JP2011090245A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus which can effectively use generated energy by an environment-friendly natural energy source not only in a standby state but also in a normal operating state. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus includes a fixing device fixing an image formed on a recording medium with an electrophotographic system by heating processing of a heating means. In the image forming apparatus, power is supplied from power generation sources by a commercial power source and a natural energy source, and the fixing device has a plurality of heating means. The image forming apparatus has: a determination part determining whether the generated energy by the natural energy source is electric energy which can use one heating means in the fixing device; and a power switching part switching the electric power supply to the heating means from the commercial power source to the natural energy source when the determination part determines that it is the electric energy which can use the heating means. Thus, energy saving is promoted by replacing one part of the power from the commercial power source by the power by the natural energy source. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that heats and fixes an image formed on a recording medium using an electrophotographic system.

Generally, image forming apparatuses such as printing machines, copiers, printers, and facsimiles used in offices are required to increase speed and color. High-speed machines do not perform color printing compared to low-speed machines. Compared to monochrome printing, it is necessary to increase the fixing temperature in order to ensure the fixing property, and much energy is required.
On the other hand, in recent years, interest in environmental issues has increased, consumers have been demanding environmentally friendly products, and producers have been working on developing environmentally friendly products.

  For example, the image forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a battery charged with a commercial power source and photovoltaic power, and operates with a commercial power source that is a main power source in a normal operation state. When operating with electric power, the main power supply is turned off and the battery is switched as the power supply, and when the power supplied from the battery falls below a predetermined value, the main power supply is switched over. This reduces the amount of commercial power consumption, conserves resources, and prevents environmental pollution.

JP 2002-78196 A

  However, in Patent Document 1 described above, a battery that is charged by solar power generation, which is a natural energy source that is good for the environment, is provided, and the power supply from the main power supply is merely replaced by solar power generation only in a standby state. Absent.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and provides an image forming apparatus that can effectively use the amount of power generated by a natural energy source that is good for the environment not only in a standby state but also in a normal operation state. For the purpose.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus provided with a fixing device that fixes an image formed on a recording medium using an electrophotographic method by heating with a heating unit. The following configuration was made so that printing in consideration of the environment was possible.

(1) The image forming apparatus is supplied with power from a commercial power source and a power source generated by a natural energy source, the fixing device has a plurality of heating units, and the amount of power generated by the natural energy source is one of the fixing devices. A determination unit that determines whether or not the amount of power that can be used by one heating unit is determined, and when the determination unit determines that the heating unit is an amount of power that can be used, the power of the heating unit A power source switching unit that switches supply from a commercial power source to a natural energy source.

(2) The image forming apparatus is supplied with power from a commercial power source and a power source generated by a natural energy source, and the fixing device includes a plurality of first heating units supplied with power from the commercial power source and a power source generated by the natural energy source. A determination unit that determines whether or not the amount of power generated by the natural energy source is an amount of power that can use the second heating unit; When it is determined that the second heating means has a usable amount of power, in addition to supplying power to the plurality of first heating means, power is supplied to the second heating means from a power generation source by a natural energy source. A power switching unit.

(3) The image forming apparatus is supplied with electric power from a commercial power source and a power source generated from a natural energy source. The fixing device includes a plurality of first heating units supplied with power from the commercial power source and a power source generated from the natural energy source. A determination unit that determines whether or not the amount of power generated by the natural energy source is an amount of power that can use the second heating unit; When it is determined that the second heating means has a usable power amount, the power supply to one of the plurality of first heating means is cut off, and the second heating means is supplied with a natural energy source. A power source switching unit that switches to supply power from the power generation source.

  In the image forming apparatus, when the determination unit determines that the heating unit or the second heating unit has a usable amount of power, it displays that the power generation by the natural energy source can be used. Therefore, it is possible to prompt the user to raise awareness of energy saving.

  According to the present invention, the amount of power generated by a natural energy source that is good for the environment can be effectively used not only in the standby state but also in the normal operation state, so that energy saving can be promoted.

It is a schematic block diagram of the electric power supply in the multifunctional device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a fixing device in a belt fixing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart explaining operation | movement of a control part. It is the example which displayed that the electric power by solar power generation was usable.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In this embodiment, a multi-function machine is used as an image forming apparatus. However, a printing apparatus, a copying apparatus, or the like provided with a fixing device that melts toner by heat using an electrophotographic method and fixes the toner on a recording medium is also used. The same can be applied.

<Power supply to MFP>

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of power supply in a multifunction peripheral according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a configuration centering on power supply to the fixing device, and it is assumed that power is supplied from a commercial power source to parts other than the fixing device.
In FIG. 1, the multifunction device 20 includes a main body control unit 21, a power supply switching unit 22, a fixing lamp control unit 23, and a fixing device 24.
The power to the multifunction device 20 is supplied from a commercial power source by the main body AC cord 40 and also from a separately installed solar power generation device 30.

The solar power generation device 30 converts direct current power generated by a plurality of solar cells 30a installed outdoors in a sunny place into alternating current power, and supplies the alternating current power to the multifunction device 20 connected to the cord.
Further, the solar power generation controller 30b responds to the power generation amount of solar power generation in response to a request from the multifunction machine 20.

  The main body AC cord 40 is a cord drawn from an AC commercial power source and supplies power to the main body of the multi-function device 20.

The main body control unit 21 includes a control unit 21a, a voltage information acquisition unit 21b, an operation unit 21c, a memory 21d, and the like.
The control unit 21a includes a central processing unit (CPU), a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), and the like, reads various control programs and setting information from the memory 21d, and executes the read control program. Thus, various functions of the multi-function device 20 are realized. Also included in this embodiment are power supply switching by a user instruction, lighting control of a fixing lamp, and the like.
The voltage information acquisition unit 21b acquires the power generation amount of solar power generation by communicating with the solar power generation controller 30b at predetermined time intervals.

The operation unit 21c accepts operation inputs by a plurality of operation keys and touch operations and outputs the operation inputs to the control unit 21a, or displays the operation status of the user on an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) integrated with the touch panel. Information from the control unit 21a is output.
The memory 21d stores various control programs of the multifunction device 20, fixed information used by the various control programs, setting information set by the user when using the multifunction device 20, or images processed by the multifunction device 20. Store data etc.

The power switching unit 22 includes switches 22b and 22c, and constantly supplies commercial power from the main body AC cord 40 to the fixing lamp lighting circuit 23a. The switch 22b switches so as to turn on or off the supply of commercial power from the main body AC cord 40 in accordance with a switching signal input from the control unit 21a.
In addition, the switch 22c switches on or off the supply of the commercial power from the main body AC cord 40 and the power from the solar power generation device 30 in accordance with a switching signal input from the control unit 21a.

  The fixing lamp control unit 23 includes fixing lamp lighting circuits 23a to 23c corresponding to the fixing lamps (heating means) 24a to 24c, and the fixing lamps (heating means) 24a according to a signal input from the control unit 21a. .About.24c are turned on and off.

The fixing device 24 records toner with a heating roller and a pressure roller heated so that the fixing lamps (heating means) 24a to 24c are turned on or off by the fixing lamp lighting circuits 23a to 23c so as to reach a predetermined fixing temperature. By thermocompression bonding to the medium, the toner image transferred to the recording medium is melted, mixed and pressed to be thermally fixed.
The fixing lamps (heating means) 24a and 24b are fixing heater lamps (heating means) that are supplied with a commercial power supply that is normally supplied from the main body AC cord 40, and the fixing lamps (heating means) 24c are the main body AC cords. The fixing heater lamp (heating means) uses a commercial power source supplied from 40 or the solar power generation device 30 as a supply source.

Next, the fixing device 24 according to the present invention will be described in detail.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of the fixing device 24 in the belt fixing system according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a fixing device 24 includes a fixing roller 1, a pressure roller 2, an endless fixing belt 3, a heating roller 4 for suspending and heating the fixing belt 3, and heating the heating roller 4. Fixing lamps (heating means) 5, 6, 7.

  The fixing device 24 fixes the unfixed toner image 8 formed on the surface of the recording medium P to the recording medium P by heat and pressure. In the fixing, the recording medium P carrying the unfixed toner image 8 is conveyed at a predetermined fixing speed and a copying speed in the fixing nip portion 9 where the fixing belt 3 heated by the heating roller 4 and the pressure roller 2 are pressed against each other. Done by heat and pressure.

  Fixing lamps (heating means) 5, 6, 7 for heating the heating roller 4 are arranged inside the heating roller 4. By supplying (energizing) power to the fixing lamps (heating means) 5, 6 and 7, the fixing lamps (heating means) 5, 6 and 7 emit light, and infrared rays are emitted. As a result, the inner peripheral surface of the heating roller 4 is heated by absorbing infrared rays, and the entire heating roller 4 is heated.

  The power supply to the fixing device 24 as described above is as follows. The energy saving mode refers to printing by replacing a part of the commercial power supplied with a natural energy source (photovoltaic power), and the normal mode is a natural energy source (solar power). It means that printing is done only with the power of the commercial power supply without using the power of the power generation).

  When performing high-speed printing or color printing, it is necessary to turn on the three fixing lamps 5, 6, and 7. In the normal mode, the switch 22b of the power supply switching unit 22 is switched to the terminal a, and the switch 22c is switched to the terminal a. As a result, commercial power is supplied from the main body AC cord 40 to the fixing lamp 5 (fixing lamp 24a), the fixing lamp 6 (fixing lamp 24b), and the fixing lamp 7 (fixing lamp 24c).

  In the energy saving mode, the switch 22b of the power supply switching unit 22 is switched to the terminal a, and the switch 22c is switched to the terminal b. Thus, commercial power is supplied from the main body AC cord 40 to the fixing lamp 5 (fixing lamp 24a) and the fixing lamp 6 (fixing lamp 24b), and the solar power generator 30 is supplied to the fixing lamp 7 (fixing lamp 24c). Is supplied with power.

  Further, when performing monochrome low-speed printing, in the normal mode, the switch 22b of the power supply switching unit 22 is switched to the terminal a, and the switch 22c is switched to the terminal c. As a result, commercial power is supplied from the main body AC cord 40 to the fixing lamp 5 (fixing lamp 24a) and the fixing lamp 6 (fixing lamp 24b), and the power to the fixing lamp 7 (fixing lamp 24c) is cut off.

  In the energy saving mode, the switch 22b of the power supply switching unit 22 is switched to the terminal b, and the switch 22c is switched to the terminal b. As a result, commercial power is supplied from the main body AC cord 40 to the fixing lamp 5 (fixing lamp 24a), power is supplied from the photovoltaic power generator 30 to the fixing lamp 7 (fixing lamp 24c), and the fixing lamp 6 (fixing). The power to the lamp 24b) is cut off.

<Operation of control unit>
FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the control unit 21a according to the embodiment of the present invention.
The control unit 21a communicates with the solar power generation device 30 through the voltage information acquisition unit 21b, acquires the power generation amount of solar power generation, and checks whether there is a power generation amount equal to or greater than the wattage of the fixing heater lamp (fixing lamp 24c). (Step S1).

When it is determined that solar power generation can be used (YES in step S1), the operation unit 21c displays that energy-saving printing is possible and high-speed / color printing is possible (step S2). .
For example, if the current photovoltaic power generation amount “2.5 kW” is displayed as indicated by 51 in FIG. 4, it can be determined whether the operation is possible in the energy saving mode, and the possible printing speed is indicated at 52 in FIG. 4. The Further, when color printing is possible, “color printing is possible” is displayed at 52 in FIG.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the use of solar power generation is not possible (NO in step S1), an energy saving display is not performed and the apparatus waits while waiting for a normal printing operation (step S3).

It is confirmed whether or not there is a print job request. If there is no print job request (NO in step S4), the process returns to step S1.
On the other hand, if there is a request for a print job (YES in step S4), whether to perform high-speed printing or color printing is displayed on the operation unit 21c to confirm with the user.
When a request for high-speed printing or color printing is instructed by the user (YES in step S5), the switch 22b of the power supply switching unit 22 is switched to the terminal a, the switch 22c is switched to the terminal b, and the fixing lamp lighting circuit 23a and The fixing lamp lighting circuit 23b is supplied with commercial power from the main body AC cord 40, and the fixing lamp lighting circuit 23c is supplied with power from the solar power generation device 30. The fixing lamp lighting circuits 23a to 23c are used to fix the fixing lamp 24a. ˜24c are turned on and off, and high speed printing or color printing is performed in the energy saving mode (step S6).

  However, when the user has not instructed a request for high-speed printing or color printing (NO in step S5), the switch 22b of the power supply switching unit 22 is switched to the terminal b, the switch 22c is switched to the terminal b, and the fixing lamp is turned on. The circuit 23a is supplied with commercial power from the main body AC cord 40, the fixing lamp lighting circuit 23c is supplied with power from the solar power generator 30, and the fixing lamp lighting circuit 23b is cut off from the power supply, The fixing lamps 24a and 24c are turned on and off by the fixing lamp lighting circuit 23a and the fixing lamp lighting circuit 23c, and monochrome low-speed printing is performed in the energy saving mode (step S7).

  In the above-described embodiment, in the energy saving mode using solar power generation, the high-speed / color printing or the monochrome low-speed printing is performed according to the user's instruction. However, the printing method is set in advance. In addition, the printing method may be automatically shifted to the set printing method.

In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and corrections can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
For example, when the amount of photovoltaic power generation that can be supplied to a plurality of fixing lamps is expected, the power supply switching unit may be supplied to the plurality of fixing lamps.

  Moreover, in said embodiment, although the natural energy source was solar power generation, it can apply similarly as power generation by a wind force, hydraulic power, geothermal, wave power, etc.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Fixing roller, 2 ... Pressure roller, 3 ... Fixing belt, 4 ... Heating roller, 5, 6, 7 ... Fixing lamp (heating means), 8 ... Unfixed toner image, 9 ... Fixing nip part, P ... Recording Medium, 20 ... MFP, 21 ... Main body control unit, 21a ... Control unit, 21b ... Voltage information acquisition unit, 21c ... Operation unit, 21d ... Memory, 22 ... Power supply switching unit, 22b, 22c ... Switch, 23 ... Fixing lamp Control part, 23a-23c ... fixing lamp lighting circuit, 24 ... fixing device, 24a-24c ... fixing lamp (heating means), 30 ... solar power generation device, 30a ... solar battery, 30b ... solar power generation controller, 40 ... main body AC code.

Claims (5)

  In an image forming apparatus having a fixing device for fixing an image formed on a recording medium using an electrophotographic method by heating with a heating unit, the image forming apparatus is supplied from a commercial power source and a power source generated by a natural energy source. An electric power is supplied, the fixing device has a plurality of heating means, and a determination unit that determines whether or not the amount of power generated by the natural energy source is an amount of electric power that can use one of the fixing devices. And a power supply switching unit that switches the supply of power to the heating unit from a commercial power source to a natural energy source when the determination unit determines that the heating unit has a usable amount of power. An image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the determination unit determines that the heating unit has a usable electric energy, the image forming apparatus displays that the power generation by the natural energy source can be used. .   In an image forming apparatus having a fixing device for fixing an image formed on a recording medium using an electrophotographic method by heating with a heating unit, the image forming apparatus is supplied from a commercial power source and a power source generated by a natural energy source. The fixing device includes a plurality of first heating units to which power is supplied from a commercial power source and a second heating unit to which power is supplied from a power generation source by a natural energy source. A determination unit that determines whether the amount of power generation is an amount of power that can use the second heating unit, and when the determination unit determines that the second heating unit is an amount of power that can be used, In addition to supplying power to the plurality of first heating units, an image forming apparatus comprising: a power source switching unit that supplies power from a power source generated by a natural energy source to the second heating unit.   In an image forming apparatus having a fixing device for fixing an image formed on a recording medium using an electrophotographic method by heating with a heating unit, the image forming apparatus is supplied from a commercial power source and a power source generated by a natural energy source. The fixing device includes a plurality of first heating units to which power is supplied from a commercial power source and a second heating unit to which power is supplied from a power generation source by a natural energy source. A determination unit that determines whether the amount of power generation is an amount of power that can use the second heating unit, and when the determination unit determines that the second heating unit is an amount of power that can be used, A power supply switching unit that cuts off power supply to one of the plurality of first heating means and switches the second heating means to supply power from a power generation source by a natural energy source. An image forming apparatus symptoms.   5. The display according to claim 3 or 4, wherein when the determination unit determines that the second heating unit has a usable amount of power, it displays that power generation by a natural energy source can be used. Image forming apparatus.

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