9 also functions as a sheet removal determining unit for determining whether the sheet on the sheet 9 has been removed.

Further, the CPU 142 determines whether or not the cause of the interruption of the job output is paper empty.
Alternatively, it has a function of determining whether or not the mode has been forcibly released.

The panel display section 150 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), and has a warning section 151 and a post-warning job selection section 152. When the sheet in the discharge bin 139 is removed when the job output is stopped halfway, a warning message indicating that the discharged sheet is incompletely printed according to an instruction from the CPU 142 (see FIG. 3). Is displayed.

The post-warning job selection section 152 is for the user to select one of discarding, continuation and re-starting of the job at the time of the warning. For example, as shown in FIG. Each item of redo 1
52a and a touch panel type switch unit 152b corresponding to each item are displayed.
When any item is selected in b, the display form of the selected touch panel type switch unit 152b changes.

Note that the ROM 143 stores the CPU 142
Is a memory in which a control program of each unit is stored. The timer 144 is for measuring various processing times.

Next, the operation of the digital copying machine 1 according to the illustrated embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the following description and drawings, steps are denoted by S.
Abbreviated.

First, in step S100, the job output specified in the copy mode or the printer mode is started, and in step S101, the CPU 142 determines whether the job output is stopped halfway. If the job output is stopped halfway (YES in S101), in S102
The CPU 142 determines whether or not the paper in the paper cassette is empty. If the paper is empty (the determination in S102 is YE
S) In S103, the CPU 142 determines whether or not the mode has been forcibly released.

If the operation is a mode forcible release operation (S10)
3 is YES), in S104, based on the signal from the sheet detection sensor 138 on the discharge bin, the CPU 124
It is determined whether or not the sheet discharged to the discharge bin 139 has been removed. When the sheet is removed from the discharge bin 139 (YES in S104), in S105, a warning message such as "Job is stopped halfway" is displayed on the warning unit 151 of the panel display unit 150 in FIG. . Thereby, the user can understand that the paper at that time is the one that is stopped during the job.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5, while a user designates a job and is once away from the site, the completed paper by proper execution of a predetermined job is stored in the upper and next output bins 139. It is assumed that S1 and S2 are respectively discharged, and the unprinted paper S3 due to the stoppage of the job is discharged to the lower discharge bin 139.

When the user returns to the site and removes the paper S3 from the lower discharge bin 139 without noticing that,
A warning message is displayed at that point. For this reason, the user can output the lower bin 139 from the warning message.
It can be recognized that the paper discharged to the printer is not completed due to the stoppage of the job, and the paper S3 is left as it is.
Is prevented from being brought back.

After the warning message is displayed, the user who sees the warning message operates the post-warning job selection means 152 to discard, continue, and redo the handling of the job when the warning is issued. Choose from us.

In S106, the CPU 142 determines whether or not the current job is to be destroyed, that is, whether or not the user has issued a destroy instruction. If the job is to be destroyed (YES in S106). After performing the job output end process in S107, the process proceeds to S111.

If the job is not to be discarded (NO in S106), it is determined whether or not an instruction to continue the job is issued in S108. If the job is to be continued (YES in S108), the job is determined in S109. After performing the output continuation process, the process proceeds to S111.

If the job is not continued (NO in S108), it is assumed that the user has instructed re-execution of the job, the job is re-outputted in S110, and the process proceeds to S111.

In S111, the CPU 142 determines whether or not the output has been completed. If the output has been completed (S111).
If the determination in step 111 is YES), the operation ends. If the output has not been completed (NO in S111), the process returns to S101 and repeats the processes in S101 to S111.

If the job output is not stopped halfway (S1
01 is NO), when the paper is not empty (NO in S102), when the mode is not forced cancellation (NO in S103), and when the sheet bundle discharged to the discharge bin 150 is not removed (S103). If the determination in S104 is NO), the process directly proceeds to S111.

The warning by the warning means 151 is not limited to the above-mentioned warning message, but may be, for example, a means for turning on a warning indicator or generating a warning sound.

In the above embodiment, a digital full-color copying machine in which the transfer drum rotates four times, that is, a so-called 4-cycle digital full-color copying machine has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a so-called tandem-type digital full-color copying machine in which a developing device is provided for the intermediate transfer belt, or a monochrome copying machine may be used.

[0046]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the sheet in the sheet discharge unit is removed when the job output is stopped halfway, the warning means warns that the job output is stopped halfway. This allows the user to recognize that the paper is incomplete when the paper is removed from the paper output unit, and therefore the user can collect the unfinished paper as it is. Can be prevented beforehand. In addition, since a warning is issued at the timing when the sheet is removed from the paper discharge unit, it is possible to prevent a warning at an unnecessary timing.

When a warning is given by the warning means,
In the case where a post-warning job selection unit that can select any of discarding, continuation, and resetting of a stopped job is provided, it is possible to easily select a job to be handled when a warning is issued.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a digital full-color copying machine to which an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the digital full-color copying machine.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display screen of a panel display unit.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the digital full-color copying machine.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an example of discharging unprinted paper.

[Explanation of symbols]

1... Copier (image forming apparatus) 133 (139)... Discharge tray (discharge bin) (discharge unit) 138... Paper detection sensor on discharge bin 142. ... CPU (job output midway stop determining means, paper removal determining means) 151... Warning means 152... Post-warning job selection means S1 to S3. Paper

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hironobu Nakata 2-3-13 Azuchicho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Inside Osaka International Building Minolta Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroshi Sumiyama 2-chome Azuchicho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka No. 3-13 Osaka International Building Minolta Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yoshitaka Fujita 2-3-1 Azuchicho, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture Osaka International Building Minolta Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2H027 DC12 GA30 GB07 GB07 GB09 GB13 3F048 AA02 AB01 BA30 BB02 BB04 BB05 BC03 CB03 DA03 EA08 EA09 5C062 AA05 AB20 AB25 AB35 AB46 AC58 AC65 AF15

Claims (2)

[Claims] An intermediate stop determining unit that determines whether the job output is stopped halfway; a sheet removal determining unit that determines whether a sheet is removed from a sheet discharging unit; and a sheet removal determining unit. When it is determined that the sheet has been removed from the paper discharge unit, and when the job output is determined to be halfway stopped by the halfway stop unit at that time, a warning unit that warns that the job output is halfway stopped, An image forming apparatus comprising: 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a post-warning job selection unit that can select any one of discarding, continuation, and restarting of the stopped job when a warning is issued by the warning unit.