JP2004098576A - Image formation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of shortening the printing treatment time from the ON time of a power supply or the return time of a sleep mode while suppressing power consumption and capable of forming the data immediately before printing always at a necessary time to preserve the same. <P>SOLUTION: The power supply circuit 11 and a controller part 2, and the power supply circuit 11 and an engine part 8 are respectively connected separately and switches 9 and 10 are provided between the respective connections to be respectively turned ON/OFF independently. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a facsimile, or a copier, and more particularly, to a controller unit that processes image data received from an external device to develop an image and change setting conditions of the apparatus. An image forming apparatus comprising an engine unit for performing a printing process on data that has undergone image development.
[0002]
[Prior art]
If an LBP printer is taken as an example of a conventional image forming apparatus, the controller unit and the engine unit are powered on at the same time, and after checking the components of the engine unit, the printing process of the controller unit and the engine unit is started. Had been in a state.
[0003]
Here, in the case of the LBP printer, the controller unit receives image data from an external device such as a personal computer and exposes the unit (a unit that emits a laser according to the image data, reflects the laser light on a polygon mirror, and irradiates the surface of the photoreceptor). ), Which are necessary for processing up to the transmission of data, a program for processing image data received from an I / O port, a CPU, and an external device to develop an image, and a program for changing setting conditions of the apparatus. , A RAM for storing an image obtained by expanding received image data for print processing, an external memory for storing fonts and the like. The engine unit prints data developed by the controller unit on paper. The engine unit includes a pair of registration rollers, a photoconductor, a charger, an exposure unit, a developing unit, a transfer roller, a cleaning unit, a fixing unit, It operates mechanically such as a transport roller.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional image forming apparatus, since the processing of the image data in the controller section is started after checking the components of the engine section, a print processing time from turning on the power or returning from the sleep mode is required. There was a problem that would. In addition, since the power is always supplied to the engine when the power is turned on or when the printer returns from the sleep mode, the start-up time becomes longer to check the engine even when print processing is not required, and the temperature of the engine is controlled. Therefore, there is a problem that power consumption increases. Furthermore, when an abnormality is detected by checking the engine unit, there is a problem that the entire apparatus cannot be used.
[0005]
Here, JP-A-5-173733 and JP-A-5-32018 disclose that the controller section is always turned on when the power is turned on and controls the power supply to the engine section. In the image forming apparatus described above, there is a problem that the controller unit has to monitor the status information of the engine unit sequentially.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has a controller unit that processes image data received from an external device to perform image development and change setting conditions of an apparatus and the like, and develops an image using the controller unit. A power supply circuit for supplying power is connected to the controller and the engine independently of each other, and switching means for interrupting power supply between each connection is provided. This is an image forming apparatus provided.
[0007]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an LBP printer which is an image forming apparatus of the present invention. In this embodiment, an LBP printer will be described. However, a controller unit that processes image data received from an external device to perform image expansion and change setting conditions of the apparatus, and the like. It goes without saying that the present invention is used in an image forming apparatus that can be classified as an engine unit that performs print processing.
[0008]
As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 1 of the present invention has a controller 2 and an engine unit 8. The controller unit 2 includes an I / O port 7 for receiving image data from the host computer 20, a CPU 3 for controlling the entire controller unit 2, a program and an apparatus for processing the image data received by the I / O port 7 and developing the image. NVRAM 5 in which a program for changing setting conditions is stored, DRAM 4 in which an image obtained by expanding received image data for print processing, fonts and the like not stored in NVRAM 5 are stored, and the processing capability of print processing is increased. An external memory 6 in which a program to be improved is stored is provided. The external memory 6 may be any HDD or memory card that can be added.
[0009]
The engine unit 8 includes a pair of registration rollers for printing data developed by the controller unit 2 on paper, a photoconductor, a charger, an exposure unit, a developing unit, a transfer roller, a cleaning unit, a fixing unit, and a conveyance roller. Etc. are provided.
[0010]
The power supply circuit 11 is a circuit for supplying power to each of the controller unit 2 and the engine unit 8. In the present invention, the power supply circuit 11 and the controller unit 2, and the electric application circuit 11 and the engine unit 8 are separately connected, Switches 9 and 10 are provided between each connection. When these switches 9 and 10 are turned on, power is supplied to each of them.
[0011]
Hereinafter, several embodiments of the operation by switching the switches 9 and 10 on and off will be described.
(1) When data processing without print processing is performed, for example, when setting confirmation of the printer 1 is changed or setting conditions are changed, or when image-developed data is spooled in the external memory 6, only the switch 9 is turned on and the controller unit is turned on. Start only 2 As a result, it is possible to start up quickly and to reduce power consumption. The setting conditions include a paper discharge direction, face-up / face-down printing, a paper cassette / tray location, print paper size, font, emulation, display language of the display unit, print environment and quality, and the like.
(2) In the parameters for setting in the printer 1, there are parameters which become effective only after the power is turned off after the setting and the power is turned on again. In this case, after the power is turned on, only the switch 9 is turned on and only the controller 2 is started to change the setting, and then the switches 9 and 10 are turned on after the power is turned on again. There is no need to supply power and check, saving time.
(3) When the power is turned on, the switch 9 is first turned on to start up, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, the switch 10 is turned on, so that the time until the engine unit 8 can perform the printing process can be used for image data processing. And efficiency can be improved.
(4) Only the switch 9 is turned on, only the controller unit 2 is started up, and processing up to immediately before printing is performed (until the image data received at the I / O port 7 is image-developed to create data immediately before transmission to the exposure unit) Is stored in the external memory 6 and the external memory is attached to another printer having a high printing speed for output, or the data is transmitted from the I / O port 7 to another printer via a network. Can be printed. In addition, as long as only the engine unit 2 is started up and processing is performed, there are no factors that affect the office environment such as noise, heat, and ozone emitted from the printer 1.
(5) When the printing process has to be interrupted due to a trouble or trouble related to the engine unit 8, for example, when the paper runs out, the toner runs out, or a jam occurs, only the switch 10 is turned off and the switch 9 is turned off. By turning it on, processing up to immediately before printing can be performed.
(6) Since printing preparation is not completed unless the engine unit 8 is operated for a predetermined time after the power is turned on or from the return from the sleep mode, only the switch 10 is turned on until the predetermined time elapses, and the engine unit 9 is prepared, for example, a fixing device. If the heater inside is turned on to raise the temperature of the fixing roller and the switch 9 is also turned on after a lapse of a predetermined time, power consumption can be reduced.
[0012]
Further, as a further embodiment, the switch means 9 is configured to be capable of switching only the controller unit 2 so that it can be started up by battery power. It can be spooled in the memory 6 or the like. When only the controller unit 2 is started, a mode for turning off a display means such as an LCD is provided, and the display is displayed on the screen of the host computer 20 by application software on the host computer 20 connected instead of the LCD. You may make it.
[0013]
The switches 9 and 10 may be switched manually or automatically. In the case of manual operation, the switches 9 and 10 are turned on by being pressed on one of the housings of the printer 1 as shown in FIG. By forming the buttons 9a and 10a as shown in FIG. 3 and moving them as shown in FIG. 3, it is possible to select any of the switches 9 and 10 OFF, only the switch 9 ON, only the switch 10 ON, and both the switches 9 and 10 ON. May be formed.
[0014]
On the other hand, in order to switch automatically, as shown in FIG. 4, a switching selecting means 13 connected to the power supply circuit 11 for switching the switching means 9 and 10 and a plurality of switching conditions connected to the switching means 13 are stored. A storage means 14 such as a RAM may be provided to control ON / OFF of the switches 9 and 10 according to the various conditions described above. The switching selection means 13 is always turned on, but only on / off control of the switches 9 and 10 requires very little power consumption.
[0015]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the power supply circuit that supplies power is independently connected to the controller unit and the engine unit, and the switching unit that cuts off the power supply is provided between each connection. Thus, it is possible to reduce the power consumption, shorten the print processing time from when the power is turned on or when returning from the sleep mode, and provide an image forming apparatus that can create and save data immediately before printing whenever necessary.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an image forming apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a part of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a view showing another embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: Printer 2: Controller 2
3: CPU
4: NVRAM
5: DRAM
6: External memory 7: I / O port 8: Engine parts 9, 10: Switches 9a, 10a: Button 11: Power supply circuit 12: Lever 13: Switching selection means 14: Storage means 20: Host computer

Claims (3)

An image forming apparatus comprising: a controller that processes image data received from an external device to perform image development and changes in setting conditions of the apparatus; and an engine that prints the data developed by the controller. At
An image forming apparatus, wherein a power supply circuit for supplying power is independently connected to the controller unit and the engine unit, and a switching unit for interrupting power supply is provided between each connection. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switching unit is protruded from an apparatus housing to enable manual switching. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: switching selection means connected to said power supply circuit for switching said switching means; and storage means for storing a plurality of switching conditions of each switching means.

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