JP2002172831A - Imaging apparatus and imaging control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging apparatus and an imaging control method in which a recording sheet remaining between the sheet feed section and the imaging section of an imaging apparatus can be processed surely regardless of the print capacity, the length of passage from the sheet feed section to the imaging section and the sheet size. SOLUTION: The imaging apparatus comprises means 500 for detecting passage of a recording sheet, a control means 400 delivering a command for transferring image data to an output means 300 when passage of a recording sheet is detected by the detecting means 500, and an imaging means 200 performing print operating based on image data transferred from the output means 300. Upon receiving a print stop instruction from the output means 300, the control means 400 monitors the detecting means 500 for a predetermined interval and stops print operation of the imaging means 200 if subsequent passage of recording sheet is not detected.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile or a printer, and a method for controlling an image forming process. The present invention relates to a method for processing a recording sheet remaining in front of a set. In addition,
In this embodiment, “before and after” refers to the direction of conveyance of the recording paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, between the time when an operation stop command is received and the time when the image forming apparatus is stopped, before the image forming unit of the image forming apparatus, for example, before the sheet feeding unit and the image forming unit of the image forming apparatus. The following is a method for processing the remaining recording paper. First, the host computer sends a stop command to the image forming apparatus. After that, the image forming apparatus sends a predetermined number of image data to the host computer, ends the printing operation, and stops.

[0003]

However, such processing of the recording paper involves a time lag between the time when the image forming apparatus receives the stop command and the time when the image forming apparatus stops. It is difficult to completely process the recording paper remaining between the paper feeding unit and the image forming unit of the image forming apparatus using only the image data of. In particular, the image forming apparatus can print several hundred or more sheets of recording paper for 500 m within a certain period of time.
In the case of a high-speed machine having a print processing capacity of m / sec or more, it is difficult to accurately grasp the number of recording papers. Is very difficult to process with only the image data of a predetermined number.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and it is possible to reliably provide a print processing apparatus, a path length from a paper feeding unit to an image forming unit, and a recording paper size regardless of the size thereof.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming processing control method capable of processing recording paper remaining between a sheet feeding section and an image forming section of the image forming apparatus.

[0005]

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus for performing a printing operation based on image data output from an output unit, comprising: a detection unit that detects that a recording sheet has passed; Control means for sending a command to transfer image data to the output means when the detection means detects the passage of the recording paper, and image forming means for performing a printing operation based on the image data transferred from the output means,
When a print stop command is issued from the output means, the control means monitors the detection means for a certain period of time, and stops the printing operation of the image forming means when no subsequent passage of the recording paper is detected. . Further, the recording paper is accommodated in a plurality of paper feeding units, and the passage of the recording paper fed from the paper feeding unit merges into one, and a detecting means is provided at this merging point. I do.

Further, in an image forming processing method for detecting passage of a recording sheet at a predetermined position toward an image forming means and instructing the output means to transfer image data when the detection is detected, When there is a print stop signal from the output unit, the passage of the recording sheet at a predetermined position toward the image forming unit is monitored for a certain period thereafter, and the operation of the image forming unit is stopped when there is no passage. And

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 schematically shows an image forming apparatus applied to the present invention. This image forming apparatus 100
Control means 400, detection means 500, and image forming means 200
It is composed of Image forming means 200 and detecting means 50
0 are each connected to the control means 400.

As shown in FIG. 2, a control means 400 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 410 for controlling the entire apparatus and a ROM (read only memory) storing control programs for the image forming means 200 and the like. 420 and a RAM (random access memory) for temporarily storing image data transferred via the control program and the output means 300.
A memory 430, a timer 440 for measuring time, and an interface unit 450 for converting a command, image data, or the like from the output unit 300 or a message to be transferred to the output unit 300, via the control bus CB. Connected.

FIG. 3 schematically shows the structure of the image forming means 200. The image forming means 200 employs an electrophotographic method including a paper feeding unit 210, an image forming unit 220, and a paper discharging unit (not shown). The paper feeding unit 210 includes a stacker 211 on which recording paper is loaded, and a transport belt 212 having a suction unit that picks up one of the uppermost sheets of recording paper from the stacker 211. The recording paper is rotated one turn of the transport belt 212 by a pickup clutch (not shown),
The images are sequentially conveyed to the image forming unit 220. Stacker 211
Are provided, and in each stacker 211, recording paper cut to a desired size is stacked. Note that sheets of the same size may be stacked on each stacker 211.

The image forming section 220 includes an exposure section 221 and a charging section 2
22, developing unit 223, transfer unit 224, and cleaning unit 2
25, an eraser lamp 226 and an image carrier 227. The exposure unit 221 outputs an appropriate image data transmitted from the output unit 300 or the like to an electrostatic latent image by an LED or the like, and forms an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier 227 according to the image data. . The developing unit 223 develops the toner image on the image carrier 227 on which the electrostatic latent image has been formed by the exposure unit 221. The transfer section 224 transfers the toner image on the surface of the image carrier 227 onto recording paper. The cleaning unit 225 includes a blade or the like that removes toner remaining after transfer. The eraser lamp 226 removes electricity from the surface of the image carrier 227.

In this embodiment, the developing method of the image forming section 220 of the image forming apparatus is disclosed as being applied to a one-component or two-component developing method. It can also be applied to Although the image forming unit 220 discloses an electrophotographic system, the image forming unit 220 may be applied to an inkjet system and a thermal system. Further, the transfer unit 224 is of a belt type, but may be of a roller type or a corona type. In this embodiment, only one image forming unit is provided for copying or recording an image on one side of a recording sheet, but two image forming units may be provided for both sides of a recording sheet. .

The recording paper onto which the toner has been transferred is fixed to a fixing unit 23.
It is fixed at 0 and then discharged. A detecting unit 500 is provided at an appropriate position between the sheet feeding unit 210 and the image forming unit 220. The detecting means 500 detects whether or not the recording paper has passed from each stacker 211 to the image forming section 220, and is an optical sensor or the like. This detection is performed by the control means described above as a monitoring result. 400. The distance from the set position of the detection means 500 to the transfer position is the exposure unit 2
The distance that the image carrier 227 moves from 21 to the transfer position is substantially equal.

The output means 300 transfers image data and commands to the image forming means 200,
For example, a message is transferred from 0, and in this embodiment, the host computer is used. Although only one host computer is shown in this embodiment, a plurality of host computers may be connected in a network as shown in FIG. Also, the output means 300
It is not limited to a host computer, but has a function of transferring image data and commands to the image forming means 200 and a function of transferring a message from the image forming means 200. For example, a mobile phone, a PHS, a PAD, or a dedicated communication device And so on.

Further, the output means 300 having the functions described above is combined with a device having an image reading unit, for example, a device capable of transferring a command or transferring a message from the image forming means 200. Is also good.

Referring to the flowchart of FIG. 5, a description will be given of an image forming process control method from when a print operation stop command is issued to when the image forming apparatus stops the print operation. First, after the control unit 400 issues a print command to the image forming unit 200, the output unit 300 transfers image data to be printed. This image data is transferred from time to time and temporarily stored in a buffer of the interface unit 450 (not shown).

During this time, when the recording paper passes the detecting means 500, the detecting means 500 transmits a request signal for image data transfer to the interface unit 450, and the preparation for printing the image data is completed. In this state,
Then, printing of the image data is performed, and such a process is repeated until the printing is completed.

Under the above state, a command to stop printing is sent from the output means 300. (Step 1) Next, the control unit 400 stops the sheet feeding unit 210 of the image forming unit 200 in accordance with the command (Step 2).
Next, in accordance with this command, the detecting means 500 detects the fed recording paper and determines whether or not a request signal for image data transfer has been transmitted to the interface unit 450 (step 3). At this time, if there is an image data transfer request signal, the image data is printed (step 4), and the process returns to step 3 again.

When there is no image data transfer request signal, CPU 410 determines whether or not the time for waiting for the image data transfer request signal has continued for a predetermined time (step 5). The recording paper detection time is measured by a timer. If the time measured by the timer does not continue for a certain time or more, the process returns to step 3 and waits for a request signal for image data transfer.

On the other hand, if the time measured by the timer continues for a certain time or more, the CPU 410 determines that the fed recording paper is not in the detecting unit 500 from the paper feeding unit 210, that is, the printing of the fed recording paper. Is completed, and this information is sent to the interface unit 450. Based on this information, it is informed that the image data need not be transferred to the output means 300 (step 6), and the printing of the recording paper ends.

[0020]

As described above, regardless of the print processing capacity, the length of the path from the paper supply unit to the image forming unit, and the size of the recording paper, the image formation from the paper supply unit of the image forming apparatus can be surely performed. The recording paper remaining between the sets can be processed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view schematically showing an image forming apparatus applied to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating an image forming apparatus unit.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of an image forming unit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another connection.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a flowchart from when a print operation stop command is issued to when print operation is stopped.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 image forming apparatus 200 image forming means 300 output means 400 control means 500 detecting means

Continued on the front page F-term (reference) 2C061 AP03 AP04 AQ06 HJ02 HK11 HK19 HN23 2H027 DC03 ED06 ED17 EE02 EK03 EK10 FA08 2H072 AA07 AA16 AA24 CB03 CB05 JA03 3F048 AA02 AA04 AA05 DB01 BA05 CB05 AA02 AA05 AB08 AB21 AB32 AC03 AC11 AC66 AC68 BA00

Claims (4)

[Claims] An image forming apparatus that performs a printing operation based on image data output from an output unit, wherein the detection unit detects that recording paper has passed, and the detection unit detects that recording paper has passed. Control means for sending a command to transfer image data to the output means, and image forming means for performing a printing operation based on the image data transferred from the output means. The control unit monitors the detecting unit for a certain period of time, and stops the printing operation of the image forming unit when the subsequent passage of the recording paper is not detected. 2. The recording paper according to claim 1, wherein the recording paper is accommodated in a plurality of paper feeding units, and a passage of the recording paper fed from the paper feeding unit is merged into one. Image forming device. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the detection unit is provided at an appropriate place where the respective sheet feeding units meet. 4. An image forming method for detecting passage of a recording sheet at a predetermined position toward an image forming means, and instructing an output means to transfer image data when the detection is detected. When a print stop signal is received from the output unit, the passage of the recording sheet at a predetermined position toward the image forming unit is monitored for a certain period thereafter, and when there is no passage, the operation of the image forming unit is stopped. An image forming processing method comprising: