JP2972605B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus having an information reading function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 2 shows a conventional printer having both an information reading function and an image forming function. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the printer in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum. In the figure, the printer includes an image forming unit 41 and an information reading unit 4.
2 is provided.

The image forming section 41 has a main body 43 and a main body 4
Reference numeral 3 designates a sheet cassette 4 sequentially from the upstream side of the transport path.
5, registration roller 46, photosensitive drum 47, fixing device 4
9, and a paper discharge tray 50 are provided. A rear end detection sensor 51 for detecting the rear end of the recording paper (not shown) conveyed from the paper feed tray 45 is provided at the front of the paper feed tray 45. 52 are provided.

The information reading section 42 has a main body 53. The main body 53 includes a document set tray 55 and a feed roller 5 which are also used as a paper feed tray in order from the upstream side of the transport path.
6, a reading head 57, a conveyance switching valve 59, and a document discharge tray 60 are provided. Original set tray 5
A document set sensor 6 is provided between the feed roller 5 and the feed roller 56.
1 and a read head 57 and a feed roller 56
A head front sensor 62 is disposed between the document feed tray 60 and the document discharge sensor 63.

The above conventional printer operates as follows. First, when recording paper is fed from the original set tray 55 in the state where the mode is switched to the printer mode, the recording paper passes through the feed roller 56 and the reading head 57, and is switched to the solid line position in FIG. After being guided to the image forming unit 41 side by the transport switching valve 59, it temporarily stops before the registration roller 46. Here, the photosensitive drum 4
An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the light-emitting device 7 by light irradiation from an exposure unit (not shown). The recording paper is conveyed by a registration roller 46 in synchronization with the electrostatic latent image, and is discharged onto a paper discharge tray 50 after an image is fixed through a known electrophotographic process. Even when the recording paper is fed from the paper feed tray 45, the image forming operation after the registration roller 46 is performed in the same manner.

On the other hand, in the state where the reading mode (scanner mode) is switched, when a document is fed from the document set tray 55, the document passes through the head front sensor 62 and information is read by the reading head 57. While
The transfer switching valve 59 switched to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG.
Is guided to the document discharge tray 60 side. Thereafter, the recording paper fed from the paper feed tray 45 is attached to the read head 5.
7, the information read from the original is formed as an image by the same process as described above.

[0007]

In the above-described conventional printer, functionally common elements are duplicated, for example, both the image forming section 41 and the information reading section 42 have a paper feed port and a paper discharge port, respectively. Have. For this reason, the number of components is increased, and the entire apparatus is increased in size, or there is a problem that it is difficult to reduce the cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus such as a printer which can reduce the number of parts, reduce the size of the apparatus as a whole, and thereby reduce the cost.

It is another object of the present invention to achieve the above object and to further provide a function of guaranteeing a recording result on a recording medium.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention has one medium loading / unloading port and holds a recording medium used for information recording;
An information reading unit that reads information from a reading medium inserted from the medium loading / unloading port, a recording unit that records the information on the recording medium based on the information read by the information reading unit, and information that is read by the information reading unit. And a common transporting means for discharging the read medium and the recording medium recorded by the recording means from the one medium carry-in / out port, respectively.

According to the printer of the present invention, it is possible to insert and eject a reading medium and eject a recording medium after recording from one medium loading / unloading port, and to read information from a reading medium such as a mark card. The conveyance means used in this case and the conveyance means used in discharging the recording medium recorded based on the information can be shared. As a result, the number of parts can be reduced and the size of the entire apparatus can be reduced, so that cost reduction can be expected.

[0012] Here, it is preferable that the information reading unit further includes an erroneous writing confirmation unit that reads the recording result on the recording medium by the information reading unit and checks whether there is an erroneous writing in the recording result. According to this, for example, the print result of the issued ticket is checked each time, and the print result of the ticket given to the user can be guaranteed.

Further, the recording medium is made of rolled continuous paper, and a cutter for cutting the rolled continuous paper recorded by the recording means to a predetermined length is provided between the common transport means and the recording means. It is also a preferred embodiment to provide.

Further, a reading medium inserted from the medium carrying port and conveyed by the common conveying means is made to enter between the common conveying means and the cutter, and the path of the reading medium is moved in a direction different from that of the cutter. May be further provided.

In the vicinity of a branch point from the common transport means to the read medium entrance path or the recording means, the read medium transported by the common transport means is changed in path toward the read medium entrance path or the recording means. Preferably, a switching member is provided.

[0016]

The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view in a direction orthogonal to a rotation axis of a photosensitive drum showing an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 11
The apparatus main body 12 has a continuous paper 13 made of a roll-shaped thermosensitive recording paper that rotates around a rotation shaft 13a. Further, the apparatus main body 12 includes a platen roller 15, a heat-sensitive print head (recording means) 16 facing the platen roller 15, and a continuous paper printed by the print head 16 on the downstream side of the continuous paper 13 conveyance path. A cutter 17 that cuts 13 at a predetermined length and a switching valve (switching member) 19 that switches the transport path to a first transport path 18 or a second transport path (reading medium entrance path) 20 are sequentially provided. .

Further, the apparatus main body 12 is provided with a first roller pair including a feed roller 22 and a tension roller 21 opposed to the feed roller 22, and information (mark) from a reading medium such as a mark card (mark sheet). An image sensor (information reading unit) 23 for optically reading;
A second roller pair including a feed roller 26 and a tension roller 25 opposed to the feed roller 26, and a continuous sheet cut into a predetermined length after recording and insertion of a reading medium and printing and the like are completed 13 are sequentially arranged.

Platen roller 15 and rolled continuous paper 1
3, a drive motor 29 is provided. An endless transmission belt 31 is wound between the pulley 30 fixed to the rotation shaft of the drive motor 29 and the platen roller 15. At an appropriate position of the apparatus main body 12, an appropriate tension is applied to the transmission belt 33 wound around the platen roller 15 and the feed rollers 22 and 26 so that the transmission belt 33 is stably applied to the rollers 15, 22, and 26. Four tension rollers 32 for winding are provided.

The feed rollers 26 and 22 and the tension rollers 25 and 21 discharge the read medium from which the information has been read by the image sensor 23 from the medium carry-in / out port 27 and carry out the continuous paper 13 printed by the print head 16 to the medium. It constitutes a common conveying means for discharging from the inlet 27. The second transport path 20 allows a reading medium inserted from the medium carrying-in / out port 27 and transported by the common transport means to enter, and changes the course of the reading medium in a direction away from the cutter 17. The switching valve 19 is located near a branch point from the common transport means to the second transport path 20 or the print head 16, and transfers the read medium transported by the common transport means to the second transport path 20 or the print head 16. Guide towards.

The image forming apparatus 11 further includes a control unit 24 and a storage unit 28. Information read by the image sensor 23 is stored in the storage unit 28, and printing (recording) based on the information is executed on the continuous paper 13 by the print head 16 that operates under the control of the control unit 24. Is done. In addition to the printing operation of the print head 16, the control unit 24 controls the rotation timing and rotation direction of the drive motor 29, the switching timing of the switching valve 19, the cutting timing of the continuous paper 13 by the cutter 17, and the like. Further, the control unit 24 reads the recording result on the recording medium by the image sensor 23 and compares the result with the information read from the reading medium and stored in the storage unit 28 in advance, so that there is an error in the printing result. It also functions as an erroneous writing confirmation unit for confirming whether or not the error has occurred.

The image forming apparatus 11 having the above configuration operates as follows. First, when a reading medium such as a mark card on which necessary items are written is inserted through the medium entrance 27,
When a switch (not shown) is turned on (closed) and a drive signal is output from the control unit 24, the drive motor 29 starts rotating. Thereby, the platen roller 15 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 1 by the transmission belt 31 and the feed rollers 22 and 26 are
Are rotated in the same direction. Therefore, while the read medium is drawn by the second roller pair including the feed roller 26 and the tension roller 25 and the written information is read by the image sensor 23, the read medium is separated from the feed roller 22 and the tension roller 21. The first roller pair is transported toward the switching valve 29.

At this point, since the switching valve 19 has been switched to the solid line position in FIG. 1 by a command from the control unit 24, the read medium does not go to the cutter 17 and
After entering the transport path 20, all the written information is read to the rear end side. Information read from the reading medium by the image sensor 23 is stored in the storage unit 28. Thereafter, when a command is issued from the control unit 24 while the switching valve 19 remains at the solid line position in FIG. 1, the common transport means such as the feed rollers 22 and 26 are driven in the opposite direction to the previous one, so that the read medium is It is discharged from the medium carrying-in / out port 27.

After the information reading operation is completed, the control unit 24
However, the print head 16 is driven while rotating the platen roller 15 to pull out the continuous paper 13, and prints the content based on the information read from the image sensor 23 on the continuous paper 13. Further, when the printing operation is completed, the continuous paper 13 is once conveyed to the position of the image sensor 23 without being cut by the cutter 17, and
The print result is read by the image sensor 23 while being held by the common conveyance means in a state where the print result does not completely protrude from the medium carry-in / out port 27.

The control unit 24 compares the read print result with the information stored in the storage unit 28,
It is determined whether or not there is an error in the print result. As a result, if no error is found in the print, the cutter 1
After the reverse conveyance to the position 7, it is cut at a predetermined length.
In addition, when an error is confirmed, the continuous paper 13 that has been pulled out is conveyed in the reverse direction to the position of the print head 16, and void printing is performed on the information writing surface to mark the information as invalid. , Pull it out to the specified length again and cutter 1
Cut at 7.

In the case of a ticket having no mistake in printing or a ticket marked as invalid due to the mistake, the switching valve 19 is switched to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. In the state, the feed roller 22,
The medium is conveyed toward the medium carry-in / out port 27 by common conveying means such as 26. As for the ticket discharged from the medium carrying-in / out port 27, only a valid ticket is handed over to the user after the operator determines whether or not the ticket is valid.

As described above, in the present image forming apparatus 11,
From the same medium loading / unloading port, a reading medium can be inserted and ejected, and a recording medium after recording can be ejected, and a transport means used for reading information from a reading medium such as a mark card, A part of the conveying means used for discharging the recording medium on which the recording has been performed can be shared. As a result, the number of components can be reduced, and the entire apparatus can be downsized, and the cost can be expected to be reduced accordingly. Furthermore, after the printing is completed, the content printed on the ticket can be recognized again through the image sensor 23, so that the result of printing the ticket given to the user can be guaranteed.

As described above, the present invention has been described based on the preferred embodiments. However, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, but rather the configuration of the above-described embodiment. An image forming apparatus in which various modifications and changes are made is also included in the scope of the present invention.

[0029]

As described above, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the provision of the common medium carrying-in / out port and the common carrying means enables the number of parts to be reduced and the whole apparatus to be downsized. It can be expected that the cost can be reduced accordingly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view in a direction orthogonal to a rotation axis of a photosensitive drum showing an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a conventional printer in a direction orthogonal to a rotation axis of a photosensitive drum.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 11 image forming apparatus 12 apparatus main body 13 continuous paper in roll form (recording medium) 16 print head (recording means) 17 cutter 19 switching valve (switching member) 20 second transport path (reading medium entrance path) 21, 25 tension roller 22 , 26 feed roller 23 image sensor (information reading unit) 24 control unit (error writing confirmation unit) 27 medium loading / unloading port 28 storage unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ identification code FI B41J29 / 46 B41J 29/46 C B65H 5/26 B65H 5/26 (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) ) H02N 1/00

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. An apparatus main body having one medium loading / unloading port and holding a recording medium used for information recording, an information reading unit for reading information from a reading medium inserted from the medium loading / unloading port, and the information reading unit A recording unit for recording on the recording medium based on the information read by the information reading unit; and a recording medium on which information is read by the information reading unit and a recording medium recorded by the recording unit.
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a common transport unit that discharges each of the media from one of the two media outlets. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an erroneous writing confirmation unit that reads a recording result on a recording medium by the information reading unit and checks whether there is an erroneous writing in the recording result. 3. A recording medium comprising a roll of continuous paper, further comprising a cutter between the common transporting means and the recording means for cutting the continuous paper recorded by the recording means at a predetermined length, The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. 4. Between the common conveying means and the cutter,
4. The read medium entrance path according to claim 3, further comprising: a read medium insertion path for allowing a read medium inserted from the medium carry-in / out port to be transported by the common transport unit to enter to change the path of the read medium to a direction different from the direction of the cutter. Image forming apparatus. 5. In the vicinity of a branch point from the common transport means to the read medium entrance path or the recording means, a read medium transported by the common transport means is directed toward the read medium entrance path or the recording means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a switching member for changing is provided.