JP2002149010A - Image forming device and image forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device and an image forming method where mistakes in input of a stapling position instruction can be reduced. SOLUTION: In the image forming device and image forming method, the loading direction of an original is specified with an original loading direction specifying part and the stapling position is determined by having a stapling position selected with a stapling position selecting part.

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 and an image forming method, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method characterized in determining a staple position in a staple mode.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An image forming apparatus having a staple mode in which an image is formed on a recording sheet based on image information read from an original, and a plurality of recording sheets on which the image has been formed is collectively stapled is known. Have been.

In this staple mode, the operator
Instructions such as the stapling position and the number of binding staples are input from an operation display unit such as a liquid crystal touch panel display provided at an appropriate place in the image forming apparatus.

[0004] A well-known staple position determination screen for the instruction input is as shown in FIG. 10. All possible options based on the combination of the document placement direction, the staple position, and the number of staples are displayed in the center column of “staple-one location” and “staple-two locations”.

When a large number of options are displayed,
It is difficult for the operator to immediately determine which option of the desired staple position, and as a result, there is a problem that a wrong selection is made and a staple mistake is likely to occur.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming method capable of reducing staple position input errors.

[0007]

The object of the present invention has been attained by the following constitutions.

[0008] 1. A stapling mode selecting unit for selecting a stapling mode in an image forming apparatus including an image forming apparatus main body for forming an image on a recording material and a post-processing device for performing a stapling process on the recording material on which the image is formed; An image forming apparatus comprising: a document placement direction designation unit for designating a placement direction; and an operation display unit having a staple position selection unit for selecting a staple position.

[0009] 2. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the original placement direction designating section displays options for the original placing direction, and the staple position selecting section displays options for the staple position.

[0010] 3. Control means having a document size detection sensor and controlling the display so as to limit the display of the options of the document placing direction or the staple position according to the size of the document detected by the document size detection sensor. 3. The image forming apparatus according to the above item 2, comprising:

4. An image forming method for reading an image of an original to form an image on a recording material and collectively stapling the plurality of image-formed recording materials, the original placing step of placing the original on an original reading device; A document placement direction designating step of designating the document placement direction, and a staple position selecting step of selecting a staple position.

5. The document placement direction designation step is to select from options of the document placement direction displayed on the document placement direction designation section of the image forming apparatus, and the staple position selection step is
5. The image forming method according to the above item 4, wherein the image forming apparatus is selected from staple position options displayed in a staple position selecting unit of the image forming apparatus.

6. A document size detection step of detecting a size of the document, and a document placement direction option or the stapling displayed in the document placement direction designation section according to the document size detected in the document size detection step; 6. The image forming method according to the above item 5, wherein options of stapling positions displayed on the position selecting section are limited.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus 1 equipped with a post-processing device FS, an automatic document feeder DF, and an image reading device (scanner) SC.

The illustrated image forming apparatus main body 1A includes an image processing unit 2, an image writing unit 3, an image forming unit 4, a high-voltage power supply unit 5, a cassette paper feeding unit 6, a fixing device 7, a paper discharging unit 8, an automatic duplex copy. Re-transporting means (ADU) 9 for

An image reading device SC and an automatic document feeder DF are mounted on the upper part of the image forming apparatus main body 1A. A post-processing device FS is connected to the upper left portion of the image forming apparatus main body 1A in the figure.

Although described in detail later, the automatic document feeder DF includes a width sensor 602 and length sensors S1 and S2 as a document size detection sensor, and detects the size of a placed document. Can be done.
Also, the original d placed on the original platen of the automatic document feeder DF with the first side facing upward is conveyed in the direction of the arrow and one side or both sides of the original are read by the optical system of the image reading device SC. The data is read by the CCD image sensor C1 and stored as image information in a memory (not shown).

The image information is sent to the image processing unit 2.
After performing analog processing, A / D conversion, shading correction, image compression, and other image processing such as enlargement / reduction, image rotation, staple shift, and image density change according to the instruction input by the user from the display operation unit, The image is sent to the image writing unit 3.

In the image writing section 3, output light from a semiconductor laser is applied to the photosensitive drum 4A of the image forming section 4 to form a latent image. In the image forming unit 4, processes such as charging, exposure, development, transfer, separation, and cleaning are performed, and an image is transferred to the recording paper S transported from the cassette paper feeding unit 6. The recording paper S carrying the image is fixed by the fixing device 7 and sent from the paper discharge unit 8 to the post-processing device FS. Alternatively, the single-sided image-processed recording sheet S sent to the re-conveying means 9 by the sheet discharging path switching plate 8A is again image-formed on both sides by the image forming unit 4, and then is discharged by the sheet discharging rollers 8B of the sheet discharging unit 8. It is sent to the post-processing device FS.

The post-processing apparatus FS includes an image forming apparatus main body 1A.
It is detachably attached to the upper left of. Post-processing device FS
Are a sheet conveying means 10, a paper discharging means 20, a post-processing means 3
0, a lifting / lowering discharge means 40. 100 (see FIG. 2) is a post-processing apparatus main body.

In FIG. 1, a cassette sheet feeding section 6 is provided below the image forming apparatus main body 1A in the height direction, and a fixing device 7 is provided above the image forming apparatus main body 1A. A paper discharge unit 8 is provided. With this vertical arrangement, a substantially vertical transport path is formed. The recording paper S sent out from the cassette paper feeding unit 6 is conveyed along the vertically upper conveyance path and is moved to the image forming apparatus main body 1A.
It is discharged outside.

In substantially parallel to the vertical transport path,
A transport path by the re-transporting means 9 is formed.

By forming the above-described transport path in the vertical direction, a transport path of the shortest distance from the cassette paper feed unit 6 to the paper discharge unit 8 is formed.

The conveying means 10 of the post-processing apparatus FS is accommodated in the space above the image forming apparatus main body 1A as shown. The entrance 11 of the conveying means 10 is connected to a discharge roller 8B of the discharge section 8 of the image forming apparatus main body 1A. In this mounting state, the sheet discharging means 20 and the post-processing means 30 of the post-processing apparatus FS
Is accommodated. The elevating and lowering discharging means 40 including a plurality of discharging trays (also referred to as bins) 41 and elevating and lowering driving means 42 is located on the side of the post-processing apparatus main body 100 (see FIG. 2).

FIG. 2 shows a post-processing device F of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG.
It is sectional drawing of S. In FIG. 2, the post-processing device FS includes:
It is composed of a conveying means 10, a paper discharging means 20, a post-processing means 30, and a lifting / lowering paper discharging means 40. Can be pulled out to the side.

The conveying means 10 includes a discharge roller 8 of the discharge section 8.
Transport guide plates (hereinafter, referred to as guide plates) 12 and 13 which are connected to the entrance portion 11 facing B and guide the discharged recording paper S to the paper discharging means 20, and a drive for nipping and transporting the recording paper S. Transport rollers 14, 15, comprising rollers and driven rollers,
16. These guide plates 12, 13
The path formed by the transfer rollers 14, 15, and 16 forms a substantially horizontal transfer path. Transport rollers 14, 15,
Each of the 16 drive rollers is normally rotated by a drive motor (not shown).

The paper discharging means 20 comprises a paper discharging upper roller 21, a paper discharging lower roller 22, and a pressure bonding means 23 which are connected to a driving source and rotate forward and backward. The upper discharge roller 21 is moved up and down by a torque limiter, and presses the lower discharge roller 22 by a pressing unit 23.

The paper discharging means 20 further regulates the intermediate stacker 24 on which the plurality of recording papers S transported by the transporting means 10 are loaded, and the widthwise direction of the recording papers S loaded on the intermediate stacker 24. Width alignment means 25, intermediate stacker 24
Stopping means 26 is provided for abutting the rear end of the recording paper S stacked thereon to determine the position in the transport direction.

The post-processing means 30 includes a binding means (stapler) 31 for driving the binding needle supply port SP into a bundle of recording paper on the intermediate stacker 24, and a moving means 32 for moving and rotating the binding means 31 to a predetermined position. It is composed of

When a stapling mode instruction is input from the display operation unit, the recording paper S on which an image has been formed is conveyed from the image forming apparatus main body 1A side (the right side in FIG. 2), and the conveying rollers 14, 15, and 16, the sheets are stacked on the intermediate stacker 24 to form a bundle of recording sheets S, and the width aligning unit 25 aligns the ends of the bundle of recording sheets S in the width direction (perpendicular to the transport direction). Then, the end (the right side in the figure) of the bundle in the transport direction is abutted against the stopping means 26 and positioned, and the binding needles are supplied from a plurality of binding needle supply ports SP provided in the width direction of the binding means 31 to record. Paper S
Are bound by driving a binding staple (staple processing). The bundle of the bound recording sheets S is rotated by rotation of the upper discharge roller 21 and the lower discharge roller 22,
The sheet is discharged to the elevating sheet discharging means 40.

When the bundle of the recording sheets S is not bound, the recording sheets S conveyed from the image forming apparatus main body are discharged to the elevating discharge unit 40 without passing through the intermediate stacker 24.

The elevating discharge device 40 comprises a plurality of inclined discharge trays 41 and an elevating drive means 42 for vertically moving the discharge tray 41 up and down.

Although the illustrated post-processing device FS has a four-stage paper discharge tray 41, since there is a space below and above the elevating and discharging device 40, the post-processing device FS is further increased in the number of bins. (For example, a post-processing device for 10 to 20 bins) FS can also be mounted. Further, the post-processing device FS can also have a paper sorting function for a mailbox or the like.

FIG. 3 is a partial top view of the automatic document feeder DF of the image forming apparatus of FIG. Original loading plate 60
1, length sensors S1 and S2 and a width sensor 60
When the original is placed on the original placing plate 601, the original is sent in the direction of the thick arrow (left direction in the figure).

In the width sensor 602, holding members 602h for holding both ends of the width of the document are fitted in the grooves 602m, and can be moved in a thin arrow direction (up and down direction in the figure). When the holding member 602h is moved according to the width of the recording material, the voltage value of a variable resistor (not shown) connected thereto changes, and the width of the recording material can be detected. Information obtained by the width sensor 602 is, for example, A4
(Or A3), B5 (or B4), A4R, B5
R, B6 or not.

The length sensors S1 and S2 are photo sensors, and detect whether a document is placed on the length sensor S1 or S2 based on whether the light receiving element of the photo sensor has received light. ing. Length sensor S
In steps 1 and S2, the sizes of A4 / A3 and B5 / B4 for which the size of the document cannot be determined only by the width sensor 602 are detected. For example, when the length sensor S2 detects that the document is not covered because the length sensor S2 does not receive light, the length sensor S1 detects that the document is not covered by receiving light and receives the width sensor 602 according to the detection information. , A4 or B5 size. Further, the length sensors S1 and S2
Are not received, and it is detected that the document covers both sensors, it is determined that the size is A3 or B4 according to the detection information of the width sensor 602.

The document size detection in the automatic document feeder DF, reading from the image reading device (scanner) SC, image formation in the image forming section 4, and stapling of the image-formed recording paper S in the post-processing device FS. Such control is performed by a control board (control means) disposed in an appropriate place of the image forming apparatus main body 1A in response to a user's instruction from an operation display unit described later or automatically.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an operation display section of the image forming apparatus of FIG. The operation display unit 50 is, in the present invention,
A document placement direction designation unit and a staple position selection unit are provided. The document placement direction designation unit displays options for the document placement direction, and the staple position selection unit displays options for the staple position and accepts selection input. Has functions. The operation display unit 50 is provided at a place where the user of the image forming apparatus can easily operate, for example, on the upper surface on the front side of the image reading apparatus SC (in FIG. 1).

In the figure, reference numeral 511 denotes a sort button for selecting a sort mode in which the documents are sorted into the bins of the elevating / discharging means 40 in the post-processing step. A staple button 513 as a staple mode selection unit to be selected is a group button for selecting a group mode for sorting bins for each group.

Reference numeral 520 denotes a liquid crystal touch panel display for displaying and receiving various operation keys and the like. In the present invention, a document placement direction designation section and a staple position selection section are displayed and accepted.

Reference numeral 531 denotes a document reading button for starting reading of a document, 532 denotes an image rotation button for selecting an image rotation for rotating image information in order to form an image in accordance with the vertical and horizontal directions of the recording paper, and 533 denotes various types. An application function button 534 for displaying an operation screen on the liquid crystal touch panel display 520 is an original image quality button for selecting a gradation suitable for the image quality of the original such as pencil writing, characters only, and photographs.

Reference numeral 541 denotes an auto reset button for canceling the settings made on the operation display unit 50 and returning to the initial state. Reference numeral 542 calls a job memory setting screen on the liquid crystal touch panel display 520, and performs writing or reading to or from the memory. A job memory button 543, a help button 543 for displaying a description of the displayed screen, a check button 544 for checking a setting state, and a slot 545 for using the image forming apparatus as a copier or a printer. A mode switching button for selecting a use mode or a use mode.

Reference numeral 551 denotes a numeric keypad for setting the number of recording sheets on which an image is to be formed, and reference numeral 552 denotes a number display unit for displaying the number set by the numeric keypad 551.

Reference numeral 561 denotes a start button for starting image formation under set conditions, 562 a stop / clear button for stopping the image formation during image formation, and deleting a job in the memory, and 564 a job execution. An interrupt button 565 for performing another job while the image is being formed (during image formation) is a timer display unit for displaying whether or not the timer is being used.

As described above, the user makes various settings related to stapling and the like from the various operation buttons and the operation keys displayed on the liquid crystal touch panel display 520.

FIG. 5 is an example of a hierarchical operation screen displayed on the liquid crystal touch panel display in the operation display section described in FIG.

FIG. 5 shows a basic screen on which frequently used setting functions are displayed as keys. Reference numeral 61
Column is a key column for selecting from which side (one side or both sides) of the document the image formation is to be performed on which side (one side or both sides) of the recording paper. , A column 63 is a key column for setting the enlargement / reduction ratio of the image, and a column 64 is a key column for selecting the size of the recording paper used for image formation. Also, 65
Reference numeral denotes a finishing key for calling a screen for setting a position where a stapler is driven by a stapler in the post-processing device FS (FIG. 1). When the user presses the key to select,
This indicates that the function of the pressed key has been selected.

By pressing the finishing key 65 on this basic screen, the lower layer staple position determination screen is called up, and an input instruction is issued from the original placement direction designating portion and the staple position selecting portion in the screen.

FIG. 6 is an example of a staple position determination screen in the lower layer of the basic screen described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 651 denotes a document placement direction designation unit, and 652 denotes a staple position selection unit.

The document placement direction designation section 651 displays four options A to D. Each option is
In the automatic document feeder of the image forming apparatus, when a document having the image “K” is placed on the document placing tray and viewed from a standing position when a user inputs an instruction from the operation display unit Are diagrammatically shown for each original placing direction. The original is fed to the left end of the original tray.

Option A indicates that the document size is A4 (or B
5) indicates the document placement direction in which the document is placed in a vertically long size, in which the upper end of the image of the document is on the back side of the document tray and the lower end of the image of the document is on the front side. Option B is for document size A
4R (or B5R / A3 / B4), which indicates a document mounting direction in which the upper edge of the image of the original is on the back side of the original tray and the lower end of the image of the original is on the near side. The option C indicates a document placement direction in which the document size is A4 (or B5) in a vertically long size, and the upper end of the image of the document is in front of the document placement tray and the lower end of the image of the document is on the back side. I have. The option D is a document placement in which the document size is A4R (or B5R / A3 / B4) in a landscape orientation, and the upper end of the document image is in front of the document placement tray and the lower end of the document image is in the back. Indicates the direction.

The staple position selection section 652 displays three staple positions and three staple options corresponding to each of the options A to D of the original placement direction designation section 651.

The options 1 to 3 are stapling position options when the original placing direction is the above-mentioned option A. The option 1 is a case where a single-staple is stapled on the upper left of the original image.
Option 2 shows a case where a single-point binding needle is hit on the lower left of the image of the document, and option 3 shows a case where a two-point binding needle is hit on the left side of the image of the document.

The options 4 to 6 are staple position options when the original placing direction is the option B, and are the same as the options 1 to 3, respectively.

The options 7 to 9 are staple position options when the original placement direction is the option C, and are the same as the options 1 to 3, respectively.

The options 10 to 12 are staple position options when the original placing direction is the option D, and are the same as the options 1 to 3, respectively.

The user confirms the direction of the original placed on the original placing tray from the original placing direction designation section 651, and touches and selects a corresponding one of the options A to D. It is only necessary to touch and select a desired staple position from the corresponding three options from the staple position selection unit 652. After touching, it is preferable that the selected option be distinguished from other options, such as darkening.

Unlike the conventional staple position determination screen described with reference to FIG. 10, there are many choices, and unlike the conventional staple position selection screen which must be selected after carefully considering the relationship between the original placement direction and the staple position. By separately displaying the document placement direction designation section and the staple position selection section as in the invention, the number of options can be reduced in each case, and the user can reliably perform the decision work without being confused. .

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a display method after one option is selected by the original placement direction designating section on the staple position determination screen of FIG.

When the user touches and selects option A in document placement direction specifying section 651, stapling position selecting section 652 selects option A and corresponding option 1
In this example, only the display items No. to No. 3 can be selected. The choices B to D and the corresponding choices 4 to 12 are shaded or darkened so that they cannot be selected.

By adopting such a display format, the user can more easily select and quickly and surely determine the staple position.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another method of displaying the staple position determination screen of FIG. In cooperation with the document size detection sensor of the image forming apparatus, options of the document placement direction and options of the stapling position are limitedly displayed according to the detected document size.

Based on the detection information from the width sensor and the length sensor as the document size detection sensors, the size information of the document placed on the document placing tray can be obtained. , It can be determined whether it is a landscape size. For example, when the document is detected to be in the portrait size, the portrait size option is A or C among the four options of the document placement direction designation unit. Therefore, only the options A and C and the corresponding options 1 to 3 and 7 to 9 of the staple position are displayed so as to be selectable, and the rest are oblique or dark so that they cannot be selected.

As for the image direction of the original, the user only has to select from the two options A and C, and the original placing direction can be specified more quickly and reliably. Also, in the subsequent selection of the staple position, since the options are reduced by half compared to those in FIG. 6, the user is less confused. As described with reference to FIG. 7, after an appropriate option is touched in the document placement direction designating section, only the options of the staple position corresponding to the option are selected (only three options).
If displayed, it is possible to more reliably prompt the user to determine the staple position.

FIG. 9 shows another example of a method for displaying options for the document placement direction in the document placement direction designation section.

In FIGS. 6 to 8, the options for the document placement direction are shown in an easy-to-understand manner by the automatic document feeder and the symbol representing the document. However, it is possible to easily form a diagram by drawing the end of the feeding direction with a bold line as shown in FIG. 9A or expressing the feeding direction with an arrow as shown in FIG. 9B. .

[0068]

As described above, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming method capable of reducing erroneous input of a stapling position.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a post-processing device of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial top view of the automatic document feeder of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an operation display unit of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an example of a hierarchical operation screen displayed on the operation display unit in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an example of a staple position determination screen.

7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display method after one option is selected by a document placement direction designation unit on the staple position determination screen of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another display method of the staple position determination screen of FIG.

FIG. 9 is another example of a method of displaying a document placement direction option in a document placement direction designation unit.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a conventional staple position determination screen.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Image Forming Apparatus 1A Image Forming Apparatus Main Body 10 Conveying Means 20 Paper Discharging Means 24 Intermediate Stacker 25 Width Aligning Means 26 Stopping Means 30 Post-Processing Means 31 Stapling Means (Stapler) 520 Liquid Crystal Touch Panel Display 651 Document Placement Direction Designating Section 652 Staple Position Selector DF Automatic document feeder FS Post-processing device

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2H027 DB09 DB10 FA04 FA21 FA31 FB07 GA23 GA34 GA45 GB04 GB14 2H072 AA23 AA32 AB10 AB12 AB14 AB28 CA01 FA01 FB02 GA08 JA02 3F108 GA01 GB01 HA02 HA32 HA46 5C062 AA05 AB02 AB17 AB25 AB30 AC67 AF10 BA00

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A staple mode for selecting a staple mode in an image forming apparatus including an image forming apparatus main body for forming an image on a recording material and a post-processing device for performing a stapling process on the recording material on which the image is formed. An image forming apparatus comprising: a selection unit; and an operation display unit having a document placement direction designation unit for designating a document placement direction and a staple position selection unit for selecting a staple position. 2. The image according to claim 1, wherein the original placement direction designation section displays an option of the original placement direction, and the staple position selection section displays an option of the staple position. Forming equipment. 3. A document size detection sensor, and according to the size of the document detected by the document size detection sensor,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a control unit configured to control a display so as to limit a display of the option of the document placement direction or the option of the stapling position. 4. An image forming method for reading an image of a document, forming an image on a recording material, and performing stapling processing on the plurality of recording materials on which the image has been formed, wherein the document is placed on a document reading device. And a staple position selecting step of selecting a staple position. 5. The original placement direction designating step includes selecting an original placement direction option displayed on a document placement direction designation section of the image forming apparatus. The image forming method according to claim 4, wherein the image is selected from options of a staple position displayed in a staple position selection unit. 6. A document placement direction displayed on the document placement direction designation section according to a document size detected in the document size detection step, the document placement direction including a document size detection step of detecting a document size. 6. The image forming method according to claim 5, wherein options of the staple position or options of a staple position displayed in the staple position selection unit are limited.