JP2010241529A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a sheet from jam-stopping between devices in an image forming device, to which a plurality of accessaries are connected and which controls delivery of the sheets between the devices by communication. <P>SOLUTION: A delivery command is transmitted by communications when a sheet is delivered from a device to a device. Normally, the delivery of the sheet is controlled using the delivery command as a reference. Meanwhile, a sensor is provided to a device inlet, so as to detect when the sheet comes. When the sensor senses the sheets at a timing, in which the delivery command is not received, it is determined as a communication error, and the delivery of the sheet is controlled based on the sensor reference. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention provides image forming apparatuses such as printers, facsimiles, and copiers, post-processing apparatuses that perform post-processing such as stapling and bookbinding on sheet bundles output by the image forming apparatus, and sheet materials of various materials. The present invention relates to control of an image forming system including a paper feeding device capable of paper.

  In recent years, a field called on-demand printing has attracted attention as a field related to digital copying machines and printing.

  On-demand printing can meet the demand for various types and small lots, and the contents can be changed, making it suitable for production of documents such as manuals and personal pamphlets.

  With regard to such on-demand printing technology, image forming apparatuses such as digital copying machines have been improved to a level close to printed materials with the recent improvement in image quality, and are distributed in catalogs, product manuals, etc., or in offices. Etc. have been used for printing booklets.

  There are also a variety of apparatuses for shaping sheets output from the image forming apparatus as brochures such as catalogs and manuals.

  For example, a case binding machine that glues a sheet bundle and cuts it after attaching a cover, a saddle stitch binding machine that staples the center of the sheet bundle and then folds it in half, and punches holes in the sheet There are a large number of paper discharge accessories such as a ring binding device that binds with a spiral dedicated member.

  Furthermore, a large-scale image forming system is proposed in which an image forming apparatus and a plurality of post-processing apparatuses are connected to create a series of job operations from image formation output of sheet material to post-processing.

  The image forming apparatus and the plurality of post-processing apparatuses are connected by a communication line, and exchange a control command with each other to deliver a sheet material.

Further, in such an image forming system, when an operation abnormality such as a paper jam occurs in the image forming apparatus or the post-processing apparatus, a large number of sheet materials stay in the apparatus, so that the operation is performed in the downstream apparatus. When an abnormality occurs, the upstream apparatus is generally controlled to discharge a sheet conveyed downstream to a dedicated abnormal paper discharge tray. (See Patent Document 1)
Further, when a communication abnormality occurs, there is a possibility that a control command for delivery is lost. Therefore, as in Patent Document 2, when a communication abnormality is detected, it has been proposed that the downstream apparatus continues the conveyance control with reference to the sheet material detection means (sensor) provided at the conveyance path entrance of the apparatus. .

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-38889 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-321037

  However, due to the recent improvement in printing speed (productivity) of the image forming apparatus and increase in the conveyance speed, if the communication control is switched to the sensor reference after detecting the communication abnormality, there are cases where it is not in time. .

  The detection of the communication abnormality has a slight delay after the communication abnormality occurs. Therefore, if a communication error occurs immediately before delivery of the sheet material and the control command is lost, the downstream device will not accept the sheet even though the upstream device is conveying the sheet. There is a case where a sheet is caught between the apparatus and the apparatus.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example thereof. When two sheet discharge devices (sheet discharge ACC-1 and sheet discharge ACC-2) are connected to the image forming apparatus and a sheet is conveyed from the sheet discharge ACC-1 to the sheet discharge ACC-2, When a communication error occurs and a control command for sheet delivery to be notified from the paper discharge ACC-1 to the paper discharge ACC-2 is lost, as shown in the drawing, the devices of the paper discharge ACC-1 and the paper discharge ACC-2 A sheet material is caught between them. In such a state, it takes time to remove the sheet, and there is a problem that productivity including the processing time is significantly reduced.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems,
Image forming means for forming a desired image on a sheet;
A plurality of paper supply / discharge means connected to the image forming means;
A communication means for notifying the delivery of the sheet between the paper supply / discharge devices;
A carry-in detection unit disposed in a sheet conveyance path of the paper supply / discharge device to detect the carry-in of the sheet;
Control means for controlling sheet conveyance;
The control unit has a first conveyance control mode for performing conveyance control by sending and receiving a sheet delivery notification by the communication unit, and a second control mode for performing conveyance control based on the sheet detection of the carry-in detection unit. ,
When the control means detects the carry-in of the sheet at a timing that is not synchronized with the sheet delivery notification by the communication means while carrying the conveyance control in the first conveyance control mode, Switch to the second control mode and control,
Accordingly, when the sheet delivery notification is not received from the communication unit and the sheet is detected, the conveyance control can be continued by switching the conveyance control mode.

In addition,
Communication abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormality of the communication means;
Even when the communication abnormality detection means detects an abnormality, the control means switches the conveyance control mode to the second conveyance control mode,
Even when an abnormality is detected earlier than the detection of the sheet, the conveyance control can be continued by switching the conveyance control mode.

Also,
After the communication control mode is switched from the second transport control mode to the first transport control mode, when the communication error detection unit stops detecting a communication error, the control unit switches the transport control mode. When the abnormal communication state is canceled, normal operation can be restored.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, in a normal state, while carrying out highly accurate sheet conveyance and post-processing based on a command arriving by communication, the sheet detection means arranged in the sheet delivery unit of each apparatus When the sheet is detected and detected at an abnormal timing, the control is switched to the control based on the sheet detection by the sheet detection means.

  As a result, even when a communication abnormality occurs, it is possible to perform a stop process in which a sheet is not sandwiched between apparatuses, so that the operability after the communication abnormality occurs is greatly improved.

System configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention Flowchart explaining control in the present invention Sequence diagram when control is performed based on the control flowchart in the present invention 1 is a hardware block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure explaining the problem in the prior art

[Example 1]
First, an example of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  Reference numeral 1 denotes an image forming apparatus main body. Next, 2, 3 and 4 are sheet feeders having the same configuration for storing the sheet material P. Reference numerals 5, 6, and 52 are stackers, and 7 is a finisher. Details of these will be described later.

  The image forming apparatus main body 1 first has a photosensitive drum 29, a primary charger 22 that uniformly charges the photosensitive drum around the photosensitive drum, and an exposure that irradiates the photosensitive drum 29 with image data converted into an optical signal. 20, a developing device 21 that converts a latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 29 by the exposure device 20 into a visible image with toner, and a transfer charger that transfers the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 29 to the sheet material P. 24, a separation charger 25 for outputting a high voltage for separating the sheet material P from the photosensitive drum, and a cleaner 23 for collecting the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 29 without being transferred.

  On the other hand, the sheet feeding devices 2, 3, 4 respectively feed storage sheets 12, 11, 10 on which sheet materials P are stacked, and sheet materials P stored in the storage boxes 12, 11, 10 one by one. The sheet feed rollers 9, 8, 19, the lifters 15, 14, 13 that adjust the sheet surface height of the sheet material P to an appropriate position where the sheet feed rollers 9, 8, 19 can feed, and the sheet material P are conveyed. Conveying rollers 18, 17, 16 are provided.

Each of the paper feeding devices 2, 3, and 4 has a heater (not shown) and a blower (not shown) that sends air heated by the heater into the storages 12, 11, and 10. Adjust the humidity. The humidity adjustment control varies depending on the material type of the sheet material P. For example, a basis weight in the 64g / m ² ~105g / m ² approximately plain paper, does not perform the humidity adjustment control. Humidity is adjusted for thick paper having a basis weight exceeding 105 g / m ² .

  Further, when the heater does not reach the target temperature, the sheet material P cannot be started to be conveyed from the sheet feeding devices 2, 3, and 4. For this reason, the time from when a power-on or operation start instruction is issued depending on parameters such as the type of material of the sheet material P stacked on the sheet feeding devices 2, 3, and 4 varies.

  The sheet material P fed from the sheet feeding devices 2, 3, 4 is detected by the image forming apparatus main body 1 by the sheet material detection sensor 27, hits the registration roller 26, and after the skew is corrected, the transfer charger. 24, the toner image is transferred. Thereafter, the toner is conveyed in the direction of the fixing roller 31 by the conveying belt 28. The fixing roller 31 includes a pair of rollers. A halogen heater 32 is built in the upper roller of the pair of fixing rollers.

  Further, a thermistor 30 is disposed in the vicinity of the upper roller of the paired fixing rollers, and detects the temperature of the fixing roller. With this halogen heater, the fixing roller is maintained at a temperature of about 180 degrees Celsius. The sheet material P that has passed through the fixing roller 31 is conveyed to the stacker 5.

  Each of the stackers 5, 6, and 52 has storages 36, 38, and 47 for storing the sheet material P, and stacking trays 35, 39, and 46, and sheets for stacking the sheet materials P of the storages 36, 38, and 47, respectively. Conveying rollers 33, 37, and 45 for conveying the material P, and sample trays 49, 50, and 51 on which a small number of sheet materials P are stacked, are further switched by the flappers 34, 40, and 48. In each stacker, the transport path is when stacking in the storages 36, 38, 47, when transporting the sheet material P to a downstream apparatus, and when stacking the sheet material P on the sample trays 49, 50, 51. There are three transport routes.

  The finisher 7 has a paper discharge tray 43 on which the sheet material P is stacked. The sheet material P is stacked through the conveyance path 42. The image forming apparatus main body 1 includes an operation unit 60 (not shown). Each of the stackers 5, 6, 52, the sheet feeding devices 2, 3, and the finisher 7 has a sheet detection sensor that detects the presence or absence of a sheet material on the most upstream side that receives the sheet on the conveyance path. The sheet material detection sensor 53 (stacker 5), the sheet detection sensor 54 (stacker 6), the sheet detection sensor 55 (stacker 52), the sheet detection sensor 57 (sheet feeding device 2), and the sheet detection sensor 58 (sheet feeding device 3), respectively. ), A sheet detection sensor 56 (finisher 7).

  Next, the electrical configuration of the control circuit necessary for controlling the image forming system will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.

  Reference numeral 306 denotes an external device such as a personal computer (PC) or an image reading device that transmits a print job to the image forming apparatus 1.

  A print job refers to image data and print data (from which device the sheet material for printing the image is supplied, to which device the printed sheet material is discharged, to which post-processing device for the printed sheet material. Information necessary for performing post-processing or printing, such as job completion).

  The print job transmitted from the external apparatus 306 is received by the external I / F 307 of the image forming apparatus 1.

  A print job received by the external I / F 307 is sent to the memory controller 309.

  The memory controller 309 extracts image data from the print job and sends it to the compression / decompression unit 310. Since the image data is compressed, the compression / decompression unit 310 converts the sent image data into internal data.

  The image data converted into internal data is stored in the hard disk 311. The hard disk 311 can also be configured by other storage means having a large capacity.

  On the other hand, the memory controller 309 extracts print data from the print job and sends it to the job control unit 301.

  When the job control unit 301 receives the print data, the job control unit 301 checks the operation status and processing capability of the case binding machine 200 via the external I / F 307, determines how to divide the job, and starts the printing operation. The operation start is transmitted to the print control unit 302.

  The job control unit 301 has a memory 320 (not shown), and stores information related to job division.

  When the print control unit 302 receives the operation start from the job control unit 301, the print control unit 302 transmits the operation start to the printer unit 303, and performs an ACC I operation start to the paper feeding device and paper discharge devices 305 and 313 used by the print job. Send via / F304.

  The sheet feeders 305 and 313 are the sheet feeders 2, 3, 4, the inserter 5, the stackers 5, 6, 52, and the finisher 7 in this embodiment.

  The paper feed devices 305 and 313 have different functions, but have the same configuration as an electrical block, and exchange commands such as operation start from the image forming apparatus 1. Communication I / Fs 314 and 315, input / output I / Fs 318 and 319 for driving a load such as a motor or receiving a sensor signal, and communication with the image forming apparatus 1 and an adjacent apparatus. It is comprised from the accessory control parts 316 and 318 which control and perform control of conveyance of a sheet | seat material, and post-processing.

  On the other hand, the printer unit 303 is a part that forms an image on the sheet material of the image forming apparatus main body 1. When preparations for starting the operation of the printer unit 303 and the paper feeders 305 and 313 are completed, the job control unit 301 requests image data from the memory controller 309 for each page. The memory controller 309 reads the image data converted into internal data from the hard disk 311, and the compression / decompression unit 310 decompresses the image data into bitmap data that can be printed by the image forming apparatus body 1 and stores it in the page memory 308. To do.

  The job control unit 301 transmits the bitmap data sent from the memory controller 309 to the printer unit 303 via the print control unit 302.

  In addition to instructing the printer unit 303 to perform image formation, the print control unit 303 instructs the sheet feeding device to start transporting the sheet material, and sends the sheet material information to the paper discharge device in accordance with the sheet material transport path. Send via / F304.

  Furthermore, when the print job is completed, the job control unit 301 instructs the print control unit 302 to end the operation. If necessary, the print control unit 302 instructs an arbitrary device of the paper feeding device discharge device 305 or 313 via the ACC I / F 304 to end the operation, and instructs the printer unit 303 to end the operation. If the next print job arrives from the external device 306 while the print control unit 302 is executing a print job, the image data is stored in the hard disk 311 via the memory controller 309, and the print data is stored in the job control unit 301. Are stored, and when the previous print job is completed, the next print job is sequentially executed.

  Next, the conveyance control in the present invention will be described using the flowchart of FIG.

  This flowchart can be applied to the conveyance control of any of the sheet feeders 2, 3, 4, stackers 5, 6, 52, and finisher 7 described in FIG.

  When this sequence is executed, first, in S201, it is determined whether or not a sheet transfer command comes from an adjacent upstream apparatus.

  If a sheet delivery command has not arrived, the process advances to step S202 to determine whether the above-described sheet detection sensor has detected a sheet.

  In S202, if the sheet material sensor does not detect the sheet material, the process proceeds to S203. In S203, it is checked whether a communication abnormality has occurred. If a communication abnormality has not occurred, the process returns to S201.

  In S201, if a sheet delivery command has arrived from an adjacent upstream device, the process proceeds to S208, in which it is determined whether the sheet material sensor detects a sheet material. If not detected, the process proceeds to S210.

  In S209, normal sheet processing is performed. As an example of normal processing, based on the information of the paper discharge destination given to the sheet delivery command from the adjacent device, it is determined whether to convey the sheet to the downstream device or to stack it on the own device, It is to carry out desired conveyance control.

  In S210, it is determined whether the time has elapsed since the sheet delivery command arrived in S201. If the predetermined time has not elapsed, the process returns to S208. If the predetermined time has elapsed, it is determined that a paper jam has occurred, and the process proceeds to S211.

  In S211, the conveyance control of the sheet existing on the conveyance path of the own apparatus is stopped, and the upstream apparatus is notified that a paper jam has occurred, and the process proceeds to S212.

  In S212, it is determined whether or not all the sheets in the own apparatus stopped in S211 have been removed. If removed, the process returns to S201.

  In S202, the case where the sheet detection sensor detects a sheet means that the sheet has arrived at the own apparatus without receiving a sheet transfer command from an apparatus adjacent to the upstream side of the own apparatus. This means that the sheet delivery command is missing due to an abnormality. In this case, the process proceeds to S205.

  If it is detected in S203 that a communication abnormality has occurred, the sheet may arrive at the device without receiving a sheet delivery command, so the process proceeds to S204, and the sheet detection sensor detects the sheet. Find out if you are doing.

  If the sheet detection sensor detects a sheet in S204, the process proceeds to S205, and if not, the process proceeds to S206.

  In step S205, sheet conveyance control is performed when an abnormality occurs. An example of sheet conveyance control when an abnormality occurs is control for driving the flappers 34, 40, 48 in the stackers 5, 6, 52 to convey the sheet material to the sample trays 49, 50, 51.

  In S206, it is determined whether the time has elapsed from the timing when the sheet detection sensor detects the sheet without the arrival of the sheet delivery command in S202 or when the communication abnormality occurs. If it is determined that the predetermined time has elapsed, the process proceeds to S211. If the predetermined time has not elapsed, the process proceeds to S207.

  In S207, it is checked whether or not the abnormal state has been cancelled. If the communication abnormal state has not been cancelled, there is a possibility that a command does not arrive from the upstream device and the sheet may be conveyed. Is returned to S204.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S207 that the communication abnormality has been canceled, the process proceeds to S211 to end the conveyance control and perform a paper jam stop process.

  Next, an example of the conveyance control of the present invention described using the flowchart of FIG. 2 will be described using the sequence diagram of FIG.

  The vertical direction in the figure means the time axis, and the horizontal direction means the arrangement of devices. In FIG. 3, the sheet material image-formed by the image forming apparatus 1 passes through the stacker 5 and is loaded on the storage 38 of the stacker 6, and a communication abnormality occurs at the delivery of the stacker 5 and the stacker 6. Show. First, when delivering the sheet material, a delivery command is notified to the downstream apparatus (401). The device that has received the delivery command transmits a response command to the transmission source (402). The stacker 5 that has received the response command 402 controls the conveyance in order to deliver the sheet to the downstream stacker 6 (403). As shown in the figure, the delivery command is notified prior to the arrival of the sheet (404).

  If a communication abnormality occurs at the timing when the sheet transfer command is transmitted from the stacker 5 to the stacker 6, the sheet transfer command is not transmitted (405). Therefore, the stacker 5 does not receive the response command described above, but the sheet reaches the stacker 6 earlier than determining the reception timeout (406). Therefore, the stacker 6 determines that the state is abnormal, and performs sheet processing based on the sheet detection of the sheet detection sensor (407).

  The abnormal communication state is detected with a slight delay after the abnormal state actually starts (408). When a communication abnormality occurs, the stacker 5 and the stacker 6 wait for arrival of a sheet for a predetermined time (409) and stop (410) because there is a possibility that the sheet will arrive without a delivery command. . Thereafter, when the communication abnormality is canceled (411), a return process is performed (412), and the normal state is restored.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2, 3, 4 Paper feeder 5, 6, 52 Stacker 7 Finisher 301 Job control part 302 Print control part 303 Printer part 304 ACC I / F
306 External device 307 External I / F
308 page memory 309 memory controller 310 compression / decompression 311 hard disk 320 memory

Claims (3)

Image forming means for forming a desired image on a sheet;
A plurality of paper supply / discharge means connected to the image forming means; a communication means for notifying the delivery of the sheet between the paper supply / discharge apparatuses; and the sheet disposed in the sheet conveyance path of the paper supply / discharge apparatus. Carry-in detection means for detecting carry-in,
Control means for controlling sheet conveyance; and the control means performs conveyance control based on a first conveyance control mode in which conveyance control is performed by sending and receiving a sheet delivery notification by the communication means, and sheet detection by the carry-in detection means. Has a second control mode to perform,
When the control means detects the carry-in of the sheet at a timing that is not synchronized with the sheet delivery notification by the communication means while carrying the conveyance control in the first conveyance control mode, Switch to the second control mode and control,
An image forming apparatus. Communication abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormality of the communication means;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit switches the conveyance control mode to the second conveyance control mode even when the communication abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality.   3. The control unit according to claim 2, wherein when the communication abnormality detecting unit stops detecting a communication abnormality, the control unit switches the communication abnormality from the second conveyance control mode to the first conveyance control mode. Image forming apparatus.