JP2013029659A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus able to prevent such a situation in which even in a case where an error is detected in one of modules, the other modules are prevented from being adversely effected by the error.SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus 1 comprises: a plurality of modules such as an image reading part 7 and an image forming part 10; an element control part provided for each of the modules, configured to control the operation of the corresponding module, and able to communicate with the other modules; and a storage part 21 storing dependence relations among the modules in terms of the respective operations of the modules. When the element control part of one of the modules detects an error in the operating state of the module, the element control part communicates with the other modules that depend on the module from which the error has been detected, based on the dependence relations among the modules stored in the storage part 21, and stops the access of the other modules to the module from which the error has been detected. Then the element control part reactivates the module from which the error has been detected.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus represented by a copying machine and a printer.

  An image forming apparatus represented by a copying machine or a printer is generally formed on a sheet storage unit for stacking and storing sheets, an image formation unit for forming a toner image on the surface of the image carrier, and an image carrier surface. Modules that are various components for forming an image, such as a transfer unit that transfers a toner image onto a sheet and a fixing unit that fixes an unfixed toner image onto a sheet, are arranged at important points. Then, the paper is transported between these modules by a paper transport unit including a transport roller.

  In such an image forming apparatus, an error may occur such that a normal operation cannot be executed for each module. In order to eliminate the error and return to a normal operation state, it is necessary to restart the module in which the error has occurred. However, if the entire image forming apparatus is restarted in order to restart the module in which the error has occurred, there is a concern that a problem arises in that the power must be turned off to the normally started module.

  Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, a conventional technique for restarting a module in which an error has occurred without affecting the power supply to a normally started module has been proposed. Can do. In the power supply control circuit described in Patent Document 1, when an abnormality is detected in a control unit of a module in an apparatus including a plurality of modules, the control in which the abnormality is detected while the power supply to the module in which the abnormality is detected is continued. The means is reset.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-244689

  However, when the conventional technique described in Patent Document 1 is used, the module is restarted without considering the dependency relationship between the module to be restarted (reset) and the other modules. There is a risk of adversely affecting the overall operation. Note that the dependency relationship between modules described here is a relationship such as presence / absence of communication between modules, use / use relationship, activation order, and the like. In other words, if modules are restarted without taking into account dependencies between modules, communication between modules may suddenly be interrupted, the presence of modules to be used cannot be confirmed, or the predetermined startup order may be switched. There is a concern that the image forming apparatus may operate abnormally as a whole.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and even when an error is detected in one of a plurality of modules, it is possible to prevent other modules from being adversely affected, An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of suitably performing an image forming operation.

  In order to solve the above problems, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention controls a plurality of modules and the operation of the corresponding modules provided in each of the plurality of modules, and communicates with the other modules. An element control unit that can be performed, and a storage unit that stores dependency relationships between modules for each operation of the plurality of modules, and the element control unit of one of the modules has an error in the operation state of the module When the element control unit detects the error, the element control unit communicates with another module dependent on the module that detected the error based on the dependency relationship stored in the storage unit, and the other to the module that detected the error. The access to the module was stopped, and the module that detected the error was restarted.

  According to this configuration, when an error is detected in one module of the image forming apparatus, before the module in which the error is detected is restarted, the access of the other module to the module in which the error is detected by communication is appropriate. To be stopped. Therefore, in the image forming apparatus, the occurrence of problems such as sudden interruption of communication between modules or the inability to confirm the presence of a module to be used is suppressed. It is also possible to reset the activation order between modules.

  The “module” described here means a component that executes each procedure related to image formation and handles image data. In the embodiments to be described later, for example, an image reading unit, an operation panel, an exposure unit, an image forming unit, a fixing unit, and a communication unit are referred to as “modules”, but are not limited to such components. .

  Further, the “dependency between modules” described here means a relationship such as the presence / absence of communication between modules, the relationship between use / use, and the activation order as described above.

  The image forming apparatus having the above-described configuration includes a main control unit that performs communication with the element control unit and executes processing related to image formation using the plurality of modules. When there is another module accessing the module that has detected the error when the element control unit detects an error in the operation state of the module, the main control unit controls the operation of the other module. The operation state at the time of the interruption is stored in the storage unit, and the operation of the other module is performed based on the operation state at the time of the interruption stored in the storage unit after restarting the module in which the error is detected. To continue.

  According to this configuration, even when an error is detected in one module of the image forming apparatus, other modules that have accessed the module in which the error has been detected perform all operations before and after the error is detected. There is no need to fix it. Therefore, in the image forming apparatus, the operation before the error detection is prevented from being wasted and the operation time is further increased.

  Further, the image forming apparatus having the above configuration includes a notification unit for notifying the user that an error has occurred in the module that has detected the error.

  According to this configuration, the user can quickly recognize that an error has occurred in the module of the image forming apparatus. Therefore, the user can quickly cope with a failure occurring in the module.

  According to the configuration of the present invention, even when an error is detected in one of a plurality of provided modules, it is possible to prevent other modules from being adversely affected, and the image forming operation is preferably performed. An image forming apparatus that can be performed can be provided.

1 is a schematic vertical sectional front view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the image forming apparatus in FIG. 1. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation when an error occurs in the module of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, an image output operation of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described while explaining an outline of the structure with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical sectional front view of an image forming apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the image forming apparatus. In FIG. 1, solid arrows indicate the paper conveyance path and conveyance direction, and alternate long and short dash arrows indicate the laser beam L.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a paper feed cassette 3, which is a paper storage unit, is disposed below the inside of the main body 2 of the image forming apparatus 1. The paper feed cassette 3 stores and accommodates paper P such as cut paper before printing, which is a recording medium. The sheets P are separated and sent one by one toward the upper left of the sheet feeding cassette 3 in FIG. The paper feed cassette 3 can be opened and closed by pulling it horizontally from the front side of the main body 2 or storing it.

  A paper transport unit 4 is provided inside the main body 2 and to the left of the paper feed cassette 3. The paper transport unit 4 is formed substantially vertically along the left side surface of the main body 2. The paper transport unit 4 receives the paper P sent out from the paper feed cassette 3 and transports the paper P vertically upward along the left side surface of the main body 2 to the transfer unit 5.

  On the other hand, a document conveying device 6 is mounted on the upper surface of the main body 2 of the image forming apparatus 1, and an image reading unit 7 is mounted in the main body 2 below the main body 2. When a user copies an original, an original on which images such as characters, figures, and patterns are drawn is stacked on the original conveying device 6 or placed on a contact glass (not shown) on the upper surface of the image reading unit 7. To do. In the document conveying device 6, the documents are separated one by one and sent out, and the image is read by the image reading unit 7. An image is read by scanning light in the image reading unit 7 on the document on the contact glass.

  The reading of the document image and the start of printing are executed using the operation panel 8 provided at the upper part of the main body 2 and on the front side of the image reading unit 7. Further, the operation panel 8 accepts settings such as printing conditions such as the type and size of the paper P used for printing by the user, enlargement / reduction, and presence / absence of double-sided printing, and accepts an error state and cancellation of the display. It plays the role of the operation part. The operation panel 8 also serves as a notifying unit for notifying the user of, for example, displaying the state of the apparatus, precautions, and error messages.

  Information on the image data of the original is subjected to image processing via a main control unit and an image processing unit, which will be described later, and then to an exposure unit 9 disposed above the paper feed cassette 3 and in the center of the main body 2. Sent. The exposure unit 9 irradiates the image forming unit 10 with laser light L controlled based on the image data.

  An image forming unit 10 and a transfer unit 5 are provided above the paper transport unit 4 and to the left of the exposure unit 9. In the image forming unit 10, an electrostatic latent image of a document image is formed by the laser light L emitted from the exposure unit 9, and a toner image is developed from the electrostatic latent image. The toner is supplied to the image forming unit 10 from a toner container 11 provided above the exposure unit 9. The toner image formed by the image forming unit 10 is transferred by the transfer unit 5 to the pre-printing paper P sent in synchronization by the paper transport unit 4.

  A fixing unit 12 is provided above the transfer unit 5. The paper P carrying the unfixed toner image in the transfer unit 5 is sent to the fixing unit 12, and the toner image is heated and pressed by a heat roller and a pressure roller to be fixed.

  A branch portion 13 is provided above the fixing portion 12. When the double-sided printing is not performed, the paper P discharged from the fixing unit 12 is discharged from the branching unit 13 to the in-body paper discharge unit 14 provided in the upper cylinder of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The discharge port portion from which the paper P is discharged from the branch portion 13 toward the in-body paper discharge portion 14 functions as a switchback portion 15. When performing duplex printing, the switchback unit 15 switches the transport direction of the paper P discharged from the fixing unit 12. Then, the paper P passes through the branching portion 13, is sent downward through a double-sided printing paper conveyance path 16 provided on the left side of the fixing unit 12 and the left side of the transfer unit 5, and is transferred again through the paper conveyance unit 4. Sent to part 5.

  In addition, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a communication unit 17 for transmitting and receiving data to and from other apparatuses connected via a communication line (see FIG. 2). The image forming apparatus 1 can execute, for example, facsimile communication using a telephone line and network communication using a network line via the communication unit 17.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus 1 executes the procedures related to image formation such as the image reading unit 7, the operation panel 8, the exposure unit 9, the image forming unit 10, the fixing unit 12, and the communication unit 17, and handles image data. A plurality of modules for performing the above are provided as constituent elements. Each of these modules includes an element control unit that controls the operation of the module and can communicate with other modules. As shown in FIG. 2, for example, the image reading unit 7 includes a reading control unit 7a, the operation panel 8 includes an operation control unit 8a, and the exposure unit 9 includes an exposure control unit 9a. The unit 10 includes a formation control unit 10a, the fixing unit 12 includes a fixing control unit 12a, and the communication unit 17 includes a communication control unit 17a. Each of these element control units includes a general CPU (not shown), and controls the operation of each module using this CPU, and between other modules and between the main control unit described below. You are communicating.

  Further, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a main control unit 18 composed of a CPU 19 and other electronic components (not shown) in the main body 2 as shown in FIG. The main control unit 18 uses a CPU 19 and an image processing unit 20 which are central processing units, and the image reading unit 7, the exposure unit 9, and the image forming unit 10 based on programs and data stored and input in the storage unit 21 and the like. A series of image forming processes are executed using each module such as the fixing unit 12. At this time, the main control unit 18 communicates with the element control unit of each module to acquire various information about the module and to instruct an operation command. Further, the main control unit 18 receives condition settings and processing inputs related to the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 by the user from the operation panel 8 or the communication unit 17.

  In such an image forming apparatus 1, when an operation command is instructed to each module, an error may occur such that a normal operation cannot be executed in each module. For example, this error means that the image reading unit 7 cannot perform a scanning operation, the image data cannot be read, or the image forming unit 10 cannot drive a photosensitive drum or the like. The image forming apparatus 1 restarts the module in which the error has occurred in order to eliminate the error and return to a normal operation state.

  Next, an operation when an error occurs in the module when executing various processes related to image formation in the image forming apparatus 1 will be described along the flow shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation when an error occurs in the module of the image forming apparatus 1.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 is turned on (start in FIG. 3), it receives a processing input by the user from the operation panel 8 or the communication unit 17 (step # 101 in FIG. 3). Then, the main control unit 18 communicates with modules such as the image reading unit 7 and the exposure unit 9 in response to the received process, and sends an operation command instruction (step # 102).

  Next, in each module, it is determined whether or not the element control unit has detected an error in the operation state of the module (step # 103). When the element control unit of each module does not detect an error (No in Step # 103), the image forming apparatus 1 executes normal processing (Step # 104). Then, the image forming apparatus 1 ends the operation flow when an error occurs in the module (END in FIG. 3).

  On the other hand, when the element control unit of each module detects an error in step # 103 (Yes in step # 103), the element control unit detects the error based on the dependency relationship between the modules stored in the storage unit 21. Communication with other modules that depend on the other module is stopped, and access of the other modules to the module that detected the error is stopped (step # 105). Here, the dependency relationship between the modules is a relationship necessary for each operation of a plurality of modules, such as presence / absence of communication between modules, relationship of use / use, activation order, etc. Stored in the unit 21 in advance.

  Further, when an error is detected in the module, the main control unit 18 determines whether there is another module that has accessed the module that has detected the error (step # 106). When there is another module that has accessed the module that detected the error at the time of error detection (Yes in step # 106), the main control unit 18 communicates with the other module that accessed and operates. An instruction to interrupt is sent (step # 107). Subsequently, the main control unit 18 causes the storage unit 21 to store the operation state at the time of interruption of the module whose operation has been interrupted (step # 108). If there is no other module accessing the module that detected the error at the time of error detection in step # 106 (No in step # 106), the process proceeds to step # 109.

  After restarting the module that detected the error, the main control unit 18 continues the operation of the module whose operation is interrupted based on the operation state at the time of the interruption stored in the storage unit 21.

  Next, the main controller 18 uses the operation panel 8 to notify the user that an error has occurred in the module that detected the error (step # 109). Subsequently, the module that detected the error executes a restart (step # 110). Then, the image forming apparatus 1 ends the operation flow when an error occurs in the module (END in FIG. 3).

  As described above, when the element control unit of one module detects an error in the operation state of the module, the image forming apparatus 1 detects an error based on the dependency relationship between the modules stored in the storage unit 21. Communicating with other modules depending on the module that detected the error, the access of the other module to the module that detected the error is stopped, and the module that detected the error is restarted. As a result, when an error is detected in one module of the image forming apparatus 1, access of the other module to the module in which the error is detected by communication is properly stopped before the module in which the error is detected is restarted. Is done. Therefore, the image forming apparatus 1 can suppress the occurrence of problems such as sudden interruption of communication between modules or the confirmation of the presence of a module to be used. It is also possible to reset the activation order between modules.

  Further, when there is another module that has accessed the module that has detected the error when the element control unit of one module detects an error in the operation state of the module, the image forming apparatus 1 18 interrupts the operation of other modules, stores the operation state at the time of interruption in the storage unit 21, and after restarting the module that detected the error, based on the operation state at the time of interruption stored in the storage unit 21 Continue the operation of other modules. As a result, even when an error is detected in one module of the image forming apparatus 1, it is necessary for another module accessing the module in which the error is detected to re-execute all operations before and after the error is detected. There is no. Therefore, the image forming apparatus 1 can prevent the operation before the error detection from being wasted and the operation time from being increased.

  Further, since the image forming apparatus 1 includes the operation panel 8 serving as a notification unit for notifying the user that an error has occurred in the module that detected the error, an error has occurred in the module of the image forming apparatus 1. This is quickly recognized by the user. Therefore, the user can quickly cope with a failure occurring in the module.

  According to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, even when an error is detected in one of a plurality of provided modules, it is possible to prevent other modules from being adversely affected, and the image is suitably displayed. The image forming apparatus 1 capable of performing the forming operation can be provided.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the image reading unit 7, the operation panel 8, the exposure unit 9, the image forming unit 10, the fixing unit 12, and the communication unit 17 are described as examples as a plurality of modules. The module is not limited to these components, and may be other components.

  In the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 is described as an example of an image forming apparatus for monochrome printing using only black toner, but the image forming apparatus to which the invention is applied is limited to such a model. However, it may be a tandem type or rotary type image forming apparatus for color printing that includes an intermediate transfer belt and can form an image by superimposing a plurality of colors.

  The present invention can be used in general image forming apparatuses.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Main body 7 Image reading part (module)
7a Reading control unit (element control unit)
8 Operation panel (module, notification unit)
8a Operation control unit (element control unit)
9 Exposure section (module)
9a Exposure control unit (element control unit)
10 Image forming unit (module)
10a Formation control unit (element control unit)
12 Fixing part (module)
12a Fixing control unit (element control unit)
17 Communication unit (module)
17a Communication control unit (element control unit)
18 Main control unit 21 Storage unit

Claims (3)

Multiple modules,
An element control unit that is provided in each of the plurality of modules, controls the operation of the corresponding module, and can communicate with the other modules;
A storage unit storing dependency relationships between modules for each operation of the plurality of modules;
With
When the element control unit of one module detects an error in the operating state of the module, the element control unit depends on the module that detected the error based on the dependency relationship stored in the storage unit. An image forming apparatus comprising: communicating with the other module to stop access of the other module to the module in which the error is detected, and restarting the module in which the error is detected. The main control unit for performing processing related to image formation using the plurality of modules while performing communication with the element control unit,
When there is another module accessing the module that detected the error when the element control unit of the one module detects an error in the operation state of the module, the main control unit The operation state of the module is interrupted, the operation state at the time of the interruption is stored in the storage unit, and after restarting the module that detected the error, the operation state at the time of interruption stored in the storage unit The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation of another module is continued.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit configured to notify a user that an error has occurred in the module that has detected the error.

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