JP2003252459A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device capable of physically and logically distinguishing, easily taking out only added new cut paper, and reporting to a user whether or not the original paper is set, when the new cut paper is added to the existing cut paper and set in a cassette. <P>SOLUTION: This image forming device is provided with a paper feeding part setting first cut paper which is a transfer material, a first paper presence/ absence detection means detecting the existence of the first cut paper in the paper feeding part, a paper size detection means detecting the size of the first cut paper, a reporting means reporting the state of the presence/absence of the first paper to a user, and a partition means dividing the first cut paper and second cut paper to be newly set on the first cut paper. <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 that feeds and conveys cut paper and prints an image on the cut paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional image forming apparatus, when it is desired to print on a cut paper of a type (color, thickness, surface treatment) different from the cut paper already set, the existing cut paper is removed from the cassette. After that, a new cut sheet was set or a new cut sheet was added on top of the existing cut sheet for printing.

[0003]

However, in the conventional image forming apparatus, when the existing cut sheet and the new cut sheet are exchanged for printing, the existing cut sheet is damaged when the existing cut sheet is removed. It may be difficult to secure a storage place for the existing cut paper that has been taken out, or the front and back of the existing cut paper may be mistaken when returning to the existing cut paper, which may interfere with the print result or There have been various problems such as failure of the forming device and use of stored cut sheets.

Further, when a new cut sheet is added to an existing cut sheet, it is troublesome to remove the new cut sheet after the printing is completed, and in particular, the existing cut sheet and the new cut sheet are the same. In the case of color, it is difficult to distinguish it from the existing cut sheet, and there is a new cut sheet to be removed, and the next time you print, you can print on an unintended type of cut sheet or put it together with a new cut sheet. If the existing cut sheets are also removed, there is a problem that the removed cut sheets are wasted.

Further, when a plurality of people share one image forming apparatus, it is not known that a new cut sheet different from the existing cut sheet is set, so the user mistakenly There was a problem that the printed paper was wasted because it was printed on a different cut paper than the intended cut paper.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and the object thereof is to physically and logically distinguish when existing cut sheets and new cut sheets are added and set in a cassette. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can easily take out only new cut sheets that have been added and can inform the user whether or not the original sheets are set.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention detects a paper feed section for setting a first cut sheet as a transfer material and the presence / absence of the first cut sheet in the paper feed section. In the image forming apparatus, there is provided a first paper presence / absence detection unit, a paper size detection unit that detects the size of the first cut sheet, and an informing unit that notifies the user of the first paper presence state. It is characterized by further comprising a partitioning means for partitioning the cut sheet of No. 2 and the second cut sheet newly set on the first cut sheet.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the image forming apparatus as seen from the front left, and FIG. 3 is an image forming apparatus as seen from the front. FIG.

In FIG. 2, the cassette 11 is operated from the front (right side in the figure) of the image forming apparatus 10. 2 and 3, the first cut sheet 21 is placed on the middle plate 20, the partition plate 32 is placed thereon, and the second cut sheet 33 is placed on the partition sheet 32. The structure is such that a spring 19 provided below the middle plate 20 pushes it up to a predetermined position.

The CPU 1 is a one-chip microcomputer with a built-in ROM and controls the image forming apparatus 10.

The first paper presence / absence detecting means 2 is composed of first paper presence / absence sensors 14a and 14b, which are provided in the image forming apparatus 10 and are composed of a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion, and a flag 13 axially attached. .

FIG. 4 shows a top view of the intermediate plate 20, and FIG. 5 shows a state in which the cut paper 21 and the cut paper 33 are not provided. The middle plate 20 has a shape in which a hole is formed at the position where the flag 13 is located, and as shown in FIG.
Alternatively, when the cut paper 33 is set, the tip end of the flag 13 is pushed up to become substantially horizontal, and the flag 13 is moved to the first paper presence sensor 14a, 14b.
And the first paper presence sensors 14a and 14b are turned off to determine that there is paper, and as shown in FIG.
When there is no cut sheet 33, the flag 13 becomes vertical to the hole portion, and the first sheet presence sensors 14a, 14
When the first paper-presence sensor 14a, 14b comes off from b, the first paper-presence sensor 14a, 14b is turned on and it is determined that there is no paper.

The second paper presence / absence detecting means 3 comprises second paper presence / absence sensors 31a and 31b provided in the image forming apparatus 10, and the upper ends of both sensors 31a and 31b are fixed to the image forming apparatus 10. Both sensors 31 are extendable and retractable
The lower end portions of a and 31b reach the bottom of the cassette 11 when there is no paper in the cassette 11 and contact the upper end portion of the cut sheet 33 when the cut sheet 33 is loaded. ing.

The cut paper 33 is the second paper presence / absence sensor 31.
There is no conduction in the state of being in contact with a and 31b, and there is conduction in the state of being in contact with a conductive partition plate 32 described later. When there is no conduction, there is paper, and when there is conduction, there is no paper.

The partition plate presence / absence detecting means 4 is composed of partition plate presence / absence detecting sensors 34a and 34b composed of a light emitting part and a light receiving part. In the state without the partition plate 32 described later, the partition plate presence / absence detecting sensor 34 is turned on, and When the plate 32 is set in the cassette 11, the partition plate presence / absence detection sensor is turned off.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the partition plate 32, and FIG.
Shows a diagram in which the partition plate 32 is set on the first cut paper 21, and FIG. 8 shows a diagram in which the second cut paper 33 is further stacked thereon.

The distance a of the partition plate 32 is longer than the inner width of the cassette 11 by the depth of the groove 40 which will be described later, and the width is slightly narrower than the width of the hole 41 on the left wall of the cassette 11 and the width of the groove 40 on the right wall. The thickness is as thin as possible, and at least the portion where the second paper presence / absence sensors 31a and 32b contact is formed of a conductive material. The two protrusions attached to the lower left of the partition plate 32 allow the partition plate 32 to be attached to the cassette 1
It is a stopper when attached to 1.

The partition plate 32 is installed in a range on the cut sheet of the minimum length that can be stacked in the cassette 11 and in a range that does not hinder the operation of the flag 13.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cassette 11 pulled out from the image forming apparatus 10.
A partition plate 32 is set on the top. Cassette 11
Has a hole 41 on the left wall and a groove 40 on the right wall. After the left end of the partition plate 32 is obliquely inserted into the hole 41 of the cassette 11, the right end is fitted into the groove 40. FIG. 8 is a diagram in which the second cut sheet 33 is further stacked on it. After that, the cassette 11 is inserted into the image forming apparatus 10.

The paper size detecting means 5 is used in the image forming apparatus 10.
Size detection switch 18 and cassette 11 provided inside
It is composed of the size designation 17 provided in.

Cut paper 2 set in the cassette 11
The side regulating plate 15 and the rear regulating plate 16 are slid according to 1. The protrusions 17a, 17 on the size designation 17 are interlocked with the slides of the side regulation plate 15 and the rear regulation plate 16.
b and 17c stick out.

Protrusions 17aa, 17 of the size designation 17
b and 17c determine the size by pressing the respective switches 18a, 18b and 18c of the size detection switch 18.

FIG. 9 shows the relationship between the on / off states of the switches 18a to 18c and the paper size. The state in which all the switches are off indicates a state in which the cassette 11 is not inserted, and in the state shown in FIG. 2, only the switch 18c is in the on state, so the size is regarded as A4.

When the CPU 1 receives the print signal from the external device 8 such as a personal computer, the printing means 6 receives the paper feed roller 1.
2 is driven to feed and convey the cut sheet 33 set in the cassette 11 to the position of the registration roller pair 23. The pre-registration sensor 22 detects the arrival of the cut sheet 33, and after the cut sheet 33 forms a predetermined loop at the position of the registration roller pair 23, the driving of the sheet feed roller 12 is released. After that, the photosensitive drum 24 and the transfer roller 25 are driven, and the photosensitive drum 2 is driven by a laser driving unit and a developing unit (not shown).
The toner image is made conspicuous on the image forming device 4, and the registration roller pair 23 is driven in synchronization with the conspicuous timing, and the photosensitive drum 24 and the transfer roller 25 transfer it onto the cut sheet 33 conveyed by the registration roller pair 23.

After that, the cut paper 3 on which the toner image is transferred
The sheet No. 3 is fixed by the fixing roller 26 and the pressure roller 27, and is ejected onto the sheet ejection tray 30 in the arrow A direction by the sheet ejection roller pair 29 via the sheet ejection sensor 28.

A method of removing the second cut sheet 33 after the printing is completed will be described.

FIG. 8 shows the image forming apparatus 10 to the cassette 11
FIG. 3 is also a view showing the state in which the second cut sheet 33 remains.

In order to remove the second cut sheet 33, a hand is put under the second cut sheet 33 so as to be along the partition plate 32, or the partition plate 32 is tilted, and the first cut sheet 21 and the second cut sheet 21 are removed. Put your hand in the gap between the cut sheets 33 and remove it.

The user informing means 7 is an operation panel for informing the user of the state of the image forming apparatus 10 such as the presence or absence of cut sheets.

Next, a method of detecting the presence / absence of a cut sheet will be described.

The notification method according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In step 101, the presence or absence of the cassette 11 is detected, and when the cassette 11 is present, the presence or absence of the partition plate 32 is detected in step 102. If there is the partition plate 32, it is detected in step 103 whether there is the first paper,
If the first paper is present, the process proceeds to step 104, and it is detected whether or not the second paper is present in step 104. If the second paper is present, the user is notified of the second paper present in step 105. Notify me. If it is determined in step 104 that there is no second paper, the presence of the first paper is notified in step 106.

If it is determined in step 103 that there is no first sheet, the process proceeds to step 109.

If it is determined in step 102 that there is no partition plate, it is detected in step 107 whether there is a first sheet of paper. If there is a first sheet of paper, in step 108, the presence of a sheet of paper is notified, If there is no first paper, the absence of paper is notified in step 109. In the first embodiment, the partition plate 3
2 could not be installed at the position of the flag 13, but the partition plate 5 having the shape shown in FIG.
By using No. 2, the same operation as that of the first embodiment can be performed.

The partition plate 52 is made of the same size and material as the partition plate 32 described above.
The same hole 50 is provided at a position where it overlaps with the hole of the intermediate plate 20 when it is mounted on the No. 1 plate.

Since the detection method according to the second embodiment of the present invention is the same as that of the first embodiment, a repetitive description thereof will be omitted.

[0038]

As is clear from the above description, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention does not need to replace the cut sheets, and therefore the type (color, thickness, surface) different from that of the cut sheets already set. If you want to print on another cut sheet of (Process), it is not necessary to replace the new cut sheet with the existing cut sheet, and it is difficult to damage the existing cut sheet or to secure a storage place for the existing cut sheet. There is no fear that the front and back of the cut sheet will be set incorrectly when the cut sheet is reloaded, which will affect the printing results, cause the image forming device to malfunction, and make it impossible to use the stored cut sheet. There is no.

Further, the work of removing a new cut sheet added after the completion of printing can be performed easily and surely.

Further, in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, a new cut sheet different from the existing cut sheet is set even when a plurality of people share one image forming apparatus. Therefore, it is possible to solve the problem that the user mistakenly prints on a cut sheet different from the intended cut sheet and the printed sheet is wasted.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention when viewed from the side.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention as viewed from the front.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the middle plate of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a sheet feeding unit of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a partition plate of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a cassette of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a cassette of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a paper size truth table of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a notification method of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a partition plate of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 CPU 2 First paper presence detection means 3 Second paper presence detection means 4 Partition board presence / absence detection means 5 Paper size detection means 6 printing means 7 User notification means 8 External device 10 image forming apparatus 21 First Cut Paper 32 partition boards 33 Second cut paper 52 Second partition plate

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 2H027 DC18 GB07 GB13                 3F048 AA01 AB01 BA02 BA24 BB05                       BB10 BC03 BD07 BD08 CB01                       CB03 DA01 DB12 EB01 EB07                 3F343 FA02 FB02 FB03 FB04 GA02                       GB01 GC01 GD01 HB03 HC04                       HD08 HD09 HD17 JA01 KB03                       KB17 MA02 MA04 MA10 MA23                       MC21

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A paper feed unit for setting a first cut paper as a transfer material, a first paper presence detection unit for detecting the presence or absence of the first cut paper in the paper feed unit, and a first cut paper. In the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus includes a paper size detecting unit that detects the size of the sheet and an informing unit that notifies the user of the first sheet presence / absence state, and the first cut sheet and a new set sheet on the first cut sheet. An image forming apparatus comprising: a partitioning unit for partitioning the second cut sheet. 2. A second paper presence / absence detection means for detecting the presence / absence of the second cut paper, a partition means presence / absence detection means for detecting the presence / absence of the partition means, a first cut paper and a second cut. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a notification unit that notifies a user of the presence / absence of paper.