JP2726102B2 - Data setting device for image forming device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data setting device in a copying machine, a laser beam printer, and other image forming apparatuses.

(Prior art)

An operation unit of this type of image forming apparatus is provided with an input mode setting key and an input handle for inputting data necessary for operation such as the number of copies, a magnification, and a density level.

A display unit for displaying the data is provided in the operation unit.

To set the data, the operator operates the input mode setting key to switch to the input mode, and further rotates the input handle while watching the display on the display unit.

Then, the pulse generator connected to the input handle is driven, and data is set according to the input mode based on the pulse signal from the pulse generator.

As a method of setting data based on the operation of the input handle described above, JP-A-64-20569 and the like can be mentioned.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the conventional example described in JP-A-64-20569, when the rotation speed of the input handle is high, the data count is advanced at a high speed to coarsely adjust the data setting, and when the rotation speed is low, The data count was advanced at a low speed to allow fine adjustment of the data setting.

However, since the data setting relies on the sense of speed of the manual operation of the operator, the count progress becomes excessive and the desired setting data cannot be quickly approached.
It took time to set up the data correctly.

Further, when the data set value is large, there is a problem that the input handle must be continuously rotated at a high speed.

Therefore, the present invention enables the data count progress amount with respect to the rotation angle to be arbitrarily adjusted irrespective of the rotation speed of the input handle, thereby enabling the data setting of the image forming apparatus to quickly approach desired setting data. It is intended to provide a device.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a display unit for displaying the data is provided on an operation unit for inputting data necessary for operation of the image forming apparatus, and an input mode setting key provided on the operation unit is operated. By doing so, the input mode is switched, and a pulse generator connected to the input handle is driven via a rotatable input handle provided on the operation unit, and based on a pulse signal from the pulse generator. In the data setting device of the image forming apparatus, the data is set in accordance with the input mode, a supporting mechanism for slidably supporting the input handle, and a pulse signal for the pulse signal by sliding the input handle. Switch means for designating the data conversion magnification in multiple stages; and, when the switch means is operated, the data conversion magnification specified by the switch means Data input means for converting input data based on the pulse signal, and using the converted data to set data to be displayed on the display unit. It is configured as a data setting device.

[Operation] In the data setting device of this image forming apparatus, when it is desired to speed up the count of input data for one pulse of the pulse signal generated by rotating the input handle, for example, three times, By operating the switch means by sliding the handle, the data conversion magnification for the pulse signal is specified to be three times.

Then, one pulse of the pulse signal is converted into three times converted data (three pulses) by the data setting means, and data to be displayed on the display unit is set using the converted data.

Therefore, no matter how the operating rotational speed of the input handle changes, if the rotational angle is the same, the data count can be advanced by the specified triple count amount. Therefore, it is not necessary for the operator to turn the input handle too quickly even when the data is largely changed, and it is possible to objectively determine how much data can be obtained by turning the input handle. And can quickly approach the setting data.

When data is to be set at the original count progress speed, the data count can be advanced at the original count speed by returning the slide of the input handle and returning the data conversion magnification to 1. .

That is, the desired count progress amount can be accurately given to the rotation angle of the input handle, so that the desired data can be set quickly.

Further, since the data setting operation is performed by sliding and rotating the input handle as described above, it can be easily performed with one hand.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to provide an understanding of the present invention. The following embodiment is an example embodying the present invention, and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of an operation panel that can be used in a data setting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the data setting device, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the data setting device.

In the following embodiments, the present invention is applied to a copying machine, but it goes without saying that the present invention is also applicable to an image forming apparatus such as a laser beam printer.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, in a control panel B (operation unit) of a data setting device A (FIG. 3) for a copying machine according to this embodiment, a specific example of an input mode setting key is A setting key 1, a magnification setting key 2, and a density setting key 3 are provided. Also, as a specific example of the set value display section, a number display section
4, a magnification display section 5 and a density display section 6 are provided.

On the operation panel B, a disk-shaped input handle 7 is rotatably provided. Rotary shaft 7 _a shown in FIG. 2 of the input handle 7, the second provided on the back side of the operation panel B
Pulse encoder (pulse generator) 8 shown in FIG.
It is connected to. In this case, the pulse encoder 8
An incremental type (incremental type) is adopted.

Furthermore, the input handle 7 as shown in FIG. 2 by a support mechanism 10 for a mounting hole 10 _a formed in the body cover 10 _b of the operation panel B as a main component, and is slidably supported. The spring 9 is for returning the input handle 7 to the state shown in FIG.

The extension of the rotation shaft 7 _a of the input handle 7, which is an example of a switch means for designating the data conversion magnification for the pulse signal from the pulse encoder 8 into multiple stages by sliding the input handle 7 Speed An up switch 11 is provided.

That is, pressing the input handle 7 spring 9 is the input handle 7 is slid is compressed, the distal end of the rotary shaft 7 _a presses the speed-up switch 11, the speed-up switch
11 is switched to specify the data conversion magnification.

Therefore, the rotating operation of the input handle 7 and the switching operation of the speed-up switch 11 can be easily performed with one hand.

The type of the toner color is switched by operating the up / down key 12 of another specific example of the input mode setting key shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and the type of the toner color at that time is displayed on the color display section. Appears on 13.

Further, switching of the paper cassette set in the copying machine body is instructed by the shift key 14, and a predetermined LED of the cassette display unit 15 is turned on corresponding to the type of the paper cassette.

To cancel only the numerical value set in the number display section 4, the clear / stop key 16 is pressed. In addition, the above-mentioned number display section 4, magnification display section 5, density display section 6, color display section
13. To cancel all the displays displayed on the cassette display section 15 and return to the initial state, press the all clear key 17.

The operation commands of the various input mode setting keys and the like are read by the microcomputer CPU 18 (FIG. 3), and the image processing of the copying machine is controlled via the external input / output circuit 19.

The ROM 20 is a memory in which a program such as a sequence process for controlling the operation of the copying machine is stored in advance, and the RAM 21 is a memory for storing various data set by the various input mode setting keys.

In the copying machine having the operation panel B as described above, the setting operation of the number of copies and the copy magnification is performed according to the flowchart shown in FIG. Since the same applies to the density setting, the description is omitted here.

In the following description, S1, S2,... Are processing procedures (steps).
Indicates the number.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the power is turned on and the processing of the program is started, various settings are initialized. For example, the number of processed sheets is 1, the magnification is 100%, and the image density is 4 at an intermediate value of 4 at the LED. The toner color is set to black, and the paper feed cassette is set to A4.

When the initial setting is completed, first, it is determined whether the magnification setting key 2 or the number setting key 1 is pressed (S1, S2), and the respective modes are set (S3, S2).
Four).

Next, in S5, it is determined whether or not the input handle 7 has been rotated to input, for example, one pulse from the pulse encoder 8.

In S6, it is determined whether the input handle 7 is pressed and the speed-up switch 11 is turned on. If the speed-up switch 11 is turned on, the process proceeds to S7, and the input data of one pulse is converted data n (three pulses) three times as large Is converted to the next step
Move to S9. In the next S9, the current mode state is determined, and if the mode is the magnification setting mode, the process proceeds to S10. In the case of the number setting mode, the process proceeds to S21.

First, the case in the magnification setting mode will be described. In S10, it is determined whether or not the pulse encoder 8 has rotated rightward. It is assumed that the magnification increases when the pulse encoder 8 rotates rightward, and decreases when the pulse encoder 8 rotates leftward.

If the pulse encoder 8 rotates rightward, it is determined in S11 whether or not the value currently displayed on the magnification display section 5 is the maximum magnification that can be set. If the maximum magnification is set, the set state is maintained.

If the maximum magnification has not yet been reached, the conversion data n (3 pulses) is added to the current magnification in S12, and as a result, it is determined whether or not the maximum magnification has been exceeded (S13). If the maximum magnification is not exceeded, conversion data n
The magnification obtained by adding (3 pulses) is set as a new magnification (S14).

Accordingly, one pulse of the output of the pulse encoder 8 is counted and added as three times the number of pulses (three pulses), so that the count is advanced by about three times the predetermined rotation angle of the input handle. be able to.

As described above, when the input handle 7 is slid and the speed-up switch 11 is turned on, the data conversion magnification designated by the speed-up switch 11 (the 3
), The input data based on the pulse signal is converted (one pulse into three pulses), and the converted data n
Means for realizing the function of setting the magnification using (3 pulses) is an example of the data setting means.

If the result of the addition in step S12 exceeds the maximum magnification, the maximum magnification is set in the magnification display section 5 (S15).

If the speed-up switch 11 is not turned on in step S6, the process proceeds to the next step S8, where one pulse of the pulse signal is directly converted data (n = 1).

In this case, since the operator performs the above operation while looking at the magnification display section 5, there is no risk of a setting error.

Therefore, for example, the input handle 7 is slid to turn on the speed-up switch 11, and the coarse magnification is set at a high speed. Then, the speed-up switch 11 is turned off and the input handle 7 is turned slowly to finely adjust the magnification. Adjustment can be performed, and the desired set magnification can be reached quickly.

When the pulse encoder 8 is rotated to the left, that is, when the magnification is reduced, the above S10 to S10 are performed.
Since the same processing as 15 is performed (S16 to S20), the description is omitted.

If it is determined in S9 that the current mode is the number setting mode, in S21, it is determined whether the pulse encoder 8 has rotated rightward. When the pulse encoder 8 is rotated rightward, the set number is increased, and when the pulse encoder 8 is rotated leftward, the number is decreased.

If the pulse encoder 8 is rotated rightward, the process proceeds to S22, where it is determined whether the current set number is the maximum number. Since the number display section 4 is composed of a three-digit 7-segment display, the maximum number is 999.
It is a sheet. At present, if the maximum number of 999 is set, the value is maintained.

If the current number is not the maximum number yet, in S23, the conversion data n is added to the current set number in the same manner as described above, and the new number is stored. If the new number is equal to or larger than the maximum number (S24), the maximum number 999 is set in the number display section 4 (S25). If the new number is less than the maximum number, the new number is set in the number display section 4 (S26). If it is determined in step S21 that the pulse encoder 8 has rotated to the left, a process of subtracting the set number is performed. This process is performed in steps S27 to S30.
And S26, which are the same as S21 to S26, and a description thereof will be omitted.

After the copy magnification or the number-of-processed-pieces setting change processing performed based on the one-pulse input from the pulse encoder 8, the process proceeds to S31. In S31, it is determined whether or not the all clear key 17 has been pressed. If the all clear key 17 is not depressed, the process returns to S1, and the set value of the copy magnification or the number of processed sheets is changed each time the pulse value sequentially input from the pulse encoder 8 changes by one pulse.
The above-described setting change processing is repeated until these values become the desired setting values. All clear key as described above
Reference numeral 17 denotes a processing key for resetting all the set values to the initial values, but when the mode setting of the magnification setting and the number of sheets is performed as described above, only the numerical value corresponding to each mode is set to the initial value. Reset. Accordingly, in S32, the type of the current setting mode is determined, and if the mode is the number setting mode, the set number is canceled and set to the initial value (1) (S33). Also, if the magnification setting mode is set, set the magnification to 100%,
The process returns to S1 (S34). When the print key 22 of the operation panel B is pressed while the processing of S1 to S34 is being performed, the copying processing is started according to the magnification and the number of sheets set at that time.

In this embodiment, as described above, the data conversion magnification for the number of pulses generated by the pulse encoder 8 is specified by the speed-up switch 11 as in the case of the magnification setting as described above, and data conversion is performed. The number is set by adding / subtracting.

Therefore, the data setting process can be efficiently performed even when the number of sheets changes greatly.

Note that the data conversion magnification is specified in two steps of three times and one time. Of course, the speed-up switch 11 can be switched in three steps, for example, five times, three times, and one time.
The data conversion magnification may be specified in three or more steps, such as double.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, a display unit for displaying the data is provided on an operation unit for inputting data necessary for operation of the image forming apparatus, and an input mode is switched by operating an input mode setting key provided on the operation unit. And driving a pulse generator connected to the input handle via a rotatable input handle provided on the operation section, and based on a pulse signal from the pulse generator, data of an input mode is determined. In a data setting device of an image forming apparatus configured to perform setting, a support mechanism that slidably supports the input handle and a data conversion magnification for the pulse signal is specified in multiple stages by sliding the input handle. And a pulse signal according to the data conversion magnification designated by the switch means when the switch means is operated. And data setting means for setting input data to be displayed on the display unit using the converted data. You.

Therefore, the desired count progress amount with respect to the rotation angle of the input handle can be accurately grasped, so that the desired data can be set quickly.

Further, since the data setting is performed by sliding and rotating the input handle, it can be easily performed with one hand.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of an operation panel that can be used in a data setting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the data setting device, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the data setting device. [Explanation of Symbols] A: Data setting device B: Operation panel (operation unit) 1: Number setting key 2: Magnification setting key 3: Density setting key 4: Number display unit 5: Magnification display unit 6: concentration display section 7: input handle 8: pulse encoder (pulse generator) 9: spring 10: support mechanism 11: speed-up switch (switch means)

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-2-308266 (JP, A) JP-A-1-287580 (JP, A) JP-A-1-137272 (JP, A) JP-A-64-20570 (JP) JP-A-64-20569 (JP, A) JP-A-64-20568 (JP, A) JP-A-64-20567 (JP, A) JP-A-64-20566 (JP, A) 64-20565 (JP, A) JP-A 64-7052 (JP, A) JP-A 62-280775 (JP, A) JP-A 58-186755 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An operation unit for inputting data necessary for operation of an image forming apparatus is provided with a display unit for displaying the data.
An input mode is switched by operating an input mode setting key provided on the operation unit, and a pulse generator connected to the input handle via a rotatable input handle provided on the operation unit. A data setting device of the image forming apparatus that drives and sets data according to an input mode based on a pulse signal from the pulse generator; anda support mechanism that slidably supports the input handle. Switch means for specifying the data conversion magnification for the pulse signal in multiple steps by sliding the input handle; and when the switch means is operated, the pulse signal is converted to the pulse signal in accordance with the data conversion magnification specified by the switch means. Data for converting input data based on the input data and setting data to be displayed on the display unit using the converted data. Data setting apparatus of an image forming apparatus characterized by comprising; and a constant section.