JP2002214976A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an easy-to-use image forming device whose operation is easy by eliminating the troublesomeness of screen operations caused in the case of properly using a single-sided function and a double-sided function for reading an original and forming an image. SOLUTION: When an image forming condition that the top and bottom of an image must be corrected is set, the picture for setting the direction of the image is automatically displayed.

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, and more particularly, to control of a display setting means for setting image forming conditions when an image is formed by using a two-sided image forming function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a digital image forming apparatus which reads an image of an original by an image pickup device such as a line CCD and forms an image based on the obtained image data, a digital image forming apparatus has a sub-scanning direction in reading an original and a sub-scanning direction in image forming. Depending on the relationship, the image may be formed upside down. For this purpose, an image forming apparatus having both one-sided and two-sided functions in both document reading and image formation has a function of performing top-bottom correction.

[0003]

The above-mentioned up-down correction function will be described below with reference to FIG. In FIG.
W1 is the sub-scanning direction in document reading, W2 is the sub-scanning direction in image formation, and the numbers attached to the document G and the recording material P indicate the direction of the image and the page. H and R attached to the direction W represent a front surface and a back surface, respectively.

In FIG. 1A, a single-sided document G is scanned in the direction of W1 to create image data. Images are formed on both sides of the recording material P based on the created image data. That is, scanning is performed in the W2H direction to form a front image “1”, and scanning in the direction W2R is performed to form a back image. Since the directions W2H and W2R are opposite to each other, the formed image is an image in which the even-numbered pages are upside down as shown in FIG. When the recording material P is viewed from the left and right spreads, the image in FIG. 1B in which the even-numbered pages in FIG. 1B are inverted is not a correct image. In order to prevent such inconvenience, an image is formed by performing image processing for rotating image data by 180 degrees. FIG. 1C shows a document created by such image processing. As shown in the drawing, images in the correct orientation are formed on all pages.

[0005] The same phenomenon as described above occurs when one-sided image formation for forming an image on one side of the recording material P is performed based on image data obtained by double-sided reading. FIG. 1 (d),
(E) illustrates this phenomenon. Then, by the same image rotation processing as described above, as shown in FIG. 1F, a document on which an image in the correct direction is formed is created.

The top and bottom corrections as shown in FIGS. 1C and 1F are performed in the image forming apparatus based on the document size information obtained by the document size detection and the image forming mode information set by the operator. The control means can do this automatically.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, even if the long side of the original is in the sub-scanning direction when reading the original, when forming a landscape image, as shown in FIG. Even when a double-sided image is formed from a document, an image that is inverted upside down is not formed.

In an ordinary image forming apparatus, when a document of A4 size or smaller is placed on the paper feed tray of the automatic document feeder, the document is placed with its long side perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction. 1B, it is instructed by an operation manual or the like to set the document so that the long side of the document is orthogonal to the sub-scanning direction. The image shown in FIG. An operation that does not form is performed.

However, in a normal image forming apparatus, the direction of placing B4 size and A3 size originals on the paper feed tray is limited, and only the long side is placed in the sub-scanning direction when reading the original. Can not be placed. Therefore,
For a B4 size or A3 size document, there is no problem with a document having a landscape image. There is a problem that an inverted image is formed.

Therefore, it is necessary to set image forming conditions for performing a top-bottom correction process on a document having a portrait image in the single-sided document-double-sided image forming mode and the double-sided document-single-sided image forming mode. Then, it is difficult to mechanically determine whether a document has a portrait image or a document having a landscape image, and an operator must perform the determination.

For the above-described reason, the display setting means of the image forming apparatus is provided with a screen for setting the image orientation. For a B4 size or A3 size document, the operator sets a document having a portrait image. Or a document having a landscape image.

However, in the conventional image forming apparatus,
In order to set the vertical correction of the image as described above, an extremely complicated screen operation was required.

That is, for example, an application screen is displayed by pressing an application function button provided on the basic screen. Next, an original setting screen is opened by pressing an original setting button provided on the application screen. An extremely complicated operation was required to open the top-and-bottom correction screen by pressing the top-and-bottom correction button provided on the screen, and to set the portrait document and the landscape document in the top-and-bottom correction screen.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus which is simple in operation and easy to use by eliminating the above-mentioned complicated screen operation which occurs when the one-sided function and the two-sided function in document reading and image formation are selectively used. The purpose is to provide.

[0015]

The above object is achieved by the following invention.

1. Document size information generating means, display setting means for displaying an image forming condition setting screen, and setting at least information on the orientation of the input image and the relationship between one side and both sides of the input image and the output image, and the display setting means Image forming means for forming an image on a recording material in accordance with the conditions set forth above, and control means for controlling the display setting means, wherein the document size information generating means generates predetermined document size information; The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the one-sided / two-sided relationship is set, the control unit controls the display setting unit to display a screen for setting the orientation of the input image.

2. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information on the direction of the input image is information indicating a portrait image or a landscape image.

3. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined one-sided / two-sided relationship is a relationship of a two-sided output image to a one-sided input image or a relationship of a one-sided output image to a two-sided input image.

4. The image according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the predetermined document size information is document size information that allows the document to be scanned only in a fixed scanning direction when reading the document. Forming equipment.

[0020]

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a mechanical configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an automatic document feeder A, a document reading unit B, an image forming unit C, and a recording paper feed unit D.

The automatic document feeder A includes a paper feed tray 1 on which a large number of documents can be placed, a platen roller 2 for transporting the documents and moving the reading position, a reversing roller 3, a discharge roller 4, and a discharge tray. 5

In one-sided reading of a document, the sheet feed tray 1
The document placed on the platen is sequentially sent from the top, the platen roller 2 is rotated, reading is performed below the platen roller 2, and the document is discharged from the discharge roller 4 to the discharge tray 5. In double-sided reading, the originals placed on the paper feed tray 1 are sequentially sent out from the top, the platen roller 2 is rotated, and the surface of the original is read below the platen roller 2. The original after the front surface reading is reversely conveyed by the reversing roller 3 and is conveyed to the platen roller 2. The back side of the document is read below the platen roller 2 and is conveyed to the reversing roller 3 again. The sheet is reversed and conveyed to the platen roller 2 by the reversing roller 3, and is discharged to the discharge tray 5 via the platen roller 2 and the discharge roller 4.

The document reading section B includes a light source 10 for illuminating a document passing below the platen roller 2, a mirror 11, a lens 12, and an image pickup device 13 including a line CCD.
The image sensor 13 scans a document in a main scanning direction, which is an electrical scan by a line CCD, and a sub-scanning direction, which is a traveling direction of the document, to generate an image signal. Note that it is also possible to open the automatic document feeder A, place a document on the platen glass, and read the document.

The image forming section C includes the photosensitive member 20 and the photosensitive member 20.
, A charging device 21, an exposure device 22, a developing device 23, a transfer device 24, a separating device 25, a cleaning device 26, and a fixing device 27 disposed around the fixing device 27. In accordance with the rotation of the photoconductor 20 indicated by the arrow, the charging of the charging device 21, the image exposure of the exposure device 22 and the development of the developing device 23
A toner image is formed on 0. The toner image transferred onto the recording material P by the transfer device 24 is fixed by the fixing device 27.

The recording paper transport section D includes a paper feed tray 30, a registration roller 31, a switching guide member 32, and a paper discharge roller 3.
3, a reversing conveyance roller 34 and a re-feed roller 35 are provided.

In the single-sided image forming mode, the recording material P sent out from the paper feed tray 30 is applied to the registration rollers 31.
After the toner image is transferred by the transfer device 24, the toner image is separated from the photoconductor 20 by the separation device 25, passes through the fixing device 27, is guided by the switching guide member 32 to the conveyance path H1, and is discharged by the discharge roller 33. Paper tray 3
6 is discharged.

In the double-sided image forming mode, the toner image formed on the photoconductor 20 by the above-described image forming process is transferred onto the surface of the recording material P on the recording material P conveyed by the registration roller 31. After fixing by the fixing device 27, the recording material P is guided by the switching guide member 32 and is conveyed by the transport path H.
Run 2 down. The reverse transport roller 34 reverses the transport direction of the recording material P by reversing the transport direction, and transports the recording material P to the re-feed roller 35 provided in the duplex transport path H3. The recording material P conveyed by the re-feed roller 35 passes through the transfer device 24 with the back surface, that is, the non-image forming surface up, via the registration roller 31, and the toner image is transferred to the back surface. In the fixing device 27, the recording material P on which the toner image on the back surface is fixed is guided by the switching guide member 32, travels on the transport path H 1, and is discharged by the discharge roller 33 to the discharge tray 3.
6 is discharged.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. The image forming apparatus includes a reading unit 4 that reads a document and generates image data.
1, a storage means 41 for storing image data generated by the reading means 40, a buffer memory 42, and an image forming means for forming an image on a recording material. The image forming unit C includes the image forming unit 43, a control unit 44 for overall control including a CPU, a display setting unit 45 including hard keys and a touch panel, and a document size sensor. 46. The document size sensor 46 is a document size information generating unit that detects the size and orientation of a document placed on the paper feed tray 1 and generates document size information. The document size information, along with information indicating the document size such as B5 and A4, relates to the direction of the document, that is, the traveling direction of the document in the automatic document feeder A, in other words, the direction of the document with respect to the sub-scanning direction when reading the document. Contains information. For example, for a document of B5 size, B5 vertical (long side is orthogonal to the sub-scanning direction) and B5
The document size information is different from that of five horizontal sides (the long side is parallel to the sub-scanning direction).

FIG. 5 shows a basic screen displayed by the display setting means 45. In normal image formation, image formation is performed by setting image formation conditions using a basic screen. The basic screen includes a size selection unit 51, a magnification setting unit 52, a density setting unit 53, and a mode selection unit 54. Each setting unit is provided with an operation button. The mode selection section 54 includes a double-sided-double-sided button 54A, a double-sided-single-sided button 54B, a single-sided
The double-sided button 54C and the single-sided-single-sided button 54D are opened.
The left side of "-" indicates a document image, that is, an input image, and the right side indicates an image on a recording material, that is, an output image. Therefore, for example, when 54C is pressed, an image is formed on both sides of the recording material based on the image data obtained by reading the one-sided original.

In this embodiment, when the control means 44 controls the display setting means 45 to set a mode in which the sub-scanning direction in document reading and the sub-scanning direction in image formation are different, that is, the button 54B Or, when 54C is pressed and a specific document size, that is, B4 size or A3 size is detected by the document size sensor 46, the pop-up menu shown in FIG. 6 is automatically displayed. Then, the operator designates a landscape button 61 or a portrait button 62 shown in FIG.
By pressing the button, the conditions necessary for forming an image in the correct direction are set.

Next, control in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In F1, the image forming mode is determined. When the mode in which the sub-scanning direction at the time of document reading is different from the sub-scanning direction at the time of image formation, that is, when the button 54B or 54C in FIG. 5 is pressed, the determination in F1 is Yes,
When the mode in which both scanning directions match, that is, when the button 54A or 54D in FIG. 5 is pressed, No is determined. F1
If the determination is NO, the process proceeds to F6 to execute an image output, that is, a process of forming an image on a recording material.

When the determination in F1 is Yes, it is determined whether the document size is B4 or more (F2).

In the present embodiment, the control is performed under the following premise. A document smaller in size than the B4 size and vertically long (the long side is perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction, the same applies hereinafter) is a document having a portrait image, and is horizontally long (the long side is parallel to the sub-scanning direction, the same applies hereinafter). It is assumed that the original in ()) is an original having a landscape image. This premise is that an original can be placed either vertically or horizontally, for example, A4
For a document smaller than the size, the operator places the portrait document in a portrait orientation and places the landscape document in a landscape orientation based on a normal operation.

If the determination in F2 is Yes, the pop-up menu of FIG. 6 for setting a portrait document or a landscape document is automatically displayed (F3). Then, information indicating whether the document is a landscape document or a portrait document set by the operator pressing the button 61 or 62 is read (F4). If the document is a portrait document, the top and bottom correction 1 is performed (F5). The process proceeds to F6 without performing the top-bottom correction 1, and the image is formed. F5
After the setting of the top and bottom correction 1 is made in step, the process proceeds to F6 to form a top and bottom corrected image. FIG. 8 shows the concept of the up-down correction 1 performed in F5. As shown in FIG. 8, an image M2 in which the portrait image M1 is turned upside down is created. The top-bottom correction 1 is performed by reading out one page of image data from the storage unit 41 and developing it in the buffer memory 42.

If the document size is smaller than the B4 size (No in F2), the orientation of portrait or landscape is recognized with respect to the document and the recording material (F2).
7). If the orientation of the document matches the orientation of the recording material, the flow shifts to F6 image output without performing image processing. If they do not match, the top and bottom correction 2 is executed (F9). The top and bottom correction 2 is an image processing for rotating the image by 90 ° and rotating the back image by 180 ° with respect to the front image as shown in FIGS. FIG. 9 shows a case in which an image M1 of a portrait document placed vertically is formed on a horizontally long recording material. In front surface image formation, the image M1 is rotated by 270 ° (clockwise) like an image M2, In the image formation, the image M1 is rotated by 90 ° so that the image M2 is turned upside down with respect to the image M2 to obtain an image M3. FIG. 10 shows a case where an image M1 of a landscape document placed horizontally is formed on a vertically long recording material. In the case of front surface image formation, the image M1 is rotated by 270 ° (clockwise) like the image M2, In the image formation, the image M1 is rotated by 90 ° so that the image M2 is turned upside down with respect to the image M2 to obtain an image M3.
The top and bottom correction 2 is also executed using the buffer memory 42 in the same manner as the top and bottom correction 1.

After the top / bottom correction 2 is performed on the image data, the image output F6 is executed to form an image on the recording material.

[0037]

According to the first, second or third aspect of the present invention, when a specific condition for setting the image orientation is set, a screen for setting the image orientation is automatically displayed. A complicated operation for displaying the screen on the display setting means becomes unnecessary. Therefore, it is possible to easily eliminate the reversal of the image that occurs in connection with the reading of the two-sided document or the formation of the two-sided image.

According to the invention of claim 4, B4 size and A3 size
The operability in copying a document limited to landscape orientation, such as size, is significantly improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the orientation of an image in an image forming process including double-sided reading or double-sided image formation.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the orientation of an image in an image forming process including double-sided reading or double-sided image formation.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a mechanical configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a basic screen displayed by a display setting unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a pop-up menu screen.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of control according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram of upside-down correction 1;

FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram of upside-down correction 2.

FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of upside-down correction 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 40 reading means 41 storage means 42 buffer memory 43 image forming means 44 control means 45 display setting means 46 document size sensor

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI theme coat ゛ (reference) H04N 1/00 H04N 1/00 106B 106 G03G 21/00 382 F term (reference) 2C087 AA09 AB01 AC08 BA03 BB10 BC05 CA03 CB12 CB16 2C187 AC07 AE01 AF01 DC01 2H027 DB09 DB10 FA04 FA11 FD01 FD08 GA23 GA34 GA45 GB14 2H028 BA02 BA03 BA09 BA14 BB02 BB06 5C062 AA05 AB20 AB22 AB23 AC67 AC71 AF10

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An original size information generating unit, a display setting unit for displaying an image forming condition setting screen, and setting at least information on an orientation of an input image and a relationship between one side and both sides of an input image and an output image. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording material according to a condition set by a setting unit; and a control unit that controls the display setting unit, wherein the document size information generating unit generates predetermined document size information. And when the predetermined one-sided / two-sided relationship is set, the control means controls the display setting means to display a screen for setting the direction of the input image. Image forming device. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information on the direction of the input image is information indicating a portrait image or a landscape image. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined one-sided / two-sided relationship is a relationship between a two-sided output image and a one-sided output image with respect to a one-sided input image. Image forming apparatus. 4. The document according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined document size information is document size information that allows the document to be scanned only in a fixed scanning direction when reading the document. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.