JP2010175787A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of forming an image formed such that paper on which the image has been formed can be easily folded while suppressing deterioration of the image. <P>SOLUTION: Multifunction equipment A includes: a first storage part 7a configured to store an image area showing a range where image data is formed on the paper; a second storage part 7b configured to store a fold position showing the position of a mark formed on the paper corresponding to information on a way of folding including information that the paper is folded into some, which is input by an operation display part 10; and an image forming part 8 configured to perform image forming to the paper based on composite image data of the image data and the mark when a first decision part 11 decides that the fold position is not included in the image area. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image so that tri-folding can be easily performed.

Conventionally, when a document is output, the output paper may be folded for filing after being folded or for output into an envelope. For example, there is an image forming apparatus as disclosed in Patent Document 1 in which folding position information is formed on a sheet together with image data at the time of image formation so that the sheet after image formation can be folded by a simple operation.
JP-A-8-6172

  According to the invention described in Patent Document 1, when a document is output, in order to prevent a mark indicating fold position information from being combined with an important part and becoming unreadable, the image is reduced by reducing the image. A margin portion is formed at the peripheral portion, and a mark is synthesized with the margin portion. However, in the case of an actual size drawing, the image may be reduced and the use as a drawing may not be achieved.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and is capable of forming an image that can easily fold a sheet after image formation while suppressing image deterioration. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to solve the above problems, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a first storage unit that stores an image area indicating a range in which image data is formed on a sheet, and information regarding how many sheets the sheet is folded. An input unit for inputting folding method information; and a second storage unit for storing a fold position indicating a position of a mark formed on the sheet corresponding to the folding method information input by the input unit; A first determination unit that determines whether or not the fold position is included in the image area, and a case where the first determination unit determines that the fold position is not included in the image area. And an image forming unit that performs an image forming process on the sheet based on the combined image data of the image data and the mark.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention can form an image that can easily fold a sheet after image formation while suppressing image deterioration.

  Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described by taking a multifunction peripheral having both a copying function, a printing function, and a FAX transmission / reception function as an example.

  FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a multifunction peripheral A according to this embodiment. The multi-function device A includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 2, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 3, various sensor groups 4, a paper transport unit 5, an image reading unit 6, a storage unit 7, and image formation. Unit 8, transmission / reception unit 9, and operation display unit 10.

  The CPU 1 is based on a control program stored in the ROM 2, image data stored in the storage unit 7, various instructions input from an external device via the transmission / reception unit 9, and operation instructions input from the operation display unit 10. To control the overall operation of the multifunction device A. The CPU 1 also functions as a first determination unit 11, a second determination unit 12, and an editing unit 13 described later. The details of the control process of the CPU 1 will be described below as the operation of the multifunction device A.

  The ROM 2 is a non-volatile memory that stores a control program executed by the CPU 1 and other data.

  The RAM 3 is a volatile memory used as a working area as a temporary storage destination of data when the CPU 1 executes a control program and performs various operations.

  The various sensor groups 4 are various sensors necessary for an image forming operation such as a paper out detection sensor, a paper jam detection sensor, a paper position detection sensor, a temperature sensor, and the like, and various kinds of information detected by each sensor are detected signals. To the CPU 1.

  The paper transport unit 5 transports the paper stored in the paper tray to the image forming unit 8 and a motor for driving the transport roller, and transports the paper after image formation to a paper discharge tray (not shown). For example, a conveyance roller and a conveyance roller driving motor.

  The image reading unit 6 includes an automatic document feeder (ADF) and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor, and causes the CCD sensor to read images of documents sequentially fed by the ADF and outputs image data based on the document image. To do. The image reading unit 6 outputs the image data to the CPU 1, while the CPU 1 stores the image data in the storage unit 7.

  The storage unit 7 is, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and stores image data under the control of the CPU 1.

  Under the control of the CPU 1, the image forming unit 8 transfers a print image formed by toner based on the image data stored in the storage unit 7 onto a sheet conveyed from the sheet conveyance unit 5, and the print image Fixing process is performed.

  The transmission / reception unit 9 is connected to an external device such as a personal computer (not shown) via a local area network (not shown), and transmits / receives various signals to / from the external device.

  The operation display unit 10 includes a start key, a stop key, a power key, a numeric keypad (numerical value input key), a touch panel 10a, a clear key, and other various operation keys, and outputs an operation instruction for each key to the CPU 1. At the same time, under the control of the CPU 1, various screens are displayed on the touch panel 10a.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation display unit 10 of FIG.
The operation display unit 10 is arranged at the upper part of the multi-function device A, and a touch panel 10a for performing display output to the user and inputting instructions from the user is arranged at the center.

  On the touch panel 10a, the user inputs folding information including information on how many sheets to fold (such as three folds). This input is performed, for example, by displaying a plurality of patterns such as two folds, three folds, and four folds on the touch panel 10a, and allowing the user to select one pattern from them. Further, the storage unit 7 of FIG. 1 includes a first storage unit 7a and a second storage unit 7b. The first storage unit 7a stores an image area indicating a range where image data is formed on a sheet and a character area indicating a range where character data is formed within the image area. The second storage unit 7b stores a crease position indicating a position of a mark formed on the paper corresponding to the folding information input by the touch panel 10a.

  FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the paper 21 when the image forming unit 8 forms a composite image of the image data and the mark. The paper 21 is, for example, a standard size paper, on which image data including character data is formed. The image area 24 indicates a range where image data is formed, and the character area 23 indicates a range where character data is formed in the image area 24. The information on the fold position is formed as a mark 22 on the outside of the image area 24.

  FIG. 4A is an explanatory diagram showing a case where the mark 22 cannot be formed only on the outside of the image area 24 and is also formed on the inside of the image area 24 in FIG. That is, the image of the mark 22 cannot be formed only outside the image region 24 with the fold position stored in the second storage unit 7b. For this reason, in FIG. 4B, the mark 22 is moved along the folding direction by the editing unit 13 so as not to overlap the character area 23, and the density of the mark 22 is reduced and the size is reduced.

  As a result, even when the mark 22 is combined, it is possible to prevent the image data from being unreadable, and the image data is not reduced. Therefore, it is possible to form an image that can easily fold the paper 21 after the image formation while suppressing deterioration of the image.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing from an image composition instruction for compositing image data and a mark indicating information on the fold position to completion of image formation.

  In step S1, an instruction to form an image, information on how to fold the paper 21, and image data to be image-formed are received from a personal computer or the operation display unit 10 and the image reading unit 6 via the transmission / reception unit 9. The image data is stored in the storage unit 7. Then, the process proceeds to step S2.

  In step S2, the CPU 1 extracts a fold position corresponding to the folding information received in step S1 from the fold positions stored in the second storage unit 7b. For example, when three folds (three equal parts in the vertical direction) are selected, fold positions as shown in FIGS. 3 to 4 are extracted. Then, the process proceeds to step S3.

  In step S3, the CPU 1 combines the image data received in step S1 with the mark 22 set at the fold position extracted in step S2 in the RAM 3. Then, the process proceeds to step S4.

  In step S <b> 4, the first determination unit 11 determines whether or not each fold position of the mark 22 of the combined image data combined in step S <b> 3 is included in the image region 24. If it is determined that the image area 24 is included, the process proceeds to step S5. If it is determined that it is not included in the image area 24, the process proceeds to step S8.

  In step S5, the mark 22 determined to be included in the image area 24 in step S4 is moved to a predetermined position (previously stored in the first storage unit 7a or the like) in the image area 24. Then, the process proceeds to step S6.

  In step S <b> 6, the second determination unit 12 determines whether the mark 22 moved in step S <b> 4 is included in the character area 23. If it is determined that it is included in the character area 23, the process proceeds to step S7. If it is determined that it is not included in the character area 23, the process proceeds to step S8. Not limited to this, when it is determined in step S6 that the mark 22 is included in the character area 23, the process returns to step S5 and the mark 22 is moved to another position in the image area 24 and determined in step S6. It is also possible to proceed to step S7 after repeating the process of performing multiple times.

  In step S7, the mark 22 determined to be included in the character area 23 in step S6 is subjected to editing processing such as making its density lighter than the character data density or reducing its size. Then, the process proceeds to step S8.

  In step S <b> 8, composite image data (print image) obtained by combining the mark 22 and the image data is formed on the paper 21.

  In the above description, the case has been described in which determination, movement, or editing is performed in steps S4 to S7 after the mark 22 and image data are combined in step S3. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and determination, movement, or Image composition may be performed after editing.

  In addition to the information on how many sheets 21 are folded, the user can input the folding direction (mountain fold or valley fold) of each mark 22 as information on how to fold the sheet 21, and mark different patterns for each folding direction. 22 may be combined with the image. This makes it possible to fold the paper 21 after the image formation more easily.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

2 is a functional block diagram of a multifunction peripheral A according to the present embodiment. FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the operation display part 10 which concerns on this embodiment. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a sheet 21 when an image is formed on a sheet by combining image data as one example according to the present embodiment and a composite image of the mark. It is explanatory drawing of the paper 21 at the time of image-forming on the paper the image data which is another example which concerns on this embodiment, and the synthesized image of the said mark. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the image processing which concerns on this embodiment.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 CPU, 2 ROM, 3 RAM, 4 various sensor groups, 5 paper conveyance part, 6 image reading part, 7 memory | storage part, 7a 1st memory | storage part, 7b 2nd memory | storage part, 8 image formation part, 9 transmission / reception part DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Operation display part, 10a Touch panel, 11 1st determination part, 12 2nd determination part, 13 edit part

Claims (5)

A first storage unit for storing an image area indicating a range in which image data is formed on a sheet;
An input unit for inputting folding information including information on how to fold the paper;
A second storage unit for storing a fold position indicating a position of a mark formed on the sheet in correspondence with the folding method information input by the input unit;
A first determination unit that determines whether or not the fold position is included in the image region;
When the first determination unit determines that the fold position is not included in the image area, the image forming unit performs an image forming process on the sheet based on the composite image data of the image data and the mark. An image forming apparatus. The image data includes character data,
When the first determination unit determines that the fold position is included in the image area, the fold position is included in a character area indicating a range in which the character data is formed in the image area. A second determination unit for determining whether or not
An editing unit that performs a predetermined editing process on the mark when the second determination unit determines that the fold position is included in the character area;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming unit performs the image forming process based on composite image data of the image data and the mark subjected to the editing process.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the editing process includes a process of making a density of the mark thinner than a density of the character data.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the editing process includes a process of reducing the mark. The folding method information further includes information indicating a folding direction in each of the marks,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming unit performs the image forming process based on composite image data of the image data and the mark provided with a different pattern for each folding direction.

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