JP2014011555A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a user using an image forming apparatus while removing a battery from the apparatus from being provided with a battery that is not useful for a power source, so as to improve selection efficiency of a battery by the user.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus to which one or a plurality of batteries can be removably attached includes: communication means for collecting battery information and performing communication with a battery information providing server providing the battery information to a user terminal in response to a request from the user terminal; and control means for monitoring the battery information of the apparatus, and transmitting the latest battery information of the apparatus at a constant period to the battery information providing server via the communication means.

Description

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

  In general, a stationary image forming apparatus such as a copier or a multifunction peripheral includes a main power supply circuit that converts AC power supplied from a commercial power source into DC power to be supplied to each functional block in the machine. In addition, an auxiliary power source for backup at the time of power-off has been developed (see Patent Document 1 below).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-63816

  In recent years, it has become a problem how to secure electric power when a disaster accompanied by a power failure such as an earthquake occurs. In this regard, the battery built in the image forming apparatus can be used as a standby power source for operating other electronic devices or as a charging power source for electronic devices that require charging by being removed from the device in the event of a disaster. Conceivable.

  However, with the function of the conventional image forming apparatus, the user can use the remaining power of the battery built in the image forming apparatus to withstand long-time use, or the rating of the battery is suitable as a power source for electronic devices. Since it is not possible to recognize in advance, there is a possibility that a battery that is not used for the power supply is provided to the user.

 The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and avoids providing the user with a battery that is not used for power when the user removes and uses the battery of the image forming apparatus. Therefore, the object is to improve the efficiency of battery selection by the user.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, in the present invention, as a first solving means related to an image forming apparatus, in an image forming apparatus in which one or a plurality of batteries can be detachably mounted, battery information is collected and a user is collected. Communication means for communicating with the battery information providing server for providing the battery information to the user terminal in response to a request from the terminal, and monitoring the battery information of the own apparatus, and the latest battery information of the own apparatus at a constant cycle. And a control means for transmitting to the battery information providing server via the communication means.

  In the present invention, as the second solving means relating to the image forming apparatus, in the first solving means, the battery information includes at least a remaining power, a maximum capacity, a rated voltage, and a rated current of the battery. Adopt the means.

  In the present invention, as a third solving means relating to the image forming apparatus, in the first or the second solving means, the AC power supplied from the commercial power source is to be supplied to each functional block in the own apparatus. A main power supply circuit for converting to a power supply means for switching the power supply source of each functional block to either one of the main power supply circuit or the battery in accordance with control by the control means, the control means Employs means for controlling the power switching means so that the power supply source of each functional block is the battery when the power of the own device is turned on or when the power saving operation is performed.

 According to the present invention, when a user removes and uses the battery of the image forming apparatus, the latest battery information is obtained in advance by accessing the battery information providing server using the user terminal owned by the user. be able to. As a result, the user can select and use the battery he / she desires, so that it is possible to avoid providing the user with a battery that is not used for the power supply, and thus the user can select the battery. Efficiency can be improved. Even if the power supply to the image forming device stops when a disaster involving a power failure occurs, if the battery information providing server is operating, the user can obtain the latest battery information. There is no hindrance.

1 is a front perspective view illustrating a configuration of main parts of a multifunction peripheral 100 according to an embodiment. 2 is a functional block diagram of a multifunction peripheral 100 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing each process executed by the control unit 60 of the multifunction peripheral 100 to realize a battery information transmission function. It is an example of the battery information confirmation site displayed on the display of the user terminal by accessing the battery information providing server 200. It is a flowchart which shows each process which the control part 60 performs in order to implement | achieve an electric power supply source switching 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 100 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, a multi-function machine 100 is based on a document reading device 1 that reads a document and generates image data of the document, and image data obtained from the document reading device 1 or image data received from the outside. And a multifunction device main body 2 for forming an image on the printing paper.

  The document reading apparatus 1 includes a scanner 10 and an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) 20. The scanner 10 reads a document set on the platen glass 11 or a document automatically fed by the ADF 20, and includes a platen glass 11, a white reference plate 12, a full rate carriage 13, a half rate carriage 14, An optical lens 15 and a CCD (Charge Coupled Devices) sensor 16 are provided.

  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 an original set on the platen glass 11, the original is scanned by moving the full rate carriage 13 and the half rate carriage 14 in the scanning direction. However, when the original is automatically fed by the ADF 20 described later, The full-rate carriage 13 and the half-rate carriage 14 are placed on standby 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 the analog voltage signal to generate document image data representing the read document image. Output to the control unit 60 of the main body 2.

  The ADF 20 automatically and continuously feeds a plurality of documents set on the document placement tray 22 one by one, and includes a platen cover 21, a document placement tray 22, a pickup roller 23, a registration roller 24, a platen It comprises a roller 25, a paper discharge roller 26, and the like. The platen cover 21 is provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to the upper surface of the scanner 10. The platen cover 21 serves as a document pressing cover when a document is set on the platen glass 11 for reading, and a pickup roller 23 and a registration roller 24. The platen roller 25 and the paper discharge roller 26 serve as housing cases for members used in the automatic paper feeding mechanism. FIG. 1 shows a state where the platen cover 21 is closed.

  The document placing tray 22 is a tray for setting a document to be read. The pickup roller 23 is a roller for picking up documents set on the document placing tray 22 one by one and carrying them out to the registration roller 24. The registration roller 24 is a roller for conveying the document to the platen roller 25 at a predetermined timing. The platen roller 25 is a roller for transporting the document to the paper discharge roller 26 via a predetermined document reading position. The paper discharge roller 26 is a roller for discharging the original after reading to the outside. The rotation operation of each roller is controlled by the control unit 60 of the multifunction machine main body 2.

  The MFP main body 2 has a function of converting image data obtained from the document reader 1 or externally received image data into RGB color space data into RGB color space data. (Function of control unit 60 described later). 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.

  Also, the CMYK color space data includes C (cyan), M (magenta), and Y (yellow) printing color materials (toner in the multi-function peripheral 100) and K (key plate: black color material). This is data that represents an image by adding. In the electrophotographic multifunction peripheral 100, 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 MFP body 2 is completed by fixing a toner image on the printing paper and a toner image forming unit 3 that forms a toner image on the printing paper based on the image data converted into the CMYK color space data. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit 4 for forming an image, a paper transport mechanism 5 for transporting printing paper, and paper feed cassettes 6 and 7 for storing printing paper of various sizes.

  The toner image forming unit 3 includes an intermediate transfer belt 31, a toner image forming unit F (FY, FM, FC, FK) corresponding to each color of CMYK, a driving roller 32, a tension roller 33, and a secondary transfer roller. 34 and a cleaner 35. The intermediate transfer belt 31 is an intermediate transfer body for sequentially superimposing and sequentially transferring toner images of respective colors formed (developed) by the toner image forming units F (FY, FM, FC, FK), and a driving roller. 32 and tension roller 33, 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 to face the photosensitive drum Fa with the intermediate transfer belt 31 interposed therebetween, and primarily transfers the toner image developed on the photosensitive drum Fa to the intermediate transfer belt 31. The secondary transfer roller 34 is disposed so as to face the driving roller 32 with the intermediate transfer belt 31 interposed therebetween, and the toner image transferred on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 31 (the toner images of the respective colors are superimposed) The secondary transfer is performed from one of the paper feeding cassettes 6 and 7 onto the printing paper conveyed by the paper conveying mechanism 5. The cleaner 35 includes a cleaning roller, a cleaning blade, and the like, and removes residual toner on the intermediate transfer belt 31.

  The fixing unit 4 fixes the toner image secondarily transferred onto the printing paper to obtain a completed image, and includes a heating roller 41 that fixes the toner image by applying pressure and heating. The heating temperature of the heating roller 41 (that is, the fixing temperature of the fixing unit 4) can be controlled by the control unit 60 described later.

  The paper transport mechanism 5 includes pick-up rollers 51 and 52 for carrying out the print paper from the paper feed cassettes 6 and 7 one by one, and the picked-up print paper in the toner image forming unit 3 (drive roller 32 and secondary transfer roller 34). Paper feed rollers 54 and 55 for conveying to the nip portion), and a paper discharge roller 57 for discharging the printing paper after the fixing process by the fixing unit 4 to the outside. The paper feed cassettes 6 and 7 are attached to the multifunction machine main body 2 so as to be freely drawn out, and accommodate sheets of various sizes.

  The multifunction device 100 basically operates with electric power supplied from a commercial power source (for example, AC 100V power source), but a plurality of (for example, four) batteries 8a, 8b, and 8c are provided as auxiliary power sources at the lower part of the multifunction device main body 2. , 8d can be detachably attached. These batteries 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, 8 d are connected in series inside the multifunction device main body 2. Hereinafter, the batteries 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d are collectively referred to as the battery 8 when it is not necessary to distinguish each of the batteries 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the multifunction peripheral 100. In FIG. 2, the same components as those in FIG. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 60 is a control unit, 61 is an image data memory, 62 is an operation display unit, 63 is a communication I / F (communication means), 64 is a main power circuit, 65 is a power switch ( Power switching means).

  The control unit 60 is, for example, a microcomputer in which a CPU (Central Processing Unit) core, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a memory such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), an input / output interface, and the like are integrated. Based on an operation signal input from the unit 62, image data obtained from the document reading device 1 or image data received from the outside, the overall operation of the multifunction peripheral 100 (document reading operation by the document reading device 1, toner image forming unit) 3), a toner image forming operation by the fixing unit 4, a fixing operation by the fixing unit 4, and a sheet conveying operation by the sheet conveying mechanism 5.

  Further, as described above, when the image data obtained from the document reading apparatus 1 or image data received from the outside is RGB color space data, the control unit 60 converts the image data into CMYK color space data. It also has the function of converting to The image data memory 61 is a rewritable non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, for example, image data obtained from the image reading device 1 under the control of the control unit 60, image data received from the outside, and CMYK colors. Image data converted into spatial data is stored.

  The operation display unit 62 includes an operation key unit 62a and a display unit 62b. The operation display unit 62 outputs an operation signal corresponding to an operation by a user to the control unit 60 and is controlled by the control unit 60. Various information such as information indicating the state is displayed. The operation key unit 62a 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 62b has a touch panel function and displays a screen including soft keys.

  The communication I / F 63 is a communication interface that communicates with the battery information providing server 200 and a personal computer or facsimile as a transmission source of image data via the network under the control of the control unit 60. Here, the battery information providing server 200 is a server on the cloud, for example, and collects battery information (for example, remaining power, maximum capacity, rated voltage, rated current, etc. of the battery 8) from the multi-function device 100 and a mobile phone. Battery information is provided to the user terminal in response to a request from the user terminal such as a smartphone or mobile PC.

  In FIG. 2, for convenience of explanation, the multifunction device 100 and the battery information providing server 200 are illustrated as communicating one-to-one. However, in actuality, the multifunction device 100 has a convenience store, It is installed in various indoor facilities such as private facilities such as department stores or public facilities such as libraries and government offices, and the battery information providing server 200 collects battery information from the multifunction peripheral 100 installed in each of these facilities. ing.

  The main power supply circuit 64 converts AC power supplied from a commercial power source into DC power to be supplied to each functional block in the machine, and outputs the DC power to the power switch 65. Here, each functional block refers to the document reading device 1, the toner image forming unit 3, the fixing unit 4, the paper transport mechanism 5, the control unit 60, the image data memory 61, the operation display unit 62, the communication I / F 63, and the like. .

  The power switch 65 switches the power supply source of each functional block to either the main power supply circuit 64 or the battery 8 (batteries 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d connected in series) according to control by the control unit 60. . The power switch 65 normally uses the power supply source of each functional block as the main power supply circuit 64, but the power supply source of each functional block is supplied to the battery 8 only when a switching signal is input from the control unit 60. Switch.

  The positive terminals of the batteries 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d connected in series are connected to the control unit 60, and the control unit 60 uses the positive voltages V1 and V2 of the batteries 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d. , V3 and V4 can be measured.

Next, the operation of the multifunction device 100 configured as described above will be described.
<Battery information transmission operation>
As a characteristic function of the present embodiment, the control unit 60 monitors the battery information of its own device, and transmits the latest battery information of its own device to the battery information providing server 200 via the communication I / F 63 at a constant cycle. It has a function (battery information transmission function).

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing each process executed by the control unit 60 to realize the battery information transmission function. The controller 60 monitors the battery information of each battery 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d (step S1). Specifically, the control unit 60 measures the positive voltages V1, V2, V3, and V4 of the batteries 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d, and based on the measurement results, the power of the batteries 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d. Calculate the remaining amount.

  Then, the control unit 60 determines whether or not a predetermined time has passed since the last time battery information was transmitted to the battery information providing server 200 (step S2). On the other hand, in the case of “Yes”, the latest power remaining amount, the maximum capacity, the rated voltage, and the rated current of each battery 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d are used as the latest battery information via the communication I / F 63. To the battery information providing server 200 (step S3).

 The control unit 60 transmits the latest battery information of its own device to the battery information providing server 200 at regular intervals by repeating the above steps S1 to S3. Note that the maximum capacity, rated voltage, and rated current of each of the batteries 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d are not values that vary like the remaining power, and therefore do not necessarily have to be transmitted to the battery information providing server 200 each time. (It may be just the first time). Since these maximum capacity, rated voltage, and rated current are standard values determined according to the specifications of the battery 8, they may be stored in advance in the built-in memory of the control unit 60, read out at the transmission timing, and transmitted.

 According to such a battery information transmission function of the control unit 60, when the user removes and uses the battery 8 of the multifunction peripheral 100, the user accesses the battery information providing server 200 using the user terminal owned by the user. Thus, the latest battery information can be obtained in advance. FIG. 4 is an example of a battery information confirmation site displayed on the display of the user terminal by accessing the battery information providing server 200. In this battery information confirmation site, a list of battery information of the selected multifunction device 100 is displayed by selecting the multifunction device 100 that wants to know the battery information.

 Accordingly, the user can select and use the desired battery 8 by himself / herself. In other words, the user can use the battery 8 built in the multifunction device 100 in advance for a long time. Since it becomes possible to recognize whether the battery 8 can withstand use or whether the rating of the battery 8 is suitable as the power source of the electronic device, it is possible to avoid providing the user with the battery 8 that is not used for the power source. Therefore, it is possible to improve the selection efficiency of the battery 8 by the user. Even if the power supply to the multifunction device 100 is stopped when a disaster involving a power failure occurs, if the battery information providing server 200 on the cloud is operating, the user can obtain the latest battery information. The use of the battery 8 is not hindered.

<Power supply source switching operation>
The control unit 60 also controls the power switch 65 (power supply) so that the power supply source of each functional block is switched from the main power supply circuit 64 to the battery 8 when the power of the own device is turned on or when the power saving operation is performed. Original switching function).

 FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing each process executed by the control unit 60 to realize the battery information transmission function. The control unit 60 determines whether or not the current operation state of the multifunction peripheral 100 is in the printing operation (step S11). If “Yes”, the control unit 60 controls the power switch 65 to supply power to each functional block. The original is switched to the main power supply circuit 64 (step S12).

 On the other hand, in the case of “No” in step S11, the control unit 60 determines whether the current operation state of the multifunction peripheral 100 is at the time of power-on or power saving operation (step S13). In the case of "", the process proceeds to step S12, whereas in the case of "Yes", the power switch 65 is controlled to switch the power supply source of each functional block to the battery 8 (step S14).

 The controller 60 switches the power supply source of each functional block to the battery 8 only when the power of the own device is turned on or during the power saving operation by repeating the processes of the above steps S11 to S14. The power supply source of the block is maintained in the main power supply circuit 64. According to such a power supply source switching function of the control unit 60, the power consumption of the multifunction device 100 can be reduced.

The multifunction machine 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be freely changed within the scope of the present invention.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the remaining power, the maximum capacity, the rated voltage, and the rated current of the battery 8 are listed as the battery information. However, other information may be added. In the above-described embodiment, the case where the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is the multifunction peripheral 100 has been described as an example. However, the present invention can include one or a plurality of batteries such as a printer, a copier, and a facsimile. The present invention can be widely applied to freely mountable image forming apparatuses.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... MFP, 1 ... Document reader, 2 ... MFP body, 10 ... Scanner, 20 ... ADF (Auto Document Feeder), 3 ... Toner image forming unit, 4 ... Fixing unit, 5 ... Paper transport mechanism, 8 ( 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) ... battery, 60 ... control unit, 61 ... image data memory, 62 ... operation display unit, 63 ... communication I / F, 64 ... main power circuit, 65 ... power switch (power switch means) 200 ... Battery information providing server

Claims (3)

In an image forming apparatus in which one or a plurality of batteries can be detachably attached,
Communication means for collecting battery information and communicating with a battery information providing server that provides the battery information to the user terminal in response to a request from the user terminal;
Control means for monitoring the battery information of the own machine and transmitting the latest battery information of the own machine to the battery information providing server via the communication means at regular intervals;
An image forming apparatus comprising:   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the battery information includes at least a remaining power level, a maximum capacity, a rated voltage, and a rated current of the battery. A main power circuit that converts AC power supplied from a commercial power source into DC power to be supplied to each functional block in the machine;
Power switching means for switching the power supply source of each functional block to either the main power supply circuit or the battery according to control by the control means,
The said control means controls the said electric power switching means so that the electric power supply source of each said functional block may become the said battery at the time of power-on of an own machine, or a power-saving operation | movement. Image forming apparatus.

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