JP2566055B2 - Buffalo roller initial control device - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a buffer roller initial control device for performing initial control of a buffer roller used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine.

[Prior Art] Initialization control of a buffer roller in a conventional buffer roller initial control device will be described with reference to FIG.

As an operation of initializing the buffer roller 59, when the sensor (not shown) is in the ON state, that is, the buffer roller 59
When 59 is in the range from the initial position P11 of the buffer roller to the exposure start position P12 of the buffer roller, the buffer roller 59 is lowered to the position P11 and the sensor is turned off.
When the state is set to, the initialization of the buffer roller 59 is completed.

Then, if the sensor is already off, a constant time Δt ₁
During this period, the buffer roller 59 is raised, and if the sensor is turned on at that time, that is, if the buffer roller 59 is located in the range of position P11 to position P12, the buffer roller 59 is turned off until the sensor is turned off. 59 is lowered to complete the initialization of the buffer roller 59.

Sensor is already off and buffer roller 59 is in position
When it is in the range from P12 to the uppermost position P14 of the stroke of the buffer roller, the buffer roller 59 is lowered to turn on the sensor, and further the buffer roller 59 is lowered until the sensor is turned off to initialize the buffer roller 59. finish.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional buffer roller initial control device, when the initialization is started at the exposure end position of the buffer roller, the stroke uppermost end position of the buffer roller starts from the exposure end position of the buffer roller. Is configured to move the buffer roller up from the exposure end position at a specific distance shorter than the distance up to and to move the buffer roller up and down depending on the lifted position, and the buffer roller exists at the bottom end of the stroke. Sometimes, the buffer roller is raised by a certain distance or less for initialization, but the sensor does not turn on due to play in the drive part of the buffer roller and the buffer roller is actually at the bottom end of the stroke. Since it is judged that it is above the exposure start position, the operation to descend the buffer roller is started, and There is a problem that the Farora is not surely initialized.

Furthermore, the buffer roller must be initialized within a specified distance, and if the sensor detection failure or initialization failure occurs due to play in the drive unit, etc., the buffer roller is raised by a distance sufficient for initialization. Then, the difference in the stroke length of the buffer roller becomes greater than the distance between the exposure end position of the buffer roller and the uppermost stroke end position of the buffer roller, and the buffer roller rises above the uppermost stroke position. As a result, the rise of the buffer roller is restricted, and the buffer roller cannot be reliably initialized.

In view of the problems in the conventional buffer roller initial control device described above, the object of the present invention is to prevent the buffer roller from being lifted when returning the buffer roller to the initial position, and to reliably initialize the buffer roller. It is to provide a buffer roller initial control device.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The above-described object of the present invention is to provide a buffer roller that guides a photosensitive sheet in a specific direction, a drive unit that drives the buffer roller, and a drive unit that controls the position of the buffer roller. The control means is provided with a control means for setting and a detection means for detecting the position of the buffer roller. The control means lowers the buffer roller when the buffer roller is lowered by a predetermined distance and is not detected by the detection means. This is achieved by a buffer roller initial control device that controls the driving means so as to raise the specific distance, lower it again from the raised position, detect it by the detection means, and arrange it at a predetermined position based on the detection result.

[Operation] The buffer roller guides the photosensitive sheet wound in a roll in a specific direction, the driving means drives the buffer roller to which the buffer roller is connected, and the detecting means detects and controls the position of the buffer roller. The means lowers the buffer roller by a predetermined distance, and when the lowered buffer roller is not detected by the detecting means, the buffer roller is raised by a specific distance and lowered from the rising position again, and the detecting means detects the detection result. The drive means is controlled so that the buffer roller is arranged at a predetermined position based on the above.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the buffer roller initial control device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the buffer roller initial control device of this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the buffer roller initial control device of this embodiment comprises a buffer unit 11, a buffer drive unit 12 as a drive means, a buffer motor 13, and a buffer motor drive circuit 14 as a control means.

Next, each component shown in FIG. 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

The buffer unit 11 includes a buffer roller 15, a buffer support member 16 that supports the buffer roller 15, a buffer drive wire 17 connected to the buffer roller support member, a pulley 18 that is interlocked with the buffer drive wire 17, and a buffer drive gear. 19, a pulley 21 and a take-up pulley 22 with which a buffer drive wire 20 is interlocked, a buffer drive gear 19
And a shaft 23 connected to the winding pulley 22.

Further, the buffer support member 16 is provided with a home position slit plate 25 so that the home position position P1 of the buffer roller 15 can be detected by a home position sensor (hereinafter referred to as a sensor) 24 as a detection means.

The buffer drive unit 12 described above is a buffer drive gear.
The forward rotation clutch 27 and the reverse rotation clutch 28 for converting the rotation direction of the gear 26 meshed with the 19 and the reduction gear 29 that selects one of the forward rotation clutch 27 and the reverse rotation clutch 28.
It consists of.

The reduction gear 29 is meshed with a rotation gear 30 connected to the rotation shaft of the buffer motor 13.

The buffer motor drive circuit 14 described above is a buffer motor.
It is configured to control 13 rotations by feedback.

Hereinafter, the operation of the buffer roller initial control device of FIG. 2 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 (A) to (C).

In the following description, P0 is the lowermost stroke position of the buffer roller, P1 is the initial position (or home position) of the buffer roller, P2 is the exposure start position of the buffer roller, P3 is the exposure end position of the buffer roller, and P4. , The uppermost stroke position of the buffer roller, and P5 the buffer lowering position.

The operation of moving the buffer roller 15 to the position P1 will be described in detail according to each position of the buffer roller 15 before the start of the movement with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4A to 4C.

(I) When the buffer roller is located downstream of the position P1 at the home position When the buffer roller 15 is located downstream of the position P1, the buffer roller 15 is placed as shown in FIG. 4 (A). At the same time that the buffer motor 13 for driving is turned on at time T ₁₁ , the reverse clutch 28 is turned on to lower the buffer roller 15 from the current position by a distance Δl ₂ as a predetermined distance (until time T ₁₂ , That is, during the time t during which the buffer roller 15 can move the distance Δl ₂ ).

However, as shown in FIG.
Since it can only descend from P1 to position P0, and the distance of descent from position P1 to position P0 is shorter than distance Δl ₂ , the time required to reach position P0 is shorter than time t, and therefore the remaining time of time t. Slips the buffer roller 15.

In the time when the t has passed (time T _12), the reverse rotation clutch 2
When turning off 8 and turning forward clutch 27 on,
The buffer roller 15 is raised by a distance Δl ₃ as a specific distance from the current position P 0 (until time T ₁₄ , that is, time Δt ₂
Between).

During the rise of the buffer roller 15 (time T _13), if the buffer roller 15 was reached the position P1 of the home position, sensor 24 is turned on.

When the time T ₁₄ is reached with the sensor 24 turned on, the forward rotation clutch 27 is turned off and the buffer roller 15 is stopped, and at the same time, the reverse rotation clutch 28 is turned on again and the buffer roller 15 is turned off by the sensor 24. It is lowered to the time point (time T ₁₅ ) and the buffer roller 15 is stopped at the home position P 1.

(II) When the buffer roller is located between the positions P1 and P2 When the buffer roller 31 is located between the positions P1 and P2, the buffer roller 15 is located as shown in FIG. 4 (B).
The buffer motor 13 for driving the motor is turned on at time T ₂₁ , and at the same time, the reverse clutch 28 is turned on.

The buffer roller 15 is lowered from the current position to the distance Δl ₂ (from time T ₂₁ to time T ₂₃ , that is, time T ₂₁
Until time t elapses).

The sensor 24 is turned on at time T ₂₂ while the buffer roller 15 is descending.

The buffer roller 15 continues to descend until the sensor 24 turns off at the time T ₂₄ after the time T ₂₃ , and at the time T ₂₄ , the sensor 2
When 4 is turned off, buffer motor 13 and reverse clutch 28
Is turned off to stop the buffer roller 15 at the home position P1.

(III) When the buffer roller is located above the position P2 When the buffer roller 15 is located above the position P2, a buffer for driving the buffer roller 15 as shown in FIG. 4 (C). At the same time that the motor 13 is turned on at time T ₃₁ , the reverse rotation clutch 28 is turned on and the buffer roller 15
Is lowered by a distance Δl ₂ from the current position (at time t from time T ₃₁ to time T ₃₂ ).

If the buffer roller 15 is lowered by the distance Δl ₂ (at time T ₃₂ ), the reverse rotation clutch 28 is turned off and the forward rotation clutch 27 is turned on at the same time, and the buffer roller once lowered.
15 is increased again by the distance Δl ₃ (from time T ₃₂ to time T _32
It is moved up to ₃₃ , that is, during the time Δt _2. )

After raising the buffer roller 15 by the distance Δl ₃ (time
At T ₃₃ ), the forward rotation clutch 27 is turned off and at the same time the reverse rotation clutch 28 is turned on again to lower the buffer roller 15 again.

When the buffer roller 15 is lowered again approaches the position P1 of the home position (in the middle of a time T ₃₄₎ sensor 24 is turned on, the sensor 24 by further lowering the buffer roller 15
Is turned off (time T ₃₅ ), the reverse rotation clutch 28 and the buffer motor 13 are turned off, and the buffer roller 15 is stopped at the home position P1.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the configuration of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine using the buffer roller initial control device of FIG.

Hereinafter, an outline of an image forming apparatus incorporating the buffer roller initial control device of FIG. 2 will be described.

In FIG. 5, a document 32 placed on a document table 31 made of hard transparent glass is illuminated by irradiation lamps 33 and 34.

The reflected light from the original 32 exposes the photosensitive sheet 41 on the exposure plate 40 via the mirrors 35, 36 and 37, the lens 38 and the mirror 39.

The photosensitive sheet 41 is formed of a photosensitive pressure-sensitive material in which a large number of microcapsules containing a leuco dye and a photocurable substance and having a particle size of about 10 to 20 μm are applied on a light-reflective metal sheet such as aluminum.

The photosensitive sheet 41 is wound around a supply shaft 42 in a roll shape and is housed in a cartridge 43 made of a light-shielding material. The tip of the photosensitive sheet 41 passes over the exposure plate 40, passes between the pressure rollers 44 and 45, and is wound around the winding shaft 46.

The photosensitive sheet 41 on which the latent image exposed by the image of the original is formed is superposed on the image receiving sheet 47 coated with the developing material (acid) for coloring the leuco dye. The photosensitive sheet 41 superposed on the image receiving sheet 47 is pressure-transferred to form a color image on the image receiving sheet 47.

Hereinafter, the copying operation of the image forming apparatus will be described in detail.

 Initial setting of the photosensitive sheet is performed as follows.

A new cartridge 43 is installed in the bucket 48, a leader sheet (not shown) provided at the tip of the photosensitive sheet 41 is set on the tractor roller 49, the bucket 48 is set on the main body, and a front cover (not shown) is set. Close.

A cover switch (not shown) is turned on by closing the front cover, and subsequently, the take-up shaft 46 of the photosensitive sheet 41, the tractor roller 49, and the pressure rollers 44 and 45 are rotationally driven, respectively, and the leader sheet is taken up by the take-up shaft 46. Wrapped around.

When the winding of the leader sheet around the winding shaft 46 is completed, the winding detection switch S14 is turned on, the pressure by the pressure rollers 44 and 45 is released, and a predetermined amount of the photosensitive sheet 41 is conveyed to initialize the photosensitive sheet 41. Is completed.

When a predetermined amount of the photosensitive sheet 41 is conveyed, a mark on the back surface of the leader sheet relating to the sensitivity information of the photosensitive sheet 41 is read by the sensor 24, and the color correction provided in the path according to the data of the read mark. The reference position of the filter (not shown) is switched.

Next, the preprocessing operation is performed when the photosensitive sheet 41 or the image receiving sheet 47 is jammed and the front cover is closed, the print switch is operated, or the power switch is turned on.

When the buffer roller 15 of this embodiment does not have the home position, that is, the position P1 (see FIG. 3), the buffer roller 15 is moved in the direction of arrow B while the pressure of the pressure rollers 44 and 45 is released. Therefore, the winding shaft 46 is rotated to wind up the photosensitive sheet 41, and the tension of the photosensitive sheet 41 moves the buffer roller 15 to the position P1.

As described above, the buffer roller 15 is moved in accordance with the initialization start position of the buffer roller 15, and the buffer roller 15 is securely installed at the home position P1 to perform the initialization control of the buffer roller 15. .

Subsequently, the photosensitive sheet 41 is fixed by the take-up shaft 46 so as not to move, and the supply shaft 42 of the photosensitive sheet 41 is substantially free of rotation (a certain amount of friction exists). The unit 11 moves in the direction of arrow A to slit expose the image of the original 32 on the photosensitive sheet 41 on the exposure plate 40.

The exposure scan is determined by the size of the image receiving sheet 47 and the copy magnification.

Next, the operation of the buffer roller 15 during the exposure scanning will be described in detail.

First, for a predetermined time t, the discharge roller attached to the winding shaft 46 is wound to unconditionally lower the buffer roller 15.

Buffer roller 15 is at the uppermost position of the buffer stroke
If it exists in P4, it is a distance Δl ₂ away from the uppermost end position P4, and the uppermost end position P4 and the exposure end position (maximum value) P3
The buffer roller 15 is lowered to the pulling-down position (maximum value) P5 located downstream of.

When the sensor 24 for detecting the home position P1 of the buffer roller 15 is off, the buffer roller 15 is raised by the distance Δl ₃ for the time Δt ₂ and initialization is performed according to the above-described initialization process.

Exposure end position P3 of the buffer roller 15 and the buffer roller
As the distance △ l ₁ the difference between the stroke length of the buffer roller 15 between the uppermost position P4 of 15, the distance so as to satisfy the relation _{△ l 1 "△ l 3 <} △ l 2 △ l 2 and the distance △ Set l ₃ .

As described above, the respective distances Δl ₁ , Δl ₂ and Δl ₃ are set, the discharge roller attached to the winding shaft 46 is wound, and the buffer roller 15 is slightly moved from the exposure end position P3 to the downstream pulling position P5. The buffer roller 15 is lowered, and then the buffer roller 15 is returned to the home position P1 to perform the initial control of the buffer roller 15 and protect the malfunction of the buffer roller 15.

In this embodiment, the distances Δl ₁ , Δl ₂ and Δl ₃ are set to Δl ₁ = about 3 mm, Δl ₂ = about 10 mm and Δl ₃ = about 6 mm, respectively, but these are limited. Not a good value.

Since the photosensitive sheet 41 has different sensitivity depending on temperature,
The temperature of the exposure plate 40 is controlled by the heater 58 so as to reach a predetermined temperature.

When the exposure scanning is completed, the winding shaft 46 is rotated with the rotation of the supply shaft 42 locked, and the buffer roller 15 is moved by the buffer unit 11 at the predetermined speed V ₁ in the direction of arrow B again.

Since the winding shaft 46 is configured so as to be able to slip with its drive source, the photosensitive sheet 41 is always tensioned and conveyed at the speed of the buffer roller 15.

Next, when a predetermined time T ₁ has elapsed after the buffer roller 15 starts moving in the direction of arrow B, the timing roller 50 is started to move the image receiving sheet 47 to the pressure formed by the pressure rollers 44, 45 and the like. It is conveyed to the developing section 51.

After a predetermined time T ₂ has passed (that is, when the front end of the image receiving sheet 47 reaches the pressure developing section 51), the movement of the buffer roller 15, the rotation of the winding shaft 46, and the rotation of the timing roller 50 are stopped, While the conveyance of the photosensitive sheet 41 and the image receiving sheet 47 is stopped, the rotation lock of the supply shaft 42 is released and the pressure rollers 44 and 45 are pressed.

After the pressurization of the pressure rollers 44, 45 is completed, the pressure rollers 44, 45
45 is rotated at the pressure developing speed V ₃ , the buffer roller 15 is moved at a speed V ₁ which is less than 1/2 of the pressure developing speed V ₃ , and the photosensitive sheet 41 is always tensioned.
Prevent wrinkles.

When the buffer roller 15 is moved to the home position P1, the driving of the buffer roller 15 is stopped, and the photosensitive sheet 41 is conveyed only by the pressure rollers 44 and 45.

The sensors S12 and S1 indicate that the rear end of the image receiving sheet 47 passes through the pressure developing unit 51 including pressure rollers 44 and 45 and the like.
The pressures of the pressure rollers 44 and 45 are released based on the output of 3 and a timer (not shown).

The pressure-transferred image-receiving sheet 47 is heated by the glossing device 52 to be subjected to gloss processing and color development processing. Further, the used photosensitive sheet 41 is wound around the winding shaft 46.

4th with a manual lever provided inside the front cover
When the position of the mirror 39 is moved to the position 39 'shown by the dotted line,
The image forming apparatus is switched to the slide copy mode, the exposure lamp 53 fixed by operating the print switch is turned on, the slide film 54 is moved, and the lens 55 is moved.
Through the image of the light film 54, the photosensitive sheet 41 on the exposure plate 40 is slit-exposed.

Depending on the input of the color adjustment key provided on the operation panel and the sensitivity characteristic of the photosensitive sheet 41 (mark attached to the reader sheet), the layer flow rate of the filter provided in the lens 38 is adjusted to adjust the color. Make a correction.

The amount of rotation (rotation time) of the pressure rollers 44, 45 is measured, and the remaining amount of the photosensitive sheet 41 is calculated according to the measurement plan.

When the sensor 24 detects the end mark on the back surface of the photosensitive sheet 41 near the end, the execution of the copying operation is stopped.

A cooling fan 56 for cooling the light sources 33, 34 and the table glass 31 is attached to a wire which is a moving means of the first mirror unit 57. The cooling fan 56 is configured to operate during document scanning and optical system return to cool the optical system.

Since the surface of the image receiving sheet 47 is coated with the developing material (acid) that develops the leuco dye contained in the microcapsules, the front surface and the back surface of the image receiving sheet 47 have different reflectances. By utilizing this difference, the difference between the outputs of the pair of reflective optical sensors S12 and S13 is used to detect the distinction between the paper and the OHP sheet and the front and back of each sheet.

[Advantages of the Invention] A buffer roller that guides the photosensitive sheet in a specific direction, a driving unit that drives the buffer roller, and a control unit that controls the driving unit to set the position of the buffer roller.
The control means lowers the buffer roller by a predetermined distance, and when the lowered buffer roller is not detected by the detection means, the control means raises the buffer roller by a specific distance and raises the buffer roller. Since the driving means is controlled so as to be lowered from the position again, detected by the detecting means, and arranged at a predetermined position based on the detection result, when the buffer roller is returned to the initial position, the rising of the buffer roller is detected without being restricted. The detection can be performed by the means, and as a result, the initial control of the buffer roller can be reliably performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a buffer roller initial control device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the configuration of the buffer roller initial control device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a diagram of FIG. 5A to 5C are diagrams for explaining the operation of the buffer roller, FIGS. 4A to 4C are timing charts for explaining the operation of the buffer roller initial control device of FIG.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an image forming apparatus using the buffer roller initial control device of FIG. 2, and FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the operation of a conventional buffer roller initial control device. 11 …… buffer unit, 12 …… buffer drive unit, 13 …… buffer motor, 14 …… buffer motor drive circuit, 15 …… buffer roller, 16 …… buffer support member, 17,20 …… buffer drive wire, 18 , 21 …… Pulley,
19 …… Buffer drive gear, 22 …… Winding pulley, 23 ……
Shaft, 24 ... Home position sensor, 25 ... Home position slit plate, 26 ... Gear, 27 ... Forward clutch, 28 ... Reverse clutch, 29 ... Reduction gear, 30 ... Rotating gear.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A buffer roller for guiding a photosensitive sheet in a specific direction, driving means for driving the buffer roller, control means for controlling the driving means to set the position of the buffer roller, and the buffer roller. Detecting means for detecting the position of the buffer roller, the control means lowers the buffer roller by a predetermined distance, and when the lowered buffer roller is not detected by the detecting means, moves the buffer roller by a specific distance. A buffer roller initial control device, characterized in that it is raised and lowered again from the raised position, detected by the detection means, and the drive means is controlled so as to be arranged at a predetermined position based on the detection result.