JP2006058712A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus in which a manuscript width is automatically detected even in the case of mixed diffent size systems with the necessary minimum number of manuscript width sensors. <P>SOLUTION: An automatic paper sheet selection mode or a manual paper sheet selection mode is previously set by an operation unit and when a manuscript is inserted into a manuscript reader while the paper sheet selection mode is set in the automatic paper sheet selection mode, a prescribed position sensor turns on in compliance with the manuscript width. As a result, the size of the inserted manuscript is automatically detected and the read width of the manuscript is set in compliance with the detected size. The size of transfer paper is then set at the same size as the read width of the manuscript and the image is transferred to the transfer paper. On the other hand, if the paper sheet selection mode is set in the manual paper sheet selection mode, the read width of the manuscript is set at the size of the transfer paper regardless of the detected manuscript size if the transfer paper is selected, and the image is transferred to the transfer paper. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a method for detecting a document sheet width in an image reading unit in the image forming apparatus.

In recent years, in an image forming apparatus equipped with a sheet-through type image reading apparatus that automatically moves an original to read an image, the width of the original is detected by a sensor or the like, and the image data read from the original is read by feeding back the detection result. There are many methods of automatically selecting a transfer sheet to be formed in accordance with the document width. At that time, if the apparatus or copying machine reads a document up to a general-purpose A3 size, it is sufficient that a document up to A3 size can be read, and if the document receiving tray is up to A3 document, it can be loaded. The document size can be detected two-dimensionally based on the width and length of the document. If a matrix is assembled depending on the sensor installation position, a large number of document sizes can be detected with a small number of sensors.
As a conventional technique, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-233455 includes an automatic document feeder having document width size detection means for detecting the document width size and document length size detection means for detecting the document length size. In the image forming apparatus, a sheet having the same size as the transfer sheet set in the transfer sheet feeding apparatus such as a sheet feeding tray is set in the automatic document feeder in the same direction as the transfer sheet on the sheet feeding apparatus. A technique for detecting the length size and width size of transfer paper set in a transfer paper feeding device by detecting the length size and width size of the paper is disclosed.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-242300 discloses reading means for reading image information of a document placed on a document placing table or a document fed by an automatic document feeding means, and placed on the document placing table. A document size detecting means for detecting the size of the placed document or the size of the document fed by the automatic document feeding means, image information of the document read by the reading means, A control unit that stores each of the document sizes detected by the document size detection unit in association with each other, refers to the stored document size, and selects a transfer sheet size corresponding to the image information. An image forming unit that records and outputs image information on selected transfer paper is disclosed.
JP 2001-233455 A JP-A-11-242300

However, for example, in the case of a wide-size copier, the length of a document is not uniform, such as long or short, and when the document is set, the width of the document is first detected and then the document is moved. The length of the original was detected by the time from when the original was inserted until it was completely removed. In such a configuration, the purpose is to detect the width of the original when the original is set, and sensors are required in a horizontal row in accordance with the width of each size. Also, it is necessary to detect an A size series such as A1 and A2 and a B size series such as B1 and B2 or an inch size such as overseas paper, and a sensor is required for each. In addition, if each size is detected, a CPU port for detecting the output of the sensor is required, and if the number of sensors increases, a separate IC is required to make up for the shortage of ports. Incurs high costs.
In the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1, a paper having the same size as a transfer paper set in a transfer paper feeding device such as a paper feed tray is set, and a paper size is detected by a width sensor and a length sensor. There is a problem that the number of sensors increases and the cost of the apparatus increases.
The prior art disclosed in Patent Document 2 stores document size and document image information in association with each other, and selects and prints a transfer paper size corresponding to the image information. In order to detect this, a large number of sensors are required, and the memory size for storing the document size and the image information of the document in association with each other increases, resulting in an increase in apparatus cost.
In view of such a problem, the present invention has an automatic paper selection mode for automatically selecting the size of the transfer paper and a manual paper selection mode for manually selecting the size of the transfer paper. In the automatic paper selection mode, one type of paper series is provided. This sensor detects the document width, and in the manual paper selection mode, regardless of the output of the document width detection sensor, the document reading width is set according to the selected paper size. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of automatically detecting the document width even when the size series of the series are mixedly loaded.

In order to solve this problem, the present invention provides an image reading unit that reads and photoelectrically converts an original image, and forms an image on a transfer sheet by performing image processing on the image data read by the image reading unit. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit configured to control; and a control unit configured to control the entire apparatus, wherein the image reading unit includes a sheet width detecting unit configured to detect a document sheet width of one type of document sheet series, Automatic paper selection mode for automatically setting the paper width of the transfer paper based on the paper width detected by the paper width detection means, and manual paper selection for manually setting the paper width of the transfer paper before image formation A mode selection means for selecting either one of the modes is provided.
The feature of the present invention is that the function of the paper width detecting means of the image reading means is limited to detect the original paper width of one type of paper series. For example, the number of sensors is limited by providing only sensors A2, A4, and A5 that are frequently used and not providing sensors of the B series. Then, the transfer paper is automatically set in the automatic paper selection mode for the frequently used series of documents, and the manual paper selection mode is selected for the other documents, and one of them is selected. Therefore, mode selection means is provided.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the original of a paper series other than the original paper series provided in the paper width detecting means is inserted into the image reading means, the control means uses the paper width of the transfer paper provided in the image forming means. The image reading unit is controlled to read the original.
In the present invention, for example, when a B-series original is inserted into an image reading unit having only an A-series sensor, for example, when A3 is provided on a transfer sheet and the original is B4, Since the document is read with the paper width, all information of the document can be read. The information is printed on the A3 transfer paper with a width of B4. Conversely, if the transfer paper is equipped with B4 and the original is A3, the original is read with the paper width of B4, so that all information cannot be read, but if the original is A4 smaller than B4, all Can read information. Therefore, it is necessary to decide which series is set as a default in consideration of the use frequency.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, when the automatic sheet selection mode is selected by the mode selection unit, the control unit controls the image reading unit to read a document image with a sheet width detected by the sheet width detection unit. It is characterized by that.
When the automatic paper selection mode is selected, the width of the document is detected by the sensor of the paper width detection means. The signal is transmitted to the control means, and the control means selects a transfer sheet suitable for the size and reads the original with the size. As a result, the document size automatically matches the size of the transfer paper.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when the manual sheet selection mode is selected by the mode selection section, the control section ignores the sheet width detected by the sheet width detection section and uses a sheet width set before image formation. The image reading unit is controlled to read a document image.
When the manual paper selection mode is selected by the user, the transfer paper size has priority. That is, in this mode, it is assumed that the user consciously decides the size of the transfer paper and inserts a document that matches the size, so the paper width detected by the paper width detection means is ignored, and the manual paper selection mode The original image is read with the paper width set in.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the image reading means includes paper width detecting means for detecting the width of the original paper of one type of paper series, and an automatic paper selection mode for automatically setting the paper width of the transfer paper, and the transfer Since the mode selection means for selecting any one of the manual paper selection mode for manually setting the paper width of the paper is provided, any mode can be selected according to the paper size to be used.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, when a document other than the default document sheet series is inserted into the image reading unit, the document is controlled to be read with the sheet width of the transfer paper provided in the image forming unit. Thus, the cost of the apparatus can be reduced, and the probability of printing on transfer paper without missing information on the original can be increased.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the automatic paper selection mode is selected by the mode selection means, control is performed so that the original image is read with the paper width detected by the paper width detection means. The size will match.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when the manual sheet selection mode is selected by the mode selection unit, the document image is read with the sheet width set before the image formation, ignoring the sheet width detected by the sheet width detection unit. Since it controls, it can print with the paper size which the user set.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. However, the components, types, combinations, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like described in this embodiment are merely illustrative examples and not intended to limit the scope of the present invention unless otherwise specified. .
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a document reading apparatus used in the image forming apparatus of the present invention. The document reading apparatus 200 includes a guide plate 2 that guides the document 1 so as to reach the document transport roller 3, a document transport roller 3 that transports the document at a predetermined transport speed, a driven roller 4, and the document 1. Guide plates 5 and 6 for guiding them so as not to float, a backup roller 8 for conveying the document 1 by pressing the document 1 against the contact glass 11, an arm 9 for supporting the backup roller 8, a guide plate 10, and a document surface A contact glass 11 that guides document information in contact with it, a light source 12 that irradiates the document 1, a selfoc lens array 13 that guides light on the irradiated document surface, and a contact image sensor 14 that converts optical information into an electrical signal. The guide plates 15 and 16, the document conveying roller 17 that discharges the document that has been read, the driven roller 18 of the document conveying roller 17, and the document discharge tray. Guide plates 19 and 20, a branch claw 21 for switching the discharge route, a discharge roller 22 for discharging the document 1 to the discharge tray, and a driven roller 23 of the discharge roller 22. The The guide plate 6 is configured to press the document with an appropriate pressure by adjusting the pressure of the spring 27 with the adjusting screw 28. In this example, the SELFOC lens array 13 and the contact image sensor 14 are used as reading means, but reading means using an optical lens and a CCD image sensor may be used.
The original reading apparatus 200 irradiates the original 1 with a light source 12 while rotating the respective conveying rollers by a driving unit (not shown) to convey the original 1 at a constant speed. The image signal is taken out as an electric signal. The branch claw 21 is a guide claw for switching the document discharge direction, and can be discharged by switching the document discharge direction between the upward direction and the backward direction by a driving means such as a solenoid (not shown).

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a document insertion portion of a document reading apparatus used in the image forming apparatus of the present invention. As shown in the drawing, when the document 1 is inserted along the guide plate 31 while the side edge of the document 1 is brought into contact with the guide regulating plate 33, the document width is adjusted by the document width sensors 30 a to 30 c installed in the upper cover 32. Detected. For example, depending on the size of the inserted document, the document width detection sensors 30a to 30c at predetermined positions installed inside the upper cover 32 are turned ON / OFF, and the signal is input to the CPU of the PCB board (not shown). The The size of the transfer paper on which the data read from the original is transferred is set in advance by the user, and the set size of the transfer paper is displayed on the operation unit. The copy paper size selection at the time of copying includes an automatic paper selection mode and a manual paper selection mode by use, which can be selected by a touch panel displayed on the operation unit.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image forming apparatus using the document reading apparatus of the present invention. If the automatic paper selection mode or the manual paper selection mode is set in advance by the operation unit and the paper selection mode is the automatic paper selection mode in step S1 (YES route in S1), the document is inserted into the document reading device. (S2). When a document is inserted (YES route in S2), a sensor at a predetermined position is turned on according to the document width. Thereby, the size of the inserted document is automatically detected (S3), and the reading width of the document is set according to the detected size (S4). The size of the transfer paper is also set to the same size as the reading width of the original (S5), and copying starts and the image is transferred to the transfer paper (S6). If the paper selection mode is the manual paper selection mode in step S1 (NO route in S1), if the transfer paper is selected (YES route in S7), the reading width of the document is irrelevant to the detected document size. The size of the transfer paper is set (S8), and copying starts and the image is transferred to the transfer paper (S6).
As described above, the present invention has two functions of the automatic paper selection mode for selecting the size of the transfer roll paper and the manual paper selection mode for selecting the size of the transfer roll paper by the user. In the automatic paper selection mode, the document width is detected by the installed sensor, and the width of the transfer roll paper is automatically selected according to the sensor output. The document reading width at this time is determined by the detected document width. On the other hand, in the manual paper selection mode, since the size of the transfer roll paper is selected by the user before the copying operation, the reading width is set in advance accordingly. When a copy operation is performed, even if a document is inserted, the output of the sensor at this time is ignored, and the document reading width is only the size of the selected transfer roll paper. As a result, only one paper series (for example, A series) with document width detection is used, but the original by the user can be changed even when a plurality of size series are mixed by switching the document reading width according to the mode for selecting the paper. The document width can be automatically detected without setting the reading size. For example, if the transfer paper size is selected by the user as the B4 size, the reading range of the contact image sensor, which is an element for reading the document, is masked so as to read the B4 size.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a digital copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a reading unit using a CCD image sensor using an optical lens as a document reading device will be described.
This configuration is a copying machine 100 as an image processing apparatus, and a contact glass 206 is provided on the upper surface of the copying machine 100. Further, an automatic document feeder (hereinafter simply referred to as ADF) 201 is provided at the upper part of the copying machine 100, and this ADF 1 is connected to the copying machine 100 via a hinge or the like (not shown) so as to open and close the contact glass 206. Has been. The ADF 201 separates documents one by one from a document tray 202 as a document placing table on which a document bundle composed of a plurality of documents can be placed, and faces the contact glass 206 from the document bundle placed on the document tray 202. The separation / conveying means that conveys the original and the document conveyed toward the contact glass 206 by the separation / conveying means are conveyed / stopped to a reading position on the contact glass 206, and the copy disposed below the contact glass 206 The document that has been read by the reading means (a known exposure lamp 251, mirrors 252, 255, 256, lens 253, CCD 254, etc.) 250 of the machine 100 is unloaded from the contact glass 206.
The paper feed motor is driven by an output signal from the controller, and when the paper feed start signal is input from the copying machine 100, the controller drives the paper feed motor forward / reversely. When the paper feed motor is driven in the forward direction, the feed roller 203 rotates in the clockwise direction so that the uppermost original is fed from the original bundle and conveyed toward the contact glass 206. When the leading edge of the document is detected by the document set detection sensor 207, the controller rotates the paper feed motor in reverse based on the output signal from the document set detection sensor 207. This prevents subsequent documents from entering and prevents separation.

Further, when the document set detection sensor 207 detects the trailing edge of the document, the controller counts the rotation pulse of the conveyor belt motor from this detection point, and when the rotation pulse reaches a predetermined value, the controller By stopping the driving and stopping the feeding belt 204, the document is stopped at the reading position of the contact glass 206. Also, when the trailing edge of the document is detected by the document set detection sensor 7, the controller drives the paper feed motor again, separates the subsequent document as described above, and conveys the document toward the contact glass 206. When the pulse of the paper feed motor from the time when the original is detected by the original set detection sensor 207 reaches a predetermined pulse, the paper feed motor is stopped and the next original is put on standby. When the original stops at the reading position of the contact glass 206, the original is read and exposed by the copying machine 100. When this reading and exposure are completed, a signal is input from the copier 100 to the controller. When this signal is input, the controller drives the conveyor belt motor to rotate forward, and the document is transferred from the contact glass 206 by the conveyor belt 216. It is carried out to the discharge roller 205.
As described above, a document bundle placed on the document tray 202 in the ADF 201 with the image surface of the document facing up is pressed from the top document to the contact glass 206 when the print key on the operation unit is pressed. It is fed to a predetermined position. The fed original is read by the reading unit 250 after the image data of the original on the contact glass 206 is discharged to the discharge port A (discharge port at the time of reverse document discharge) by the feeding belt 204 and the reverse driving roller. Further, when it is detected that there is a next document on the document tray 202, it is fed onto the contact glass 206 in the same manner as the previous document.
The transfer sheets stacked on the first tray 208, the second tray 209, and the third tray 210 are fed by the first sheet feeding unit 211, the second sheet feeding unit 212, and the third sheet feeding unit 213, respectively, and are conveyed vertically. The unit 214 is transported to a position where it abuts on the photoreceptor 215. The image data read by the reading unit 250 is written on the photosensitive member 215 by the laser from the writing unit 257, and a toner image is formed by passing through the developing unit 227. Then, the toner image on the photosensitive member 215 is transferred while the transfer paper is conveyed by the conveying belt 216 at the same speed as the rotation of the photosensitive member 215. Thereafter, the image is fixed by the fixing unit 217 and conveyed to the paper discharge unit 218. The transfer paper conveyed to the paper discharge unit 218 is discharged to the paper discharge tray 219 when the staple mode is not performed.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a document reading apparatus used in the image forming apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a document insertion portion of a document reading device used in the image forming apparatus of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image forming apparatus using the document reading apparatus of the present invention. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a digital copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Document, 3 Document Conveying Roller, 2 Guide Plate, 3 Document Conveying Roller, 4 Driven Roller, 5, 6 Guide Plate, 11 Contact Glass, 8 Backup Roller, 9 Arm, 10 Guide Plate, 12 Light Source, 13 Selfoc Lens Array , 14 Contact image sensor, 15, 16 Guide plate, 17 Document conveying roller, 18 Drive roller, 19, 20 Guide plate, 21 Branch claw, 22 Paper discharge roller, 23 Drive roller, 200 Document reading device

Claims (4)

An image reading unit that reads an original image and performs photoelectric conversion; an image forming unit that performs image processing on image data read by the image reading unit to form an image on transfer paper; and a control unit that controls the entire apparatus. An image forming apparatus comprising:
The image reading means includes a paper width detecting means for detecting the original paper width of one type of original paper series,
Automatic paper selection mode for automatically setting the paper width of the transfer paper based on the paper width detected by the paper width detection means, and manual paper selection for manually setting the paper width of the transfer paper before image formation An image forming apparatus comprising mode selection means for selecting one of modes.   The control means reads the original with the paper width of the transfer paper provided in the image forming means when an original of a paper series other than the original paper series provided in the paper width detecting means is inserted into the image reading means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reading unit is controlled.   The control means controls the image reading means so as to read a document image with a paper width detected by the paper width detection means when the automatic paper selection mode is selected by the mode selection means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. When the manual sheet selection mode is selected by the mode selection unit, the control unit ignores the sheet width detected by the sheet width detection unit and reads a document image with a sheet width set before image formation. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reading unit is controlled.

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