JP2006168967A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device capable of changing a command to to stop post-processing to prevent the post-processing in an incomplete state and eliminating labor and waste, when the image forming device cannot perform image formation due to some factors or perform normal image formation due to the situation of media during image formation, in image formation having the command of the post-processing such as staple processing and punching processing. <P>SOLUTION: In this image forming device, when the image forming device becomes the incomplete state where normal image formation cannot be performed by canceling the post-processing due to the situation of the image formation or media during printing, the command is changed to the command to stop the post-processing and labor and waste caused by the post-processing in the incomplete state can be eliminated. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that performs processing such as stapling and punching on a medium on which an image is formed.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, image forming apparatuses such as a printer that forms an image on a medium such as paper include an apparatus having a stapling process for stapling the medium and a mechanism capable of punching the medium by punching or the like (for example, Patent Document 1). reference).

JP 2002-91735 A

  However, when the printing based on a print job having a stapling instruction is canceled during printing, the apparatus described in Patent Document 1 staps the paper that has been printed so far. In addition, in printing based on a print job having a double-sided printing instruction and a stapling or punching processing instruction, when it is determined that double-sided printing is impossible and printing is performed only on one side, the printing order and the orientation of the printed paper are normal. If this is not the case, stapling or punching will be performed. Furthermore, when the paper on the staple stacker is removed during printing based on a print job having a staple processing command, only the printed paper after the restoration is stapled. As described above, when the stapling process or the hole punching process is performed in an incomplete state, the trouble of removing the staple core from the stapled paper increases, and the waste of the paper or the staple core due to the incomplete state processing is increased. It will occur.

  Therefore, in view of the above situation, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, in image formation having a post-processing command such as stapling processing or punching processing, is normally performed depending on the formation of the image or the condition of the medium due to some factor during image formation. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can change the command to stop post-processing when an image cannot be formed, prevent post-processing in an incomplete state, and save the labor and waste that occurs. .

  The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an image forming unit that inputs image data to form an image on a medium, a processing unit that performs predetermined processing on the medium after the image is formed by the image forming unit, and the image forming unit. And a control unit that controls the processing unit based on the determination result of the determination unit, the control unit following the processing unit based on the determination of the determination unit The processing is stopped, and the medium is loaded on a stacker.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, by canceling the post-processing depending on the image formation or the medium condition during printing, the command is changed to a command to stop the post-processing when an incomplete state where normal image formation is not possible. In addition, it is possible to save labor and waste caused by post-processing in an incomplete state.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the determination unit may determine a change in image forming operation based on information of the image forming unit and prompt the control unit to stop the post-processing. Thereby, a command for prompting post-processing is notified from the determination unit to the control unit, and the post-processing can be smoothly stopped by the control unit in response to the command.

  The processing unit includes at least one of a punching unit that performs a punching process and a staple unit that performs a stapling process, and the post-processing by the control unit includes a punching process of opening a hole in the medium by at least the punching unit or It is any one of stapling processes in which the plurality of media are stapled by the staple unit. That is, the image forming apparatus of the present invention can prevent the punching process and the binding process from being performed in an incomplete state. Accordingly, it is possible to eliminate the trouble of removing the staple cores that have been stapled from the medium that is post-processed in an incomplete state, and waste of the punched medium and staple cores.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the control unit stops the post-processing when the determination unit determines that the image formation is stopped. Thereby, during the formation of the image, when the formation of the image is stopped and an incomplete state where all the media are not prepared is obtained, post-processing on the medium on which the image has already been formed can be prevented. Therefore, labor and waste can be saved.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the image forming apparatus includes a measurement unit that measures the thickness of the medium, and the determination unit determines an operation change based on a measurement result of the measurement unit. As a result, when the image formation state is changed depending on the thickness of the medium, and the incomplete state in which the order and orientation of the medium on which the image is formed is not intended, post-processing on the medium can be prevented. it can. Therefore, labor and waste can be saved.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the processing unit includes a monitoring unit that monitors the presence or absence of a medium in the processing unit, and the control unit performs post-processing of the processing unit based on the determination of the determination unit according to the monitoring result of the monitoring unit To control. Thereby, when the medium is removed before the post-processing during the image formation and all the media are not complete, the post-processing on the medium can be prevented. Therefore, labor and waste can be saved.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the determination unit determines whether to resume image formation in the image forming unit, and determines that the processing unit has a medium in the processing unit based on a monitoring result of the monitoring unit. In this case, the control unit controls to perform post-processing by the processing unit based on the monitoring result of the monitoring unit based on the determination of the determination unit. Thus, even if image formation is interrupted for some reason, post-processing can be performed when the medium is not removed before post-processing. In other words, even if the image processing is interrupted, post-processing can be performed in a complete state in which all the media are prepared. Thereby, it is possible to save the trouble of newly processing after taking out all the media.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, when the post-processing is canceled during printing depending on the image formation or the condition of the medium, and the incomplete state where the image cannot be formed normally is canceled, the post-processing command is canceled It is possible to save labor and waste caused by post-processing in a complete state.

  The image forming apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The image forming apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the following description, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[Embodiment 1]
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an image forming unit 1 that mainly forms an image on a medium such as paper by printing, and a processing unit that performs post-processing such as stapling and punching on a medium on which an image is mainly formed. And a post-processing unit 20 having The image forming unit 1 and the post-processing unit 20 are connected by, for example, a serial cable.

  The image forming unit 1 includes paper feed trays 2, 3, 4, and 5 that store paper on which an image is formed. The paper feed trays 2, 3, 4, and 5 are detachably installed at the bottom of the printing apparatus main body. The paper feed trays 2, 3, 4, 5 are provided with paper feed rollers 6, 7, 8, 9 respectively. The paper feed rollers 6, 7, 8, and 9 can take out the sheets one by one by rotating and rotating the rotating rollers in contact with the sheets in the tray. Then, according to the rotation of the conveyance roller 10 disposed in the paper conveyance path inside the image forming unit 1, the image can be conveyed to the developing unit 11 described below.

  The image forming unit 1 includes a forming unit 11 that forms image data on a sheet conveyed downstream of the conveying roller 10. For example, the developing unit 11 includes an image drum corresponding to each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K), a transfer roller that transfers a toner image, and the like. The developing unit 11 forms an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum stored in the image drum, develops the electrostatic latent image with toner to form a toner image, and then forms a toner image on the photosensitive drum. Is transferred onto the paper.

  A fixing unit 12 is provided for fixing the toner image formed on the paper by the developing unit 11 to the paper. The fixing unit 12 includes, for example, a heater, a pressure roller, and the like, and can fix the toner on the paper by heat and pressure. The sheet on which the image is fixed is conveyed to the downstream side of the fixing unit 12. Then, it is transmitted to the separators 13 and 14 that perform double-sided printing, conveyance to the post-processing apparatus 20, and the like.

  The separator 13 is switched according to the print job, and the sheet on which the image is fixed can be conveyed to the duplex unit unit 16 or discharged to the outside of the image forming unit 1. For example, when performing duplex printing, after fixing an image on one side of a sheet, the separator 13 can be switched to transport the sheet to the duplex unit 16 and the duplex unit 16 can invert the sheet. After reversing the paper, the paper can be supplied to the above-mentioned paper conveyance path, and the image can be fixed on the back surface in the same manner to perform double-sided printing. When discharging the sheet to the outside of the image forming unit 1, the separator 13 is switched so that the sheet is conveyed to the separator 14, and the sheet can be discharged to the outside of the post-processing unit 20 or the image forming apparatus.

  The separator 14 is switched according to the print job, and the sheet on which the image is fixed can be discharged to either the post-processing unit 20 or the outside of the image forming apparatus. For example, when the post-processing unit 20 performs stapling processing or punching processing, the separator 14 is switched to discharge the paper to the post-processing unit 20, and the post-processing unit 20 can perform stapling processing or punching processing. When discharging the paper to the outside of the image forming apparatus, the separator 14 can be switched to transport the paper to the discharge roller 15 for discharging to the discharge stacker of the image forming unit 1, and the paper can be discharged to the outside.

  The post-processing unit 20 can perform processing such as stapling processing or punching processing on the paper discharged from the image forming unit 1 as post-processing. The post-processing unit 20 includes a punching unit 21 that can punch a hole at a predetermined position of a sheet on which an image is formed. The perforating unit 21 is provided on the upstream side of the conveying roller 22 and can be perforated at a predetermined position of the sheet when instructed to perform perforation processing. In the punching unit 21, for example, the conveyed paper may be stopped and the punching process may be performed. When not performing the hole punching process, the hole is passed through the hole punching portion 21 and is transported to the transport rollers 22 and 23.

  The conveyance rollers 22 and 23 convey the sheet on which the image discharged to the post-processing unit 20 is formed to the staple stacker 28. The paper conveyed to the staple stacker 28 can be stapled by the staple unit 24. The sheets bound by the staple unit 24 are discharged from the staple stacker 28 to the discharge stacker 27 by the discharge unit 26. The discharge stacker 27 can stack printed sheets.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram including the image forming apparatus of the present invention. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit 1 and a post-processing unit 20 connected by a serial cable or the like, and is connected to a computer 40 via a network, a USB (Universal Serial Bus), or the like. The computer 40 has an application 41, a printer driver 42, and an interface 43.

  The application 41 is general software that creates documents, images, and the like. Data such as documents and images created by the application 41 is transferred to the printer driver 42 when printing is instructed, and can be printed on a predetermined medium by the image forming apparatus.

  The printer driver 42 generates a print job having PDL data composed of PDL (Page Description Language) so that the image forming unit 1 can execute printing of data such as a document or an image notified by the application 42, and a predetermined image. Sent to the forming apparatus via the interface 43. This print job includes, for example, commands such as printing on both sides of the paper, stapling, and punching. The interface 43 is connected to the interface 51 of the image forming unit 1 and connects the computer 40 and the image forming unit 1. The interface 43 can transmit the print job generated by the printer driver 42 to the image forming apparatus.

  The image forming apparatus is roughly divided into the image forming unit 1 and the post-processing unit 20 as described above. The image forming unit 1 includes an interface 51, a PDL processing unit 52, an operation panel control unit 53, a print control unit 54, a paper feed control unit 55, an image formation control unit 54, a discharge destination control unit 57, A duplex printing control unit 59 and an interface 58 are provided.

  The interface 51 is connected to the interface 43 of the computer 40 and connects the computer 40 and the image forming unit 1. The interface 51 receives a print job from the computer 40, and the received print job is transferred to the PDL processing unit 52. The PDL processing unit 52 can read PDL data from the received print job and convert it into print data that can be printed by the image forming unit 1.

  The print control unit 54 receives a print job having the print data converted by the PDL processing unit 52, and based on the print job, the paper feed control unit 55, the image formation control unit 56, the discharge destination control unit 57, and the duplex printing control. The unit 59 is controlled. Further, the image formation control unit 56 can monitor the state of the image formation unit 1 and pass the information to the operation panel control unit 53. In addition, a post-processing command such as a staple processing command or a hole punching command in the post-processing unit 20 included in the print job, a job end command, a print cancel request, or the like is transmitted to the post-processing unit 20.

  The operation panel control unit 53 can monitor the states of the image forming unit 1 and the post-processing unit 20 and display them on the operation panel provided on the outer surface of the image forming unit device. The operation panel control unit 53 can also monitor the operation on the operation panel, transmit a command according to the operation to the print control unit 54, and control each member via the print control unit 54. For example, when canceling in the middle of printing, a cancel request for printing can be made by pressing a cancel key on the operation panel. This print cancel request is transmitted from the operation panel control unit 53 to the print control unit 54, and the print control unit 54 issues a print data cancel command or a staple processing cancel command to the post-processing unit 20. As a result, printing can be canceled in the middle of a print job. As described above, when there is a change in operation in which printing is stopped in the middle of a print job, the print control unit 54 can determine the change in operation.

  The paper feed control unit 55 is controlled by the print control unit 54, determines an appropriate paper based on the print job, selects an appropriate paper from the paper feed trays 2, 3, 4, and 5, and puts the paper into the paper transport path. Supply. The paper feed controller 55 performs a paper feed operation process under the control of the print controller 54. In this paper feed operation process, first, the print control unit 54 instructs the paper feed control unit 55 to determine a sheet to be printed based on the print job received from the PDL processing unit 52. In response to the instruction, the paper feed control unit 55 determines the paper feed destination from the paper feed trays 2, 3, 4, 5 based on the designated paper information to be printed, and feed rollers 6, 7, 8, 9 Is activated, and the paper to be printed is fed to the paper conveyance path. Accordingly, a predetermined sheet can be conveyed to the developing unit 11.

  The image formation control unit 56 is controlled by the print control unit 54, monitors the state of the paper supplied to the paper conveyance path based on the print job, and causes the developing unit 11 to project an image on an appropriate paper position. The image formation control unit 56 performs image formation processing under the control of the print control unit 54. In this image forming process, first, the print control unit 54 monitors the sheet feeding status and controls the timing at which the sheet is conveyed to the developing unit 11. Then, the image forming control unit 56 is instructed to form an image on the sheet surface conveyed to the developing unit 11. In response to the instruction, the image forming control unit 56 projects the print data converted by the PDL processing unit 52 on the paper surface by the developing unit 11 and fixes the print data on the paper surface by the fixing unit 12.

  The discharge destination control unit 57 is controlled by the print control unit 54 and determines the discharge destination of the paper projected by the developing unit 11 based on the print job. That is, the separator 14 is controlled to determine whether to discharge to the post-processing unit 20 or to the outside of the image forming apparatus via the discharge roller 15.

  The duplex printing control unit 59 is controlled by the printing control unit 54 and controls the separator 13 and transports the sheet to the duplex unit unit 16 when the printing job includes a duplex printing command. When there is no double-sided printing command or when double-sided printing has already been completed, the separator 13 is controlled and the paper is conveyed to the separator 14. The duplex printing control unit 59 performs duplex printing processing under the control of the printing control unit 54. In this double-sided printing process, first, the printing control unit 54 instructs the double-sided printing control unit 59 to perform double-sided printing. The duplex printing control unit 59 that has received the instruction is a process of switching the separator 13 so that the duplex unit unit 16 conveys the sheet. Thereby, the paper is conveyed to the duplex unit 16 and can be reversed.

  The interface 58 is connected to the interface 61 of the post-processing unit 20, and connects the post-processing unit 20 and the image forming unit 1. The interface 58 can transmit a post-processing command from the print control unit 54 to the post-processing unit 20 when a post-processing command is included in the print job. In addition, the state of the image forming unit 1 and the post-processing unit 20 can be exchanged.

  The post-processing unit 20 includes an interface 61, a main control unit 62, a punching control unit 63, a staple control unit 64, and a discharge destination control unit 65. The interface 61 is connected to the interface 58 of the image forming unit 1 and connects the image forming unit 1 and the post-processing unit 20. The interface 61 can receive a post-processing command from the image forming unit 1 and exchange the states of the image forming unit 1 and the post-processing unit 20.

  The main control unit 62 can receive a post-processing command from the image forming unit 1 and can monitor the state of the post-processing unit 20. Then, the punching control unit 63, the staple control unit 64, and the discharge destination control unit 65 can be controlled according to the post-processing command, the job end notification, the print cancel request, and the state of the post-processing unit 20. it can. Further, based on a post-processing instruction received from the print control unit 54, it is possible to switch on and off a flag for performing a punching process, a stapling process, and the like. The main control unit 62 controls the staple control unit 64 and the punching control unit 63 based on the determination of the operation change of the image forming unit 1 by the print control unit 54, switches the flag from on to off, and stops the post-processing. Can do. At this time, the post-processing may be stopped based on an instruction from the print control unit 54 to prompt the stop of the post-processing.

  The punching control unit 63 is controlled by the main control unit 62, and when there is a drilling process command transmitted from the image forming unit 1, the punching unit 21 is operated to perform the punching process at a predetermined position on the sheet. it can. This drilling control unit 63 performs drilling processing by the main control unit 62. In the hole punching process, first, when the main control unit 62 confirms whether or not the hole punching flag is on, the main conveyance unit 62 monitors the sheet conveyance status and determines the timing at which the sheet is conveyed to the hole punching unit 21. Control. Then, it instructs the drilling control unit 63 to perform drilling by the drilling unit 21. Upon receiving the instruction, the punching control unit 63 is a process for operating the punching unit 21 in accordance with the timing at which the sheet is conveyed. Thereby, a hole can be made at a predetermined position of the sheet.

  When the staple control unit 64 is controlled by the main control unit 62 and receives a staple processing command transmitted from the image forming unit 1, the staple control unit 64 can operate the staple unit 24 to bind sheets. The staple control unit 64 performs staple processing under the control of the main control unit 62. In the stapling process, first, the main control unit 62 confirms whether or not the staple flag is on, and if it is on, the status of the paper conveyed to the staple stacker 28 is monitored. Further, the main control unit 62 instructs the staple control unit 64 to bind the sheets conveyed to the staple stacker 28 by the staple unit 24. In response to the instruction, the staple control unit 64 operates the staple unit 24. As a result, the sheets can be bound.

  The discharge destination control unit 65 can convey the sheet from the staple stacker 28 to the discharge stacker 27 by the discharge unit 26 when the image forming unit 1 notifies the end of the print job.

  The operation of the image forming apparatus of the present invention configured as described above will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the created data is transferred to the printer driver 42 by instructing printing of data such as a document or an image created by the application 41 of the computer 40. The printer driver 42 that has received the data generates a print job having PDL data from the data, and transmits the print job to the image forming unit 1 via the interface 43 of the computer 40 and the interface 51 of the image forming unit 1.

  The print job transmitted to the image forming unit 1 is transferred to the PDL processing unit 52, the PDL data is converted into print data that can be printed by the image forming unit 1, and is transferred to the print control unit 54. The print control unit 54 performs printing based on the passed print job. The operation of the print control unit 54 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  When the print control unit 54 receives a print job, the print control unit 54 performs processing as shown in FIG. Upon receiving the print job, the print control unit 54 checks whether there is a request for canceling printing on the operation panel via the operation panel control unit 53 as in step S100. For example, when a cancel key is pressed on the operation panel, it is determined that there is a request to cancel printing. If there is a print cancel request, the print control unit 54 proceeds to step S109, discards the print data as a print data discard process, and ends the job at that time. After discarding the print data, the process proceeds to step S110.

  If there is no request to cancel the printing in step S100, the print control unit 54 checks whether or not the print job received by the print control unit 54 is the head of the job, as in step S101. If the received print job is not the head of the job, the process proceeds to step S104.

  In step S101, if the received print job is the head of the job, the print control unit 54 receives a post-processing command such as a staple processing command or a punching command in the post-processing unit 20 as in step S102. Check if it exists. If there is no post-processing command, the process proceeds to step S104.

  If there is a post-processing command to the post-processing unit 20 in step S102, the print control unit 54 notifies the command to the post-processing unit 20 via the interface 58 as in step S103, and the process proceeds to step S104. .

  Then, as in step S <b> 104, the print control unit 54 performs a paper feeding operation process so as to supply the paper to be printed by the image forming unit 1 to the paper conveyance path, and feeds predetermined paper to the developing unit 11.

  After the print control unit 54 performs the paper feed operation process, the print control unit 54 performs processing based on the print job in the developing unit 11 on the paper that the image forming unit 1 is fed to the paper transport path as in step S105. The image forming process is performed so as to print.

  After the print control unit 54 performs the image forming process, the print control unit 54 checks whether or not there is an instruction to perform double-sided printing on the print job, as in step S106. If there is no instruction for duplex printing, the process proceeds to step S110.

  If there is an instruction to perform double-sided printing in step S106, the print control unit 55 checks whether the paper has been subjected to double-sided printing as in step S107. If it is a sheet on which duplex printing is performed, the process proceeds to step S110.

  In step S107, if the paper is not subjected to double-sided printing, the print control unit 55 performs double-sided printing processing to perform double-sided printing as in step S108. After performing the double-sided printing process, the print control unit 54 proceeds to step S105 and performs the image forming process again.

  Then, the print control unit 54 checks whether or not there is a post-processing command in the post-processing unit 20 as in step S110. When there is no post-processing command, the process proceeds to step S116, and the print control unit 54 instructs the discharge control unit 57 to discharge the sheet to the outside of the image forming apparatus. Upon receiving the support, the discharge control unit 57 switches the separators 13 and 14 so as to convey the sheet to the discharge roller 16, conveys the sheet to the discharge roller 15, and discharges the sheet outside the image forming apparatus. After the paper is discharged, the print control unit 54 ends the process.

  In step S110, when there is a post-processing instruction in the post-processing unit 20, the print control unit 54 switches the separators 13 and 14 so that the post-processing unit 20 conveys the paper as in step S111, and the post-processing unit The sheet is conveyed to 20.

  After transporting the sheet to the post-processing unit 20, the print control unit 54 checks whether the job is finished as in step S112. If it is not the end of the job, it is in the middle of printing, and the process proceeds to step S100.

  If it is determined in step S112 that the job has ended, the print control unit 54 checks whether there is a request for canceling printing on the operation panel via the operation panel control unit 53 as in step S113. If there is a print cancel request, the print control unit 54 determines that there has been a change in the print operation as in step S114, and instructs the post-processing unit 20 to cancel the stapling process via the interfaces 58 and 61. To the main control unit 62. After notifying the cancellation of the staple process, the print control unit 54 notifies the post-processing unit 20 that the print job has been completed, and causes the discharge unit 26 to discharge the sheet to the discharge stacker 27 as shown in step S115. Exit.

  If there is no request to cancel printing in step S113, the process proceeds to step S115, and the print control unit 54 notifies the post-processing unit 20 that the print job has been completed, and the discharge unit 26 discharges the sheet to the discharge stacker 27. This process is terminated.

  When the post-processing unit 20 is notified from the print control unit 54 of the image forming unit 1 that there is a post-processing command, the processing of the main control unit 62 described below is performed. By the processing of the main control unit 62, the above-described punching processing and stapling processing can be performed by the post-processing unit 20, as shown in FIGS.

  When notified from the image forming unit 1 that there is a post-processing command, as shown in FIG. 4, the main control unit 62 confirms whether or not there is a stapling command as in step S <b> 120. When there is no staple processing command, the main control unit 62 turns off the staple flag, which is a mark for performing the staple processing by the staple control unit 64, as in step S121, and proceeds to step S123.

  In step S120, when there is a staple processing command, the main control unit 62 turns on the staple flag as in step S122, and proceeds to step S123.

  Then, the main control unit 62 confirms whether there is a drilling process command as in step S123. When there is no instruction for the drilling process, the main control unit 62 turns off the drilling flag which is a mark for performing the drilling process by the drilling control unit 63 as in step S124, and proceeds to step S126.

  In step S123, when there is a drilling process command, the main control unit 62 turns on the staple flag as in step S125, and proceeds to step S126.

  Then, the main control unit 62 confirms whether or not the sheet is conveyed from the image forming unit 1 to the post-processing unit 20 as in step S126. When the sheet is not conveyed, the main control unit 62 confirms whether the end of the job is notified from the image forming unit 1 as in step S127. If the end of the job is notified, the main control unit 62 ends the process because it is the end of printing. If the end of the job is not notified in step S127, the main control unit 62 returns to step S126.

  When the sheet is conveyed in step S126, the main control unit 62 confirms whether or not the punching flag is on as in step S129. When the punching flag is off, the main control unit 62 proceeds to step S131.

  In step S129, when the punching flag is ON, the main control unit 62 performs punching processing at a predetermined position on the paper by the punching unit 21 as in step S130. After this drilling process, the main control unit 62 proceeds to step S131.

  Then, the main controller 62 operates the transport roller 23 to transport the paper to the staple stacker 28 as in step S131. After transporting the sheet to the staple stacker 28, the main control unit 62 confirms whether or not the cancel of the staple processing is notified from the print forming unit 1 as in step S132. When the print cancel request is notified, the main control unit 62 proceeds to step S136.

  If it is determined in step S132 that cancellation of stapling has not been notified, the main control unit 62 confirms whether the end of the job has been notified from the image forming unit 1 as in step S133. If the end of the job is not notified, it indicates that the sheet is still being conveyed, and the main control unit 62 returns to step S126.

  If the end of the job is notified in step S133, it indicates that the conveyance of the sheet has ended, and the main control unit 62 checks whether the staple flag is on as in step S134. If the staple flag is off, the main control unit 62 proceeds to step S136.

  If the staple flag is on in step S134, the main control unit 62 performs stapling processing for binding the paper conveyed to the staple stacker 28 by the staple unit 24 as in step S135. After the stapling process, the main control unit 62 proceeds to step S136.

  Then, the main control unit 62 proceeds to step S136, operates the discharge unit 26, discharges the paper to the discharge stacker 27, and ends the process.

  As described above, in the image forming apparatus shown in the first embodiment, the main control unit 62 performs the punching control unit 63 and the staple control unit in response to the post-processing instruction notification from the print control unit 54 of the image forming unit 1. 64, the discharge destination control unit 65 can be controlled to perform punching processing and stapling processing of the conveyed paper. For example, when there is a command for punching processing, the punching unit 21 can punch a hole while measuring the timing of the conveyed paper. When there is a staple processing command, the sheets stacked on the staple stacker 28 can be bound by the staple unit 24 at the end timing of the job. The sheets of the staple stacker 28 can be discharged to the discharge stacker 27 by the discharge unit 26.

  Further, when there is a print cancel request during printing, the print control unit 54 can cancel the staple process by changing the staple processing command to a staple processing stop command. That is, when the printing is canceled halfway, the stapling process can be prevented from being performed on the paper that has been printed. Therefore, the image forming apparatus shown in Embodiment 1 can prevent stapling in an incomplete state, can save the trouble of removing the staple core, and eliminates waste of the staple. it can.

[Embodiment 2]
In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the paper thickness measuring unit 100 that detects the thickness of the paper is mounted on the image forming unit 1 described in the first embodiment, and the control is performed as shown in FIG. By providing the paper thickness detection unit 101 that performs the double-sided printing, it is intended to control double-sided printing with the thickness of the paper. Therefore, in the description of the second embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same configurations as those in the description of the second embodiment, and the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  The paper thickness measuring unit 100 is mounted on the image forming unit 1 of the image forming apparatus, and is provided between the conveying roller 10 and the developing unit 11. The paper thickness measuring unit 100 is controlled by the paper thickness detecting unit 101 and can measure the thickness of the fed paper.

  The paper thickness detection unit 101 is controlled by the print control unit 54 and causes the paper thickness measurement unit 100 to measure the thickness of the paper. The paper thickness detection unit 101 performs a paper thickness detection process under the control of the print control unit 54. In this paper thickness detection process, the print control unit 54 instructs the paper thickness detection unit 101 to determine whether the paper specified by the print job is a paper that can be printed on both sides. In response to this instruction, the paper thickness detection unit 101 operates the paper thickness measurement unit 100 to measure the thickness of the conveyed paper. Then, the paper thickness detection unit 101 compares this measured value with, for example, a table indicating conditions for determining whether or not the paper is capable of duplex printing as shown in Table 1 below, and duplex printing is possible. This is a process of determining whether or not there is, and passing the result to the print control unit 54. As a result of this determination, if the paper cannot be printed on both sides, the image forming unit 1 switches from double-sided printing to single-sided printing. That is, an image forming operation change by the image forming unit 1 is performed. The print control unit 54 can determine this operation change and control post-processing based on this determination.

  Printing in the image forming unit 1 according to the second embodiment is also performed based on a print job transmitted from the printer driver 42 of the computer 40. The print job is transferred to the print control unit 54 via the interfaces 43 and 51. The print control unit 54 performs printing based on the passed print job. The processing of the print control unit 54 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  When the print control unit 54 receives a print job, the print control unit 54 performs processing as shown in FIG. When receiving the print job, the print control unit 54 checks whether or not the received print job is the head of the job, as in step S200. If the received print job is not the head of the job, the process proceeds to step S203.

  In step S200, if the received print job is the head of the job, the print control unit 54 receives a post-processing command such as a staple processing command or a punching command in the post-processing unit 20 as in step S201. Check if it exists. If there is no post-processing command, the process proceeds to step S203.

  If there is a post-processing command to the post-processing unit 20 in step S201, the print control unit 54 notifies the command to the post-processing unit 20 via the interface 58 as in step S202, and the process proceeds to step S203. .

  Then, as in step S <b> 203, the print control unit 54 performs a paper feed operation process so as to supply the paper to be printed by the image forming unit 1 to the paper transport path.

  After the paper feeding operation process, the print control unit 54 causes the paper thickness detection unit 101 to perform the paper thickness detection process as in step S204. Then, as in step S <b> 205, the print control unit 54 confirms whether or not the double-sided printing command is included in the print job and the paper is not capable of double-sided printing from the determination result of the paper thickness detection unit 101. If it is determined that there is no double-sided printing command in the print job or the paper is not capable of double-sided printing, the process proceeds to step S207.

  In step S205, if there is a double-sided printing command in the print job and a sheet that cannot be printed on both sides is being conveyed, the print control unit 54 determines that the printing operation has changed, and as in step S206. Then, the post-processing unit 20 is urged to cancel the staple processing and / or punching processing command. Thereby, since double-sided printing is changed to single-sided printing, the order of discharged sheets and the direction of printing are changed. This can prevent unintentional drilling processing and stapling processing.

  Then, as in step S207, the print control unit 54 performs image forming processing so that the image forming unit 1 prints on the sheet fed to the sheet conveyance path by the developing unit 11 based on the print job.

  After the print control unit 54 performs the image forming process, the print control unit 54 has a command to perform double-sided printing on the print job as in step S208, and double-sided printing is possible based on the determination result of the paper thickness detection unit 101. Check whether the paper is correct. If it is determined that there is no double-sided printing command in the print job or the paper is not capable of double-sided printing, the process proceeds to step S211.

  If there is a double-sided printing command in the print job in step S208 and a paper capable of double-sided printing is being conveyed, the print control unit 55 determines whether the paper has been subjected to double-sided printing as in step S209. Confirm. In the case of a sheet on which double-sided printing is performed, the process proceeds to step S211 and is handled as a command for single-sided printing.

  In step S209, if the paper is not subjected to double-sided printing, the print control unit 55 performs double-sided printing processing to perform double-sided printing as in step S210. After performing the double-sided printing process, the print control unit 54 proceeds to step S204 and performs the image forming process again.

  Then, the print control unit 54 checks whether or not there is a post-processing command in the post-processing unit 20 as in step S211. When there is no post-processing command, the process proceeds to step S215, and the print control unit 54 instructs the discharge control unit 57 to discharge the sheet to the outside of the image forming apparatus. Upon receiving the support, the discharge control unit 57 switches the separators 13 and 14 so as to convey the sheet to the discharge roller 16, conveys the sheet to the discharge roller 15, and discharges the sheet to the outside of the image forming apparatus. After discharging the paper, the print control unit 54 ends the process.

  If there is a post-processing instruction in the post-processing unit 20 in step S211, the print control unit 54 switches the separators 13 and 14 so that the post-processing unit 20 conveys the sheet, as in step S212. The sheet is conveyed to 20.

  After transporting the paper to the post-processing unit 20, the print control unit 54 checks whether the job is finished as in step S213. If it is not the end of the job, it is in the middle of printing, and the process proceeds to step S200.

  If it is determined in step S213 that the job has been completed, the print control unit 54 notifies the post-processing unit 20 that the print job has been completed, and causes the discharge unit 26 to discharge the sheet to the discharge stacker 27, as in step S214. This process is terminated.

  In the process of the print control unit 54, the paper thickness detection process is not limited to the above description, and may be executed only when there is a double-sided print command in the print job, for example.

  As in the first embodiment, the post-processing unit 20 performs processing of the main control unit 62 of the post-processing unit 20 by receiving a post-processing command, and performs predetermined post-processing such as punching processing and stapling processing. Is done.

  The image forming apparatus shown in the second embodiment includes a paper thickness measurement unit and a paper thickness detection unit, and when it is determined that double-sided printing is not possible, printing is performed by automatically changing double-sided printing to single-sided printing. Executed. At this time, the print control unit 54 can change the post-processing command to a command for stopping the post-processing, and cancel the post-processing command. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a punching process or a stapling process in the post-processing unit 20 in an incomplete state. Thereby, the waste of paper can be eliminated. Further, the labor of removing the staple core can be saved, and the waste of the core can be eliminated.

[Embodiment 3]
As shown in FIG. 8, the image forming apparatus shown in the third embodiment has a staple stacker sheet presence / absence sensor 200 for checking the presence / absence of staple stacker sheets in the post-processing unit 20, and as shown in FIG. A sheet presence / absence monitoring unit 201 to be controlled is provided. This is intended to prevent stapling in a state where all the sheets are not ready, for example, when the sheets are removed from the staple stacker 28 for some reason. Therefore, in the description of the third embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same configurations as those in the description of the first embodiment, and the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  The staple stacker sheet presence / absence sensor 200 is mounted on the staple stacker 28 of the post-processing unit 20. The staple stacker sheet presence / absence sensor 200 is controlled by the sheet presence / absence monitoring unit 201 and can sense the sheet conveyed to the staple stacker 28. The staple stacker sheet presence / absence sensor 200 is also provided with a counter (not shown) that can count the number of sheets conveyed. Thereby, the number of sheets conveyed can be counted.

  The sheet presence / absence monitoring unit 201 is controlled by the main control unit 62 and causes the staple stacker sheet presence / absence sensor 200 to sense the sheet conveyed by the staple stacker 28. The paper presence / absence monitoring unit 201 performs paper presence / absence monitoring processing under the control of the main control unit 62. In the paper presence / absence monitoring process, the main control unit 62 instructs the paper presence / absence monitoring unit 201 to check whether or not there is paper in the staple stacker 28. In response to this instruction, the sheet presence / absence monitoring unit 201 causes the staple stacker sheet presence / absence sensor 200 to check whether or not the staple stacker 28 has sheets. The sheet presence / absence monitoring unit 201 passes the result to the main control unit 62. The main control unit 62 notifies the print control unit 54 of the information confirmed by the paper presence / absence monitoring unit 201. Further, the sheet presence / absence monitoring unit 201 causes the counter to count the number of sheets conveyed by the staple stacker 28. This number is passed from the paper presence / absence monitoring unit 201 in response to a request from the main control unit 62. Further, the paper presence / absence monitoring unit 201 sets the counter to zero when the paper is discharged to the discharge stacker 27.

  In the image forming apparatus shown in the third embodiment, the post-processing unit 20 includes a staple stacker sheet presence / absence sensor 200 and a sheet presence / absence monitoring unit 201. The image forming unit 1 equipped with the post-processing unit performs printing based on a print job transmitted from the printer driver 42 of the computer 40 as in the first embodiment. The print job is transferred to the print control unit 54 via the interfaces 43 and 51. The print control unit 54 performs processes such as those in the first and second embodiments based on the transferred print job. When a post-processing command is included in the print job, the post-processing command is notified to the post-processing unit 20 during the processing of the print control unit 54, and the printed paper is conveyed to the post-processing unit 20.

  When the post-processing unit 20 is notified from the print control unit 54 of the image forming unit 1 that there is a post-processing command, the processing of the main control unit 62 described below is performed. By the processing of the main control unit 62, as shown in FIGS. 8 to 11, the post-processing unit 20 can perform punching processing and stapling processing.

  When notified from the image forming unit 1 that there is a post-processing command, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the main control unit 62 confirms whether or not there is a stapling processing command as in step S300. . When there is no staple processing command, the main control unit 62 turns off the staple flag, which is a mark for performing the staple processing by the staple control unit 64, as in step S301, and proceeds to step S303.

  If there is a staple processing command in step S301, the main control unit 62 turns on the staple flag as in step S302, and the process proceeds to step S303.

  Then, the main control unit 62 confirms whether the counter of the staple stacker sheet presence / absence sensor 200 is zero, as in step S303. When the counter is zero, the process proceeds to step S307.

  If the counter is not zero in step S303, the main control unit 62 performs a paper presence / absence monitoring process for confirming whether or not there is paper in the staple stacker 28, as in step S304. After this paper presence / absence monitoring processing, it is confirmed from the result whether or not there is paper in the staple stacker 28. If there is a sheet in the staple stacker 28, the process proceeds to step S307.

  In step S305, when there is no sheet in the staple stacker 28, the main control unit 62 turns off the staple flag as in step S307, and proceeds to step S307. As described above, when there is no sheet in the staple stacker 28 in step S305, it indicates that the printing is interrupted due to, for example, a paper jam or the like, and the sheet is removed because the sheet is removed from the staple stacker 28 or the like. If stapling is performed in this state, all sheets are bound in a state where they are not aligned. Therefore, the main control unit 62 turns off the staple flag that serves as a mark for performing the staple process in order to prevent the staple process.

  Then, the main control unit 62 checks whether or not there is a drilling process command as in step S307. When there is no instruction for the drilling process, the main control unit 62 turns off the drilling flag which is a mark for performing the drilling process by the drilling control unit 63 as in step S309, and proceeds to step S309.

  In step S307, when there is an instruction for punching processing, the main control unit 62 turns on the staple flag as in step S308, and proceeds to step S309.

  Then, the main control unit 62 confirms whether or not the sheet is conveyed from the image forming unit 1 as in step S310. When the sheet is not being conveyed, the main control unit 62 confirms whether the end of the job is notified from the image forming unit 1 as in step S311. If the end of the job is notified, the main control unit 62 ends the process because it is the end of printing. If the end of the job is not notified in step S311, the main control unit 62 returns to step S310.

  When the sheet is conveyed in step S310, the main control unit 62 confirms whether or not the punching flag is on as in step S312. When the punching flag is off, the main control unit 62 proceeds to step S314.

  In step S312, when the punching flag is ON, the main control unit 62 performs punching processing at a predetermined position of the sheet by the punching unit 21 as in step S313. After this drilling process, the main control unit 62 proceeds to step S314.

  Then, the main control unit 62 operates the transport roller 23 to transport the paper to the staple stacker 28 as in step S314. After transporting the sheet to the staple stacker 28, the main control unit 62 increments the counter of the staple stacker sheet presence / absence sensor 200 via the sheet presence / absence monitoring unit 201 as in step S315.

  After that, the main control unit 62 confirms whether the end of the job is notified from the image forming unit 1 as in step S317. If the end of the job has not been notified, it indicates that the sheet is still being conveyed, and the main control unit 62 returns to step S310.

  If the end of the job is notified in step S317, it indicates that the conveyance of the sheet has ended, and the main control unit 62 checks whether the staple flag is on as in step S317. If the staple flag is off, the main control unit 62 proceeds to step S319.

  If the staple flag is on in step S317, the main control unit 62 performs a staple process for binding the paper conveyed to the staple stacker 28 by the staple unit 24 as in step S318. After the stapling process, the main control unit 62 proceeds to step S319.

  Then, the main control unit 62 proceeds to step S319, operates the discharge unit 26, and discharges the paper to the discharge stacker 27. After discharging, the main control unit 62 causes the sheet presence / absence monitoring unit 201 to set the counter of the staple stacker sheet presence / absence sensor 200 to zero, and ends this processing.

  In the image forming apparatus shown in the third embodiment, as described above, the staple stacker sheet presence / absence sensor 200 and the sheet presence / absence monitoring unit 201 that controls the staple stacker confirm whether or not the staple stacker 28 has sheets. If the sheet is not in the staple stacker 28 even though the counter is not zero, the main control unit 62 changes the staple processing command to a command to stop the staple processing, and performs post-processing so as not to perform the staple processing. The unit 20 can be controlled. Therefore, it is possible to prevent stapling in an incomplete state where all printed sheets are not complete. Therefore, it is possible to save the trouble of removing the staple core and to eliminate the waste of the core.

  The case where the paper is removed from the staple stacker 28 is, for example, a situation where a paper jam or the like occurs during printing, the printing is interrupted, and the paper is removed from the staple stacker 28 when the paper jam is removed. The At this time, the remaining printing is performed by resuming the printing. However, if the sheets are removed from the staple stacker 28, the stapling process is performed in an incomplete state where all the sheets are not prepared. It will be. In this case, stapling can be prevented by processing as described above.

  If the sheet is not removed, all the sheets are prepared, and it is desirable to perform the stapling process as it is. In this case, in the third embodiment, when the print control unit 54 or the main control unit 62 determines the resumption of printing and performs the remaining processing, the staple stacker paper presence sensor 200 and the paper presence monitoring unit remove the paper. If it is determined that it is not, stapling can be performed. When the sheet is not removed from the staple stacker 28, the post-processing unit 20 can perform the stapling process according to the original instruction. In other words, even if the image processing is interrupted, post-processing can be performed in a complete state in which all the media are prepared. Thereby, it is possible to save the trouble of newly processing after taking out all the media.

  The image forming apparatus of the present invention can also combine Embodiments 1, 2, and 3 described above. For example, when the first and second embodiments are combined, the paper thickness measuring unit 100 and the paper thickness detecting unit 101 described in the second embodiment are mounted on the image forming unit 1. Specifically, the paper thickness detection process is performed after the paper feeding operation process shown in FIG. 3, and the post-processing instruction is canceled based on the presence / absence of the double-sided printing instruction and the result of the paper thickness detection process. Then, after the image formation, an image obtained by combining Embodiments 1 and 2 is performed by determining whether to perform double-sided printing from the presence / absence of a double-sided printing command and the result of the paper thickness detection process again. A forming apparatus can be realized.

  For example, Embodiments 1 and 3 can be combined. In this case, the staple stacker sheet presence / absence sensor 200 and the sheet presence / absence monitoring unit 201 are mounted on the post-processing unit 20. More specifically, after the counter shown in FIG. 7 is incremented, it is confirmed whether or not the cancel of the staple process notified when the image forming unit 1 issues a cancel request for printing is notified. As a result, if cancellation of the staple processing is notified, the process proceeds to step S319. If not, the process proceeds to step S317 to perform image formation combining the first and third embodiments. An apparatus can be realized.

  Furthermore, for example, Embodiments 2 and 3 can be combined. In this case, the paper thickness measuring unit 100 and the paper thickness detecting unit 101 are mounted on the image forming unit 1, and the staple stacker sheet presence / absence sensor 200 and the sheet presence / absence monitoring unit 201 are mounted on the post-processing unit 20. Then, the processing of the print control unit 54 is performed as shown in FIG. 7, and the processing of the main control unit 62 is performed as shown in FIG. 10, thereby realizing an image forming apparatus combining the second and third embodiments. be able to.

  Furthermore, for example, Embodiments 1, 2, and 3 can be combined. In this case, the paper thickness measuring unit 100 and the paper thickness detecting unit 101 are mounted on the image forming unit 1, and the staple stacker sheet presence / absence sensor 200 and the sheet presence / absence monitoring unit 201 are mounted on the post-processing unit 20. The process of the print control unit 54 performs the process of the print control unit 54 when the first and second embodiments are combined, and the process of the main control unit 62 is the same as that of the first and third embodiments. By performing the processing of the print control unit 54 in the case of combining these, it is possible to realize an image forming apparatus that combines the first, second, and third embodiments.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the information of the image forming unit 1 is directly notified to the post-processing unit 20 via the interface has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, the information of the image forming unit 1 may be notified from a host device such as the computer 40, or a sensor for detecting the medium is provided near the entrance of the post-processing unit 20, and the state of passage of the medium is confirmed. Information on the image forming unit 1 may be read indirectly. Based on this information, post-processing determination control may be performed by the print control unit 54 or the main control unit 62.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the computer 40, which is the host device, generates a print job that is image information, and the image forming unit 1 receives the print job that is image information. It is not limited to this example. Image information may be input by reading an image original with a scanner or the like connected to the image forming unit 1.

1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of an image forming apparatus of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram including an image forming apparatus of the present invention. 5 is a flowchart illustrating processing of a print control unit of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. 3 is a flowchart illustrating processing of a main control unit of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of an image forming apparatus of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram including an image forming apparatus of the present invention. 5 is a flowchart illustrating processing of a print control unit of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of an image forming apparatus of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram including an image forming apparatus of the present invention. 3 is a flowchart illustrating processing of a main control unit of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. 3 is a flowchart illustrating processing of a main control unit of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Image forming unit
2, 3, 4, 5 Paper feed trays 6, 7, 8, 9 Paper feed rollers 10, 22, 23 Transport roller 11 Developing unit 12 Fixing unit 13, 14 Separator 15 Discharge roller 16 Double-side unit unit 20 Post-processing unit 21 Drilling Section 24 Staple section 26 Discharge section 27 Discharge stacker 28 Staple stacker

Claims (7)

An image forming unit that inputs image data and forms an image on a medium;
A processing unit that performs predetermined processing on the medium after the image is formed by the image forming unit;
A determination unit for determining a change in image forming operation by the image forming unit;
A control unit for controlling the machining unit based on the determination result of the determination unit,
The control unit stops post-processing of the processing unit based on the determination of the determination unit, and stacks the medium on a stacker.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines a change in image forming operation based on information of the image forming unit, and prompts the control unit to stop the post-processing. The processing unit has at least one of a punching unit that performs a punching process or a staple unit that performs a staple process,
2. The post-processing by the control unit is at least one of a punching process in which a hole is formed in the medium by the punching unit or a staple process in which a plurality of the media are stapled by the staple unit. The image forming apparatus described.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit stops the post-processing when the determination unit determines that the image formation is stopped. Having a measuring unit for measuring the thickness of the medium;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines an operation change based on a measurement result of the measurement unit. A monitoring unit that monitors the presence or absence of a medium in the processing unit;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls post-processing of the processing unit based on a determination of a determination unit according to a monitoring result of the monitoring unit. The determination unit determines whether to restart image formation in the image forming unit, and when it is determined that a medium is in the processing unit based on a monitoring result of the monitoring unit,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit controls to perform post-processing by the processing unit based on a monitoring result of the monitoring unit based on a determination of the determination unit.