JP2006139211A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device which can eject printed paper in correct page order by informing a user about the page order of originals to be set by the user following the selectable printing mode. <P>SOLUTION: When a printing mode is selected in order to perform printing on a transfer paper of a size already checked and on the same size transfer paper, a message is displayed on a display 7 to load the originals on an automatic original feeder 35 in the descending order if the printing mode is for straight ejection, but another message is displayed on the display 7 to load the originals in the ascending order if the selected printing mode is for turn-over ejection. Thus, the printed paper can be ejected in the same page order (ascending) as the originals. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, and a printer.

For printing devices such as copiers and printers, in addition to using standard size transfer paper stored in a tray for output, it is possible to use non-standard size transfer paper and transfer paper with different paper quality and thickness. Therefore, a manual feed tray for manually supplying the transfer paper is provided. By using this manual feed tray, it is possible to easily form an image for various types of transfer paper.
On the other hand, unless the printing apparatus recognizes the size of the transfer paper set on the manual feed tray, a printing error that prevents normal image formation on the transfer paper will occur. The following inventions have been proposed as techniques for dealing with such situations.
The invention described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-194416 relates to a technique for accurately detecting a recording paper size by arranging a vertical size and horizontal size detection sensor on a manual feed tray. However, it is necessary to install a large number of size detection sensors, and the size of the manual feed tray must be at least the maximum size of the recordable paper. There was a problem that it would take up space.

Conventionally, as a method for detecting the size of the transfer paper set in the manual feed tray, a method of arranging a sensor at a position where a specified paper size can be detected, and the horizontal direction or the horizontal and vertical directions of the transfer paper placed on the manual feed tray are set. Many methods have been proposed in which the size of a transfer sheet is detected by moving the regulating guide, and the size of the transfer sheet is detected by the moving position of the guide, and the size of the transfer sheet is detected.
However, the technique of disposing a sensor at a position where a specified paper size can be detected has a drawback that the transfer paper size cannot be accurately detected when an irregular-size transfer paper is used.
Further, the method of detecting the transfer paper size based on the moving position of the guide is, for example, when only the guide plate that regulates the horizontal direction of the transfer paper is used, for example, when the written image is A3 portrait and A4 landscape is set on the manual feed tray. The difference between A3 portrait and A4 landscape cannot be detected only with the guide that regulates the lateral direction. If the image is output as it is, a jam will occur due to a paper size error, etc., and after processing such as opening the cover of the printing device and taking out the transfer paper, you must wait until the recovery of the printing device is completed .
Further, when a guide that regulates the horizontal and vertical directions of the transfer paper is used, the setting position of the guide for detecting the vertical size of the transfer paper is a position where the maximum size that can be fed from the manual feed tray can be detected. For this reason, the manual feed tray becomes large and protrudes from a printing apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, so that there is a disadvantage that the installation space becomes large.

Accordingly, the first object of the present invention is to set the horizontal size (width) of the transfer paper from the position of movement of the guide plate that regulates the horizontal direction as in the prior art, and the vertical size (conveying direction) from the manual feed tray. As the paper transport, the paper leading edge when transferring the image to the transfer paper and the conveying path where the transfer paper abuts on the registration roller related to the position adjustment of the image leading edge, that is, the section from the paper feeding position to the resist roller are already present. By detecting using a sensor, it is easy and accurate for a long transfer paper that cannot be stored in a normal tray (main body tray, bank, etc.) without the user having to manually measure the transfer paper size with a ruler. It is another object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that can be detected easily.
A second object of the present invention is to set the transport speed in the transfer paper size detection mode to a slow transport speed applied to thick paper, OHP, etc., regardless of the paper type of the transfer paper on which size detection is to be performed. Printing that allows the user to select a printing mode (straight conveyance, reverse conveyance) that can be selected by printing from the manual feed tray according to the detected vertical size, under conditions that make it difficult to damage the transfer paper. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which the mode is limited so as not to cause unnecessary jamming.
Furthermore, a third object of the present invention is to notify the user of the page order of the document to be set by the user according to the selectable print mode so that the page order of the printed matter after the printing is completed is correct. An image forming apparatus is provided.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus capable of feeding from the paper feed tray and the manual feed tray, the manual feed designation receiving means for accepting that the manual feed tray is designated as the paper feed tray, and the manual feed designation receiving means. When it is detected that the manual feed tray is designated, the first object is achieved by providing a paper size detecting means for detecting the size in the transport direction without transferring the image to the fed transfer paper. Achieve.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, when the manual designation receiving means detects that a manual feed tray is designated, a width detecting means for detecting the width direction size of the transfer paper is provided. In the conveyance direction size detection by the paper size detection means, a sensor existing in the conveyance path before the position where the image is transferred to the transfer paper is used, and from the start of paper feeding from the manual feed tray to the completion of paper ejection. Meanwhile, the second object is achieved by using a slow conveyance speed applied to cardboard, OHP, and the like, and by keeping the speed constant.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, when the paper size detecting means detects the conveyance direction size, the detected transfer paper after the conveyance direction size detection and the transfer paper of the same size are detected. When the print setting is performed, the print mode limiting unit that limits the selectable print mode according to the detected transfer paper conveyance direction size, and the print mode limited by the print mode limiting unit The third object is achieved by providing notifying means for notifying an instruction of the order of documents to be set.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the transfer sheet size detection mode, the transfer sheet can be transferred with respect to a long transfer sheet that cannot be stored in a normal tray (main body tray, bank, etc.) by designating the paper feed tray as a manual feed tray. The size can be detected.
In the second aspect of the present invention, by using a manual sheet feeding sensor that has conventionally existed on the conveyance path as means for detecting the vertical size, it is not necessary to add a sensor, and the conveyance speed during the size detection mode operation is increased. By adopting a slow speed applied to thick paper, OHP, etc., it is possible to make conditions that make it difficult to damage the transfer paper during conveyance, regardless of the type of transfer paper whose size is to be detected.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the print modes selectable by the user can be restricted (select only straight discharge or straight discharge / reverse discharge) to eliminate unnecessary jam causes.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of this embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the page order of the original and the page order of the printed matter in the print mode.
As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 2, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 3, a relay sensor 18, and a paper discharge sensor 5. A reading device 6, an automatic document feeder 35, a display unit 7, an operation unit 8, a transfer paper width detection device 9, a transfer device 10, and a paper transport device 11.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus is provided with a manual paper feed sensor. The CPU 1 controls the entire apparatus. Then, by the operation on the operation unit 8, the manual feed tray 19 is designated as the paper feed tray, and the transfer paper size detection mode is further selected. Further, the set information is displayed on the display unit 7.
When the transfer paper size detection mode operation is started by an operation from the operation unit 8, a slow speed that applies a conveyance speed to thick paper, OHP, etc. is adopted based on a control program recorded in the ROM 3, and paper feeding is started. Is done.

When the paper feeding is started, the CPU 1 calculates the width size of the transfer paper based on the information from the transfer paper width detection device 9. The width size calculated by the CPU 1 is recorded in the RAM 2. As the transfer paper advances along the conveyance path shown in FIG. 2, it reaches the manual paper feed sensor 30. The CPU 1 measures the time from when the manual paper feed sensor 30 is turned on to when it is turned off, and the transfer paper is transported from the measurement time and the transfer paper transport speed triggered by the manual paper feed sensor 30 being turned off. The direction (vertical) size is calculated.
The calculated vertical size is recorded in the RAM 2. Then, the calculated vertical size is compared with the vertical size threshold value recorded in the ROM 3. This threshold value is determined by the restrictions on the layout of the paper transport path.

When there are straight paper discharge and reverse paper discharge that can be selected as a printing mode (paper discharge method) by paper feed from the manual feed tray 19, straight paper discharge can be operated regardless of the vertical size. Regarding the paper discharge, the minimum value and the maximum value of the vertical size that can be conveyed are defined from the layout of the conveyance path of the image forming apparatus. The minimum value and the maximum value are the vertical size threshold values.
Therefore, by comparing the vertical size recorded in the RAM 2 with the threshold value recorded in the ROM 3, it is possible to select only straight paper discharge, or the printing mode of either straight paper discharge or reverse paper discharge is selected. It is possible to determine whether selection is possible. This determination result is recorded in the RAM 2.
After printing the vertical size of the transfer paper, when printing on the transfer paper of the detected size and the transfer paper of the same size from the manual feed tray 19, the display unit 7 can select a selectable print mode based on the determination result recorded in the RAM 2. It can be made explicit. When the print mode displayed on the display unit 7 is only straight discharge, and when the user selects straight discharge among the displayed print modes, the page order of the originals set on the automatic document feeder 35 is descended. A message is displayed on the display unit 7 as shown in FIG. Then, when the reverse printing is selected by the user among the displayed print modes, a message is displayed on the display unit 7 so that the page order of the document set on the automatic document feeder 35 is ascending.

Accordingly, when printing from a manual feed tray onto a transfer sheet whose size has been detected in the size detection mode is performed on a plurality of documents, the page order of the printed material is the original document page order as shown in FIG. (Ascending order).
Normally, when printing, a transfer image formed by the transfer device 10 is transferred to transfer paper. In the transfer paper size detection mode, image transfer is not performed by the transfer device 10 and is also transferred to transfer paper. Absent.

Next, the conveyance path diagram of FIG. 2 will be described. In the operation unit 8, the manual feed tray 19 is designated as the paper feed tray, and the transfer paper size detection mode is selected. The set information is displayed on the display unit 7. Then, when the transfer sheet size detection mode operation is started by an operation from the operation unit 8, sheet feeding is started at a slow conveyance speed applied to thick paper, OHP, or the like.
As the transfer paper advances along the conveyance path, it reaches the manual paper feed sensor 30. In normal printing, the transfer paper tip is brought into contact with the registration roller 20 and the transfer paper is conveyed by a predetermined deflection amount, and then the transfer paper is temporarily stopped. Then, on the basis of a predetermined timing at which the leading edge of the formed transfer image and the leading edge of the transfer paper are synchronized in the secondary transfer 21, the transfer paper is resumed, and the transfer paper further proceeds on the conveyance path. Then, the leading edge of the transfer paper passes through the fixing roller 23 and the fixing outlet roller 24 and reaches the fixing outlet sensor 26.

Here, the straight paper discharge refers to a series of operations in which the front end of the transfer paper passes through the fixing exit sensor 26 and the reversing branch claw 31 also passes through the paper discharge sensor 5 and the paper discharge roller 25 as they are. Point to. When the trailing edge of the transfer sheet has passed through the sheet discharge sensor 5, the transfer sheet is completely discharged.
On the other hand, the reverse paper discharge means that the leading edge of the transfer paper passes through the fixing outlet sensor 26 and the conveying path is switched by the reverse branching claw 31, the leading edge of the transfer paper passes through the double-sided inlet sensor 32, and the trailing edge of the transfer paper is the double-sided inlet sensor. The roller 33 is actuated by using the roller 32 as a trigger so that the leading edge and the trailing edge of the transfer sheet are switched so that the transfer sheet passes through the reverse exit sensor 34, and the discharge sensor 5 and the discharge roller 25 are moved. It refers to a series of actions that pass through.

The transport operation at the time of size detection in the transfer paper size detection mode is straight paper discharge. However, at the time of size detection in the transfer paper size detection mode, abutment on the registration roller 20, image formation of the transfer image, transfer paper temporary stop for synchronization with the transfer image leading edge, and transfer image Transfer the transfer paper without transferring to the transfer paper, keeping the transfer paper transport speed in the series of operations from the start of feeding to the completion of transfer paper size detection at the low speed applied to thick paper and OHP. I do.
Thus, if the time from when the leading edge of the transfer paper reaches the manual paper feed sensor 30 to when the trailing edge of the transfer paper passes through the manual paper feed sensor 30 is measured, the transfer paper is calculated from the conveyance speed and the measured time. The conveyance direction (vertical) size of the image can be calculated.
Note that the width size of the transfer sheet is obtained by the transfer sheet width detecting device 9 incorporated in the manual feed tray 19. Generally, the width size is detected from the amount of movement of the guide plates on both sides.

In this way, the vertical and horizontal sizes of the transfer paper are determined, and appropriate printing (there is no mismatch between the transfer image size and the transfer paper size) can be performed even for the transfer paper having an irregular size.
Further, it is not necessary for the user to measure the size of the irregular transfer paper with a ruler.
In addition, the print mode (select only straight discharge or straight discharge / reverse discharge) that can be selected by the user in the next printing is limited based on the detected vertical size of the transfer paper. In this way, it is possible to prevent unnecessary jams from occurring.
In addition, when the printing mode selected by the user is straight discharge, a message is displayed on the display unit 7 so that the page order of the document set on the automatic document feeder 35 is descended. If the user selects reverse paper discharge, a message is displayed on the display unit 7 so that the page order of the original document is ascending, and the original page order of the printed matter is changed as shown in FIG. Page order (ascending order).

Next, the processing procedure of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
First, a transfer paper size detection mode is set by an operation from the operation unit 8, and the mode is started. Then, a paper end check of the manual feed tray 19 is performed (step 10). Here, if it is the paper end (step 10; N), the paper feeding operation is not performed, and the display unit 7 displays that the transfer paper size detection mode cannot be operated by the paper end. If it is not the paper end (step 10; Y), the paper feeding operation is started. Then, based on the information obtained from the transfer paper width detection device 9 incorporated in the manual feed tray 19, the width size of the transfer paper is calculated (step 11). Thereafter, transfer sheet vertical (conveyance direction) size detection processing is performed (step 12).

  Next, the sheet feeding operation from the manual feed tray 19 is started. Here, the time from when the leading edge of the transfer paper reaches the manual paper feed sensor 30 to when the trailing edge of the transfer paper passes the manual paper feed sensor 30 is measured, and the vertical size of the transfer paper is determined from the measured time and the conveyance speed. Is calculated. As already described, in the transfer paper size detection mode, the transfer image is formed, the transfer paper is abutted against the registration roller 20 and the transfer paper is temporarily stopped, and the transfer image is transferred in the secondary transfer 21. An operation for transferring a transfer image onto a transfer sheet in a normal printing operation such as transfer to is not performed.

When the detection of the vertical size of the transfer paper is completed, a process for determining the detected vertical size is performed (step 13). The threshold value that allows all the print modes (straight discharge and reverse discharge) that can be used in the manual feed tray recorded in the ROM 3 is compared with the detected vertical size of the transfer paper.
Straight paper discharge is a print mode that can be selected at any time because it can operate regardless of the vertical size of the transfer paper, but reverse paper discharge is the vertical size of the transfer paper that can be conveyed from the layout of the conveyance path of the image forming apparatus. The paper type is limited, and the minimum and maximum values that can be conveyed are defined as the vertical size.
As a result of comparing the threshold value with the detected vertical size, if the threshold value is not exceeded (step 13; Y), it is recorded in the RAM 2 that all print modes can be selected (step 14). On the other hand, if it exceeds the threshold value (step 13; N), it is recorded in the RAM 2 that the selectable print mode is only straight paper discharge, and the transfer paper size detection mode is ended.

  In this way, the horizontal and vertical sizes of the transfer paper are clarified, and the print mode that can be selected by the user (either straight delivery or straight delivery / reverse delivery) is clarified and is necessary for printing. Information is determined. When the print mode is selected to perform printing on the transfer sheet having the size detected and the transfer sheet having the same size as the transfer sheet, when the print mode is straight discharge, it is set in the automatic document feeder 35. A message is displayed on the display unit 7 so that the page order of the document is in descending order. When the user selects reverse paper discharge, a message is displayed on the display unit 7 so that the page order of the original document is ascending, so that the page order of the printed material is the original page order (ascending order). Can be street.

It is the block diagram which showed this Embodiment. 1 is a schematic view showing an image forming apparatus of the present embodiment. It is the flowchart which showed the process sequence at the time of setting to transfer paper size detection mode. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a page order of a document and a page order of a printed matter in a print mode.

Explanation of symbols

1 CPU
2 RAM
3 ROM
5 Discharge Sensor 6 Reading Device 7 Display Unit 8 Operation Unit 9 Transfer Paper Width Detection Device 10 Transfer Device 11 Paper Transport Device 18 Relay Sensor 19 Manual Tray 20 Registration Roller 21 Secondary Transfer 23 Fixing Roller 24 Fixing Exit Roller 25 Discharge Roller 26 Fixing exit sensor 30 Manual paper feed sensor 31 Reverse branching claw 32 Double-sided entrance sensor 33 Tapping roller 34 Reverse exit sensor 35 Automatic document feeder

Claims (3)

In an image forming apparatus capable of feeding from a paper feed tray and a manual feed tray,
A manual feed designation receiving means for accepting that a manual feed tray is designated as a paper feed tray;
When the manual feed designation receiving unit detects that a manual feed tray is designated, the paper feed detection unit includes a paper size detection unit that detects the size in the conveyance direction without transferring an image to the fed transfer paper. An image forming apparatus. Width detection means for detecting the width direction size of the transfer paper when the manual feed designation receiving means detects that a manual tray has been designated,
In the conveyance direction size detection by the paper size detection means, using a sensor existing in the conveyance path before the position where the image is transferred to the transfer paper,
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a slow conveyance speed applied to thick paper, OHP, and the like is used from the start of paper feeding from the manual feed tray to the completion of paper ejection, and the speed is constant. When detecting the transport direction size by the paper size detection means, when performing print settings on the detected transfer paper after the transport direction size detection and transfer paper of the same size,
Print mode limiting means for limiting selectable print modes according to the detected transfer paper conveyance direction size;
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit configured to notify an instruction of a document order to be set in accordance with each print mode limited by the print mode limiting unit.

Images