JP2006251692A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To set a low-power-consumption mode of an image forming apparatus accordingly to the use frequency of a user in detail and to make a user's wait time shorter than before. <P>SOLUTION: It is checked whether the current time is outside of a change limited period (S100); when the current time is outside the change limited period, a timer is started (S101) and a count value (n) in an operation data memory is initialized (S102). It is checked whether an operation button for starting image formation processing is operated (S103) and when the button is operated, 1 is added to the count value (n) (S104). It is checked whether the time (t) of the timer exceeds a designated time T (S105) and when the time (t) does not exceed the designated time T, a return to the step S103 is made to check whether the operation button is operated. When the time (t) of the timer exceeds the designated time, a set value corresponding to the count value (n) is read out of a mode setting table and stored in a set value memory (S106). The low-power-consumption mode is controlled thereafter according to the set value registered in the set value memory. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of performing a control operation in a low power consumption mode that consumes less power than usual.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus in which an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of a photosensitive drum, developed with toner, transferred to a sheet, and the toner image on the sheet is heated and melted to be fixed on the sheet has been put into practical use. . In such an image forming apparatus, if the apparatus is on standby in a state where the image forming processing operation can be performed at all times, power consumption is required for maintaining the fixing temperature of the fixing roller even though the image forming apparatus is not used. Therefore, in order to meet the recent demand for energy saving, an image forming apparatus that switches to a low power consumption mode with low power consumption when not in use has been developed. As the low power consumption mode, for example, a standby mode in which the power consumed by the heater for heating the fixing roller is reduced to lower the fixing set temperature and an off mode in which the power supplied to the heater is turned off are set.

Also, in Patent Document 1, when the power is turned on or when energy saving is restored, the number of PCs connected to the facsimile machine is counted, and the PC operating rate is calculated from the counted number. It describes that the transition time to energy saving is automatically set according to the operating rate.
JP 2001-169028 A

  However, since only one of the above-described low power consumption modes can be selected, the setting temperature of the fixing in the standby mode is set so as not to decrease so much when the setting is made in accordance with the time period when the apparatus is frequently used. Is set so that the user waits as long as possible before returning to the normal mode. However, if this setting is made, useless power consumption will occur during periods of low usage. As a result, the low power consumption mode does not function effectively. On the other hand, when the low power consumption mode is set in accordance with the less frequently used time zone, the fixing setting temperature in the standby mode is set lower and the switching timing between the standby mode and the off mode is set shorter. It takes time to return and makes the user wait.

  Also in Patent Document 1, it is assumed that the printing apparatus is connected to the PC, and if it is not connected to the PC, it cannot be dealt with, and if the operating rate of the PC is high, the actual use of the printing apparatus is not possible. Regardless of the frequency, a longer transition time is set, and extra power is consumed.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can set a low power consumption mode in a fine-tuned manner according to the frequency of use of the user and can reduce the waiting time of the user as compared with the prior art.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image formation processing unit that forms an image on a sheet, a control unit that performs operation control of the image formation processing unit, and a memory that stores information necessary when the control unit performs operation control. In the image forming apparatus, the storage unit stores a setting table in which setting values of the low power consumption mode corresponding to the operation count data of the image forming processing operation within a predetermined time are registered, and The control unit counts the operation frequency data within a predetermined time based on the image forming processing operation, and reads a corresponding setting value from the setting table based on the operation frequency data counted by the count processing unit. And mode control means for controlling the low power consumption mode.

  Another image forming apparatus according to the present invention stores an image formation processing unit that forms an image on a sheet, a control unit that performs operation control of the image formation processing unit, and information necessary when the control unit performs operation control. The storage unit stores a setting table in which setting values for the low power consumption mode corresponding to the operation interval time of the image forming processing operation are registered, and the control unit A time processing means for measuring the operation interval time based on the image forming processing operation, and a corresponding set value is read from the setting table based on the operation interval time measured by the time processing means to control the low power consumption mode. And mode control means for performing the above.

  Further, in the above image forming apparatus, the control unit includes a change restriction unit that restricts the mode control unit from changing a set value within a predetermined period.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention has the above-described configuration, so that the number of times that the image forming processing operation has been performed within a predetermined time is counted, and the setting value registered in the setting table is obtained from the operation number data. Since the low power consumption mode is controlled by reading, it is possible to set the low power consumption mode in accordance with the usage frequency of the user within a predetermined time. In other words, when the number of operations is large, for example, set the fixing setting temperature in standby mode so that it does not decrease too much, and set the fixing setting temperature lower when the number of operations decreases. The mode can be controlled. Similarly, the timing for switching between the standby mode and the off mode can be set longer when the number of operations is large and shorter when the number of operations is small. Control becomes possible.

  Further, another image forming apparatus according to the present invention measures the operation interval time of the image forming processing operation, reads the setting value registered in the setting table from the operation interval time, and controls the low power consumption mode. It is possible to set the low power consumption mode in accordance with the usage frequency of the user. In other words, when the operation interval time is short, the frequency of use is high, so the standby mode and the off mode switching timing are set longer and the operation interval time is long without setting the fixing temperature in standby mode too low. Since the frequency of use is low, the fixing setting temperature in the standby mode may be lowered and the switching timing between the standby mode and the off mode may be set short. Shi

  By controlling the mode as described above, when the frequency of use of the user is high, the mode switching timing is long, so the timing at which the user waits is reduced, and the fixing set temperature does not decrease so much. The waiting time is shortened. Further, when the frequency of use by the user is low, the mode is switched to the low power consumption mode at an early timing, and the fixing set temperature is set lower, so that the low consumption mode functions sufficiently.

  And, by providing a change restricting means for restricting the mode control means so as not to change the set value within a predetermined period, a special period such as a time period in which the use frequency is very high or a day of the week in which the use frequency is scarcely used. In this case, the low power consumption mode can be prevented from being changed, and an appropriate setting corresponding to the normal use frequency can be performed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail. The embodiments described below are preferable specific examples for carrying out the present invention, and thus various technical limitations are made. However, the present invention clearly indicates that the invention is particularly limited in the following description. Unless otherwise specified, the present invention is not limited to these forms.

  FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an image forming apparatus provided with a heat fixing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the image forming apparatus 100 forms an image by a so-called electrophotographic system in accordance with a document reading signal. An image forming unit 1, an automatic document feeding unit 2 for automatically feeding and reading a document, a reversing paper feeding mechanism 3 for reversing a moving direction of a transfer sheet printed on one side for performing double-sided printing, a transfer sheet And an operation display unit 5 for performing various print settings and displaying setting results and the like.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the central portion of the image forming apparatus. In FIG. 2, the image forming unit 1 includes a photosensitive drum 11 configured by providing an organic semiconductor layer that is a photoconductive substance on the surface of an aluminum cylinder, and a conductive material for uniformly charging the organic semiconductor layer of the photosensitive drum 11. Development unit 14 for forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum including a photosensitive elastic roller 12, a laser light source 13 and its optical system, and developing the toner by attaching toner to the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 11. A developing device 15 for performing the transfer, a transfer device 16 for transferring the toner image developed on the photosensitive drum 11 to the transfer paper P, a fixing device 17 for fixing the toner image by sandwiching the transfer paper P having the toner image transferred thereon, and a photosensitive device. It consists of a static eliminator 18 for removing the charging of the body drum 11 and a paper discharge roller 19.

  The transfer paper P stored in the cassettes 41 and 42 of the paper feed cassette unit 4 is fed by the paper feed rollers 41a and 42a, passed through the image forming unit 1 by the transport rollers 21 and 22, and the switch 33 is a paper discharge roller. When guiding to the side 20, the paper is discharged to the paper discharge unit 24 by the paper discharge roller 20.

  The reversing paper feeding mechanism 3 has a reversing conveyance path 31 and its drawing conveyance path 32, and when the switching device 33 guides the transfer paper P to the reversal feeding mechanism 3 side, it is once conveyed to the drawing conveyance path 32 side. . When the conveyance is completed, the switching unit 34 blocks the entrance portion of the drawing conveyance path, and the reversing roller 33 rotates in the direction of the arrow, so that the reversing conveyance path 31 is conveyed, and the conveyance roller 35 again causes the image forming unit. 1 is conveyed.

  The paper feed unit 6 is a paper feed unit that can manually feed special size transfer paper, and is fed to the image forming unit 1 via a paper feed roller 61.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the main part of the control system of the image forming apparatus. The operation display unit 5 includes a liquid crystal display 5a and a touch panel type key input unit 5b, and various instructions given from the key input unit 5b. Is determined by a CPU (not shown) of the controller 51 and controls each operation system. An IPU (image processing unit) 52 performs control such as control of the scanner, control of writing an original image into the image memory, control of forming an image from the image memory, and the like. A storage unit 53 is connected to the controller 51. The storage unit 53 includes a ROM that records a program for starting up each operation system, an HDD device that records image data and various application programs, A RAM for temporarily storing programs and data for image processing and control processing is provided.

  In relation to the present invention, the controller 51 counts the number of operations based on the operation of the operation button on the operation display unit 5 or calculates the operation interval time, and counts a predetermined time for counting the number of operations. It functions as a timer 55 used to output the operation time of the operation button and a mode control unit 56 that performs control processing in the low power consumption mode.

  In addition, the storage unit 53 has an operation data memory 57 for storing operation data calculated by the operation monitor unit 54 and a setting value used when the mode control unit 56 performs control in the low power consumption mode in relation to the present invention. And a mode setting table 59 for registering setting values (fixing set temperature, mode switching time, etc.) corresponding to the operation data stored in the operation data memory 57 are stored. In the mode setting table, a set value may be determined for each predetermined numerical range of the operation data, or a set value may be obtained using an appropriate calculation formula based on the operation data.

  FIG. 4 shows a processing flow when the low power consumption mode is set based on the number of operations. First, it is checked whether or not the current time is outside the change restriction period (S100). The change restriction period is a period that is known in advance to have a special usage frequency, such as a very high usage period or a closed day of the week, and the setting of the low power consumption mode is changed in such a period. Because it does not do, it ends as it is.

  If it is not the change limit period, the timer 55 is started (S101), and the count value n of the operation data memory 57 is initialized (S102). Then, it is checked whether or not the operation button for starting the image forming processing operation is operated by the key input unit 5b of the operation display unit 5 (S103), and when it is operated, 1 is added to the count value n (S104). Next, it is checked whether or not the time t of the timer 55 is equal to or longer than the predetermined time T (S105), and if it is not equal to or longer than the predetermined time T, the process returns to step S103 to check whether the operation button is operated.

  In step S105, when the time t of the timer 55 becomes equal to or longer than the predetermined time T, the setting value corresponding to the count value n is read from the mode setting table 59 and stored in the setting value memory 58 (S106).

  In this way, the setting value is registered, and the setting process ends. Thereafter, the mode control unit 56 controls the low power consumption mode according to the setting value registered in the setting value memory 58.

  FIG. 5 shows a processing flow in the case of setting the low power consumption mode based on the operation interval time when the operation button is operated. First, it is checked whether or not the current time is outside the change restriction period (S200). If it is not the change limitation period, it is checked whether the operation button for starting the image forming processing operation is operated by the key input unit 5b of the operation display unit 5 (S201). If the operation button is operated, the timer 55 is started (S202). ), It is checked whether the next operation button has been operated (S203). When the next operation button is operated, the timer 55 is stopped (S204), the time counted by the timer 55 is stored in the operation data memory 57, and the setting value corresponding to the stored time data is read from the mode setting table 59. Is stored in the set value memory 58 (S205).

  In this way, the setting value is registered, and the setting process ends. Thereafter, the mode control unit 56 controls the low power consumption mode according to the setting value registered in the setting value memory 58.

  As described above, since the low power consumption mode is set based on the number of operations and the operation interval time, the low power consumption mode is finely performed according to the frequency of use of the user. The usability is improved as compared with the prior art, and the low power consumption mode functions sufficiently.

1 is an overall perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a central portion of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a main part of a control system of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a processing flow in the case of performing low power consumption mode setting based on the number of operations. It is a processing flow in the case of performing low power consumption mode setting based on the operation | movement interval time when an operation button is operated.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image formation part 2 ... Automatic document feeding part 3 ... Reverse feed mechanism 4 ... Paper feed cassette part 5 ... Operation display part

Claims (3)

  An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming processing unit that forms an image on a sheet; a control unit that performs operation control of the image forming processing unit; and a storage unit that stores information necessary when the control unit performs operation control. The storage unit stores a setting table in which setting values of the low power consumption mode corresponding to the operation count data of the image forming processing operation within a predetermined time are registered, and the control unit performs the image forming processing operation. Based on the number-of-operations data within a predetermined time on the basis of the number-of-operations data, the corresponding setting value is read from the setting table based on the number-of-operations data counted by the number processing means to control the low power consumption mode An image forming apparatus comprising a mode control unit.   An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming processing unit that forms an image on a sheet; a control unit that performs operation control of the image forming processing unit; and a storage unit that stores information necessary when the control unit performs operation control. The storage unit stores a setting table in which setting values of the low power consumption mode corresponding to the operation interval time of the image formation processing operation are registered, and the control unit operates the operation interval based on the image formation processing operation. Timekeeping processing means for measuring time, and mode control means for controlling the low power consumption mode by reading a corresponding setting value from the setting table based on the operation interval time measured by the timekeeping processing means. An image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit includes a change restriction unit that restricts the mode control unit from changing a set value within a predetermined period.

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