JP2006201721A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance convenience in using an image forming apparatus by providing more useful information on toner consumption of the image forming apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus 1 is an apparatus of performing printing on a paper sheet by consuming toner by printing operation, and is equipped with an operation part, a memory 17, and an image forming section 7. The operation part creates coverage data by integrating the toner consumption by image formation operation during a prescribed period and calculates the average toner consumption which is the toner consumption per one time of the printing operation based on the number of times of the printing operation performed during the prescribed period and the coverage data. The memory 17 stores the coverage data and the average toner consumption and storing the beginning period of the prescribed period when the creation of the coverage data is started. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a transfer material by consuming toner by an image forming operation.

  As a conventional image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, there is a type in which a toner image is formed on a sheet based on predetermined image information, and this is fused and fixed for printing.

  In this type of image forming apparatus, the amount of toner consumed by the printing operation is accumulated for a predetermined period to create coverage (toner consumption) data as the accumulated toner consumption, and from this accumulated toner consumption and the past output number of sheets. Techniques for calculating the average toner consumption have already been proposed.

  In such an apparatus, for example, a service person visits a user of the image forming apparatus periodically and operates the image forming apparatus to output coverage data and average toner consumption as a report. The trend of toner consumption can be grasped.

As related documents, for example, a technique shown in Patent Document 1 below has already been proposed.
JP-A-9-98274

  However, in the above-described conventional apparatus, it is not clear when the predetermined period for integrating the toner consumption starts, so even if the user sees the average toner consumption on the report, the period from which it started It is not possible to know even if it is an average value at.

  In addition, some users may want to consider to some extent how much toner is consumed by the printing operation before actually instructing the printing operation.

  An object of the present invention is to provide more useful information regarding the toner consumption amount of an image forming apparatus, and to improve convenience in using the image forming apparatus.

  An image forming apparatus according to a first aspect is an apparatus that forms an image on a transfer material by consuming toner by an image forming operation, and includes a calculation unit, a storage unit, and an information presentation unit. The calculation unit calculates the integrated toner consumption amount by integrating the toner consumption amount by the image forming operation for a predetermined period, and calculates the image based on the number of image forming operations performed during the predetermined period and the integrated toner consumption amount. An average toner consumption amount that is a toner consumption amount per one forming operation is calculated. The storage unit can store the cumulative toner consumption amount and the average toner consumption amount, and can also store start information regarding the start of a predetermined period when the toner consumption amount starts to be integrated. The information presentation unit can present the average toner consumption amount and the initial information.

  In this apparatus, the toner consumption amount is accumulated over a predetermined period to calculate the integrated toner consumption amount, and the average toner consumption amount is calculated from the integrated toner consumption amount and the number of output sheets during the predetermined period. Is calculated and stored in the storage unit.

  The accumulated toner consumption amount and the average toner consumption amount are presented to the service person and the user by the information providing unit. Here, in addition to these pieces of information, the start information for a predetermined period is also presented. It is possible to grasp when the obtained average toner consumption is obtained based on the accumulated value, and convenience is increased.

  In the present invention, examples of the information presenting unit include a display unit of an operation panel, an image forming unit that outputs information to a sheet, and a communication unit that transmits data to an externally connected device, as will be described later. It is done. The information presentation by the information presentation unit may be automatically performed at a predetermined timing, or may be manually performed by a service person or a user.

  The start information may be information that makes the start of the period clear, and includes a date (may include a year), a day of the week, a time, and the like.

The image forming operation includes copying of a document, output of print data sent from an external connection device, output of facsimile data sent from another facsimile machine, and the like.
The transfer material includes not only paper but also other sheet-like recording media such as an OHP sheet.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus of the first aspect, the storage unit can further store the toner consumption amount of the most recent image forming operation.

  When the user wants to know the toner consumption amount due to the most recent printing operation, the conventional image forming apparatus, for example, once resets the integrated toner consumption amount and then performs the printing operation, and the toner consumption at that time You can know the amount.

  However, in this type of conventional apparatus, a system that is charged when resetting is widespread, and in such a system, resetting is purposely performed in order to know the toner consumption amount in the latest printing operation. As a result, there has been a problem of being charged.

  In particular, this type of contract may include, for example, changing the unit cost of printing costs according to the amount of toner consumed per month, and in this case the user knows the amount of toner consumed in advance. The tendency to want to keep becomes stronger.

  Therefore, in the apparatus according to the second aspect, by storing the latest toner consumption amount separately, it is possible to meet the user's request without performing unnecessary reset.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus of the first aspect, the storage unit can further store the toner consumption amount of the last page of the most recent image forming operation.

  In this apparatus, in particular, when a large number of originals are copied, for example, when it is desired to grasp the amount of toner required for printing the final page, the same effect as that of the apparatus of claim 2 can be obtained. .

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the storage unit erases the accumulated toner consumption amount at a date and time designated in advance. In addition, when the integrated toner consumption amount is deleted in the storage unit, the calculation unit newly starts calculating the integrated toner consumption amount.

  In this apparatus, when the date and time specified in advance is reached, the accumulated toner consumption so far is erased, the predetermined period ends, and the counting of the accumulated toner consumption in the next predetermined period is newly started.

As such date and time, for example, a specific day of the month and the like can be mentioned.
In the image forming apparatus according to a fifth aspect, in the apparatus according to the fourth aspect, when the accumulated toner consumption amount is erased, the storage unit stores the erased accumulated toner consumption amount as a history.

  In this device, even when the accumulated toner consumption amount is cleared, the numerical value is stored as a history, so the user can check the accumulated toner amount over the past several months as a history by looking at the presented information, for example. This eliminates the need for the service staff to visit the user each time to check the accumulated toner consumption.

  According to the present invention, the integrated toner consumption amount and the average toner consumption amount are presented to the service staff and the user by the information providing unit. Here, in addition to these information, the start information of the predetermined period is also presented. Therefore, it is possible to grasp when the presented average toner consumption is obtained based on the accumulated value, and convenience is increased.

<Configuration of image forming apparatus>
1 and 2 show an image forming apparatus 1 in which an embodiment of the present invention is adopted.

  The image forming apparatus 1 is a multifunction machine having functions as a copying machine, a printer, and a scanner device, and includes an image reading unit 3, an operation panel 5, a control unit (calculation unit, storage unit) 7, an image A forming unit 9 (information presenting unit) and another input / output unit are provided.

  The image reading unit 3 is for reading image information of a document on a document table (not shown), and has an optical system and a CCD (not shown).

  It has an operation panel 5, a plurality of operation keys 11, and a display unit 13 composed of a touch panel type liquid crystal display.

  The operation keys 11 include a start key for instructing printing, reading of a document, and the like, a setting key for various settings, a numeric keypad, and the like.

  In addition to the print standby screen, various operation screens are displayed on the display unit 13. These operation screens include setting screens for setting the start and end dates and times of a predetermined period for accumulating coverage data. Note that the start date and the end date can be selected as default values.

  The control unit 7 is for performing image processing on image information read by the image reading unit 3 and controlling operations of input / output units such as the image reading unit 3. The control unit 7 includes a CPU 15 and a memory 17 (storage unit). Consists of a microcomputer including.

  The memory 17 stores various programs to be executed by the CPU 15, and stores coverage data, average toner consumption, and initial information set on the operation panel 5. Further, the memory 17 can store the toner consumption amount of the printing operation performed most recently (here, the toner consumption amount of the last page of the printing operation).

  Further, the coverage data stored in the memory 17 is reset when the date and time designated in advance as the final period is reached, and the numerical value of the integrated toner consumption is saved as a history.

  The control unit 7 can also create coverage data and calculate an average toner consumption.

  The accumulated toner consumption is a numerical value obtained by accumulating the toner consumption every time a printing operation is performed for a predetermined period. The average toner consumption amount is calculated from the number of outputs performed during a predetermined period and the integrated toner consumption amount.

  When the predetermined period ends and the coverage data in the memory 13 is cleared, the control unit 7 newly starts integration of toner consumption and creates coverage data.

  The image forming unit 9 consumes toner by an image forming operation and forms an image on a sheet. The image forming unit 9 includes a photosensitive drum, a charging device, an exposure device, a developing device, a transfer device, and the like arranged around the photosensitive drum. And a fixing device (none of which is shown) disposed on the downstream side.

  The photosensitive drum is a rotating body on which a toner image is formed. The charging device is for charging the surface of the photosensitive drum. The exposure apparatus is for irradiating the charged surface of the photosensitive drum to form an electrostatic latent image. The developing device is for supplying toner to the surface of the photosensitive drum to form a toner image. The transfer device is for transferring a toner image on the photosensitive drum onto a sheet. The fixing device is for fusing and fixing the toner image transferred onto the paper.

  According to such an image forming unit 9, an image is formed on a sheet based on predetermined image information, and coverage data and initial information can be output on the sheet to create a coverage report.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the coverage report 21 created by the image forming unit 9.
The coverage report 21 includes an output date 31, a predetermined period 33 (including a date 35 when the previous coverage data was reset and an output date 37), an output number 39, a final page coverage 40, a total coverage 41, and a copy coverage 43. And printer coverage 45 is displayed.

  In this report 21, the value of the total coverage 41 is the sum of the copy coverage 43 and the printer coverage 45. Here, it can be seen that the final page coverage 40 is 0, that is, blank. As the other coverages 41, 43, and 45, the number of output sheets and the average toner consumption (%) are shown for each paper size. Note that the coverage (%) here is indicated as the ratio of the area where the toner is fixed to the entire area of the A4 size of white paper in the case of A4 size paper, for example.

  For example, in the copy coverage 43, 11 sheets of A4 size paper are output during a predetermined period, and the cumulative toner consumption is 24.87%.

  The image forming apparatus 1 also includes an automatic document feeder (ADF) 51, a communication unit, a paper feed unit, a paper discharge unit (both not shown), and the like as other input / output units. The ADF 51 is a device for transporting documents one by one toward a predetermined reading position on the document table. The communication unit is for transmitting and receiving image information and the like to and from an externally connected device such as a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) in which the printer driver of the image forming apparatus 1 is installed.

<Operation of Image Forming Apparatus>
Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the image forming apparatus 1, when obtaining a coverage report, a predetermined period is set in advance by designating a desired start and end by operating the operation panel 5. For example, in the coverage report 21 of FIG. 3, January 1st, 2004 is set as the start period, and 6th of the same month is set as the end period.

  In this state, when the start is started (S1), the set predetermined period starts to proceed (S2), and after that, when a printing operation such as copying or outputting print data is instructed (S3), Each time the toner consumption is integrated (S4), the coverage data is updated.

  When the predetermined period ends (S5), the coverage data is cleared (S6), the accumulated toner consumption is stored in the memory 17 as a history (S7), and a coverage report is output in the image forming unit 9. (S8). Then, after that, the process returns to step S2 to start a new predetermined period, and thereafter, the procedure of steps S2 to S8 is repeated.

  According to the image forming apparatus 1 described above, by referring to the output coverage report, the user can refer to not only the accumulated toner consumption amount and the average toner consumption amount but also the start information of a predetermined period. It is possible to grasp when the average toner consumption amount printed on is calculated based on the accumulated amount in the period from when to when, and the profitability increases.

<Other embodiments>
(A) In the above embodiment, instead of or in addition to the aspect of creating a coverage report in the image forming unit, the average toner consumption amount or the like may be displayed on the display unit of the operation panel. In this case, for example, a screen as shown in FIG. 5 is displayed. By selecting the three tabs 61, 63, and 65, the total coverage, copy coverage, and printer coverage can be selected as appropriate. is there.

  In addition to the creation of coverage reports and display on the operation panel as an aspect of presentation of coverage data, for example, when connected to other PCs via a network, information such as average toner consumption is displayed. It may be configured to send a mail to a PC.

  (B) In the above-described embodiment, instead of the configuration in which the coverage report is automatically output at the end, a configuration in which the coverage report is output manually at the end or in the middle of the period may be employed.

  (C) As the information shown in the coverage report, instead of the toner consumption amount of the last page, the first page of the same job or the toner consumption amount of a representative page in the middle may be used.

  (D) When the next predetermined period starts anew after a certain predetermined period has elapsed, the coverage data of the previous predetermined period may be stored without being cleared.

  (E) The storage unit is not limited to the above memory, and other storage means such as a hard disk drive device or a combination thereof may be employed.

  (F) In the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus may further include a function as a facsimile machine. In this case, the coverage report can include information on toner consumption and the like when a printing operation is performed as a facsimile apparatus in addition to a copying machine and a printer.

1 is an external view showing an image forming apparatus in which an embodiment of the present invention is adopted. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the image forming apparatus. The figure which shows the coverage report produced by the said image forming apparatus. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 3 is a diagram in which a part of one operation screen displayed on the operation panel of the image forming apparatus is omitted.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 5 Operation panel 7 Control part 9 Image forming part 17 Memory

Claims (5)

An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a transfer material by consuming toner by an image forming operation,
The accumulated toner consumption is calculated by integrating the toner consumption by the image forming operation during a predetermined period, and the number of the image forming operations performed during the predetermined period and the accumulated toner consumption are calculated based on the accumulated toner consumption. A calculation unit that calculates an average toner consumption amount that is a toner consumption amount per one image forming operation;
A storage unit that stores the accumulated toner consumption amount and the average toner consumption amount, and that can store start information regarding the start of a predetermined period in which the accumulation of the toner consumption amount is started;
An information presentation unit capable of presenting the average toner consumption amount and start information;
An image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit can further store a toner consumption amount of the image forming operation performed most recently.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit can further store a toner consumption amount of the last page of the image forming operation performed most recently. In the storage unit, the accumulated toner consumption amount is erased at a predetermined date and time,
The calculation unit newly starts calculating the integrated toner consumption when the integrated toner consumption is erased in the storage unit.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, when the accumulated toner consumption amount is erased, the storage unit stores the erased accumulated toner consumption amount as a history.

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