JP2008116807A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of suppressing the consumption of a transparent toner caused by usage of the transparent toner on a paper sheet which originally has gloss and does not require a transparent toner or on an inexpensive sheet such as a recycled paper sheet. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus is equipped with: decks from the uppermost deck 120 to the lowermost deck 123 housing paper sheets; and an operation unit 210 where the information and printing conditions of paper sheets are inputted and set. In the operation unit 201, the usage of the transparent toner can be set 330 on the setup screens 320 to 323 of a touch-panel display 201a with respect to the paper sheets housed in from the uppermost deck 120 to the lowermost deck 123. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a gloss imparting apparatus according to an image forming apparatus that imparts a transparent toner for electrophotography.

  In an image forming apparatus, generally, a toner image generated using four color (Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black)) toners is transferred to a transfer material such as paper. A color image is formed on the transfer material by heat fixing with a heat fixing roller or the like.

  By the way, the preference for the glossiness of a color image varies depending on the type of image to be output, the purpose of use of the output printed matter, etc., but in the case of a photographic document such as a person or landscape, from the viewpoint of obtaining a clear image High gloss images are preferred. For example, Patent Document 1 describes that a high-gloss image is obtained by selecting a fixing mechanism condition using a color copying machine. However, in the case of the invention described in Patent Document 1, although the glossiness of the image portion by the toner can be increased, the glossiness of the non-image portion cannot be increased and the glossiness on the transfer material cannot be made uniform.

In order to solve the above problem, for example, Patent Document 2 proposes a method of transferring and fixing a transparent toner in addition to a color toner to a transfer material.
JP-A-5-142963 JP-A-7-72696

  However, in the invention described in Patent Document 2, transparent toner is used ineffectively because a gloss is obtained even in a printing art paper having a relatively smooth and glossy surface coated with a resin. Sometimes. However, if the use of the transparent toner is restricted for the uniquely glossy paper, a problem remains when the background pattern is intentionally used. Even when recycled paper is used because high glossiness is not required, if the information on the use of transparent toner is included in the image information, the transparent toner is used and the transparent toner is wasted. There is a case.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and the object of the present invention is to use the transparent toner wastefully by setting each transfer material container with respect to the use of the transparent toner. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of suppressing the above-described problem.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement.

  (1) In an image forming apparatus capable of superimposing a color toner image and a transparent toner image on a transfer material, one or more transfer material storage units for storing the transfer material, and information and printing conditions of the transfer material And a condition setting unit that inputs and sets the condition, and the condition setting unit can set whether or not the transparent toner image can be formed with respect to the transfer material stored in the transfer material storage unit. An image forming apparatus.

  (2) The image forming apparatus according to (1), wherein the condition setting unit can individually set whether or not the transparent toner image can be formed on each of a front surface and a back surface of the transfer material. apparatus.

  (3) The image forming apparatus according to (1) or (2), wherein the condition setting unit can determine whether or not to form the transparent toner image.

  (4) The image forming apparatus according to (1), further including a control unit that controls image formation based on the information and the printing conditions, wherein the control unit is configured to control the transparent toner image set by the condition setting unit. An image forming apparatus that controls image formation on the basis of whether or not it can be formed.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress unnecessary use of transparent toner in an image forming apparatus that applies transparent toner.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[Image forming apparatus: FIG. 1]
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus main body 100 and a reader 101. The image forming apparatus transfers the image of the original 141 read by the reader 101 from any of the paper feed decks from the uppermost deck 120 to the lowermost deck 123 serving as a transfer material storage unit (hereinafter referred to as “transfer material”). Image). Note that 121 is an upper deck and 122 is a lower deck.

  The reader 101 is configured as follows. First, an irradiation unit 138 including a lamp for irradiating the document 141 is formed. Then, it includes a mirror unit 139 for causing the reflected light of the document 141 irradiated by the irradiation unit 138 to reach the photoelectric conversion unit 150 that converts the light into image data through the lens 140. The document image data read by the photoelectric conversion unit 150 of the reader 101 is sent to the image processing unit of the image forming apparatus main body 100.

  Reference numerals 102 to 106 denote development stations for respective colors that form an electrostatic latent image and develop the image on the photosensitive member with toner. In this embodiment, 102 is black, 103 is yellow, 104 is magenta, 105 is cyan, and 106 is a transparent toner developing station.

  The black developing station 102 will be described as a representative of the configuration of each of the developing stations 102 to 106 (the reference numerals in the figure are also given only to the configuration of the black developing station 102). The document image read by the reader 101 is color-separated by the image processing unit 202 in FIG. 2, and black image data among the color-separated data is reflected to the mirror 110 by the light beam from the laser of the laser scanner unit 109. Irradiates the photosensitive member 111. At this time, the photosensitive member 111 is uniformly charged to a predetermined potential by the primary charger 108, and an image formed as an electrostatic latent image is formed by irradiation with a light beam according to image data. The electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member 111 is developed with black toner from the developing device 112. The developed image is transferred from the photoreceptor 111 to the intermediate transfer belt 115 by the primary transfer roller 113. Similarly, in each of the other development stations 103 to 106, image data that has been color-separated corresponding to each color is developed on each photoconductor and transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 115 by the primary transfer roller 113. At this time, when developing a document image from the reader 101 or a PDL (Page Description Language) image (not shown) printed out from a PC or the like, the following operation is performed. That is, the image data developed at each of the development stations 102 to 106 is written with a laser irradiated from each laser scanner unit at a timing such that the image position is matched on the intermediate transfer belt 115, and the respective images are superimposed. Form.

  Here, a method for transferring an image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 115 onto a sheet will be described. For example, when the image is transferred onto a sheet loaded on the uppermost deck 120, the image is first picked up by the pickup roller 124. Then, the drawing roller 125 transports the sheet sent to the vertical path roller 126 on the vertical path transport path 119 to the registration roller 118, where it temporarily stops. When the leading edge of the image on the intermediate transfer belt 115 reaches a predetermined position, the registration roller 118 is driven, and a transfer bias is applied by the secondary transfer roller 117 to transfer the image onto the sheet. Further, the sheet on which the image is transferred is sent to the fixing device 128 through the conveyance path 127. The fixing device 128 melts the toner image transferred onto the paper while sandwiching the paper by the upper fixing roller 129 and the lower fixing belt 130 heated by a heater (not shown) up to a temperature at which the toner melts, Let it settle. Then, the flapper 131 is sent to the outer paper discharge conveyance path 132 or the duplex / reverse conveyance path 133. The destination is sent to the operation unit 201 described in FIG. 3 or the PDL image print driver setting (single-sided / double-sided, sort / non-sort, etc.) and the double-sided / reverse carrying path 133. It is determined in the transport mode according to the setting of the paper that cannot be performed.

  When the paper is sent to the outer paper discharge conveyance path 132, it is sent to the outer paper discharge roller 137 and discharged outside the image forming apparatus main body 100. When the sheet is sent to the duplex / reverse conveyance path 133, the sheet is sent to the duplex / reverse path 135. In the reverse paper discharge mode in which the paper is reversed by the double-side / reverse switching flapper 134 and discharged to the outside of the apparatus, the paper is returned to the double-side / reverse conveyance path 133 and sent to the external paper discharge roller 137 again. The In the duplex mode, the duplex / reverse switching flapper 134 is switched so that the paper in the duplex / reverse path 135 is sent to the duplex conveyance path 136. The sheet on the duplex conveyance path 136 is controlled by the printer control unit 203 in FIG. 2 so as to be sent to the vertical path conveyance path 119 in order to transfer the image to the back side again.

[Control Unit of Image Forming Apparatus: FIG. 2]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a control unit that controls an image forming apparatus main body (hereinafter simply referred to as an image forming apparatus) 100.

  This control unit is mainly configured as follows. That is, the control circuit unit (CPU) 200 as a program execution unit, an operation unit 201 that receives input from a user, and an image processing unit 202 that processes image information from the reader 101 or image information of a PDL image. Has been. Further, the image forming apparatus 100 includes a printer control unit 203 that controls the printing operation, a reader control unit 204 that controls the operation of the reader 101, and a RAM 205 that constitutes a temporary storage unit for arithmetic processing. Among them, the RAM 205 stores information such as a paper feed deck (hereinafter simply referred to as a paper feed tray) information described later.

[Operation section: Fig. 3]
3A to 3E show an operation unit 201 (corresponding to a condition setting unit) of the image forming apparatus 100, and various conditions / information are given to the control circuit unit 200 of the image forming apparatus 100 by the operation unit 201. Enter and set.

  FIG. 3A is a plan view of the operation unit 201 in this embodiment. A touch panel display 201a normally displays the number of copies, the selected paper size, the magnification, and the copy density as shown in FIG. A reset key 201b returns the copy mode to the standard mode. Reference numeral 201c denotes a start key, which starts a copy operation. A stop key 201d interrupts the copy operation. A clear key 201e returns the copy mode to the standard mode. Reference numeral 201f denotes a numeric keypad for setting the number of copies. Reference numeral 201g denotes a color mode selection key, which includes an ACS key, a color key, and a black key. Here, the ACS key is a key for automatically discriminating whether the document is color or monochrome, and outputting in color if the document is in color, and outputting in monochrome if it is monochrome. The Color key is a key for color output regardless of the document. The Black key is a key for monochrome output regardless of the document. Any one of the color mode selection keys 201g is lit.

  Reference numeral 201h denotes a user mode key, and a menu can be selected by pressing the user mode key 201h. When the user mode key 201h is pressed, the touch panel display 201a becomes as shown in FIG. 3C, and the settings for each paper feed stage are set in advance on the setting screens 320 to 323 corresponding to the bottom deck 123 from the top deck 120. You can register. FIG. 3 (c) sets the paper type in each paper feed stage, and is used to optimize various settings such as conveyance and transfer voltage during control during printing operation from the surface property and basis weight. The FIG. 3C shows that the setting screen 320 of the uppermost deck 120 is selected. When the next button 300 is pressed after completing the setting here, the screen shown in FIG. 3D is displayed, and the setting 330 for using the transparent toner can be performed. Here, the use of transparent toner for each paper feed stage can be selected from “permitted”, “warning”, and “impossible”. In the standard, the use of transparent toner is “permitted” for all paper feed stages, but by selecting “warning”, the user can individually determine the use of transparent toner or can prohibit the use.

  The settings in FIGS. 3C and 3D are stored in the RAM 205 as shown in FIG. The paper feed stage ID 401 stores the ID of each paper feed stage. In this embodiment, the upper deck 120 is 1, the upper deck 121 is 2, the lower deck 122 is 3, and the lower deck 123 is 4. The paper size ID 402 stores the paper size ID stored in each paper feed stage. An ID is uniquely assigned to each paper size, and the value larger than the maximum value of the paper size ID is added as an offset as it is in the case of landscape orientation and as it is in the case of portrait orientation. Thus, it is possible to determine which paper size is stored in which direction in each paper feed stage. The surface property 403 stores a value set according to FIG. In this embodiment, plain paper 1, recycled paper 2, colored paper 3, punched paper 4, thick paper 10, OHP film 11, and label paper 12 are used. The transparent toner limit 404 stores the value set according to FIG. “Allow” is 1, “Warning” is 2, and “Not allowed” is 3, and “Allow” is 10, “Warning” is 20, and “Not allowed” is 30 on the back. Is the value as the paper feed tray.

[Operation flow: Fig. 5]
Finally, the printing operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, the printing operation is started when the start key 201c of the operation unit 201 is pressed. Accordingly, image formation control is started by the printer control unit 203 (corresponding to the control means). First, the control is divided depending on whether or not the transparent toner limit 404 of the designated paper feed stage is “warning” (step S1). More specifically, it is determined whether the remainder obtained by dividing the first image if the corresponding image formation is the front surface and 10 if it is the rear surface is 2. If it is “warning”, the screen shown in FIG. 3E asks for input of “permitted” or “not permitted” (step S2). If it is “permitted”, the laser emission of all stations is permitted, and image formation is performed according to the image information (step S3, step S5, step S7). On the contrary, if the input is “impossible” in step S3, the laser emission of the transparent toner station 106 is prohibited, and only the colored toner stations 102 to 105 are emitted to form an image (step S3, step S6, step S7). ). If the transparent toner restriction 404 is not “warning” in step S1, it is determined whether the transparent toner restriction 404 is “permitted” or “impossible” (step S4), and the same control as in step S3 is performed.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, when the user determines that it is not necessary to use transparent toner for OHP, recycled paper, or the like, it is possible to set the use of transparent toner for each paper feed stage. In addition, useless consumption of the transparent toner can be suppressed.

  The operation unit and paper feed stage information used in the present embodiment are merely examples, and it is needless to say that the timely function can be realized by the mechanical configuration and the corresponding paper type.

  For example, for a configuration in which transparent toner is transferred as a gloss imparting device that operates in conjunction with a color image forming apparatus, settings are made for the paper feed stage of the color image forming apparatus, and whether or not the gloss imparting device can be operated. This can be realized by notifying information.

  Further, in this embodiment, the sheet feed deck that is the transfer material storage section is from the uppermost deck 120 to the lowermost deck 123, but is not limited to this.

1 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a control unit that controls the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view of the operation part which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the normal display screen of the touchscreen display which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the paper feed stage setting screen of the touchscreen display which concerns on the Example of this invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a screen for setting transparent toner on a paper feed stage setting screen of a touch panel display according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a screen displayed when a setting for using transparent toner is a warning on the touch panel display according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the paper feed stage information preserve | saved at RAM concerning the Example of this invention. It is a flowchart of the image formation process which concerns on the Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

100 Image forming apparatus main body 101 Reader 120 Top deck (corresponding to transfer material storage section)
121 Upper deck (equivalent to transfer material storage)
122 Lower deck (equivalent to transfer material storage)
123 Bottom deck (equivalent to transfer material storage)
201 operation unit (equivalent to condition setting means)
201a Touch panel display 203 Printer control unit (corresponding to control means)
320 Upper deck setting screen 321 Upper deck setting screen 322 Lower deck setting screen 323 Lower deck setting screen 330 Transparent toner use setting

Claims (4)

In an image forming apparatus capable of superimposing a color toner image and a transparent toner image on a transfer material,
One or more transfer material storage portions for storing the transfer material;
Including condition setting means for inputting and setting information and printing conditions of the transfer material,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the condition setting unit can set whether or not the transparent toner image can be formed on the transfer material stored in the transfer material storage unit.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the condition setting unit can set whether or not the transparent toner image can be formed individually for each of a front surface and a back surface of the transfer material.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the condition setting unit can determine whether or not the transparent toner image can be formed when the transparent toner image is formed. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
Control means for controlling image formation based on the information and the printing conditions;
The image forming apparatus, wherein the control unit controls image formation based on whether or not the transparent toner image can be formed set by the condition setting unit.

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