JP2003162185A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus equipped with an automatic power saving function. <P>SOLUTION: In the midst of a stable standby state and countdown to a power saving state, a timer is not reset unless a fixing device is put in use. Besides, the whole operation of the apparatus returns to the stable standby state after a while from the moment when the apparatus enters into the power saving state. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

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 an automatic power saving function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional image forming apparatus having an electrophotographic printer unit, a toner image transferred onto a sheet is covered with a heat roller having a heat source such as a halogen lamp inside a fixing device and an elastic rubber. Clamped in the nip of the pressure roller,
It is fixed by heating. With this method, the electric power supplied to the heat roller of the fixing device becomes very large, so that the power saving state is automatically entered if the image forming apparatus is not used for a predetermined time. With this mechanism, a timer is started when the operation of the image forming apparatus ends, and when the measured time exceeds a predetermined time, the power saving state is entered. If a new operation is performed after the timer has started and before the power saving mode is entered, the time measured by the timer is cleared, and when this operation ends, the timer starts again. In this power saving state, there is a preheat mode that is set to a temperature lower than the fixing temperature during copying, and in the power saving state there is an auto shut-off mode that cuts off the power supply to the fixing device, both of which are for the user to copy. When the operation is performed, the temperature of the fixing device is controlled so as to be returned to a predetermined temperature for copying.

[0003]

However, in the image forming apparatus adopting the above-mentioned conventional technique, the timer for measuring the time to shift to the power saving state is cleared even in the operation which does not require the fixing device. For example, there is a problem in that the timer is cleared even by simply touching a key on the operation display unit, the power saving state is not entered forever, and unnecessary power is consumed.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the first aspect of the present invention is an image forming apparatus capable of switching between a stable standby state and a power saving state. And a second operation group, the timer starts after the end of the operations included in the first operation group, and when the first predetermined time elapses, the stable standby state shifts to the power saving state. When there is an operation included in the first operation group in this stable standby state, the timer for time counting is cleared, and when there is an operation included in the second operation group, the timer is not cleared and the timing continues. , The power saving state is released when there is an operation included in the first operation group in the power saving state, and the power saving state is not released when there is an operation included in the second operation group. Second longer than the predetermined time of 1 After the predetermined time has elapsed, even saving state by any of the operations included in the first and second operating group using an image forming apparatus, characterized in that to return to a stable wait state is canceled.

In the second aspect of the present invention, the stable standby state is a state in which the temperature of the heat roller of the fixing device can be fixed and the image can be immediately formed, and the power saving state is a temperature in which the heat roller can be fixed. The image forming apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention is characterized in that the temperature is lowered to save power consumption.

In the third aspect of the present invention, the first operation group is an operation involving the use of a fixing device such as a copy operation, a printout operation, and a printing operation by facsimile reception. The image forming apparatus according to the invention is used.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in an image forming apparatus capable of switching between a stable standby state and a power saving state, the operation of the image forming apparatus is divided into a first operation group and a second operation group,
When the timer starts after the end of the operations included in the first operation group and the first predetermined time elapses, the stable standby state shifts to the power saving state and the first standby state is set in the stable standby state.
When there is an operation included in the operation group, the timer during time counting is cleared, and when there is an operation included in the second operation group, the timer is not cleared and clocking continues, and the first time is set in the power saving state. The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the power saving state is canceled when there is an operation included in the operation group and the power saving state is not canceled when there is an operation included in the second operation group.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a timer is provided for measuring the time to transition from the end of the operations included in the first operation group to the power saving state, and the timer is used only in the operations included in the first operation group. Since the timer is cleared, that is, when there is an operation other than the operations included in the first operation group, the timer is not cleared and the countdown until shifting to the power saving state is continued. As a result, the time required to shift to the power saving state is shorter than before, which contributes to energy saving. Further, when the time has elapsed since the power saving state was entered, it takes time to return to the stable standby state because the temperature of the fixing device has already dropped sufficiently. Therefore, when the second predetermined time longer than the first predetermined time until the transition to the power saving state has elapsed, all the actions are used as triggers to cancel the power saving state and return to the stable standby state. , You don't have to wait for the user you want to use. The second predetermined time may be set to a time obtained by adding the time required for the temperature of the fixing means to drop to such an extent that it takes time for the fixing means to return from the power saving state to the stable standby state in the first predetermined time. .

The second aspect of the present invention is energy saving because the fixing device in the power saving state is set to a temperature lower than that in the stable standby state to save power consumption.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the operations included in the first operation group are operations involving the use of a fixing device such as a copy operation, a printout operation, and printing by facsimile reception. This is an operation that cannot be executed immediately and can be executed after returning to the stable standby state in the power saving state. That is, it goes without saying that the power saving state does not occur during the copy operation, for example. Preliminary operations for the copy operation, such as the number of copies and the magnification setting, are not included in the first operation group, so it may happen that the power saving state occurs during the setting of this copy. Immediately after entering the power saving state, it is possible to return to the stable standby state again in a short time, so that the copying operation can be performed without waiting and there is no problem. Rather, I did a preliminary operation to the copy operation,
In the end, it is possible to eliminate the waste of power when the copying is stopped.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a timer is provided for measuring the time required to shift from the end of the operations included in the first operation group to the power saving state, and the timer is used only in the operations included in the first operation group. Since the timer is cleared, that is, when there is an operation other than the operations included in the first operation group, the timer is not cleared and the countdown until shifting to the power saving state is continued. As a result, the time required to shift to the power saving state is shorter than before, which contributes to energy saving.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An image forming apparatus adopting the present invention will be described with reference to the schematic view of FIG. In the figure, the image forming apparatus 1
Is a compound device having printer, copy, and facsimile functions, and includes CPU 2, ROM 3, RAM 4, printer controller 5, received information storage buffer 6, intermediate language information storage buffer 7, printer unit 8, fixing device 9, and power supply device 1.
0, main SW 11, operation display unit 12, DF I / F 1
3, DF 14, DF cable 15, scanner device 1
6, image processing unit 17, bitmap memory 18, COD
EC19, image memory 20, network I / F21,
It is composed of a modem 22, an NCU 23, a bus 24 and the like. In addition, this composite device 1 has a network cable 25
It is connected to the personal computers A and B (26, 27) via.

More specifically, the CPU 2 controls each component of the image forming apparatus 1, and stores the ROM 3 storing various programs, user choice data, setting data, total count data, various font data, and the like. It is connected to the RAM 4. The timer described in the claims of the present invention is a program stored in the ROM 3, and the first predetermined time and the second predetermined time are setting data stored in the RAM 4.

The printer controller 5 analyzes the print command and job information transmitted from the connected personal computer and stored in the reception buffer 6 to generate intermediate language information. This intermediate language information is stored in the intermediate language information storage buffer 7.

The printer section 8 includes a sheet feeding / conveying means (not shown), an image forming means (not shown), and a fixing device 9.
The toner image is transferred to the paper fed from the paper feeding cassette by the image forming means, and the toner image is formed by being nipped and heated by the nip between the heat roller and the pressure roller of the fixing means. It is fixed. Specifically, the fixing device 9 has a heat roller made of a base material having a high thermal conductivity such as aluminum and having a heater such as a halogen lamp built therein, and a heat roller around the roller having a good thermal conductivity such as aluminum. A pressure roller which is covered with an elastic layer made of urethane rubber and further has a release layer made of a fluororesin such as PTFE, a temperature detecting means for detecting the surface temperature of the heat roller, a power source for the heater, ON / OFF of the heater
And a fixing temperature control means for controlling them. The temperature control of the fixing device 9 is performed during printing and in a normal stable standby state.
It is changing at the set temperature of 180 ± 5 ° C. In this case, when the surface temperature of the heat roller, which is converted from the value detected by the temperature detecting means, falls below a first fixing threshold value (175 ° C. in this case) determined from the temperature to be controlled, the switching is performed. The temperature of the heat roller is raised by turning on the means, and when the temperature exceeds the second fixing threshold value (185 ° C. in this case) determined from the temperature to be controlled, the switching means is turned off and the temperature of the heat roller is changed to the sheet. Threshold control is performed, in which heat is taken away by the air and the temperature drops. When the power saving state is entered, the power saving standby temperature is maintained at a temperature lower than the set temperature, consuming less power, and capable of immediately rising to the set temperature of 185 ° C. When the heat capacity of the fixing unit 9 is small or when priority is given to saving power consumption in the power saving state, there may be a power saving state in which power is not supplied.

The power supply device 10 is connected to an external AC power supply by an outlet and supplies the AC and DC power for each rehabilitation. The power supply device 10 can be turned on / off by the main SW 11 and can also be turned on / off by a soft SW under the control of the CPU 2.

The operation display section 12 includes operation keys and LDC.
It is composed of a display unit and the like. Since this image forming apparatus is a composite apparatus, the operation display unit 12 can switch between a copy function screen, a printer function screen, a facsimile function screen, and a scanner function screen.

The D / F I / F 26 is an interface for connecting to the DF 27 placed on the image forming apparatus 1 via a cable 26 and controlling the DF 27.

The scanner device 16 applies light to a document fed one by one by the DF 14 with a halogen lamp and reads the reflected light with a CCD sensor, converts this analog signal into a digital signal by A / D conversion, and performs image processing. Image processing is performed by the unit 17 and the image is developed in the bitmap memory 18 in the subsequent stage. The bitmap memory 18 is used to analyze the print command transferred from a personal computer connected via a network or the like in addition to the image data from the scanner device 16 by the printer controller 5 and generate intermediate language information and a facsimile of the other party. From public line, NC
This is a means for expanding the image data sent via the U23 and the modem 22 by the CODEC 19 as necessary, expanding the image data as full-bitmap image data, and holding it. The C
The ODEC 19 is for decoding the encoded image data included in the print data.

The image memory 20 stores the image data read by the scanner device 16 in the CODEC 19 when performing memory copy, facsimile memory transmission, and reserved transmission.
It is encoded and stored in. When the scanner function of the multifunction device is used, the image data read by the scanner device 16 encoded by the CODEC 19 and stored can be read by an external personal computer. It is also possible to read from. In recent years, a hard disk for storing image data of a moderate capacity is often used as an image memory in a composite device.

The network I / F 28 is an interface for connecting the image forming apparatus 1 to the network. Here, the personal computers A and B (26, 27) and other connection devices not shown are connected via a network cable 25.

The modem 22 is for converting an analog signal transmitted from a public line into a digital signal, and vice versa, converting the digital signal into an analog signal and transmitting the analog signal through the public line. The NCU 23 performs connection to a public line, switching between facsimile and telephone, sending an on-hook signal to the line, and detecting a ring.

The bus 24 is a bus for exchanging data and signals of each of the above-mentioned components. Each has a bus for image data and a bus for control signals.
It is represented by one.

FIG. 2 shows the processing of the image forming apparatus 1 adopting the present invention until shifting to the power saving state and canceling the power saving state.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of. First, the image forming apparatus 1 is started from the time when the power is turned on to enter the stable standby state, the count of the timer is cleared, and the timing of this timer is started (S101). Then, the count t of this timer is compared with the first predetermined time T1, and t
If the condition of ≧ T1 is satisfied (S102), the power saving state is entered (S104). If this condition is not satisfied yet, it is determined whether or not there is a motion included in the first motion group (S103). If there is no motion, the process returns to S102, and if there is a motion included in the first motion group, the process proceeds to S101. Return, clear the timer count, and start timing again. As described above, the countdown to the power saving state is canceled only by the operation included in the first operation group, and is not canceled except by the operation included in the first operation group. In the first invention, since the first operation is not particularly limited, it is only necessary to include in the first operation group an operation that is considered convenient. In the third invention, in particular, the first operation group is an operation involving the use of a fixing device such as a copy operation, a printout operation, and a printing of a facsimile reception, and other preparatory operations for copying such as copy setting and the like. , In the case of facsimile transmission using only the scanner function, the countdown does not stop until the power saving state is entered. It may be possible to shift to the power saving state while setting the number of copies, etc., but unless there is a special reason, it is possible to return to the stable standby state again in a short time immediately after the power saving state, so wait for the copy operation. It can be done without any problems.

After S104, when the power saving state is entered, the first
It is determined whether there is a motion included in the motion group of (S10
5) If there is, the power saving state is canceled (S108), and the process ends. If there is no, the timer count t is compared with the second predetermined time T2 (S106), and if the condition of t ≧ T2 is not satisfied, Returning to S105, if it is satisfied, it is determined whether the image forming apparatus 1 has any operation (S10).
7) If there is no operation, the process returns to S105, and if there is, the power saving state is canceled (S108). The operation of S108 is
There is no special limitation like the operation group of the first operation, and all operations including the simple operation of operating the operation display unit are used as triggers to release the power saving state. As a result, for the fixing unit 9 whose temperature has dropped from the power saving state, the transition to the stable standby state is started in advance even if the operation is a simple operation. There are few things to keep waiting. In the fourth invention of the present case,
If there is no operation included in the first operation group in S105, the flow directly returns to S105.

[0026]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the operation included in the first operation group is provided with the timer for measuring the time from the end of the operation included in the first operation group to the power saving state. Since the timer is cleared only at, that is, when there is an operation other than the operations included in the first operation group, the timer is not cleared and the countdown until the shift to the power saving state is continued. As a result, the time required to shift to the power saving state is shorter than before, which contributes to energy saving. Further, when the time has elapsed since the power saving state was entered, it takes time to return to the stable standby state because the temperature of the fixing device has already dropped sufficiently. Therefore, when the second predetermined time longer than the first predetermined time until the transition to the power saving state has elapsed, all the actions are used as triggers to cancel the power saving state and return to the stable standby state. , You don't have to wait for the user you want to use. The second predetermined time may be set to a time obtained by adding the time required for the temperature of the fixing means to drop to such an extent that it takes time for the fixing means to return from the power saving state to the stable standby state in the first predetermined time. .

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the fixing device in the power saving state is set at a temperature lower than that in the stable standby state to save the power consumption, thus saving energy.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the operations included in the first operation group include copy operation, printout operation,
This is an operation involving the use of a fixing device such as printing by facsimile reception, which cannot be executed immediately unless it is in the stable standby state, and can be executed after returning to the stable standby state in the power saving state. That is, it goes without saying that the power saving state does not occur during the copy operation, for example. Preliminary operations for the copy operation, such as the number of copies and the magnification setting, are not included in the first operation group, so it may happen that the power saving state occurs during the setting of this copy. Immediately after entering the power saving state, it is possible to return to the stable standby state again in a short time, so that the copying operation can be performed without waiting and there is no problem. Rather, the preliminary operation for the copy operation is performed, but it is possible to omit the waste of electric power when the copy is eventually stopped.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, by providing a timer for measuring the time required for shifting from the end of the operations included in the first operation group to the power saving state, only the operations included in the first operation group are provided. Since the timer is cleared, that is, when there is an operation other than the operations included in the first operation group, the timer is not cleared and the countdown until the shift to the power saving state is continued. As a result, the time required to shift to the power saving state is shorter than before, which contributes to energy saving.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an image forming apparatus and peripheral equipment adopting the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a process when the image forming apparatus adopting the present invention shifts to a power saving state or a power off state.

[Explanation of symbols]

1; Image forming apparatus 2; CPU 3; ROM 4; RAM 5; Printer controller 6; Received information storage buffer 7; Intermediate language information storage buffer 8: Printer section 9; Fixing device 10; Power supply 11; Main SW 12: Operation display section 13; DF I / F 14; DF 15; Cable for DF 16; Scanner device 17: Image processing unit 18; Bitmap memory 19; CODEC 20; Image memory 21; Network I / F 22; Modem 23; NCU 24; Bus 25; Network cable 26, 27; PC A, B

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) H04N 1/00 H04N 1/00 CF term (reference) 2C061 AP01 AP03 AP04 AQ06 HH11 HK11 HT03 2H027 DA12 DA31 DA40 EA12 EF16 EJ18 ZA07 2H033 AA32 CA05 CA07 CA20 CA32 5B021 AA01 AA05 AA19 NN22 5C062 AA02 AA05 AB22 AB49 AB51 BA00

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus capable of switching between a stable standby state and a power saving state.
And a second operation group, the timer starts after the end of the operations included in the first operation group, and when the first predetermined time elapses, the stable standby state shifts to the power saving state. When there is an operation included in the first operation group in this stable standby state, the timer for time counting is cleared, and when there is an operation included in the second operation group, the timer is not cleared and the timing continues. , If there is an operation included in the first operation group in the power saving state, the power saving state is canceled, and the second
If there is an action included in the action group, the power-saving state is not released, and the power-saving state and the second time longer than the first predetermined time
The image forming apparatus is configured to release the power saving state and return to the stable standby state by any of the operations included in the first and second operation groups after the lapse of the predetermined time. 2. The stable standby state is a state in which the temperature of the heat roller of the fixing device can be fixed and the image can be immediately formed, and the power saving state is a temperature lower than the temperature in which the heat roller can be fixed. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is in a state of saving power consumption. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first operation group is an operation that involves the use of a fixing device, such as a copy operation, a printout operation, and a printing operation by facsimile reception. . 4. An image forming apparatus capable of switching between a stable standby state and a power saving state. The operation of the image forming apparatus is divided into a first operation group and a second operation group, and included in the first operation group. When the timer starts after the end of the operation and the first predetermined time elapses, the stable standby state shifts to the power saving state, and when there is an operation included in the first operation group in the stable standby state, the time is being counted. When the timer is cleared and there is an operation included in the second operation group, the timer is not cleared and clocking continues, and when there is an operation included in the first operation group in the power saving state, the power saving state is set. The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the power saving state is not released when the operation is released and there is an operation included in the second operation group.