JP2749076B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine.

(Prior Art) An image forming apparatus such as a copying machine capable of synthesizing and developing character information with an arbitrary developing color on a document image to be copied has been proposed. For example, by using the above functions in a copier, important documents, etc. can be stored. Can be developed using a development color different from the original image color, which has the effect that the document is an important document at a glance.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the above-described conventional technique, when the character information is combined with the original image and developed, the color of the character information must be designated each time copying or the like is performed. There was a disadvantage that it was complicated.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an image forming apparatus which is simple and easy to operate in forming an image by combining a document image and character information. To provide.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image carrier, first exposure means for exposing the image carrier with a document image, and second exposure for exposing with character information. Means, and a plurality of developing units for developing the electrostatic latent images on the image carrier with different colors, respectively, in an image forming apparatus capable of forming a multiplex image of a monochromatic original image and a monochromatic character information image, Registration designation means for registering the development color of the character information in advance; control means for setting the registered color as the development color when the color is not specified when forming the character information; It is characterized by having color determination means for determining whether or not they are the same, and display means for displaying the same color when the color determination means is determined to be the same.

(Operation) When an image is formed by combining character information with a document image, the character information and its color are registered and designated in advance. Therefore, if there is no particular color designation in the development of the character information, the registration is designated as it is. The character information is developed using the color, and the complexity of designating the color of the character information every time copying or the like can be eliminated.

In addition, there is provided a color determining means for determining whether the registered color and the color of the original image are the same, and a display means for displaying that the color is the same when the color determining means is determined to be the same. Even if the operator forgets to specify the color despite the fact that he wants to stand out, it is possible to prevent a mistake in which the character information is erroneously added in the same color as the original image.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the present embodiment will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, taking a copying machine as an example of an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the configuration and functions of a copying machine, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram relating to registration of character information, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram relating to a developing color control means for character information.

First, the configuration and function of the copying machine 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 1. Reference numeral 10 denotes a photosensitive drum serving as an image carrier disposed in the center of the apparatus main body 2, around the photosensitive drum 10. Along the rotation direction, a charger 11, a digital exposure unit 12, an analog exposure unit 13, a color developing unit 14, a black developing unit 15, a transfer charging unit 16, a separation charging unit 17, and a cleaner 18 are sequentially arranged. An image is formed by a normal electrophotographic process.

That is, when an original image or the like is exposed to the photosensitive drum 10 uniformly charged by the charger 11 via the digital exposure unit 12 and the analog lightning unit 13 to form an electrostatic latent image, the photosensitive drum 10 The electrostatic latent image is visualized by a developer (toner) of the black developing device 15 or the color developing device 14 and converted into a toner image.
When the toner image is transferred to the transfer paper P fed from the paper feeding system 23 by the transfer charger 16, the transfer paper P carrying the toner image is separated from the photosensitive drum 10 by the separation charger 17. .

Here, the color developing device 14 and the black developing device 15 will be further described. The black developing device 15 is disposed on the right side of the photosensitive drum 10 in FIG. 1 and moves left and right as indicated by the arrow in FIG. The developing operation is performed by being pressed against the photosensitive drum 10 by a black developing signal from the control unit.
Return to the standby position separated from. A plurality of color developing devices 14 having developers (toners) of different colors other than black are housed vertically in a developing device housing 3 provided on the right side of the apparatus main body 2. A desired one is selected from the devices 14.

That is, when a color development signal of a predetermined color is output from the main body control unit, the unnecessary color developing device 14 at the standby position a around the photosensitive drum 10 is developed from the carry-in / out entrance 2a of the apparatus main body 2 through the transfer path 14a. While being stored in the vacant room 3a in the device housing 3, the desired color developing device 14 in the developing device housing 3 is moved up and down so as to face the carry-in / out opening 2a of the apparatus main body 2. The desired color developing device 14 is carried from the carry-out port 2a of the apparatus main body 2 to the standby position A around the photosensitive drum 10 through the transfer path 14a, and then pressed by the photosensitive drum 10 to perform a developing operation.
After the operation is completed, the operation returns to the standby position A separated from the photosensitive drum 10 again. If the color developing device 14 at the standby position A around the photosensitive drum 10 is selected by a color developing signal of a predetermined color from the main body control unit, the pressing and separation of the color developing device 14 with respect to the photosensitive drum 10 are performed as they are. Then, a developing operation is performed.

On the left side of the photosensitive drum 10 in the figure, a fixing device 19, a flapper 20,
A discharge roller 21 is provided, and the toner image on the transfer paper P separated from the photosensitive drum 10 by the separation charger 17 is fused and fixed while being nipped and conveyed by the fixing device 19 and fixed on the transfer paper P. The fixed transfer paper P is carried out of the apparatus via the flapper 20 and the paper discharge roller 21. Below the photosensitive drum 10 and the fixing device 19, a multiple transfer conveyance path (multiple exposure means) 22 for the transfer paper P for multiple transferring the developed image multiple-exposed on the photosensitive drum 10 to the transfer paper P is provided. The transfer paper P that requires multiple transfer is sent from the multiple transfer conveyance path 22 to the photosensitive drum 10 again through the flapper 20 to perform multiple transfer. A paper feed system 23 for the transfer paper P is provided from below the multiple transfer conveyance path 22 to the photosensitive drum 10, and the paper feed system 23 is configured to selectively feed the transfer paper P from the two-stage cassettes 24 and 25. The transfer paper P sent to the registration roller 27 via the paper feed path 26 is adjusted in timing by the registration roller 27 to be sent to the photosensitive drum 10.

Above the photosensitive drum 10, an exposure unit for the photosensitive drum 10 including an analog optical system 28 and a digital optical system 33 is provided. The analog optical system 28 includes an optical scanning system 29 having an illumination lamp, moving mirrors 30, 30, 30, an imaging lens 31, and a fixed mirror.
32, 32, 32, etc., and the document table 2 of the apparatus body 2
b is irradiated by an optical scanning system 29 moving in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1, and the reflected original image is received by moving mirrors 30,... which move together with the optical scanning system 29, and this original image is formed. Analog exposure unit 13 via image lens 31, fixed mirror 32,.
Irradiates the photosensitive drum 10 from above.

Digital optical system 33 is laser transmitter 34, bending mirror
35 mag, , Characters such as "circulation" and "important", and character information such as date and time are emitted through the laser beam L of the laser transmitter 34, and the laser beam L is bent via the bending mirror 35 into the digital exposure unit. Irradiates the photosensitive drum 10 from 12.

Next, the developing operation for the character information by the copying machine will be described with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG.

First, as shown in FIG. 2, the character information is registered in advance in a character information registration unit (not shown) in the apparatus main body 2 (step 1). The photosensitive drum 10 can be exposed through the system 33. Subsequently, the colors of the character information described above are similarly registered in the character information registration unit (step 2). Color registration shall be performed for each character information within the range of the black developing device 15 or the stored color developing devices 14,. If so, it is assumed that the color is such as red, which best represents the characteristics of the character information. Therefore, when a predetermined one of the registered character information is selected by the operator, the character information is developed according to the registered color.

Subsequently, the registered character information is controlled by the main body control unit in accordance with the flowchart shown in FIG. That is, multiple exposure is selected by a key operation on the apparatus main body 2 (step 11), and when necessary character information is selected (step 12),
It is confirmed whether or not the color registration of the character information is specified (step 13). If No, the operator specifies the color on the spot (step 14). If YES, it is confirmed whether or not the color developing device 14,... Or the black developing device 15 in the apparatus main body 2 or the developing device storage 3 has the designated color or the registered color (step 15). If not, the answer is No, and the worker specifies again the color of the character information (step 16). In this case, even if the character information has a registered color, this designated color has priority.

If it is determined in step 15 that the developing device 14 or 15 has a desired color, the result is Yes. Then, it is determined whether or not the color of the character information is the same as the color of the original image (step 17). If yes, the result is Yes, a message to that effect is displayed on the main body operation unit (step 18), and the operator is asked whether the same color is acceptable (step 19). If the color is inconvenient, the result is No, and the worker specifies the color of the character information again (step
14) If the same color is acceptable, the result is Yes, and the desired color or black developing device 14 or 15 is set on the photosensitive drum 10 (step 20), and the character information is developed (step 21).
If the color of the character information is not the same as the color of the original image in step 17, the result is NO, and the process proceeds to steps 20 and 21 in the same manner.

Thus, the developing operation of the character information on the photosensitive drum 10 is completed. Thereafter, the developed image of the character information on the photosensitive drum 10 is transferred to the transfer paper P via the transfer charger 16.
The image is transferred to the upper side and fixed by the fixing device 19. Then, the transfer paper P on which the character information is fixed is sent to the multiple transfer conveyance path 22 for multiple transfer via the flapper 20, and is put on standby for the transfer of the next original image. When the photosensitive drum 10 is cleaned via the cleaner 18 and is uniformly charged by the charger 11, an electrostatic latent image of a document image is formed on the photosensitive drum 10 via the analog optical system 28. Then, a color or black developing device 14 or 15 having a desired color for the document image is set on the photosensitive drum 10, and the document image is developed. Thereafter, transfer to the transfer paper P and fixing of the developed image are performed in the same manner as the character information.

When the color of the character information and the color of the original image are the same, the multiple exposure is not used as described above, the character information and the original image are simultaneously exposed on the photosensitive drum 10, and the development, transfer, and fixing are performed at the same time. In the above description, the development of the original image is performed after the development of the character information. However, the order of the development may be reversed.

As described above, the color of the character information is registered in advance, and if there is a desired color developing device or the like in the apparatus main body or the developing device storage, the operator can change the color of the original image and the color of the character information. It is possible to combine the character information with the original image only by making a determination regarding the identity of the character information. Therefore, the operator does not need to specify the color of the complicated character information every time copying is performed, and the copying operation of the operator becomes easy.

Further, in this embodiment, it is determined whether or not the color of the character information is the same as the color of the original image, and if so, the fact is displayed on the main body display unit. Regardless, even if the operator forgets to specify the color, it is possible to prevent a mistake in which the character information is erroneously added in the same color as the document image.

In the present embodiment, a copying machine is taken as an example, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this as long as it is an image forming apparatus.
In this embodiment, an analog optical system is used as an exposure unit for exposing the original image to the photosensitive drum. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a digital optical system may be used.

(Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the development color of the character information is registered in advance, and is registered when the color is not specified when forming the character information. Since the developed color is used, it is not necessary to specify the color of the character information every time the character information is added, and the operation is simple and easy, and the burden on the operator is reduced. Is obtained.

Further, according to the present invention, color determination means for determining whether or not the registered color and the color of the original image are the same, and display means for displaying that the color is the same when the color determination means is determined to be the same. With this arrangement, even if the operator forgets to specify a color despite the fact that the character information is desired to stand out, it is possible to prevent a mistake in which the character information is erroneously added in the same color as the original image. Is also obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a copying machine, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram relating to registration of character information, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram relating to developing color control means for character information. 10 photosensitive drum (image carrier), 14 color developing unit (developing unit), 15 black developing unit (developing unit), 22 multiple transfer conveying path (multiple exposure unit), 28 analog optical system (first unit) 33) Digital optical system (second exposure means).

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-1-284875 (JP, A) JP-A-1-293364 (JP, A) JP-A-59-23356 (JP, A) JP-A-63-204270 (JP) JP-A-63-188163 (JP, A) JP-A-62-299975 (JP, A) JP-A-59-170864 (JP, A) JP-A-63-241571 (JP, A) 60-212778 (JP, A) JP-A-57-20749 (JP, A)

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] An image carrier, a first exposure device for exposing the image carrier with a document image, a second exposure device for exposing with character information, and an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier are different from each other. An image forming apparatus having a plurality of developing units for developing in a color, and capable of forming a multiplex image of a single-color original image and a single-color character information image; a registration designation unit for registering a development color of character information in advance; Control means for developing a registered color when a color is not specified when forming information; developing means for determining whether the registered color is the same as the color of the original image; Display means for displaying the same color when the means are determined to be the same. 2. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first exposure means is an analog optical system, and said second exposure means is a digital optical system. 3. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first exposure means and said second exposure means are the same or separate digital optical systems.