JP3238731B2 - Color recording device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color recording apparatus for selecting a recording material according to a designated output form and outputting an image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, page printers utilizing electrophotographic technology represented by laser beam printers have rapidly increased the market share in the printer market, and accordingly, the market has demanded color printing and high density printing. It is heading in the direction to do. And with the cost reduction of semiconductor memory,
At the same time, the product is gradually moving in that direction, and the demand for output images also needs to be higher quality and more complex.
Print-level images typified by PDL (Page Description Language) have been required. Conventionally, at the time of debugging or product inspection at the time of developing such a printer, after modifying a program for controlling the printer, it is necessary to verify whether the printer outputs a desired image in several minutes to several tens of minutes. Have to be forced.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional debugging, it is not necessary to output images from all recording materials for image verification, and the use of recording materials can often be replaced by one color. Nevertheless, since all colors are intentionally used, there is a problem that the image verification time is prolonged and the remaining amount of the recording material becomes uneven.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, a color recording apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a storage unit for storing color print data; and a color printing device, based on the color print data stored in the storage unit. Developing means for developing a color image on a developing memory corresponding to the color of the recording material; instructing means for instructing an output mode of the color image; determining means for determining the output mode instructed by the instructing means; When the normal print mode is determined, the color print data is expanded into a color image by the expansion unit, and after the color image is printed, the color print data is deleted. If it is determined that, after printing the color image developed from the color printing data in a single color by the development unit, said storage A development memory that holds color print data in a row and that corresponds to all recording material colors based on the color print data stored in the storage means when the test print mode is changed to the normal print mode. And a control means for performing a printing process by developing a color image again and deleting the color print data.

Here, it is preferable to further have a selection means for visually displaying the remaining amount of each recording material and selecting and instructing a recording material to be used in the test print mode. Further, it is also preferable that the control means takes a logical sum of the color print data in the test print mode, and causes the developing means to perform a developing process based on a calculation result. Further, it is preferable that after returning from the test print mode to the normal print mode, reprint processing is performed from the first page on which the print processing in the test print mode has been performed. If the control means determines that the test mode is the second test print mode, the developing means develops a single-color image from the color print data into a single-color development memory, and prints the single-color image. After that, it is also preferable to control to delete the color print data.

[0006]

In the above configuration, the debugging time is reduced,
It functions to equalize the remaining amount of the recording material.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a color recording apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as an apparatus) according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a data input mechanism 1
This is an input interface for inputting print data from a host computer (not shown) or the like. The image expansion mechanism 100 analyzes the input print data and expands the input print data into image data that can be understood by humans. Further, the image forming mechanism 1
No. 01 forms a visible image on recording paper based on the generated image data.

The control unit 3 constituting the image developing mechanism 100
Is for controlling the entire apparatus, and internally has a ROM 3a storing the operation processing program and a RAM 3b used as a work area. In this apparatus, the data received from the data input mechanism 1 is temporarily stored in the input buffer 2. Thereafter, the data stored in the input buffer 2 is sequentially taken out, and is developed as print data in the page buffer 4 while analyzing the data. The page buffer 4 stores print data for a plurality of pages as long as the storage capacity permits.

On the other hand, the control unit 3
When the print data for the page is formed, the print data is sequentially extracted, the corresponding image data is generated, and the generated image data is developed in the image development memories 41 to 44. At this time, based on the input color information, the Y image development memory 4
The image data is expanded to any one of the 1, M image expansion memory 42, C image expansion memory 43, and K image expansion memory 44, or to a plurality of expansion memories. Then, the controller 3 continues the developing process until the image developing for one page in the page buffer 4 is completed.

When the image development for the page of interest is completed, the control unit 3 makes a determination and performs processing according to a control procedure described later. That is, normally, at the time of printing, the print data in the page buffer 4 corresponding to the currently developed image is deleted so that the next print data can be received. On the other hand, during test printing, the page buffer 4
No print data is deleted. And then
With respect to the image forming mechanism 101 via the video I / F 7,
One page of image data in the image development memories 41 to 44 is transferred.

This transfer is performed in units of one scan image, and is transferred via the scan buffer 6 based on a synchronization signal on the video I / F 7. At the time of this image transfer, the control unit 3 performs determination and processing according to a control procedure described later. That is, normally, during printing, the image data in the image development memories 41 to 44 is transferred four times via the video I / F 7 as one page. At the time of test printing, image data obtained by calculating the logical sum of the image development memories 41 to 44 for one page is transferred collectively.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the mechanism of the apparatus according to the embodiment. In the figure, a digital image signal transferred via a video I / F 7 (see FIG. 1) in an image developing mechanism 100 is applied to a laser output unit 111, where
The laser is modulated on / off to form an image. The laser output unit 111 converts the image signal into an optical signal and outputs a polyhedral (for example, octahedral) polygon mirror 11.
2, a motor (not shown) for rotating the polygon mirror 112, an f / θ lens (imaging lens) 113, and the like. Further, the reflection mirror 114 changes the optical path of the laser light from the laser output unit 111. That is, the laser light emitted from the laser output unit 111 is reflected by the polygon mirror 112, and the f / θ lens 113 and the reflection mirror 114
The surface of the photosensitive drum 115 is linearly scanned (raster scan) through the sensor, so that a latent image corresponding to the document image is formed on the photosensitive drum 115.

This apparatus has a primary charger 117, an overall exposure lamp 118, a cleaner 123 for collecting untransferred residual toner, and a pre-transfer charger 124. These members are provided around the photosensitive drum 115. It is arranged in. The developing unit 126 is a unit for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 115 by laser exposure, and is in contact with the photosensitive drum 115 to directly contact the developing sleeves 131Y, 131M, 131C, and 131K. Perform development. Further, the toner hoppers 130Y and 130Y
M, 130C, and 130K hold spare toner, and the screw 132 carries the developer. That is, the developing unit 126 is connected to these sleeves 131.
Y-131K, toner hoppers 130Y-130K, and screw 132, and these members are
The developing unit 126 is disposed around the rotation axis P.

Therefore, for example, when a yellow toner image is formed, the developing unit 126 develops the yellow toner in the position shown in FIG. 2, and when a magenta toner image is formed, the developing unit 12
6 is rotated about the axis P in FIG.
M is arranged. The same operation is performed for cyan and black development. The transfer drum 116 is a drum for transferring the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 115 to paper, and the actuator plate 119 is a transfer drum 1
The position sensor 120 detects the movement position of the transfer drum 116 and detects whether the transfer drum 116 has moved to the home position by approaching the actuator plate 119. And these members,
Along with the transfer drum cleaner 125, the paper pressing roller 127, the static eliminator 128, and the transfer charger 129, the transfer drum cleaner 125 is provided around the transfer roller 116.

Sheets (sheets) are stored in sheet cassettes 135 and 136, and sheet feeding rollers 137 and 138 are rollers for feeding sheets from sheet cassettes 135 and 136. Further, the timing rollers 139, 140, 1
Reference numeral 41 denotes a roller for setting the timing of sheet feeding and conveyance. The sheet fed and conveyed via these rollers is guided by a paper guide 149, wraps around the transfer drum 116, and shifts to an image forming process. In addition, the drum rotation motor 150
The photosensitive drum 115 and the transfer drum 116 are rotated synchronously,
The peeling claw 151 removes the sheet from the transfer drum 116 after the image forming process is completed. Then, the removed sheet is transported by the transport belt 142, and the image fixing unit 143
The sheet conveyed by the conveyor belt 142 is fixed. The image fixing unit 143 includes a pair of thermal pressure rollers 144, 1
45.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the input unit 5 shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the input unit 5 includes a print mode selection unit 51 and a recording consumable material selection unit 52. The print mode selection unit 51 is for selecting a normal print mode or a test print mode. is there. In addition, the recording consumable selection unit 52 displays the recording consumable Y,
Any of M, C, and K is selected, and at the time of test printing, the logical sum of the images of all colors is output by the selected recording consumable using the consumable.

Next, a printing process in the apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a print processing procedure in the apparatus according to the embodiment. At first,
In step S1 of the figure, data is read from the input buffer 2 and the input data is analyzed (step S1).
2). Then, the print data obtained as a result is stored in the page buffer 4 (step S3). Next, it is determined whether or not one page of print data has been generated in the page buffer 4 (step S4). If it is determined that the print data has been generated, the process proceeds to step S5.

The print data in the generated page buffer 4 is read out (step S5). At this time, it is determined which color the current print data corresponds to, and the image development memories Y (41), M (42), C (43), K (44)
The image to the corresponding memory in the file (step S
6). If it is determined that the print data for one page has been developed in the image development memory (the determination in step S7 is YES), the process proceeds to the determination of the print mode (step S8). Here, the configuration of the page buffer in the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the correspondence between the configuration of the page buffer and the print mode described later. In FIG. 5, the page pointer indicates that the page currently being processed is page 3. Also, the pages indicated by oblique lines indicate that printing has been completed, but print data is stored as it is (page 1, page 2).

Therefore, if it is determined in step S8 of FIG. 4 that printing is normal, page 3 is deleted from page buffer 4 (step S9), and the page pointer is updated by 1, that is, the operation proceeds to the next page (step S9). Step S1
0). However, if it is determined in step S8 that test printing has been performed, the page pointer is updated by one while page 3 is stored. Next, the contents of the image development memory are stored in the video I / F.
Then, the print mode is transferred to the image forming mechanism 101 through the step S7, and the actual visible image generation stage is started. At this time, the print mode is judged again (step S11). If the mode is determined to be normal printing, the contents of one page of the Y image development memory 41 are transferred to the image forming mechanism 10 via the video I / F 7.
1 (step S12). Then, the contents of the M image, C image, and K image development memories are sequentially transferred (steps S13 to S15). At this time, in the image forming mechanism 101, as described above, the photosensitive drum,
By rotating the transfer drum four times to generate colors corresponding to Y, M, C, and K, and transferring and fixing the colors on a paper sheet,
A desired color image is obtained on a paper sheet.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S11 that the mode is test printing, one page of data obtained by performing a logical sum of the contents of the development memories of the Y, M, C, and K images is transferred to the image forming mechanism 101 (step S11). S16). At this time, the image forming mechanism 101 operates the recording consumable material selecting unit 52 shown in FIG.
The printing is performed by using any one of the recording consumables selected from Y, M, C, and K selected in. As described above, in this test printing, the image transfer and the rotation of the photosensitive drum and the transfer drum need only be performed once.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
Select test print as the print mode, perform trial printing, and if it is determined that the result of the trial printing is the desired image, return to the normal print mode and print data stored in the page buffer during test printing. The print output time can be reduced by reducing the image transfer time during test printing and the rotation time of the photosensitive drum and transfer drum during test printing by re-printing in accordance with the original color information, especially when debugging the device. There is an effect that efficiency can be improved.

In the printing process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4, if it is determined in step S11 that the test printing mode has been set, the Y and Y selected by the recording consumable selection unit are selected.
It is assumed that printing is performed using any one of the recording consumables M, C, and K. However, the printing consumables are limited to the least expensive recording consumables among Y, M, C, and K. May be selected so that the image is output while the consumed amount or remaining amount is visually displayed. By doing so, it is possible to reduce the running cost of test printing or make the remaining amount of recording consumables uniform.

<Modification 1> Next, a modification of the above embodiment will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a print processing procedure in the color recording apparatus according to the present modification, in particular, a processing procedure when the print mode returns from test printing to normal printing. Note that the configuration and the like of the color printing apparatus according to this modification are the same as those in the above-described embodiment, and thus description thereof will be omitted. In the flowchart of FIG. 6, when the mode is changed from the test printing to the normal printing by the print mode selecting unit 51 shown in FIG. 3, the page pointer is designated to the oldest page stored at the time of the test printing ( Step S21). That is, in the example shown in FIG. 5, a page pointer is brought to page 1. Then, as in the above embodiment, data is read from the page buffer (step S).
22) The data is developed in the image memory (step S23), and it is determined that one page of print data has been developed in the image development memory (step S24).

After the image memory is created, the corresponding one page is deleted from the page buffer (step S25), and then the page pointer is updated by one (step S26), as in the normal printing in the above embodiment. Then, the Y image, the M image, the C image, and the K image are transferred via the video I / F (steps S27 to S30), and a desired color image is obtained on the sheet by the image forming mechanism 101. Next, it is determined whether all the pages remaining in the page buffer have been output (step S31).
The above processing is repeated until the processing is completed. When it is determined that the output result is not a desired image in the print output in the test print mode, the page remaining in the buffer may be deleted from the page buffer. This can be realized by initializing with a key (not shown) for performing a wear reset or the like.

<Modification 2> In the above embodiment, if the print mode is determined to be normal printing, the page 3 corresponding to the current process is deleted from the page buffer 4, and in the test mode,
Do not delete the page, then move the page pointer to 1
Although only the update is performed and the process to the next page is advanced, a test mode for deleting the page corresponding to the current process may be provided. The configuration of the color recording apparatus according to the present modification is the same as that of the above-described embodiment, and a description thereof will not be repeated.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the input unit 5. As shown in FIG.
Similarly to the above-described embodiment, the print mode selecting unit 51a and the recording consumable material selecting unit 52 are provided.
Then, a normal print mode, a test print mode A, and a test print mode B are selected. Therefore, a printing procedure in the apparatus according to the present modification will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. In the flowchart of FIG. 8, the same reference numerals are given to the same processing steps as those of the print control procedure in the above-described embodiment shown in FIG. 4, and the description thereof will be omitted.

That is, in step S8a of FIG. 8, the print mode is determined to be the normal mode / test print mode A or test print mode B. If the result of the determination is the normal mode / test print mode A, the flow advances to step S9 to delete page 3 from the page buffer 4. However, if it is determined that the mode is the test print mode B, the page pointer is updated by 1 in step S10 while page 3 is stored. If it is determined in step S11a that the mode is normal printing, the contents of one page of the Y image development memory 41 are transferred to the image forming mechanism 101 via the video I / F 7 (step S12). If it is determined that the print mode is the print mode A or the test print mode B, one page of data obtained by performing a logical sum of the contents of the development memories of the Y, M, C, and K images is stored in the image forming mechanism 101.
Transfer to

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the correspondence between the configuration of the page buffer and the print mode in this modification. In FIG. 9, the process of the page buffer is performed in the normal mode /
It is executed separately in the test print mode A or the test print mode B. Thus, in this modification, by selecting one of the two test print modes,
Also in the test print mode, the page corresponding to the current processing can be deleted from the page buffer. The present invention is applicable to a system including a plurality of devices,
The present invention may be applied to an apparatus including one device. Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to a case where the present invention is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In response to an instruction of a predetermined output form, one of a plurality of recording materials
By selecting and printing out one recording material, there is an effect that the output time of the trial printing can be reduced, the debugging efficiency can be improved, and the running cost can be reduced by managing the remaining amount of the recording material.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a color recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a mechanism of the apparatus according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of an input unit 5 of the device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4A is a flowchart illustrating a print processing procedure in the apparatus according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4-2 is a flowchart showing a print processing procedure in the apparatus according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a correspondence relationship between a page buffer configuration and a print mode according to the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a print processing procedure in a color recording apparatus according to a first modification;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an input unit 5 of a device according to a modification 2;

FIG. 8A is a flowchart illustrating a print processing procedure in an apparatus according to a second modification;

8A and 8B are flowcharts showing a print processing procedure in an apparatus according to a second modification,

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the correspondence between the configuration of a page buffer and a print mode in a second modification.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Data input mechanism 2 Input buffer 3 Control part 4 Page buffer 5 Input part 6 Scan buffer 7 Video I / F 8 Engine part 41 Y image development memory 42 M image development memory 43 C image development memory 44 K image development memory 51, 51 a Print mode Selection unit 52 Recording consumable selection unit 100 Image developing mechanism 101 Image forming mechanism 111 Laser output unit 112 Polygon mirror 113 f / θ lens 114 Reflection mirror 115 Photosensitive drum 116 Transfer drum 117 Primary charger 118 Full-surface exposure lamp 119 Actuator plate 120 Positive Chill sensor 123 Cleaner section 124 Pre-transfer charger 125 Transfer drum cleaner 126 Developing unit 127 Paper press roller 128 Static eliminator 129 Transfer charger 131Y, 131M, 131C 131K Developing sleeve 130Y, 130M, 130C, 130K Toner hopper 132 Screw 135, 136 Feed cassette 137, 138 Feed roller 139, 140, 141 Timing roller 142 Conveying belt 143 Image fixing unit 144, 145 Heat pressure roller 149 Paper guide 150 drum Rotary motor 151 Peeling claw

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-63-129769 (JP, A) JP-A-64-72850 (JP, A) JP-A-1-180343 (JP, A) JP-A-1- 275044 (JP, A) JP-A-2-283465 (JP, A) JP-A-63-206093 (JP, A) JP-A-61-137487 (JP, A) JP-A-3-234178 (JP, A) JP-A-60-134994 (JP, A) JP-A-60-82359 (JP, A) JP-A-63-183630 (JP, U)

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] A storage unit for storing color print data; a development unit for developing a color image in a development memory corresponding to a color of a recording material based on the color print data stored in the storage unit; Instructing means for instructing an output mode of an image; determining means for determining the output mode instructed by the instructing means; After developing the color image and printing the color image, the color print data is deleted, and if the determination unit determines that the test print mode is set, the color developed from the color print data by the development unit after <br/> printing an image in a single color, holding the color print data in the storage means, the communication from the test print mode If it is changed to print mode, and print processing to expand the color image development memory which corresponds to the color of all of the recording material based on color print data stored in the storage unit again,
Control means for controlling to delete the color print data. 2. The color printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a selection means for visually displaying the remaining amount of each recording material and for selecting and instructing a recording material to be used in said test print mode. 3. The image forming section according to claim 1, wherein said control means takes a logical sum of said color print data in said test print mode, and generates a monochrome image based on the operation result.
3. The color printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing is performed by transferring the print data to a printer . 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein after returning from the test print mode to the normal print mode, reprint processing is performed from the first page on which the print processing in the test print mode has been performed. Color writing device. 5. The control means according to claim 2, wherein
When the test print mode is determined, the color image developed from the color print data by the developing unit is
5. The color recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein control is performed such that the color print data is deleted after printing in a single color.