JP2005169630A - Imaging device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging device which can grasp correct sheet information (sheet size information and kind of paper information) despite a set error of sheets fed to a sheet supply tray and perform a correct printing control. <P>SOLUTION: The imaging device 10 comprises: a controller 2 which can communicate various pieces of printing and setting information with a host computer 20; a panel 1 which can display pieces of information on various kinds of setting operations and devices; and an engine unit 3, with a plurality of stages of sheet supply trays 4, which can print out data to be sent from the controller 2 to the sheet 6. In addition, a bar-code reader 5 is provided correspondingly with each sheet supply tray 4 and can read a bar-code for sheet information previously printed at the corner of the sheet 6. Thus the controller 2 recognizes the sheet information per single sheet 6. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus characterized by paper information (paper size information, paper type information) identification technology.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a printer device that reads bar code information attached to a print sheet, acquires information about the sheet size and sheet properties (paper type), and performs print control based on the acquired information. Yes.
Further, Patent Document 2 discloses that information on an estimated service cycle and blade cleaning time is displayed on a display board from physical property information of a transfer paper read from a barcode printed on the transfer paper. Yes.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses a technique for transmitting and displaying information obtained by an image forming apparatus to a host connected via a network.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 08-072286 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-202422 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 08-186677

In the prior art as described above, a printer device that reads bar code information attached to a print sheet, acquires information about the sheet size and sheet properties (paper type), and is controlled for printing based on the acquired information. However, since it is not possible to grasp the sheet information for each sheet, there is a problem that accurate printing control cannot be performed when other types of sheets are mixed in one sheet feeding tray.
The present invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of grasping accurate paper information (paper size information, paper type information) and performing accurate printing control even when a paper is erroneously set in a paper feed tray. With the goal.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 is a controller capable of communicating various print information and setting information with a host, a panel capable of displaying various setting operations and apparatus information, and a controller. In an image forming apparatus having an engine unit that can print out data sent from a paper and has a plurality of stages of paper feed trays, a bar code reader is provided for each paper feed tray. The most important feature of the image forming apparatus is that the controller recognizes the paper information in units of one sheet by reading the stored paper on which the paper information is barcode-printed in advance in its corner by a barcode reader. .
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the paper information is mainly characterized by the image forming apparatus which is paper size information and paper type information.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the second aspect, the controller mainly has an image forming apparatus that displays at least one of recognized paper information on a panel.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the second aspect, a main feature of the image forming apparatus is that the controller sends at least one of the recognized paper information to the host so as to display it on the host display. And

  According to the present invention, a controller capable of communicating various print information and setting information with a host, a panel capable of displaying various setting operations and apparatus information, and data output from the controller are printed out on paper. In an image forming apparatus provided with an engine unit having a plurality of paper feed trays, a bar code reader is provided for each paper feed tray, and the paper information stored in the paper feed tray is stored in advance. By reading a sheet of barcode printed at the corner with a barcode reader, the controller recognizes the sheet information in units of one sheet, so that it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of performing accurate printing control. .

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 10 is connected to a host 20 that is a host device.
The image forming apparatus 10 includes a panel 1, a controller 2, and an engine unit 3. The engine unit 3 includes three stages of paper feed trays 4 (4-1, 4-2, 4-3) and bar code readers 5 (5-1, 5-2, 5- 3). Bar code portions 7 (7-1, 7-2, 7-3) are printed at the corners of the paper 6 (6-1, 6-2, 6-3) stored in each paper feed tray 4. Yes.

  In the first exemplary embodiment, a sheet 6 having a barcode portion 7 indicating sheet size information is supplied to each sheet feeding tray 4. The barcode reader 5 attached to each paper feed tray 4 sequentially scans the barcode portion 7 of the paper 6 positioned on the uppermost surface to be fed next from each paper feed tray 4 before feeding, By notifying the controller 2 of the paper size information, it is possible to realize reliable paper size detection for each sheet of paper instead of the conventional tray unit.

  In the second embodiment, the paper type information of each paper 6 is included in the information meant by the barcode unit 7, thereby realizing reliable paper type detection for each paper sheet instead of the conventional tray unit.

  In the third embodiment, the bar code portion 7 of the paper 6 in each paper feed tray 4 is sequentially scanned by the bar code reader 5 before paper feeding, and the information is notified to the controller 2. The controller 2 displays the paper size information of the next paper 7 to be fed in each paper feed tray 4 in a timely manner.

  In the fourth embodiment, the bar code portion 7 of the paper 6 in each paper feed tray 4 is sequentially scanned by the bar code reader 5 before paper feed, and the information is notified to the controller 2. The controller 2 displays the paper type information of the next paper 7 to be fed in each paper feed tray 4 in a timely manner.

  In the fifth embodiment, the barcode portion 7 of the paper 6 in each paper feed tray 4 is sequentially scanned by the barcode reader 5 before paper feed, and the information is notified to the controller 2. The controller 2 displays the paper size information of the next paper 7 to be fed in each paper feed tray 4 in a timely manner.

  In the sixth embodiment, the barcode portion 7 of the paper 6 in each paper feed tray 4 is sequentially scanned by the barcode reader 5 before paper feed, and the information is notified to the controller 2, so that the display of the host 20 The controller 2 displays the paper type information of the next paper 7 to be fed in each paper feed tray 4 in a timely manner.

1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Panel 2 Controller 3 Engine unit 4 Paper feed tray 5 Bar code reader 6 Paper 7 Bar code part 10 Image forming apparatus 20 Host

Claims (4)

A controller capable of communicating various printing information and setting information with the host, a panel capable of displaying various setting operations and device information, and a plurality of stages capable of printing out data sent from the controller on paper. In an image forming apparatus provided with an engine unit having a paper feed tray,
A bar code reader is provided corresponding to each of the paper feed trays, and the controller reads 1 by using the bar code reader to read the paper that is stored in the paper feed tray and in which the paper information is barcode printed in advance at its corner. An image forming apparatus that recognizes sheet information in units of sheets.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the paper information is paper size information and paper type information.   3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller displays at least one of recognized paper information on a panel.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller sends at least one of the recognized paper information to the host so as to be displayed on the display of the host.

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