JP2003201024A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To pursue the cause and to take measures by determining that the abnormality of a lifting member which lifts a placing member is due to whether the abnormality of a driving force transmitting means or the abnormality of a driving source. <P>SOLUTION: This image forming device is provided with a control part determining whether the driving abnormal or the lock abnormality of the driving source by installing a placing member detecting means for interlocking with the operation of the placing member on the driving force transmitting means for interlocking with the lifting member lifting the placing member. <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 such as a copying machine or a facsimile, and more particularly to detection of abnormality in a sheet feeding cassette on which transfer materials are stacked and placed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus for transferring a toner image onto a transfer material such as a copying machine or a facsimile to form an image, a large number of transfer materials are stacked and placed in order to form images continuously. It is equipped with a detachable paper cassette.

An example of detection of a transfer material in a conventional paper feed cassette will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a side surface of a paper feed cassette K in which a detachable paper feed cassette on which a transfer material P is placed is attached to an image forming apparatus main body.

In the drawing, the paper feed cassette K is a mounting member 1.
0, the lower limit detection means 22 is provided.

The attachment / detachment of the paper feed cassette K from the main body of the image forming apparatus is performed in the Y direction, and the attachment / detachment sensor 20 provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus detects the attachment / detachment of the paper feed cassette K.

The transfer material P is conveyed in contact with the pickup roller 30 of the main body of the image forming apparatus, and is supplied to the outside of the paper feed cassette K by the transfer roller 32.

At the start of the operation of feeding the transfer material from the paper feed cassette K to the outside, the uppermost transfer material P placed on the paper feed cassette K comes into contact with the pick-up roller 30 and reaches a position where it can be conveyed. Must have been reached.

Therefore, whether or not the uppermost transfer material P has reached the required height is detected by the height sensor 21 provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus.

If the uppermost transfer material P has not reached the required height, the drive source 31 for raising and lowering the mounting member is driven until it is detected by the height sensor 21, and is not shown. The driving force transmitting means raises the mounting member 10 on which the transfer material P is mounted.

During the normal operation of supplying the transfer material P, the transfer material P is supplied from the paper feed cassette K by repeating the above.

When the feeding operation of the transfer material P is completed, the driving source 31 is driven to lower the placing member 10 until the lower limit detecting means 22 provided in the paper feeding cassette K detects it.

This is because when the paper feed cassette K is removed from the main body of the image forming apparatus when replenishing the transfer material P, there is a high possibility that the transfer material P will be caught when the transfer material P is in contact with the pickup roller 30. is there.

When the feeding operation is started again, the transfer material P
The drive source 31 is driven until the height sensor 21 detects the height sensor 21, and the mounting member 10 is raised by the drive force transmission means.

The rising time of the mounting member 10 at this time (the time from when the lower limit detecting means 22 is turned off to when the height sensor 21 is turned on) is the number of transfer materials P loaded in the paper feeding cassette K. Therefore, it is usually set to 15 seconds to 30 seconds in accordance with the minimum number of transfer materials P loaded in the paper feed cassette K which requires the longest time.

When the time required for the mounting member 10 to rise exceeds the set time, it is judged that the mounting member 10 has risen abnormally, and the driving force transmitting means for raising the mounting member 10 accordingly. It is determined that the drive source 31 and the transfer material drive source 31 are abnormal, and a failure is displayed on the operation display unit, and the supply operation is stopped.

[0016]

However, according to the determination method by setting the rising time as described above, when the remaining loading amount of the transfer material P in the cassette K is large, the height sensor 21 detects it. Since the time is shortened, there is a problem that a wasteful waiting time until the preset rising time (15 seconds to 30 seconds) of the mounting member 10 is reached increases.

Further, from the above-described determination of the rising abnormality of the mounting member 10, it is easy to determine whether it is the driving abnormality of the driving source 31 itself for driving the mounting member 10 or the abnormality of the driving force transmitting means. It is difficult to do, and it takes time to find the cause and take countermeasures.

Further, when the transfer material P is set in the cassette K by mistake, if the transfer material P smaller than the set size is set at a position which cannot be detected by the height sensor 21 instead of the proper position, the height sensor 21 21 is not detected, the mounting member 1
There is also a case where 0 rises above a specified height, and the upper surface of the transfer material P stacked on the mounting member 10 rises too much and hits the upper part in the image forming apparatus, causing trouble such as damage.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its main purpose is to prevent an abnormality of the drive source 31 and the mounting member 10 in each of the initial stage and the intermediate stage of the raising of the mounting member 10. A drive source 31 that can detect the abnormality and enables early detection of an abnormality, and also raises the mounting member 10.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of distinguishing the abnormality of the driving force transmission means and determining the abnormality and facilitating the pursuit of the cause and the countermeasure.

[0020]

The objects of the present invention can be achieved by the following constitutions.

(1) A mounting member for stacking and stacking transfer materials for transferring a toner image to form an image, and elevating and lowering the mounting member to a position where the transfer material can be supplied. A member, a height sensor that detects the position of the transfer material that enables the transfer material to be supplied, a driving force transmission unit that transmits the driving force that drives the elevating member, and a driving force that is supplied to the driving force transmission unit. In the image forming apparatus including a drive source for driving the drive source and a control unit that determines an abnormality of the drive source, a mounting member detection unit that detects displacement of rising of the mounting member is provided, and the control unit controls the drive unit. An image forming apparatus, wherein when the displacement of the mounting member is not detected by the mounting member detecting means after the driving of the power source is started, it is determined that the driving source is abnormal.

(2) A mounting member for stacking and stacking transfer materials for transferring a toner image to form an image, and elevating the mounting member to a position where the transfer material can be supplied. A member, a height sensor that detects the position of the transfer material that enables the transfer material to be supplied, a driving force transmission unit that transmits the driving force that drives the elevating member, and a driving force that is supplied to the driving force transmission unit. In the image forming apparatus including a drive source for driving the drive source and a control unit that determines an abnormality of the drive source, a mounting member detection unit that detects displacement of rising of the mounting member is provided, and the control unit controls the drive unit. When the displacement of the mounting member is first detected by the mounting member detection means after the driving of the power source is started, the displacement of the mounting member is repeatedly detected by the mounting member detection means and the abnormality of the drive source is determined. Image forming apparatus characterized by .

[0023]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the overall structure of the image forming apparatus. In the figure, an image forming apparatus A includes an image reading apparatus 1, a control unit 2 having an image processing board 11,
An image writing unit 3, an image forming unit 4, a detachable paper feeding cassette 5 on which a transfer material P is stacked and placed, a fixing unit 7, a paper discharging unit 8, and a reversing unit 9.

On the upper part of the image forming apparatus A, the document D on the automatic document placing table 48 is sent to the carrying drum 50 according to the arrow, and is passed over the reading glass 42, and the carrying roller 5 is provided.
The sheet is discharged from 1 to the document discharge table 47.

The image reading apparatus 1 uses the reading glass 42 in the middle of conveying the image of the document D, the exposure unit 44 including the light source and the mirror unit, and the V mirror unit 45.
Is sent to the image sensor 46 and read as image information converted into an electric signal.

The image information of the read document D is converted into a digital signal by the image processing board 11 and image processing is performed.

The image writing unit 3 drives the semiconductor laser in response to a control signal based on the image information from the image processing substrate 11 and irradiates the image carrier of the image forming unit 4 with laser light to form a latent image. .

The image forming section 4 develops the latent image formed on the image carrier into a toner image, and then transfers the developed toner image onto the transfer material P supplied from the paper feed cassette 5.

The transfer material P is conveyed to the fixing unit 7, where the transferred toner image is fixed, and is discharged by the paper discharge unit 8 to a paper discharge tray 49 provided outside the apparatus.

When copying on both sides of the transfer material P, the transfer material P transferred on one side is turned upside down at the reversing section 9 and then conveyed to the image forming section 4 again so that it is transferred to the non-transferred side. Another toner image formed in the same manner as described above is transferred.

FIG. 3 shows a mounting member 22 in the paper feed cassette 5.
4A and 4B are schematic views of an embodiment in which the mounting member detection means detects displacements of rising and falling of 0. FIG. 7A is a side view of the sheet feeding cassette 5, and FIG. FIG.

In the figure, a detachable paper feed cassette 5 on which transfer materials P are stacked and placed is attached to an image forming apparatus A (not shown).

The paper feed cassette 5 includes a mounting member 220, a lifting member 221, a driving force transmission means 225, and a transmission support means 22.
3, a rotary actuator 200 as a detection target portion provided with a plurality of detection marks that are detection target portions that rotate in conjunction with the elevating member 221, a transfer material guide 229, and an opening 228.

In this embodiment, a slit is used as the detection mark. The main body of the image forming device
Height sensor 231, detection sensor 16 for detecting slits
0, a drive source 131, a pickup roller 230, and a conveyance roller 232.

On the rotary shaft of the driving force transmission means 225, a disk-shaped rotary actuator 200 having slits radially provided at equal angles is attached.
The rotary actuator 200 is rotated by the rotational power transmitted from 31.

Other detection marks may be formed on the rotary actuator 200, but slits are preferable.

When the paper feed cassette 5 is attached to the image forming apparatus A, the detection sensor 160 is provided in the apparatus main body at a position where the rotating slit of the rotary actuator 200 passes.

A rotary actuator 200 as a detected portion provided with a plurality of detection marks to be the above-mentioned detected portions.
The detection sensor 160 constitutes a mounting member detection means.

Lifting member 22 for raising the mounting member 220
1 and the rotary actuator 200 are the driving force transmission means 2
It is provided on the rotation axis of 25.

Therefore, in the image forming apparatus A, the phase change of the rotary shaft of the rotary power transmitted to the driving force transmission means 225, that is, the transfer material P interlocking with the elevating member 221 that moves up and down integrally with the rotary shaft. A change in the height of the mounting member 220 on which is mounted can be determined from the count number of the slits of the rotary actuator 200 detected by the detection sensor 160.

Further, as in the conventional example described above, the operation of supplying the transfer material P placed on the mounting member 220 constituting the paper feed cassette 5 is similar to that of the conventional example described above. The mounting member 220 on which the transfer material P is mounted is lifted until the height sensor 231 at the position where the transfer material P contacts (that is, the position where the transfer material P can be fed by the pickup roller 230) is detected.

The transfer material guide 229 regulates the transfer material P at a position where it abuts on the pickup roller 230.

In the case of the image forming apparatus A equipped with the paper feed cassette 5, a separate structure from the drive source 131 is adopted in order to make the paper feed cassette 5 detachable, and the weight of the attachment / detachment operation is reduced. We are trying to make it easier.

Further, the drive source 131 is provided in the image forming apparatus for each of the plurality of sheet feeding cassettes in order to correspond to the plurality of detachable sheet feeding cassettes 5, and the transfer material supplying operation for each sheet feeding cassette is possible. I have to.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the driving force transmitting means 225 to the elevating member 221 are connected and attached to the sheet feeding cassette 5, and the sheet feeding cassette 5 is set in the image forming apparatus A. Therefore, the drive source 1
The rotating shaft 132 of 31 and the fitting pin 226 fixed to the driving force transmitting means 225 are connected, the rotational power of the driving source 131 is transmitted to the driving force transmitting means 225, and the elevating member 221.
As a result, the mounting member 220 is lifted.

More specifically, the raising operation of the mounting member 220 will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 shows the detection sensor 1
6 is a block diagram showing that the CPU 120, which is a control unit, determines a signal from 60 to control the drive source 131. FIG.

A drive current is supplied from the drive unit 130 in response to a drive signal from the CPU 120 to rotate the drive source 131, so that the drive pin 131 is rotated by a fitting pin 226 fixed to the drive force transmission means 225. The driving force transmission means 225 that is fitted and integrated with the shaft 132 rotates, and the elevating member 221 that moves up and down together with the driving force transmission means 225 is rotated through the opening 228 of the sheet feeding cassette 5. .

On the other hand, the driving force transmitting means 225 is integrally attached with the rotary actuator 200 having slits on the disk-shaped circumference, and the rotation of the driving force transmitting means 225 causes the detection sensor 160 to detect the slit. Is detected,
The detected signal is sent to the CPU 120, and the CPU 120 counts the signals in order to determine the operating state and the operating amount of the ascending and descending member 221.

Subsequently, on the elevating member 221 which is rotated by the drive source 131, a placing member 220 on which the transfer material P which is raised and lowered in conjunction with this is placed is disposed. The lowest point of the member 220 is limited by a lower limit detecting means (not shown) provided on the bottom surface of the sheet feeding cassette 5.

On the other hand, the highest point varies depending on the amount of the transfer material P loaded, and when a plurality of paper feed cassettes are installed, there is a possibility that the bottom surface of the paper feed cassette immediately above or other components may come into contact. Therefore, the highest point is dealt with the above problem by detecting the uppermost surface of the transfer material P stacked on the mounting member 220 by the height sensor 231 and limiting the rising height. There is.

The height sensor 231 detects the uppermost surface of the transfer material P stacked on the mounting member 220 as the highest rising point by the pickup roller 230. The transfer material P has a height that enables feeding.
This is also for determining the remaining amount in the paper feed cassette 5.

From the above, there is a difference in the time until the height sensor 231 detects it depending on the amount of the transfer material P stacked on the mounting member 220 that rises from the lowest point.

That is, when the amount of the transfer material P loaded is large, the time until the height sensor 231 detects it is short, and when it is small, it takes a long time.

Conventionally, the case in which the height sensor 231 takes the longest time to detect the uppermost surface of the transfer material P stacked on the mounting member 220 which rises from the above-mentioned lowest point is the standard As a signal to the next.

Therefore, it takes the least time for the height sensor 231 to detect the uppermost surface of the transfer material P stacked on the mounting member 220 that rises from the lowest point, and the stacking amount is the largest. Had wasted time before sending the next signal.

Next, with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 5, a description will be given of the determination of the abnormality of the drive source and the abnormality of the lock of the drive source when the height of the mounting member 220 is raised from the lower limit position.

In step 501, the operation for raising the mounting member 220 from the lower limit position is started by the drive signal for starting the drive of the drive source 131.

Next, at step 502, the timer 1 in the control unit starts counting a preset first predetermined time.

In step 503, the rotary actuator 200 that interlocks with the mounting member 220 starts, and the first slit is not detected yet, and the height sensor 231 is not detected in step 504, either. ,
When the count of the timer 1 reaches the first predetermined time in step 505, the drive source 13 is detected in step 506.
No. 1 does not start driving, and the control unit determines that the driving is abnormal.

That is, the drive source 131 is not driven at all (abnormality of the circuit board in the drive unit which drives the drive source 131,
Alternatively, it is determined that the rotary actuator 200 remains stopped due to a failure of the drive source 131 itself or the like.

When the height sensor 231 is detected in step 504, it means that the uppermost surface of the transfer material P stacked on the mounting member 220 has reached the feeding surface of the pickup roller 230. Then, the timer 1 is turned off in step 507, the driving of the drive source 131 is stopped in step 508, and the placing member 220 is placed in a state where the uppermost surface of the transfer material P reaches the feeding surface of the pickup roller 230. Hold it.

If the count of the timer 1 has not reached the first predetermined time in step 505, the routine returns to step 503 of the first slit detection determination.

When the first slit is detected in step 503, the first predetermined time setting timer 1 for detecting the first slit is used for detecting the subsequent slits in step 511. In order to switch to the second predetermined time setting timer 2, the timer 1 is turned off, and in step 512, the timer 2 in the control unit starts counting the preset second predetermined time.

In step 513, the rotary actuator 2
It is determined whether or not the nth slit (n starts from the initial value 2) subsequent to 00 is detected.

Until the nth slit is detected, that is, when the slit is not detected, step 5
At 14, it is determined whether the height sensor 231 has detected the upper surface of the transfer material.

If it is not detected by the height sensor 231 in step 514, it is determined whether the timer 2 has counted up.

If the timer 2 has not counted up, the procedure returns to step 513 and step 5 is repeated as described above.
The flow from 13 to step 516 is repeated.

The flow of steps 513 to 516 is repeated until the next slit detection, height sensor detection, and timer 2 count reaches a second predetermined time.

In step 513, the rotary actuator 2
When the n-th slit of 00 is detected, the timer 2 is turned off in step 520, and the slit of the rotary actuator 200 is changed from the n-th slit to n + in step 521.
Proceed to step 1 and return to step 512.

That is, while the next slit is being detected, the circulation flow from step 512 to step 521 is repeated.

However, before the nth slit of the rotary actuator 200 is detected in step 513, and the height sensor 231 is not detected in step 514, the timer 2 counts in step 515. If the second predetermined time has been reached, step 516
It is determined that the drive source 131 is locked.

That is, since it is known from the judgment in step 503 that the drive source 131 is operating, the subsequent operation of the drive source 131 is performed by the drive force transmitting means 22.
It is determined that the mounting member 220 cannot be lifted by transmitting from the No. 5 to the elevating member 221, and this is referred to as a lock abnormality of the drive source 131.

As an example of the lock abnormality of the driving source 131, the rotating shaft 132 of the driving source 131 and the driving force transmitting means 22 are shown.
5 disengagement from the fitting pin 226 fixed to the No. 5 or driving force transmission failure due to breakage of the fitting pin 226, disengagement of the lifting member 221 fixed to the driving force transmission means 225, or deformation of the lifting member 221. The mounting member 220 may not be lifted up.

Although the operation state of the mounting member 220 in the middle stage could not be detected conventionally, in the embodiment of the present invention, the rotary actuator 200 is connected to the driving force transmission means 225.
By providing the mounting member 220, it is possible to detect an operating state of the mounting member 220 at an intermediate stage (that is, an operating state during detection of one slit on the rotary actuator 200 from the next slit). The time taken to determine the lock abnormality of is greatly shortened.

If the height sensor 231 detects in step 514 before the slit is detected in step 513, the transfer material P stacked on the mounting member 220 is operated normally. The top surface of the pickup roller 2
Since it has been reached to the feeding surface of No. 30, the timer 2 is turned off in Step 517, the driving of the driving source 131 is stopped in Step 518, and the uppermost surface of the transfer material is the pickup roller 230. The mounting member 220 is held in a state of reaching the feeding surface.

If the height sensor 231 has not yet detected in step 514 and the count of the timer 2 has not reached the second predetermined time in step 515, it is determined that the slit detection has not been reached. At step 513, the routine returns to the judgment of the nth slit detection.

[0078]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION It is possible to detect a rising abnormality in each of the initial stage and the intermediate stage of the raising of the mounting member, which enables early detection of the abnormality, and at the same time, a drive source and a driving force transmission for raising the mounting member. The abnormality of the means can be discriminated and judged, and the pursuit of the cause and the countermeasure can be facilitated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a conventional paper feed cassette in which a removable paper feed cassette that stores a transfer material is attached to an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment in which a mounting member detection unit detects displacement of a mounting member in a paper feed cassette, the displacement being raised and lowered. (A) is a side view of the paper feed cassette, and (B) is a perspective view of a part of the side surface of the paper feed cassette.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing that a control unit (CPU) determines a signal from a detection sensor and controls a drive source.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for determining a drive source abnormality and a drive source lock abnormality when the height of the mounting member is raised from the lower limit position.

[Explanation of symbols]

A image forming apparatus 1 Image reading device 11 Image processing board 2 control means 3 Image writing section 4 Image forming section 5 paper cassettes 120 CPU 131 drive source 132 rotation axis 160 detection sensor 200 rotary actuator 220 mounting member 221 Lifting member 225 Driving force transmission means 230 Pickup roller 231 Height sensor 232 Conveyor roller P transfer material

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F term (reference) 2H072 AA32 AB07 BA12 BB01 CA01                       CA02                 3F343 FA02 FB02 FB03 FC21 GA03                       GB01 GC01 GD01 HB03 HC03                       HD07 HD17 JA01 KB03 KB20                       MA04 MA12 MA13 MA32 MA45                       MA53 MA55 MB04 MB12

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A mounting member for stacking and stacking transfer materials for transferring a toner image to form an image, and an elevating member for elevating the mounting member to a position where the transfer material can be supplied. A height sensor that detects the position of the transfer material that enables the supply of the transfer material, a driving force transmission unit that transmits the driving force that drives the elevating member, and a driving force that is supplied to the driving force transmission unit. In an image forming apparatus including a drive source and a control unit that determines an abnormality of the drive source, a mounting member detection unit that detects a rising displacement of the mounting member is provided, and the control unit controls the drive source. The image forming apparatus is characterized in that when the displacement of the mounting member is not detected by the mounting member detecting means after the driving of (1) is started, it is determined that the driving source is abnormal. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the case where the displacement is not detected is a case where the displacement is not detected within a first predetermined time from the start of driving the drive source. 3. In addition to the above-mentioned claim 1, when the upper surface position of the transfer material is not detected by the height sensor,
2. It is determined that the drive source is abnormal.
Alternatively, the image forming apparatus according to claim 2. 4. The image formation according to claim 3, wherein the case where the upper surface position is not detected is a case where the upper surface position is not detected within a first predetermined time from the start of driving of the drive source. apparatus. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the abnormality of the drive source is a drive abnormality in which the drive source is not driven while being stopped. 6. A mounting member for stacking and stacking transfer materials for transferring a toner image to form an image, and an elevating member for elevating the mounting member to a position where the transfer material can be supplied. A height sensor that detects the position of the transfer material that enables the supply of the transfer material, a driving force transmission unit that transmits the driving force that drives the elevating member, and a driving force that is supplied to the driving force transmission unit. In an image forming apparatus including a drive source and a control unit that determines an abnormality of the drive source, a mounting member detection unit that detects a rising displacement of the mounting member is provided, and the control unit controls the drive source. When the displacement of the mounting member is first detected by the mounting member detecting means after the start of driving, the displacement of the mounting member is repeatedly detected by the mounting member detecting means to determine the abnormality of the drive source. An image forming apparatus characterized by the above. 7. When the displacement of the mounting member is no longer detected by the mounting member detecting means during the repeated detection, and the upper surface position of the transfer material is detected by the height sensor. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein when it is not detected, it is determined that the drive source is abnormal. 8. The case where the upper surface position is not detected is a case where the upper surface position is not detected within a second predetermined time from when the displacement of the mounting member is first detected. The image forming apparatus according to item 1. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the abnormality of the drive source is a lock abnormality in which the drive source is locked. 10. The mounting member detecting means includes a detected portion which is displaced in conjunction with the mounting member and the driving force transmitting means, according to any one of claims 1 to 9. The image forming apparatus according to item. 11. The image according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the placement member detecting means includes the detected portion and a detection sensor for detecting the detected portion. Forming equipment. 12. The detected part comprises a plurality of detected parts for detecting the displacement of the mounting member a plurality of times, according to any one of claims 1 to 11. Image forming apparatus.