JP2002268470A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus having a paper feeding device which prevents interruption of image forming operation caused by pulling out the paper sheet container under operation, and jam of the paper sheet. SOLUTION: A paper feeding device 26 of an image forming apparatus is provided with an operation display part 1 which displays operation for each paper sheet container in which paper sheets are stored. Then, the operation display part of the paper sheet container feeding the paper sheets during image formation performs the operation display which indicates that it is under operation by lighting. Thereby, when the paper sheets are replenished, the paper sheet container under operation can be immediately discriminated, and interruption of image forming operation caused by pulling out the paper sheet container under operation by error, and a jam of the paper sheet can be avoided.

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 capable of discriminating whether or not a sheet stacking unit is feeding a sheet and preventing an erroneous operation of the sheet stacking unit during the sheet feeding.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A digital copying machine as an image forming apparatus includes an exposing means for exposing an image on the surface of a photosensitive drum as an image carrier to form a latent image, and a developing means for developing the latent image with toner as a developer. Transfer means for transferring the toner on the paper, fixing means for fixing the toner to the paper, and paper discharge means for adjusting the paper on which the image is formed to a predetermined state. , And an operation display unit for inputting various instructions such as enlargement and reduction.

As the operation display unit, for example, a liquid crystal screen provided with an input mechanism having a pressure-sensitive sensor made of a transparent electrode on its surface has been used. Buttons and various contents are displayed on a display screen made of the liquid crystal screen. The user presses a button displayed on the display screen to input various operations. On the display screen, a button for selecting a sheet to be used for image formation, the selected sheet size, or the size and size of the sheet automatically set according to the placed document are displayed.

[0004]

In general, however, a digital copying machine is provided with a plurality of paper containers as paper mounting means for storing paper, and the size and orientation of the paper used for image formation are generally different. Is displayed on the operation display unit, but there has been no method for specifically knowing which paper container is currently operating and feeding paper.

Therefore, in order to replace or replenish paper in a paper container that is not operating during image formation, the operating paper container is pulled out to interrupt the image forming operation or cause a paper jam. There was something to do. Further, although the sheet is not fed, the image forming operation may be interrupted by operating a sheet placement unit scheduled during the image forming operation, and a paper jam may occur.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems. In other words, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus having a sheet placement unit that can immediately recognize which sheet container or the like is in operation.

[0007]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an image forming apparatus is configured as follows.

That is, (1) an image carrier, exposure means for exposing the image carrier to form an electrostatic latent image, and developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier with a developer Developing means, transfer means for transferring an image formed on the image carrier onto paper, and a paper feeding device having a plurality of paper mounting means for feeding paper to the transfer means; An image forming apparatus comprising: a fixing unit for fixing an image on a sheet; and an operation display unit for indicating that the plurality of sheet placing units are being operated or not is provided in the vicinity of the plurality of sheet placing units. .

2 The operation display on the operation display unit is as follows.
Indication of the operation of the paper placement unit that is in operation to feed paper, and paper placement unit that is not in operation for paper supply but is scheduled to be fed during a series of image forming operations 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation display is an operation display.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation display is also displayed on an operation display unit of the image forming apparatus.

(4) The image according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the operation display unit has a function of performing an operation display on a sheet placement unit that feeds the next sheet. Forming equipment.

5. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the operation display unit is an LED.

By configuring the image forming apparatus in this manner, the operating paper container can be checked, and the operating paper container or the like is erroneously pulled out in an attempt to perform an operation such as replenishing the paper, and the image forming operation is interrupted. Or jam the paper.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an image forming apparatus having a paper feeder according to the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a digital copying machine 2 as an image forming apparatus.

The digital copying machine 2 includes a scanner 20
, The control unit 22, the image forming unit 24, and the sheet feeding device 26.
A fixing unit 28 as a fixing unit, a sheet discharging unit 30 as a sheet discharging unit, and an operation display unit 3 having various input switches.
2 and so on.

The scanner section 20 is installed above the digital copying machine 2 and includes a document feed section 21 and a reading mechanism 8. The reading mechanism 8 includes a stationary original reading unit 34 installed on the right side of FIG. 1 for reading a fixed original, a movable original reading unit 35 installed on the left side for reading an original while taking in the original, The movable optical system 9 is configured to be common to both the stationary document reading unit 34 and the moving document reading unit 35.

The optical system 9 includes a lamp 12 and a mirror mechanism 1.
4 and a photoelectric converter 16 such as a CCD for recognizing the reflected light from the mirror mechanism 14. FIG.
The stationary document reading unit 34 includes the lamp 12 and the mirror mechanism 14.
And the moving document reading section 35,
Is shared by two things. In addition, two may be provided.

The original is read as a digital signal,
The read image signal is sent to the control unit 22. In the case of copying, an image signal is sent from the control unit 22 to the image forming unit 24, and an image is formed on the sheet 5 fed from the sheet feeding device 26.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming section 24 exposes a corona charger 41 as a charging unit, a photosensitive drum 42 as an image carrier, and a photosensitive drum 42 to form an electrostatic latent image. Exposure section 46 as means and photosensitive drum 4
A developing unit 48 for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 4 with toner as a developer;
2, a transfer charger 49 as a transfer unit for transferring the image formed on the sheet 5 to the paper 5, a separation charger 51, and a corona charger 41 including a cleaning unit 50 and the like.
Is a scorotron charger, for example, and applies a predetermined voltage, for example, −60 to the photosensitive drum 42 prior to the latent image forming process.
Charge uniformly to 0v. The photosensitive drum 42 is formed by coating a photosensitive layer on a cylindrical base material made of, for example, aluminum having a diameter of 80 mm, and includes a drive motor for driving the photosensitive drum 42 and an encoder (for detecting the rotational phase of the photosensitive drum 42). (Not shown). The photosensitive layer has a thickness of 15 to 30 μm and a dielectric constant of 2.0 to 5.0, and the substrate is grounded. The photosensitive drum 42 rotates at a speed of, for example, 280 mm / sec, and the rotational phase of the photosensitive drum 42 is measured and controlled by an encoder. The photosensitive drum 42 is uniformly charged by the corona charger 41 while rotating, and then is exposed by the exposure unit 46 to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface.

The exposure section 46 has a laser, and a laser beam emitted from the laser is reflected by a polygon mirror, and f
The light is irradiated onto the surface of the photosensitive drum 42 via an optical system such as a −θ lens. The polygon mirror rotates at a constant rotation speed, and the main scanning of the laser beam is performed by the rotation, and the sub-scanning is performed by the rotation of the photosensitive drum 42. The formed electrostatic latent image is visualized by the toner in the developing unit 48.

The developing section 48 has a developer therein and forms a magnetic brush. The developer has an average particle size of 8.5 μm, for example.
m of a polyester-based material and an average particle diameter of 60 μm
And the toner concentration is controlled to 4 to 6%.

The toner is transferred from the photosensitive drum 42 onto the sheet 5 by the transfer charger 49. The sheet 5 to which the toner has been transferred is separated from the photosensitive drum 42 by the separation charger 51 and sent to the fixing unit 28 to be fixed.

The transfer charger 49 is installed to face the photosensitive drum 42, and discharges electric charges from the back side of the paper 5 stacked on the photosensitive drum 42, which electrostatically carries a toner image. 5 is transferred to the toner. Transfer charger 4
9 is preferably a scorotron discharger, but may be a transfer roller or the like.

The separation charger 51 includes a scorotron discharger,
The sheet 5 is composed of a corotron charger, a charging roller, or the like. The sheet 5 adsorbed on the photosensitive drum 42 is neutralized, and the sheet 5 is separated from the photosensitive drum 42.

The cleaning unit 50 has a blade that comes into contact with the photosensitive drum 42, and the toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 42 without being transferred onto the paper 5 is scraped off by the blade and collected in the toner box.

Further, the photosensitive drum 42 is driven by a pre-exposure lamp.
Is erased, and the next print cycle starts. The fixing unit 28 is provided with a fixing device 53, which applies pressure and heat to the paper 5 to which the toner has adhered, and fixes the toner on the paper 5 by welding.

The paper feeding device 26 is provided with a plurality of paper containers 3 as a plurality of paper placing means so as to be able to be pulled out. The paper feeding device 26 is provided with a predetermined paper container 3 in accordance with the size and orientation of the paper 5 input on the operation display unit 32 or in accordance with an instruction from the control unit 22 in accordance with a document read by the scanner unit 20. Paper 5 of a predetermined size is fed and sent to the image forming unit 24.

Each paper container 3 is provided with an operation display 1 as shown in FIG. The operation display unit 1 is composed of an LED or the like, and the operation display unit 1 of the paper container 3 that feeds the paper 5 to the image forming unit 24 lights up to indicate that the paper container 3 is operating.

Further, when the paper 5 is switched to another paper 5, the operation display section 1 of the paper container 3 accommodating the paper 5 to be used next displays an indication that it is to be operated next. You may make it do. If the indication that it is operating at this time is red, change the color such as yellow, or change the number of lights, blink, etc. .

An ADU 7 is provided above the paper container 3 so as to be able to be pulled out. The ADU 7 is used for reversing the sheet 5 when copying on both sides of the sheet 5. This ADU7
Also, an operation display unit 1 is provided, and when the sheet 5 is being conveyed or the like, an operation display indicating that the apparatus is operating is displayed.

The paper discharging section 30 is a discharging means for discharging the printed paper 5 in a predetermined state.

The operation display section 32 is a liquid crystal display device which is provided on the upper surface of the digital copying machine 2 and comprises a touch panel having an input mechanism. Are displayed, and when a finger or the like is pressed on a portion corresponding to the position of the button, a pressure-sensitive pressure sensor made of a transparent electrode (not shown) senses the button, and the button is pressed. Recognize that it has been done.

Next, the paper feeding device 26 of the digital copying machine 2
A specific operation will be described.

When the operation of the digital copying machine 2 is started, the operation display section 32 displays an initial screen. The initial screen displays a plurality of buttons, such as a copy start button, a copy number setting, a paper 5 selection button, and a button for instructing enlargement or reduction.

An original is placed on the scanner section 20, and a start button (not shown) of the operation display section 32 is pressed. Then, the document is pulled in and the document size is read. A signal of the read size is sent to the sheet feeding device 26, and a sheet 5 of a predetermined size is fed from the sheet container 3 of the sheet feeding device 26. When the size of the paper 5 is specified from the operation display unit 32, the paper container 3 containing the specified paper 5 is selected, and the paper 5 is fed from the paper container 3. And
The operation display unit 1 of the paper container 3 that feeds the paper 5 is turned on.

As a result, it is known that the paper container 3 for which the operation display section 1 is lit is in operation, and, for example, it is possible to prevent the operating paper container 3 from being accidentally pulled out when replenishing paper. it can. Further, when the paper 5 used for image formation is set in advance, the operation display unit 1 of the paper container 3 containing the paper 5 to be used next is also displayed to indicate that it is to be operated next. Is made. This makes it possible to easily check the paper container 3 to be operated next, and to attempt to replenish the paper 5 to a plurality of paper containers 3, the user mistakenly pulls out the paper container 3 to be operated, and the paper to be fed next. 5, the image forming operation does not stop.

Further, the operation display of the operating paper container 3 is not limited to the operation display section 1 provided on the paper container 3,
The paper container 3 is displayed on the screen of the liquid crystal display device such as the operation display unit 32.
Is preferably displayed together with the operation display.

If there is a scheduled operation in a series of image forming operations, an operation display indicating that there is a scheduled operation may be displayed. For example, when two-sided copying is being performed, the operation display unit 1 of the ADU 7 lights up, and A
It indicates that no operation is required, such as pulling out DU7.

As described above, the operation display unit 1 is provided at the place where the sheet 5 is temporarily placed or at the position where the sheet 5 is conveyed, and it is noted that the sheet 5 is being fed or is being conveyed. indicate. This can prevent not only the operation of pulling out the paper container 3 by the paper feeding device 26 but also the occurrence of inconvenience in the paper stacking unit related to image formation.

In the above example, the image forming apparatus is the digital copying machine 2, but the image forming apparatus is not limited to this, and the operation display section 1 of the paper container 3 is preferably an LED.
In the present invention, a lamp or other light emitting means or display means may be used.

Further, it is preferable that the operation display section 1 is provided directly on the paper container 3 or other paper placing means. Any other location, such as the side of 2, that is noticeable when attempting to operate the paper container 3 may be used.

As a result, it is possible to prevent a paper jam or the like due to an erroneous operation, and to increase the operation rate of the image forming apparatus 2.

[0044]

According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the fact that the sheet placement means containing sheets is currently operating is displayed on the operation display section, so that the erroneously operating sheet container is displayed. To prevent paper jams or interrupt the image forming operation.

Further, since the sheet placing means to be operated next is displayed on the operation display section, erroneous operation can be prevented even when switching to the next sheet to be fed, and paper jam and image forming operation can be prevented. Does not cause any interruption.

Since the operation display is also performed at the place where the sheet is being conveyed, it is possible to prevent erroneous operations in the conveyance processing mechanism such as passage.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 operation display unit 2 digital copier 3 paper container 5 paper 7 ADU 8 reading mechanism 20 scanner unit 22 control unit 24 image forming unit 26 paper feeder 28 fixing unit 30 paper discharge unit 32 operation display unit 41 corona charger 42 photosensitive drum 48 developing unit 49 transfer charger 50 cleaning unit 51 separation charger 53 fixing device

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image carrier, an exposure unit that exposes the image carrier to form an electrostatic latent image, and a developing unit that visualizes the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier with a developer Means, a transfer means for transferring an image formed on the image carrier onto paper, a paper feeder having a plurality of paper placement means for feeding paper to the transfer means, and a transferred image An image forming apparatus comprising: a fixing unit for fixing a sheet on a sheet; and an operation display unit for indicating that the apparatus is in operation at or near the plurality of sheet placement units. 2. An operation display in the operation display unit includes an operation display of a sheet placement unit that is operating to feed a sheet, and a series of operations of image forming that is not in operation for feeding a sheet. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display is an operation display of a sheet placement unit that is scheduled to feed paper. 3. The operation display according to claim 1, wherein the operation display is also displayed on an operation display unit of the image forming apparatus.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation display unit has a function of performing an operation display on a sheet placement unit that feeds the next sheet. The image forming apparatus as described in the above. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation display unit is an LED.