JP2003122198A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of grasping exact information on jamming history inside the apparatus. SOLUTION: When a printing requirement is received and as soon as a printing ready state is attained, paper feeding is started. When a jamming occurs in a paper feeding unit, F- A1 is turned on out of F$ JAM being a flag. Similarly, when a jamming occurs in a resist part, F- A2 is turned on, and when it occurs in a fixing part, F- A3 is turned on. When a jamming occurs in a mail box unit 300, F- B is turned on, in a double-sided unit 200, F- C is turned on, and in a finisher unit 400, F- D is turned on. A task to turn on the flag is performed by a printing task to control printing operation, and a task to check a jamming flag and log it in a non-volatile memory is performed by a status check task by performing polling at specified time intervals.

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 having a display screen capable of confirming a jam condition occurring in the image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, image forming apparatuses such as facsimile machines, copying machines, and multifunction machines have been widely used. Such an image forming apparatus generally notifies a paper jam (hereinafter referred to as a jam) that occurs in a paper tray or a manual feed tray, a jam that occurs in an image forming unit, and displays a jam occurrence location. It is equipped with an operation display unit such as a liquid crystal panel. The user can recognize when and where the jam occurred by referring to the information regarding the jam displayed on the operation display unit. Further, recently, an image forming apparatus has been proposed in which information regarding jam occurrence can be stored as jam history information in a storage unit in the image forming apparatus.
The user can perform maintenance of the image forming apparatus while confirming the places where jams frequently occur and the causes thereof based on the history information.

Regarding the occurrence of a jam in such an image forming apparatus, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-270622 discloses the image forming conditions when the jam occurs, and describes the cause of the jam based on the image forming conditions. A jam management device that can be considered is described. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-152818 discloses an image forming apparatus management apparatus which can determine the cause of a jam by diagnosing a jam history based on information related to various sheets and their transportation. Have been described.

[0004]

However, in the image forming apparatus that stores the history information of the jam, the history information that has been stored must be deleted after the cause of the jam is resolved and the history information until the resolution is not deleted. The information will remain, and the history information will not be accurate. Also, when storing history information, if you do not manage history information by dividing it for a certain period of time, regarding the frequency of jam occurrence, the occurrence location, the frequency of jam reoccurring due to the same cause after clearing the jam, etc.
The user may misunderstand.

Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to correct accurate information inside the apparatus by clearing the jam history before and after replacement of the transport unit when the transport unit is replaced to eliminate jam occurrence. It is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of grasping. A second object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of holding flexible history information by making it possible to select whether or not to change information before and after replacement of a transport unit. Is. A third object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of changing information to be provided to a user by making it possible to select whether or not to display a jam history, and avoiding giving an unnecessary misunderstanding to the user. That is.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plurality of units divided according to functions such as a sheet feeding unit, a finisher unit, and a double-sided unit, and the plurality of units are provided for each unit. In the image forming apparatus that can be replaced, the jam detection unit that detects a jam occurrence in each of the plurality of units, and the jam occurrence history of the unit in which the jam occurrence is detected by the jam detection unit is used as jam history information. When a jam occurrence is detected by the jam information storage means stored for each unit and the jam detection means, the jam history information of the unit in which the jam occurrence is detected is extracted from the jam information storage means, and the jam occurrence is detected. Display means for displaying the presence of the detected unit and the jam history information; Deleting unit for deleting jam history information for each unit stored in the jam information storing unit, the deleting unit replacing the unit in which the jam occurrence is detected based on the display by the display unit. When the above is performed, the first object is achieved by deleting the jam history information regarding the exchanged unit from the jam information storage means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, there is provided deletion selection means for urging a selection instruction as to whether or not the deletion history information stored in the jam information storage means should be deleted. Further provided, when the deletion selection means is instructed to delete the jam history information relating to the exchanged unit from the jam information storage means, the deletion means deletes the jam history information. The second object is achieved. In the invention according to claim 3, in the invention according to claim 1 or 2, a selection instruction is made as to whether or not to display the jam history information for each unit stored in the jam information storage means by the display means. The third object is achieved by further including the display selecting means.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, a laser printer will be described as an example of the image forming apparatus, but the present invention is not limited to this. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a laser printer in which a main body and each option are unitized. As shown in FIG. 1, the laser printer includes a paper feed unit 151, a registration unit 152, a main unit 100 having a fixing unit 153, and a duplex unit 2.
00, mail box unit (paper discharge unit) 300
And a finisher unit 400. The main body unit 100 is a unit that performs a series of writing such as image formation writing, development, and fixing control, and basic sheet passing. The double-sided unit 200 is a unit that reverses the transfer paper for performing double-sided printing. The mail box unit 300 is a unit having a plurality of paper discharge units. As will be described later, in the present embodiment, as an example, the description will be given assuming that the paper discharge unit has three bins. Finisher unit 4
Reference numeral 00 denotes a post-processing unit for shifting or stapling the discharged transfer paper.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the positions of rollers, sensors, and a paper conveyance path when each option is connected.
As shown in FIG. 2, the main body unit 100 includes a first paper feed roller 101, a second paper feed roller 102, a registration roller 103, a photoconductor unit (OPC) 124, a transfer roller 104, a fixing roller 105, and a finisher unit 40.
Paper ejection branch that relays to the 0 side Left paper ejection roller 106, upper ejection roller 1 that branches to the side of the mail box unit 300
07, a relay conveyance roller 108, a relay paper discharge roller 109, and a branch right paper discharge roller 112 for discharging paper to the duplex unit 200 side. The main body unit 100 also includes a registration sensor 401, a fixing outlet sensor 402, a branch sensor 403, a relay sensor 404, a branch switching solenoid 301, and a branch switching solenoid 302. When the branch switching solenoid 301 is turned off, the discharge destination is the relay unit direction, that is, the finisher unit 400 direction. On the other hand, the branch switching solenoid 3
When 01 is turned on and the branch switching solenoid 302 is turned off, the discharge destination is toward the mail box unit 300. Further, when both the branch switching solenoid 301 and the branch switching solenoid 302 are turned on,
The discharge destination is the duplex unit 200 direction.

The duplex unit 200 includes a duplex reverse upper roller 113, a duplex reverse middle roller 114, and a duplex reverse lower roller 1.
15, double-sided conveying roller 116, double-sided sheet feeding roller 117,
A double-sided inlet sensor 405, a double-sided outlet sensor 406, a sheet discharge outlet 505 sensor 407, a sheet discharge outlet presence sensor 419, a sheet discharge full sensor 420, and a double-sided reversal switching solenoid 303 are provided. When passing the transfer paper from the branch side of the main body unit 100 to the duplex unit 200 as the switching destination of the discharge, the double-sided inversion switching solenoid 303 is turned off. The trailing edge of the transfer paper is the reverse position (black arrow in the figure)
Then, the double-sided inversion switching solenoid 303 is turned on to invert the transfer paper. Also, the duplex unit 20
In the case of 0, the double-sided printed transfer paper is ejected from the paper ejection port 505. The mail box unit 300 includes a mail box transport roller 118, a mail box 1 bin discharge roller 1
19, mail box 2 bin discharge roller 120, mail box 3 bin discharge roller 121, mail box transport sensor 412, mail box 1 bin paper presence sensor 41
3, Mail Box 2 Bin Paper Presence Sensor 414, Mail Box 3 Bin Paper Presence Sensor 415, Mail Box 1
Bin full sensor 416, mail box 2 bin full sensor 417 and mail box 3 bin full sensor 418
Is equipped with.

Further, the mail box unit 300 is
A mail box discharge switching solenoid 304 and a mail box discharge switching solenoid 305 are provided.
When the mail box discharge switching solenoid 304 is turned on, the discharge destination is toward the discharge port 5011. When the mailbox discharge switching solenoid 304 is turned off and the mailbox discharge switching solenoid 305 is turned on, the discharge destination is toward the discharge port 502. When both the mailbox discharge switching solenoid 304 and the mailbox discharge switching solenoid 305 are turned off, the discharge destination is in the direction of the discharge port 503. The finisher unit 400 includes a finisher entrance roller 110, a finisher exit roller 111, a finisher entrance sensor 408, a paper exit sensor 409, a finisher paper presence sensor 410, and a finisher full sensor 411. In addition, the finisher unit 400 has
The transfer paper subjected to the finisher is discharged from 04.

Next, the operation of the laser printer will be described. From the paper feed tray to the first paper feed roller 101 or the second
The transfer paper fed by the paper feed roller 102 temporarily stops at the position of the registration sensor 401. Laser light is irradiated from the optical scanning device (marked with * in the figure) to generate a potential difference between the irradiated portion and the non-irradiated portion. From this potential difference, the developing device 12
5, the toner is evenly attached to the developing roller, and the attached toner is placed on the photoconductor unit 124 to develop the toner. After that, the image is written by the photoconductor unit 124 onto the transfer sheet stopped by the registration sensor 401 and then restarted at a timing. Then, after the transfer by the transfer unit, the toner remaining in the cleaning unit of the photoconductor unit 124 is removed. Further, the transfer paper is fixed after transfer by heat and pressure by the fixing roller 105, and thereafter, is discharged to one of the discharge trays (paper discharge ports) at a timing of a predetermined solenoid and a sensor. Double-sided printing is possible by ejecting the paper after the fixing to the duplex unit 200 and reversing the paper.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the laser printer. The laser printer 1 includes a controller 2 that performs interface control with the host machine 130 and edits and controls image data, and an engine 3 that performs machine control and writing, paper passing control, and status monitoring of the laser printer 1. There is. Controller 2
Is a panel which is connected to the font cartridge 4 and which sends and receives data to and from the host machine 130, a program ROM (read only memory) 7, a font ROM 8 and a panel for sending and receiving user settings on the operation panel 5. Interface 9, controller CPU (central processing unit) 10, RA
M (random access memory) 11, option R
It has an AM 12 and an engine interface 13.

The engine 3 is provided with the controller 2 and the exchange unit 22 so that data can be transmitted and received.
1 is connected to the EEPROM 222, and interrupts 201 and 202 which are circuits for controlling each interrupt state via the bus centering on the engine CPU 200, a RAM 203 having a buffer register function, an engine ROM 204 in which a program resides, a flash ROM205,
Read / write EE to record maintenance cycles
A PROM 214, an option interface 212 for transmitting and receiving data from the option 14, and a controller interface 211 for receiving control signals and data from the controller 2 are provided. Further, the engine 3 includes each sensor 217, a DIPSW (hereinafter, referred to as a DIP switch) 218, and other input units 22.
It is provided with an input port 208 for taking in the state from 0, each clutch 215, each motor 216, a driver for driving each high-voltage process 219, and an output port 210 for taking in outputs from other output parts 223.

Next, the overall control of the laser printer 1 according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the operation of the laser printer 1.
After power-on (power-on), initial setting in each state is performed (step 41), and the engine 3 is connected with respect to reception of a paper feed command, resolution setting request, paper feed port, paper ejection port switching request, and the like. The interface control of the controller 2 is executed (steps 42-44). Control to check the internal state of the engine 3 itself such as maintenance request and error occurrence, task to perform sequence control such as paper passing timing and on / off of high pressure, queue task to manage information of printed paper Etc. are executed (step 45), after the print control task is executed (step 46), the process returns to step 42, and after the print execution process for the next page, the process is repeated until the predetermined number of sheets is completed.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an interrupt processing procedure. Optional processing (for example, double-sided printing, finisher processing, etc.) independent of the main sequence of overall control of the laser printer 1 as shown in FIG.
Interrupts 201, 202 for time monitoring and control for performing
Checks for interrupts (step 5)
1). If there is an interrupt (step 51; Y), the interrupt process is executed (step 52), and the engine CPU
This interrupt processing confirmation routine is entered every predetermined time set by 200, and the processing is repeated.

Here, a flag and a counter for checking a jam state when a jam occurs in the laser printer 1 will be described. The flag F $ JAM (jam) has a 1-byte structure. "Bit0 F_
"A1" turns on the flag when a jam occurs in the paper feeding unit. "Bit1 F_A2" turns on the flag when a jam occurs in the resist portion. "Bit3
"F_A3" turns on the flag when a jam occurs in the fixing unit. “Bit4 F_B” turns on the flag when a jam occurs in the mailbox unit 300. "Bit5 F_C" is the duplex unit 2
If a jam occurs at 00, the flag is turned on.
"Bit6 F_D" is the finisher unit 400
If a jam occurs in, the flag is turned on.

A counter (hereinafter referred to as Cnt) can count up to 255 with a 1-byte structure. “CntA1” is a counter that is incremented (plus 1) when a paper jam occurs. "C
"ntA2" is a counter that is incremented when a registration jam occurs. “CntA3” is a counter that is incremented when a fixing jam occurs. "Cn
"tB" is a counter that is incremented when a mailbox jam occurs. “CntC” is a counter that is incremented when a double-sided jam occurs. "Cn
"tD" is a counter that is incremented when a finisher jam occurs.

Since the flag and the counter use the RAM area, each value is cleared by turning off the power of the laser printer 1. In the area of the non-volatile memory, the same storage area as the counter is secured. Regarding the history when the jam occurs, here, as an example, the case where the number of occurrences is stored in a nonvolatile memory such as EEPROM or NVRAM will be described. When the engine 3 receives a print request from the host machine 130 via the controller 2, the main motor and polygon motor are started. Then, as soon as the print ready state is established, the paper feed is started. Here, when a jam occurs in the sheet feeding unit due to non-feeding or the like, F_A1 of F $ JAM which is a flag as a jam in the sheet feeding unit is turned on. Similarly, when a jam occurs in the registration section, F_A2 is turned on, and when a jam in the fixing section occurs, F_A2 is turned on.
3 turns on. Further, if a jam occurs in an optional unit other than the main body of the laser printer 1, if it occurs in the mailbox unit 300, F_B is on, if it occurs in the duplex unit 200, F_C is on, it occurs in the finisher unit 400. If you do, F_
D is turned on. The task of turning on the flag when it occurs is performed by the print task that controls the printing operation. On the other hand, the control of checking the jam flag and logging it in the non-volatile memory is performed by a status check task that monitors the internal state of the engine 3 by polling at a predetermined time interval (for example, every 2 msec).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for checking a jam flag which is a part of the status check task and performing logging. First, it is checked whether a jam has occurred (step 601).
If F $ JAM, which is the flag indicating whether or not this jam has occurred, is 0, it is determined that no jam has occurred (step 601; N), and CntA1, Cn.
The counter that has changed at tA2 and CntA3 is logged in the non-volatile memory (step 612), and the process ends. If F $ JAM is not 0, it is determined that a jam has occurred (step 601; Y), and it is checked whether the jam is the main body jam (A jam) or whether the jam is an option other than the main body ( Step 602). If it is a main body jam (step 602), F_A1, F
Either _A2 or F_A3 is in the ON state, and it is checked which internal unit jam.

If F--A1 is on (step 6)
0; A jam), it is judged as a jam in the paper feeding unit (step 603; Y), CntA1 is incremented,
The flag F_A1 is turned off (step 607). Next, it is judged whether or not it is a resist jam (step 608). If it is a resist jam (step 60)
8; Y), CntA2 is incremented, and flag F_
A2 is turned off (step 609). Further, it is determined whether or not it is a fixing jam (step 610). If it is a fixing jam (step 610; Y), CntA
3 is incremented and F_A3 is turned off (step 611). Then, after checking the status, CntA
The counters changed in 1, CntA2, and CntA3 are logged in the non-volatile memory (step 612), and the process ends.

If the jam is an option such as the mail box unit 300 other than the main body of the laser printer 1, the duplex unit 200, the finisher unit 400, etc., it is checked which option the jam is occurring. When the flag F_B is on (step 60
2; B jam), it is determined that a jam has occurred in the mailbox unit 300, CntB is incremented, and the flag F_B is turned off (step 604).
Then, after checking the status, there is a change in CntB.
Is logged in the non-volatile memory (step 612), and the process ends. Similarly, when the flag F_C is on (step 602; C jam), it is determined that a jam has occurred in the duplex unit 200, CntC is incremented, and the flag F_C is turned off (step 605).
Then, after checking the state, there is a change in CntC.
Is logged in the non-volatile memory (step 612), and the process ends. When the flag F_D is on (step 6
02; D jam), it is determined that a jam has occurred in the finisher unit 400, CntD is incremented, and the flag F_D is turned off (step 606).
Then, after checking the status, there is a change in CntD.
Is logged in the non-volatile memory (step 612), and the process ends.

Next, the history clear control regarding unit replacement will be described. Mailbox unit 30
0, duplex unit 200, finisher unit 400
Options such as triggers to detect that the unit has been replaced are the new product detection method that detects whether the unit is new, the method of inputting a clear command via the operation panel, the host of the printer driver, etc. There is a method of inputting a command from the screen via the controller 2 and the engine 3. Here, a method of detecting a new product will be described. When a new unit is attached to the main body of the laser printer 1, it is determined by a mechanical mechanism indicating a new unit. For example, when a new unit is installed, the power is turned on, and the main motor is driven, the input port corresponding to new product detection is usually low (Lo
It is assumed that whether or not the product is new is detected by a mechanism in which the product that has been w) becomes high for a predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds). In this case,
The change of the input port from Low to High is checked, and if there is a change, detection is performed by turning on the new article detection flag.

The laser printer 1 according to this embodiment is
The mechanism has six units, that is, a paper feeding unit, a resist unit, a fixing unit, a mail box unit 300, a duplex unit 200, and a finisher unit 400 in the main body unit 100. Therefore, in the present embodiment, six input signals for new product detection are checked by polling processing to acquire history information regarding unit replacement. Here, the flag for detecting the unit replacement will be described. Flag F $ N
EWUNIT has a 1-byte structure. "Bit
“0 F_FED_NEW” is a bit that turns on the flag when it is confirmed that the paper feeding unit is new. "Bit1 F_REG_NEW" is a bit for turning on the flag when it is confirmed that the registration unit is new. "Bit2 F_F
"US_NEW" is a bit for turning on the flag when it is confirmed that the fixing unit is new.
“Bit3 F_MBX_NEW” is a bit that turns on the flag when it is confirmed that the mailbox unit 300 is new. "Bit4 F_
“DPX_NEW” is a bit that turns on the flag when it is confirmed that the duplex unit 200 is new. “Bit5 F_FIN_NEW” is a bit that turns on the flag when it is confirmed that the finisher unit 400 is new.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure of logging check when the unit is replaced. The check regarding each unit replacement is executed by a part of the polling tasks of the status check task. First, the flag F_FED_N of F $ NEWUNIT
The EW is checked (step 701). Flag F_F
If ED_NEW is on (step 701;
Y), it is determined that the paper feeding unit has been replaced with a new one, and Cn
tA1 is cleared and the flag F_FED_NEW is turned off (step 702). Similarly, F $ NEWUNIT
Check the flag F_REG_NEW of
If REG_NEW is on (step 703;
Y), judging that the registration unit has been replaced with a new one,
CntA2 is cleared and the flag F_REG_NEW is turned off (step 704). Next, F $ NEWUNI
T flag F_FUS_NEW is checked and flag F
If _FUS_NEW is on (step 705;
Y), it is determined that the fixing unit has been replaced with a new one, and Cn
tA3 is cleared and the flag F_FUS_NEW is turned off (step 706).

F $ NEWUNIT flag F_MBX_
If NEW is checked and the flag F_MBX_NEW is on (step 707; Y), it is determined that the mailbox unit 300 has been replaced with a new one, CntB is cleared, and the flag F_MBX_NEW is turned off (step 708). F_NEWUNIT flag F_DP
X_NEW is checked, flag F_DPX_NEW is on (step 709; Y), duplex unit 20
Judge that 0 has been replaced with a new one, clear CntC,
The flag F_DPX_NEW is turned off (step 71).
0). F $ NEWUNIT flag F_FIN_NEW
If the flag F_FIN_NEW is on (step 711), the finisher unit 400 is checked.
CntD is cleared and the flag F_FIN_NEW is turned off (step 71).
2). After checking the status of all units, C
ntA1, CntA2, CntA3, CntB, Cnt
The counter changed in C and CntD, that is, the cleared counter is logged in the non-volatile memory (step 713), the jam counter of the unit replaced with a new unit is set to 0, and the process is terminated.

Next, when the unit is replaced with a new unit, the jam count up to that time, that is, the determination of whether to clear (delete) the jam history information of the replaced unit will be described. As a method for determining whether or not to clear the history information of the replaced unit, a switching method by a predetermined input port of the DIP switch,
A switching method depending on the state of a certain area of the non-volatile memory may be used. In the present embodiment, a method of determining whether or not to clear the history information of the replaced unit by monitoring the state of a predetermined DIP switch will be described. As described above, since the laser printer 1 according to the present embodiment has a mechanism having six units,
The 6 dip switches are checked, and based on the state of each switch, it is determined whether or not to clear the counter when replacing each unit.

Here, the flag for determining whether to clear the counter when replacing the unit will be described. The flag F $ PROTECT has a 1-byte structure. "Bit0 F_FED_PRO" turns on the flag when the dip switch of the paper feeding unit is on. If this flag is on,
It is decided not to clear the jam counter of the paper feeding unit. "Bit1 F_REG_
"PRO" turns on the flag when the dip switch of the registration unit is turned on. When this flag is turned on, it is determined not to clear the jam counter of the registration unit. "Bit2 F_FUS_PRO" turns on the flag when the dip switch of the fixing unit is turned on. When this flag is turned on, it is determined not to clear the jam counter of the fixing unit.

"Bit3 F_MBX_PRO" turns on the flag when the DIP switch of the mailbox unit 300 is turned on. When this flag is on, it is decided not to clear the jam counter of the mail box unit 300. "Bit4 F_DPX_PRO" means that when the dip switch of the duplex unit 200 is turned on,
Turn the flag on. When this flag is turned on, it is determined not to clear the jam counter of the duplex unit 200. "Bit
5 F_FIN_PRO ”is the finisher unit 4
When the 00 dip switch is on, the flag is turned on. When this flag is turned on, it is decided not to clear the jam counter of the finisher unit 400.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure of the DIP switch check. The DIP switch check is executed by a part of polling tasks of the status check task. First, the DIP switch of the paper feeding unit is checked (step 801). When the dip switch of the paper feeding unit is on (step 801; Y), the flag F_FED_PRO of F $ PROTECT is turned on (step 80).
2). Next, check the DIP switch of the registration unit, and if the DIP switch is ON (step 8)
03; Y), F $ PROTECT flag F_REG_
The PRO is turned on (step 804). Also, if the dip switch of the fixing unit is checked and the dip switch is on (step 805; Y), F $ PRO
The flag F_FUS_PRO of TECT is turned on (step 806).

Next, the dip switch of the mailbox unit 300 is checked. If the dip switch is on (step 807; Y), the flag F_MBX_PRO of F $ PROTECT is turned on (step 80).
8). Also, the dip switch of the duplex unit 200 is checked, and if the dip switch is on (step 809), the flag F_PROX_P of F $ PROTECT is set.
RO is turned on (step 810). Finally, check the dip switch on the finisher 400, and if the dip switch is on (step 811), F $ PR
The OTECT flag F_FIN_PRO is turned on (step 812). After checking all the DIP switches, the process ends.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure of the counter clear determination based on the logging check and the dip switch check when the unit is replaced. The check regarding each unit replacement is executed by a part of the polling tasks of the status check task. First, the flag F_ of F $ NEWUNIT
FED_NEW is checked (step 901). If the flag F_FED_NEW is on (step 9)
01; Y), and it is checked whether the flag F_FED_PRO is on (step 902). Flag F_F
If ED_PRO is not on (step 902;
N), it is judged that the paper feeding unit has been replaced with a new one, and Cn
tA1 is cleared and the flag F_FED_NEW is turned off (step 903). If the flag F_FED_NEW of F $ NEWUNIT is not on (step 901; N), the flag F_REG_NEW is checked (step 904). The flag F_REG_NEW is on (step 904; Y), and the flag F_REG_
If PRO is not turned on (step 905; N), it is determined that the registration unit has been replaced with a new one, and CntA2
Is cleared and the flag F_REG_NEW is turned off (step 906).

Next, the flag F_FUS_NEW is checked. If the flag F_FUS_NEW is on (step 907; Y), the flag F_FUS_PRO is checked (step 908). Flag F_FUS_PR
When O is not on (step 908; N), it is determined that the fixing unit has been replaced with a new one, CntA3 is cleared, and the flag F_FUS_NEW is turned off (step 909). Further, the flag F_MBX_NEW is checked, and when the flag F_MBX_NEW is on (step 910; Y), the flag F_MBX_PRO is checked (step 911). Flag F_MBX_PRO
If is not on (step 911; N), it is determined that the mail box unit 300 has been replaced with a new one, and Cn
tB is cleared and the flag F_MBX_NEW is turned off (step 912).

Further, the flag F_DPX_NEW is checked, and if the flag F_DPX_NEW is on (step 913; Y), the flag F_DPX_PRO is checked (step 914). Flag F_DPX_
If PRO is not turned on (step 914; N), it is determined that the duplex unit 200 has been replaced with a new one, and CntC is set.
Is cleared and the flag F_DPX_NEW is turned off (step 915). Then, the flag F_FIN_NE
If W is checked and flag F_FIN_NEW is on (step 916; Y), flag F_FIN_P
Check RO (step 917). Flag F_F
If IN_PRO is not on (step 917;
N), it is determined that the finisher unit 400 has been replaced with a new one, CntD is cleared, and the flag F_FIN_N is set.
The EW is turned off (step 918). After checking the status of all units, CntA1 and CntA
2, the counters changed in CntA3, CntB, CntC, and CntD are logged in the non-volatile memory (step 919), and the process is ended.

As a method of providing the jam history information to the user, when the summary sheet is printed, the jam information stored in a nonvolatile manner is placed on the sheet, or the jam information is displayed on the display unit of the operation panel. Is mentioned. In the case of a summary sheet, when the sheet to be printed is organized, the flag F $ PROTECT as described above may be checked and the content of the flagged bit may be removed from the sheet editing. Further, when displaying on the operation panel, the flag F is set by the control immediately before displaying.
If $ PROTECT is checked and there is a bit for which the corresponding flag is set, the jam history of the content may be masked so as not to be displayed.

As described above, in the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, the jam history is cleared by comparing the pre-replacement transport unit with the post-replacement transport unit. You can grasp accurate information inside. Further, in the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment, it is possible to select whether or not to change the jam history information before and after the replacement, so that the user can obtain the flexible jam history information. . Further, in the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment, whether or not to display the jam history information can be selected, and the user can arbitrarily change the provided jam history information, which causes an extra misunderstanding. It can be avoided.

[0037]

According to the invention described in claim 1, the deleting means is:
When a unit in which a jam is detected is replaced based on the display by the display unit, the jam history information regarding the replaced unit is deleted from the jam information storage unit, so that the user can obtain accurate information in the image forming apparatus. Can be grasped.

According to the second aspect of the invention, when it is instructed to delete the jam history information relating to the unit exchanged by the deletion selecting means from the jam information storing means, the deleting means deletes the jam history information. Therefore, it is possible to hold and manage flexible information regarding the image forming apparatus.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the display means further includes display selection means for selecting whether or not to display the jam history information for each unit stored in the jam information storage means by the display means. The information provided to the user can be changed as appropriate, and it is possible to avoid giving the user an extra misunderstanding.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a laser printer in which a main body and each option are unitized.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a roller, a position of a sensor, and a paper conveyance path when each option is connected.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system of the laser printer.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of an operation of the laser printer.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an interrupt processing procedure.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for checking a jam flag, which is a part of a status check task, and performing logging.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a logging check at the time of unit replacement.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a DIP switch check.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of counter clear determination based on a logging check and a dip switch check at the time of unit replacement.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 main unit 200 duplex unit 300 Mailbox unit 400 finisher unit

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 2C061 AP03 AP04 AP07 AQ06 AR03                       AS01 HJ02 HK19 HV09 HV60                 2H027 DA47 DC14 DE07 EE07 EE08                       GB06 GB11 HB16 HB17                 2H071 BA03 DA22 DA23 DA24 DA32                 2H072 EA01 EA05 EA16 EA19                 3F048 AA01 AB01 BA14 BB05 BC03                       BC08 BD02 CC11

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A paper feeding unit, a finisher unit,
An image forming apparatus having a plurality of units divided for each function such as a double-sided unit and capable of exchanging the plurality of units for each unit, and a jam for detecting a jam occurrence in each of the plurality of units. A jam information storage unit that stores a jam occurrence history of a unit in which a jam occurrence is detected by the jam detection unit as jam history information for each unit, and a jam occurrence is detected by the jam detection unit, Display means for extracting jam history information of the unit in which the jam occurrence is detected from the jam information storage means, and displaying the jam history information indicating that there is a unit in which the jam occurrence is detected, and the jam information storage Deletion procedure to delete jam history information for each unit stored in the means And a deletion history unit, based on the display by the display unit, when the unit in which the jam occurrence is detected is replaced, jam history information about the replaced unit from the jam information storage unit. An image forming apparatus that deletes. 2. The deletion unit further includes a deletion selection unit that prompts a selection instruction as to whether to delete the jam history information stored in the jam information storage unit by the deletion unit, and relates to the unit exchanged by the deletion selection unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the selection instruction to delete the jam history information from the jam information storage unit is made, the deletion unit deletes the jam history information. 3. The display selection means for selecting whether or not to display the jam history information for each unit stored in the jam information storage means by the display means is further provided. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.