JP2014010232A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a higher energy-saving effect than in the prior arts, in an image forming apparatus that can mount an optional device.SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus includes: an apparatus main unit for forming an image on a recording medium; and an optional device that receives power supply from the apparatus main unit to operate. The apparatus main unit turns on a power source of the optional device when an operation of the optional device starts, and turns off the power source of the optional device when the operation of the optional device ends.

Description

 The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copier or a multifunction peripheral.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, some image forming apparatuses such as printers, copiers, and multifunction machines can be equipped with an optional device for expanding or adding functions. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses a technique that enables an optional device (peripheral device) to be switched to an energy saving mode independently of the device main body in an image forming apparatus that can be mounted.

JP 2009-294395 A

  The above prior art is configured so that power can be supplied independently to the device body and the optional device, and when the optional device is not used for a certain period of time, the power supply to the optional device is stopped. Until a certain time has passed, power is supplied to the optional device, and there is room for improvement from the viewpoint of maximizing the energy saving effect.

 The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to obtain an energy saving effect higher than that of the prior art in an image forming apparatus in which an optional device can be mounted.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, in the present invention, as a first solving means related to an image forming apparatus, an apparatus main body that forms an image on a recording medium and an optional apparatus that operates by receiving power supply from the apparatus main body are provided. In the image forming apparatus provided, the apparatus main body turns on the power of the optional device when the operation of the optional device starts, and turns off the power of the optional device when the operation of the optional device ends. adopt.

  According to the present invention, as a second solving means relating to the image forming apparatus, in the first solving means, the apparatus main body automatically turns off the optional device after the optional device is turned off. A method is adopted in which the device is switched to the sleep mode when a certain period of time has passed without being used.

  According to the present invention, as a third solving means relating to the image forming apparatus, in the second solving means, the apparatus main body turns on the power supply of the optional device after returning from the sleep mode to the normal operation mode. Then, the initial communication with the optional device is performed, and the power of the optional device is turned off after the connection is confirmed.

  According to the present invention, as the fourth solving means related to the image forming apparatus, in any one of the first to third solving means, the optional device is an automatic document feeder for conveying a document to a document reading position. The apparatus body turns on the automatic document feeder in response to an operation of a start key provided in the apparatus body, and the automatic document feeder completes the document feeding operation by the automatic document feeder. A means of turning off the power supply of the feeder is adopted.

 According to the present invention, power is supplied to the option device only during operation of the option device, and the option device is turned off immediately after the operation of the option device is completed. Is possible.

2 is a front perspective view illustrating a configuration of a main part of the multifunction peripheral A according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a multifunction peripheral A according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating processing executed by the control unit 60 of the multifunction peripheral A to realize an energy saving function.

 Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, as an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, an electrophotographic multifunction machine having functions such as a copier, a printer, and a facsimile will be described as an example.

 FIG. 1 is a front perspective view illustrating a configuration of a main part of the multifunction peripheral A according to the present embodiment. As shown in this figure, a multifunction peripheral A according to this embodiment includes an apparatus main body 1 that forms an image on printing paper as a recording medium, and an automatic document as an optional apparatus that operates by receiving power supply from the apparatus main body 1. A feeding device 2 (ADF: Auto Document Feeder) is provided.

 The apparatus main body 1 receives a document from an external device via a document reading unit 10 that reads the document and generates image data (document image data) of the document, and document image data obtained from the document reading unit 10 or a communication line. A toner image forming unit 20 that forms a toner image based on image data (received image data) on a printing paper, a fixing unit 30 that fixes the toner image on the printing paper to form a completed image, and a conveyance of the printing paper Paper transport mechanism 40 and paper feed cassettes 50a, 50b, and 50c for storing printing paper of various sizes.

  The document reading unit 10 includes a platen glass 11, a white reference plate 12, a full rate carriage 13, a half rate carriage 14, a condenser lens 15, and a CCD (Charge Coupled Devices) sensor 16.

  The platen glass 11 is a glass plate for setting originals to be read one by one. The white reference plate 12 is a white plate for acquiring white reference data for shading correction. The full-rate carriage 13 is provided below the platen glass 11 so as to be reciprocally movable in the left-right direction (scanning direction) along the platen glass 11 by a carriage transport mechanism (not shown), and emits illumination light obliquely upward. And a mirror 13b that reflects the reflected light of the illumination light toward a half-rate carriage 14 to be described later.

  Similar to the full-rate carriage 13, the half-rate carriage 14 is provided so as to be reciprocally movable in the left-right direction along the platen glass 11 by a carriage conveyance mechanism (not shown), and the incident light from the mirror 13 b of the full-rate carriage 13 is moved downward. And a mirror 14b that reflects incident light from the mirror 14a toward a condenser lens 15 to be described later. The carriage transport mechanism controls the ratio of the movement amount of the full rate carriage 13 and the movement amount of the half rate carriage 14 to 1: 0.5. Thereby, the optical path length of the illumination light until reaching the condenser lens 15 is controlled to be constant.

  When reading a document set on the platen glass 11, the document is scanned by moving the full-rate carriage 13 and the half-rate carriage 14 in the scanning direction. However, the document is automatically fed by the automatic document feeder 2 described later. In this case, the full-rate carriage 13 and the half-rate carriage 14 are waited at a predetermined document reading position, and the document set is moved (conveyed) to continuously scan a plurality of documents.

  The condensing lens 15 condenses incident light from the mirror 14 b of the half-rate carriage 14 and forms an image on the light receiving surface of the CCD sensor 16. The CCD sensor 16 operates in synchronization with a timing signal supplied from a CCD driving unit (not shown), and photoelectrically converts the light received on the light receiving surface to generate an analog voltage signal corresponding to the read document image. Generate and output to AFE (analog front end: not shown). The AFE amplifies the analog voltage signal with a predetermined gain setting value and then digitally converts it to generate document image data representing an image of the read document. 1 to the control unit 70.

  The toner image forming unit 20 includes an intermediate transfer belt 21 and toner image forming units F (FY, FM, FC, respectively) corresponding to the respective colors of C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K (black). FK), a driving roller 22, a tension roller 23, a secondary transfer roller 24, and a cleaner 25.

  The intermediate transfer belt 21 is an intermediate transfer body for sequentially transferring the toner images of the respective colors formed (developed) by the toner image forming units F (FY, FM, FC, FK) in order and transferring them in a primary manner. 22 and the tension roller 23, and is configured to rotate clockwise in FIG.

  Each of the toner image forming units F (FY, FM, FC, FK) includes a photosensitive drum Fa, a charging unit Fb, an exposure unit Fc, a developing unit Fd, and a primary transfer roller Fe. A cleaning device and a static eliminator. The photosensitive drum Fa is set in a cylindrical shape, and an electrostatic latent image and a toner image based on the electrostatic latent image are formed on a peripheral surface thereof. The charging unit Fb is disposed so as to face the photosensitive drum Fa and charges the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum Fa.

  The exposure unit Fc scans the peripheral surface of the charged photosensitive drum Fa to form an electrostatic latent image, and more specifically, the photosensitive drum corresponding to the dot position where the toner is to be disposed. Laser light is applied to the position on Fa. The developing unit Fd develops a toner image based on the electrostatic latent image on the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum Fa by attaching toner to the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum Fa.

  The primary transfer roller Fe is disposed opposite to the photosensitive drum Fa with the intermediate transfer belt 21 interposed therebetween, and primarily transfers the toner image developed on the photosensitive drum Fa to the intermediate transfer belt 21. The secondary transfer roller 24 is disposed so as to face the driving roller 22 with the intermediate transfer belt 21 interposed therebetween, and the toner image transferred on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 21 (the toner images of the respective colors are superimposed) Secondary transfer is performed from one of the paper feed cassettes 50a, 50b, and 50c to the printing paper transported by the paper transport mechanism 40. The cleaner 25 includes a cleaning roller, a cleaning blade, and the like, and removes residual toner from the intermediate transfer belt 21.

  The fixing unit 30 fixes the toner image secondarily transferred onto the printing paper to obtain a completed image, and includes a heating roller 31 that fixes the toner image by applying pressure and heating. The heating temperature of the heating roller 31 (that is, the fixing temperature of the fixing unit 30) can be controlled by the control unit 70 described later.

  The paper transport mechanism 40 includes pick-up rollers 41, 42, and 43 for carrying out print paper one by one from the paper feed cassettes 50a, 50b, and 50c, and the picked-up print paper into the toner image forming unit 20 (drive rollers 22 and 2). Paper feed rollers 44, 45, 46 for conveying to the nip portion with the next transfer roller 24), and a paper discharge roller 47 for discharging the printing paper after the fixing process by the fixing unit 30 to the outside. ing. The paper feed cassettes 50a, 50b, and 50c are attached to the apparatus main body 1 so as to be able to be drawn out, and accommodate sheets of various sizes.

  On the other hand, the automatic document feeder 2 as an optional device automatically feeds a plurality of documents set on the document placing tray 62 one by one continuously, and includes a platen cover 61 and a document placing tray 62. , A pickup roller 63, a registration roller 64, a platen roller 65, a paper discharge roller 66, and the like.

  The platen cover 61 is provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to the upper surface of the document reading unit 10. The platen cover 61 serves as a document pressing cover when the document is set on the platen glass 11 to read the document, a pickup roller 63, a resist. It plays a role as a housing for housing members used in an automatic paper feed mechanism such as the roller 64, the platen roller 65, and the paper discharge roller 66. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the platen cover 61 is closed.

  The document placing tray 62 is a tray for setting a document to be read. The pick-up roller 63 is a roller for picking up documents set on the document placing tray 62 one by one and feeding them to the registration roller 64. The registration roller 64 is a roller for conveying the document to the platen roller 65 at a predetermined timing. The platen roller 65 is a roller for transporting a document to a paper discharge roller 66 via a predetermined document reading position. The paper discharge roller 66 is a roller for discharging the original after reading to the outside.

  As described above, when the automatic document feeder 2 automatically feeds a document, the full-rate carriage 13 and the half-rate carriage 14 of the document reading unit 10 are waiting at a predetermined document reading position, and the document placement tray 62. A plurality of originals set on the paper are successively conveyed one by one via the original reading position, whereby each original is scanned one by one.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the MFP A. In FIG. 2, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. As shown in this figure, the apparatus main body 1 includes a control unit 70, an image data memory 71, an operation display unit in addition to the document reading unit 10, the toner image forming unit 20, the fixing unit 30 and the paper transport mechanism 40 described above. 72 and a communication I / F 73. Reference numeral B denotes an external device (for example, a personal computer or a facsimile) that transmits image data to the multi-function device A.

  The control unit 70 is a microcomputer in which, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) core, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a memory such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), and an input / output interface are integrated, and an operation display Based on the operation signal input from the unit 72, the document image data obtained from the document reading unit 10, and the received image data received from the external device B via the communication I / F 73, the overall operation of the multifunction peripheral A (automatic A document feeding operation by the document feeding device 2, a document reading operation by the document reading unit 10, a toner image forming operation by the toner image forming unit 20, a fixing operation by the fixing unit 30, a sheet conveying operation by the sheet conveying mechanism 40, and the like are controlled.

  In addition, when the original image data obtained from the original reading unit 10 or the received image data received from the external device B via the communication I / F 73 is RGB color space data, the control unit 70 It also has a function of converting image data into CMYK color space data. As is well known, the RGB color space data indicates the gradation values of pixels (minimum units constituting an image) corresponding to each of the three primary colors R (red), G (green), and B (blue). Digital data.

  The CMYK color space data expresses an image by adding K (black) to the three primary colors of printing materials for C (cyan), M (magenta), and Y (yellow) (toner in MFP A). It is data to be. In the electrophotographic multifunction peripheral A, a single toner image is formed by superimposing developed toner images on the surface of the photoreceptor for each color of CMYK. Each color toner image is constituted by a two-dimensional array of toner arrangement points called dots. In other words, the CMYK color space data is digital data that indicates, in binary, at which position of the toner image of each color the toner is arranged.

  The image data memory 71 is a rewritable non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, for example. Original image data obtained from the original reading unit 10 under the control of the control unit 70 or an external device via the communication I / F 73. Image data (including image data converted to CMYK color space data) such as received image data received from B is stored.

  The operation display unit 72 includes an operation key unit 72a and a display unit 72b. The operation display unit 72 outputs an operation signal corresponding to a user operation to the control unit 70, and the state of the multifunction device A is controlled by the control unit 70. Various information such as information indicating the The operation key unit 72a includes hard keys such as a start key, a stop / clear key, a power key, and a numeric keypad (numerical value input key). The display unit 72b has a touch panel function, and displays a screen including soft keys.

  The communication I / F 73 is an interface for performing communication between the MFP A (specifically, the control unit 70) and the external device B, and can communicate with the external device B via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network). It is connected.

Next, the operation of the multifunction device A configured as described above will be described.
The control unit 70 of the apparatus main body 1 has, as a characteristic function, turning on the automatic document feeder 2 at the start of the operation of the automatic document feeder 2 as an optional device, It has a function of turning off the automatic document feeder 2 at the end (hereinafter referred to as an energy saving function). Below, the process which the control part 70 performs in order to implement | achieve said energy saving function is demonstrated, referring the flowchart of FIG.

  The control unit 70 starts the process shown in FIG. 3 when returning from the sleep mode to the normal operation mode. Note that the sleep mode refers to a mode in which only necessary minimum functions (such as a function for monitoring operation of the operation display unit 72 by the user and data reception from the external device B) are operated to minimize power consumption. . During this sleep mode, not only the document reading unit 10, toner image forming unit 20, fixing unit 30, paper transport mechanism 40, etc., which are functions of the apparatus body 1, but also the automatic document feeder 2 as an optional device is turned off. It has become.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when the control unit 70 returns from the sleep mode to the normal operation mode, first, each function of the apparatus main body 1 (document reading unit 10, toner image forming unit 20, fixing unit 30, paper transport mechanism 40). And the automatic document feeder 2 as an optional device are turned on (step S1).

  Then, the control unit 70 performs initial communication with the automatic document feeder 2 (step S2), and stores in the built-in memory that the automatic document feeder 2 is connected as an optional device after the connection is confirmed (step S3). Thereafter, the automatic document feeder 2 is turned off (step S4).

  Then, the control unit 70 determines whether or not the start key has been pressed based on the operation signal input from the operation display unit 72 (step S5). If “No”, the process proceeds to step S16 described later. Transition. On the other hand, if “Yes” is detected in step S5 (when pressing of the start key is detected), the control unit 70 turns on the power of the automatic document feeder 2 (step S6), and the control unit 70 communicates with the automatic document feeder 2. Communication is started (step S7).

  Then, the control unit 70 determines whether or not a document is set on the automatic document feeder 2 through communication with the automatic document feeder 2 (step S8). If “No”, that is, the start key is pressed. If the document is not set on the automatic document feeder 2 in spite of this, the automatic document feeder 2 is turned off (step S9), and a message prompting the user to set the document is displayed on the display unit. After the display on 72b, the process proceeds to step S16 (step S10). In step S10, a message prompting the user to set a document is displayed on the display unit 72b. However, a reading operation of a document set on the platen glass 11 may be performed.

  On the other hand, when “Yes” is determined in Step S5 (when a document is set on the automatic document feeder 2), the control unit 70 instructs the automatic document feeder 2 to start a document feeding operation. Then, the document reading unit 10 is instructed to start a document reading operation (step S11). As a result, the automatic document feeder 2 continuously feeds the set documents one by one toward a predetermined document reading position, while the document reading unit 10 reads the document image of the document read at the document reading position. Data is generated and output to the control unit 70. The control unit 70 converts the document image data acquired from the document reading unit 10 into CMYK color space data as necessary, and then stores the data in the image data memory 71.

  Then, the control unit 70 determines whether or not the document feeding operation by the automatic document feeding device 2 is completed through communication with the automatic document feeding device 2 (step S12). On the other hand, the process of step S12 is repeated until the process is completed. On the other hand, if “Yes”, the automatic document feeder 2 is turned off (step S13).

  Based on the document image data stored in the image data memory 71, the control unit 70 controls the toner image forming operation by the toner image forming unit 20, the fixing operation by the fixing unit 30, and the paper transporting operation by the paper transporting mechanism 40. By doing so, the printing operation of the document image is started (step S14).

  Then, the control unit 70 determines whether or not the document image printing operation has been completed (step S15). If “No”, the control unit 70 repeats the process of step S15 until the printing operation ends, while “Yes”. In the case of (2), it is determined whether or not a certain time has passed with the own apparatus being unused (step S16). Here, the “non-use state” refers to a state in which the operation display unit 72 is not operated at all and no data is received from the external device B.

  If “No” in step S16, the control unit 70 returns to the process of step S5. On the other hand, if “Yes” in step S16, that is, the device has not been used for a certain period of time. In this case, the mode is switched to the sleep mode, leaving only the minimum necessary functions (such as a function for monitoring operation of the operation display unit 72 by the user and data reception from the external device B), and other functions (document reading unit 10, After the power of the toner image forming unit 20, the fixing unit 30, the paper transport mechanism 40, etc. is turned off, the processing shown in FIG. 3 is terminated (step S17).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, power is supplied to the automatic document feeder 2 only during the operation of the automatic document feeder 2, and immediately after the operation of the automatic document feeder 2 is completed, the automatic document feeder 2 Since the power is turned off, it is possible to obtain a higher energy saving effect than in the prior art. Note that the apparatus main body 1 is switched to the sleep mode after a certain period of time in the unused state after the automatic document feeder 2 is turned off, so that the energy saving effect is not impaired.

As mentioned above, although one Embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not restrict | limited to the said embodiment, It can change freely within the scope of the present invention.
If the start key is pressed in step S5, the automatic document feeder 2 is turned on in step S6. If no document is set in the automatic document feeder 2 in step S8, the automatic document feeder is set in step S9. Although the power supply of the feeder 2 is turned off, when the start key is pressed in step S5 and a document is set on the automatic document feeder 2, the automatic document feeder 2 is turned on in step S6. The power may be turned on to start the document feeding operation in step S11.
Further, for example, in the above-described embodiment, the multi-function device A has been described as an example of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, but the present invention can be widely applied to an image forming apparatus in which an optional device can be mounted.

  In the above embodiment, the automatic document feeder 2 has been described as an example of an optional device. However, the present invention can be applied to various optional devices. For example, when the optional device is an auxiliary paper cassette that supplies printing paper to the apparatus main body 1 in an auxiliary manner, when copying starts (when the start key is detected) or when data is received from the external device B If paper from the auxiliary paper cassette is selected, turn on the auxiliary paper cassette, check the presence of printing paper in the initial communication after power on, and feed paper if there is printing paper. If all the paper feeding is completed, the auxiliary paper feeding cassette may be immediately turned off.

  A ... MFP, 1 ... main body, 2 ... automatic document feeder (optional device), 10 ... document reading unit, 20 ... toner image forming unit, 30 ... fixing unit, 40 ... paper transport mechanism, 70 ... control unit, 71: Image data memory, 72: Operation display section, 73: Communication I / F, B: External device

Claims (4)

In an image forming apparatus comprising: an apparatus main body that forms an image on a recording medium; and an optional device that operates by receiving power supply from the apparatus main body.
The image forming apparatus, wherein the apparatus main body turns on the power supply of the option apparatus when the operation of the option apparatus starts, and turns off the power supply of the option apparatus when the operation of the option apparatus ends.   2. The apparatus body according to claim 1, wherein after the optional device is turned off at the end of the operation of the optional device, the device main body is switched to a sleep mode when a certain period of time has passed without being used. The image forming apparatus described in 1.   The apparatus main body, after returning from the sleep mode to the normal operation mode, turns on the option device to perform initial communication with the option device, and turns off the option device after confirming the connection. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2. The optional device is an automatic document feeder that conveys a document to a document reading position.
The apparatus body turns on the automatic document feeder in response to an operation of a start key provided on the apparatus body, and the document feeding operation by the automatic document feeder is terminated. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power is turned off.

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