JP2597423B2 - Magnification adjustment mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnification adjusting mechanism for moving an optical system to perform a reduction, equal magnification, or enlargement magnification operation in a copying machine or the like. is there.

[Related Art] In a copying machine, when performing reduction or enlargement, a desired magnification, for example, 150% is set by operating a scaling ratio setting key on an operation panel provided on the top surface of the copying machine. Then, by pressing the print key, you get a 150% copy. At this time, the optical system such as the lens and the mirror is moved to the 150% enlargement position immediately after the magnification setting key is operated in order to cope with the 150% enlargement.

Alternatively, in a copying machine of a type that automatically detects the size of a document, when placed on a document contact glass,
Alternatively, when the document cover is further closed, the document size is automatically detected, and the magnification is automatically calculated from the document size and the type of the selected paper feed cassette. Has been moved to the position corresponding to.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, once the scaling ratio is set as described above,
The settings are not always correct, and there are times when you want to fix them.

Alternatively, even when the magnification is determined from the document size and the paper feed cassette, there is a case where the user wants to change the magnification.

Nevertheless, in the conventional copying machine, as described above, immediately after setting the magnification, or immediately after placing the original on the contact glass and closing the original cover, the optical system is moved to its target position. If the correction is made again, the optical system must move to the corrected position again, and if the re-corrected position is significantly different from the initial position, However, there was a problem that the preparation time for copying was too long.

The present invention considers such a problem of the conventional optical system adjusting mechanism, and an optical system that does not require a large amount of time to move the optical system even if the initially set magnification is incorrect and is corrected again. It is an object to provide an adjustment mechanism.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a magnification input unit for inputting a magnification, information on a current position where an optical system currently exists, and a target magnification input by the magnification input unit. And a preliminary movement position conversion means for calculating and outputting a preliminary movement position between the positions from the current position information and the target position information, and a magnification from the magnification input means. Is input, the optical system drive is moved to the preliminary movement position calculated by the preliminary movement position calculation means, and after the final magnification is determined, an optical system drive for outputting a signal for moving the optical system to the target position is output. The variable magnification adjusting mechanism includes a control unit and an optical system driving unit that moves the optical system according to a control signal from the optical system driving control unit.

Further, according to the present invention, the final magnification in the above invention is determined by an instruction from a final confirmation instruction key, an instruction from a start key for instructing start of image formation, or a predetermined predetermined time. This is a variable magnification adjustment mechanism that is determined by the lapse of time from the input operation of the input means.

[Operation] According to the present invention, the magnification is input by the magnification input means, the current position information where the optical system is currently located by the preliminary movement position calculating means, and the target magnification input by the magnification input means. The target position information of the optical system corresponding to is input, the preliminary movement position between the positions is calculated from the current position information and the target position information, and the magnification is input from the magnification input means by the optical system drive control means. At this time, a signal for moving the optical system to the target position is output to the preliminary movement position calculated by the preliminary movement position calculating means, and after the optical system is moved and the final magnification is determined. The optical system driving means moves the optical system according to a control signal from the optical system driving control means.

In the present invention, the final magnification is determined by an instruction from a final confirmation instruction key, an instruction from a start key for instructing start of image formation, or a predetermined time determined by an input operation of the magnification input means. Determined by the passage of time.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a copying machine in which a magnification adjusting mechanism according to the present invention is incorporated.

In the figure, on the upstream side of the apparatus main body 1 (based on the transport direction of the copy paper), there are provided paper feed cassettes 2 and 2 and a manual feed tray 3 containing copy papers of various sizes. A photosensitive drum 4 is rotatably provided at the center, and a developing unit 5, a transfer separator 6, and the like are arranged around the photosensitive drum 4. Further downstream, a heat fixing device 7, a discharge roller 8, and a discharge tray 9 are provided. Reference numeral 10 denotes a conveyance path, 11 denotes a re-feeding path, and 12 denotes an intermediate sheet cassette.

Further, on an upper surface of the apparatus main body, a contact glass 15 on which a document is placed and a document cover 16 for pressing the document are provided.
Is provided. Below the contact glass 15, an optical system 100 including an illumination lamp 17, a reflection mirror 18, a lens 13, a reflection mirror 14, and the like is provided.

An operation panel 19 as shown in FIG. 2 is attached to the front of the upper surface of the apparatus main body. This operation panel 19
Includes a reduction display section 20, an enlargement display section 21, a magnification display section 22, a reduction key 23 for instructing reduction, an enlargement key 24 for instructing enlargement,
There are provided a same-size key 25 for instructing the same size, a sheet size portion 27 for displaying the size of the copy sheet in each sheet cassette 2, and a size key 26 for specifying the sheet size.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the magnification adjusting mechanism according to the present invention.

The magnification input means 30 includes the reduction key 23, the enlargement key 24,
This is a means for inputting a target magnification ratio, which is constituted by the same magnification key 25 and the like.

The preliminary movement position calculating means 31 inputs the current position information where the optical system 100 is presently present and the target position information of the optical system corresponding to the target magnification input by the magnification input means 30. This is a means for calculating and outputting a preliminary movement position between these positions from the information and the target position information. That is, before copying, the position at which the optical system 100 is stopped depends on the type of copying machine, such as the position of the same magnification or the position of the magnification used in the immediately preceding copying operation. For example, the center position between the current position and the input target position, for example, the center position, is calculated and output as a preliminary movement position.

The optical system driving unit 33 is a unit for moving the optical system 100, and includes a motor, a gear, a chain, and the like.

When a magnification is input from the magnification input means 30 such as the reduction key 23, the optical system drive control means 32 controls the optical system drive means 33 to the preliminary movement position calculated by the preliminary movement position calculation means 31. Is controlled, the optical system 100 is moved, and a print key (not shown) for starting copying is pressed, and when the final magnification is determined, the optical system 100 is driven to the target position. By controlling the means 33, it is moved.

 Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

When the print key is pressed, the image light of the document on the contact glass 15 is irradiated on the photosensitive drum 4 by the optical system 100, and exposure is performed. The developing device 5 develops the latent image generated by the exposure with toner. The developed visual image is sent out of the paper feed cassette 2 by the transfer separator 6, and is transferred onto the conveyed sheet.
Further, the sheet is separated from the photosensitive drum 4. The sheet is sent to the fixing device 7 through the transport path 10, is thermally fixed, and is finally discharged onto the discharge tray 9 by the discharge roller 8.

Thus, the copying operation is completed. In that case, it is assumed that the optical system 100 has returned to the position of the equal magnification.

Next, assuming that another person performs copying, first, as shown in FIG. 4, a target magnification is input by the reduction key 23, the enlargement key 24, etc. (step S1). Then, the preliminary movement position calculating means 31 calculates the intermediate position between the current position of the optical system, that is, the intermediate position and the position corresponding to the target magnification ratio by the following equation (step S1). S
2).

Preliminary movement position P _1/2 = | zoom position + current position | × (1/2) Further, the optical system drive control means 32
To move the optical system 100 to the calculated preliminary movement position P _1/2 (step S2).

Thereafter, the operator confirms that there is no error in the set magnification, and presses the start key. That is, by pressing the start key, the magnification is not changed, and the final magnification is determined (step S3), the optical system drive control means 32 controls the optical system drive means 33, and the optical system 100
Is moved from the preliminary movement position P _1/2 to a target position (step S4).

On the other hand, when the operator finds that the set magnification is incorrect, the operator does not press the start key (step S3) and sets a correct magnification again (step S1). Then, the preliminary movement position P'1 _{/ 2} is calculated again (step S2), and the optical system drive control means 32 controls the optical system drive means 33 to move the optical system 100 to the calculated preliminary movement position P '. Move to _1/2 (step S2).
At this time, since the optical system 100 moves from the previous preliminary movement position P _1/2 (current position) to the preliminary movement position P ′ _1/2 , the movement distance can be relatively reduced. I can do it. Thereafter, as described above, when the start key is pressed, the optical system 100 is moved to the correct target position (steps S3 and S4).

The preliminary movement position of the present invention is the intermediate position in the above embodiment, but is not limited to this, and may be any position between the current position and the target position.

In the above embodiment, the final magnification is determined by pressing the start key.
The present invention is not limited to this, and it is considered that the final determination has been made by using a final determination instruction key for instructing finalization of the final magnification, or when a predetermined time such as 10 seconds has elapsed from the time of input operation from the magnification input means. For example, any means can be used as long as the operator determines that there is no longer any change in the required magnification, and the mechanism can recognize it.

Further, the preliminary movement position calculation means, the optical system drive control means, and the like of the present invention are realized as software using a computer in the above embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a hardware circuit dedicated to the function of those means is used. May be realized.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the current position information where the optical system currently exists is obtained by the preliminary movement position calculation means,
Preliminary movement positions between the positions are calculated from the target position information, and the preliminary movement position calculated by the preliminary movement position calculation means when the variable magnification is input from the magnification input means by the optical system drive control means. After the optical system is moved and the final magnification is determined, a signal to move the optical system to the target position is output. In this case, the moving time of the optical system can be reduced.

Further, since useless movement of the optical system is reduced, wear of the optical system can be further reduced.

In addition, since it is not necessary to move the optical system at a time by a large distance, the positional accuracy of the lens, the mirror, and the like can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a copying machine, FIG. 2 is a plan view of an operation panel of the copying machine, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a magnification adjusting mechanism according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment. 30 ... magnification input means, 31 ... preliminary movement position calculation means,
32 ... optical system drive control means, 33 ... optical system drive means, 10
0 ... optical system.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Masanori Itayoshi 1-2-2, Tamazo, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Mita Kogyo Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-59-10938 (JP, A) JP-A-59-177530 (JP, A) JP-A-1-107275 (JP, A)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A magnification input means for inputting a magnification, information on a current position where an optical system currently exists, and a target of an optical system corresponding to a target magnification inputted by the magnification input means. Preliminary movement position calculation means for inputting position information, calculating and outputting a preliminary movement position between the positions from the current position information and the target position information, and a magnification is input from the magnification input means. At this time, the optical system is moved to the preliminary movement position calculated by the preliminary movement position calculation means, and after the final magnification is determined,
Optical system drive control means for outputting a signal for moving the optical system to the target position, and optical system drive means for moving the optical system according to a control signal from the optical system drive control means. Magnification adjustment mechanism. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the final magnification is determined by an instruction from a final confirmation instruction key, an instruction from a start key for instructing start of image formation, or a predetermined time determined by the magnification input means. 2. The variable magnification adjustment mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the magnification is determined by a lapse of time from an input operation time.