JP3251405B2 - Copier with fax function - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a copying machine having a facsimile function, and more particularly to a copying machine with a fax function equipped with an automatic document feeder.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an image forming apparatus having a function of a copying machine and a function of a facsimile, that is, a so-called multifunction machine has been used. In such a device,
Generally, an automatic document feeder (hereinafter, referred to as ADF) is mounted on a contact glass of a copying machine, and when this device is used as a facsimile, the document is automatically conveyed using the ADF. . When this apparatus is used as a copier, the ADF can be used to automatically convey the original, but the original is bound like a notebook, or the original is thin. Since some documents are not suitable for automatic conveyance, it is also possible to make a press plate copy by using this ADF as a press plate which can be opened and closed with respect to a contact glass.

When such a multifunction machine is used as a facsimile, usually, as described above, an A / D converter is used.
The original (fax original) will be fed from F,
At this time, if there is an original (copy original) on the contact glass, that is, if the original was forgotten to be removed the last time a press plate copy was performed by this apparatus, the fax original was fed from the ADF and contacted. The original on the glass may collide with the fed original to cause a jam, and the original may be damaged.

To cope with such a problem, in a conventional multifunction peripheral, after selecting a fax function and inputting a destination number (the fax original is already set in the ADF), A warning (alert) that indicates that there is a document on the contact glass when a fax transmission instruction is issued (pressing the start key)
The message has been displayed on the display section of the operation panel of the apparatus.

[0005]

However, when an alert message is displayed after a facsimile transmission instruction (depressing the start key), there is a problem that the user is likely to erroneously operate. For example, correct processing for misplaced originals at the time of fax transmission is as simple as opening the ADF from the contact glass and removing the misplaced originals and then pressing the start key again. Must be restarted from the beginning (from selecting the fax function), or an unnecessary operation such as mistakenly inputting the telephone number of the destination after removing the misplaced original is performed. There was a thing. When such an extra operation is performed, not only is it time-consuming, but also the possibility of making a mistake increases.
If the telephone number of the transmission destination is mistaken due to unnecessary operation, not only can the original be transmitted to the intended party but also the original can be unnecessarily transmitted to a third party for viewing. It will also be.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problem in the conventional copying apparatus with a fax function, and has a fax function which can prevent unnecessary operation and erroneous operation when a document is left on a contact glass when a fax is transmitted. It is an object to provide a copying apparatus.

[0007]

An object of the present invention is to provide a multifunction machine having both a facsimile function and a copier function according to the present invention, wherein the automatic document feeder is mounted on a contact glass so as to be openable and closable. The automatic document feeder can feed a document from the automatic document feeder to perform facsimile transmission and copy in the automatic document feed mode, and can also use the automatic document feeder as a pressure plate to perform a press plate copy mode. In the case of a copying machine with a fax function, if there is a document on the contact glass, a means for controlling to display an alert indicating that a document remains on the operation display unit of the device when the fax function is selected is solved. Is done.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention is an MFP having both a facsimile function and a copier function, wherein the automatic document feeder is mounted on a contact glass so as to be openable and closable. The automatic document feeder can feed a document from the automatic document feeder to perform facsimile transmission and copy in the automatic document feed mode, and can also use the automatic document feeder as a pressure plate to perform a press plate copy mode. When there is a document on the contact glass in a copying machine with a fax function, when the fax function is selected and the document is set on the automatic document feeder, it indicates that the document remains on the operation display section of the device. It is proposed to have a means for controlling to display an alert.

[0009]

When a copy original is left on the contact glass when the facsimile function is selected to perform facsimile transmission, an alert display notifying that the original remains is displayed on the operation display unit of the apparatus. This prompts the operator to take out the original on the contact glass before inputting the fax number of the destination or inputting various settings. If the misplaced original is taken out at this stage, the input of the destination has not been performed yet, so that there is no unnecessary operation or erroneous operation.

Other effects will be apparent from the following description of the embodiments.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a digital copying machine with a fax function according to an embodiment of the present invention. The digital copying machine 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes a three-stage front loading type paper feed cassette 2 in a copying machine main body 1. An automatic document feeder (ADF) 3 is mounted on a contact glass (not shown) of the copier body 1 so as to be openable and closable. The digital copying machine 100 has a facsimile function, and can fax a document image via a modem. Also, a handset 4 for talking as a normal telephone is provided. An operation panel 5 for inputting operations and the like to the apparatus is provided on the front side of the upper surface of the copying machine body 1. The configuration and operation of the copying machine main body 1 are the same as the configuration and operation of a conventionally well-known electrophotographic digital copying machine, and a description thereof will be omitted.

When the copying machine 100 with the fax function is used as a copying machine, the original can be automatically fed from the ADF 3 to perform copying. However, when copying originals that are not suitable for automatic conveyance by the ADF, such as notebooks, books, originals stapled with a stapler, or thin paper originals, open the ADF3 and place the originals on the contact glass to copy. You can do it. When this apparatus is used as a facsimile, a document is fed from the ADF 3 to perform facsimile transmission.

FIG. 2 shows a layout of the operation panel 5 of the digital copying machine 100. As shown in this figure, the operation panel 5 is roughly divided into a common panel 6, a copy basic panel 7, a copy application panel 8, a message panel 9, and an extension panel 10. The common panel 6 is an operation unit shared by all functions of the apparatus, and includes a numeric keypad, a start key, a mode clear key, and the like. The copy basic panel 7 is a basic operation unit for a copy function, and includes a density adjustment key, a fixed magnification enlargement / reduction setting key, and the like. The copy application panel 8 is an editing function of a copy function and an optional operation unit, and has an independent size scaling setting key, a zoom key, and the like. The message panel 9 is a display section of the machine status, and displays an error message, a copy status,
This is a liquid crystal display unit for displaying a fax transmission / reception state and the like.
The extension panel 10 is a large touch sensor liquid crystal panel, and a function to be used, such as a facsimile function, edit copy, or the like, can be selected by touching an icon on the panel.

When the digital copier 100 with a facsimile function is used as a facsimile, the original is fed from the ADF 3 and the facsimile is transmitted as described above, but the original is left on the contact glass at that time. In the present embodiment, in order to prevent a problem in the case where the fax function is selected, the document size on the contact glass is automatically detected when the fax function is selected. Is displayed on the touch sensor liquid crystal panel of the extension panel 10 described above. This alerts the user that there is a misplaced document, and after the user removes the misplaced document from the contact glass, touches the confirmation icon 11 displayed on the touch sensor liquid crystal panel to perform a confirmation input. Move to the fax transmission screen. If the original on the contact glass is not detected when the fax function is selected (if there is no misplaced original),
The screen shifts to the normal fax transmission screen. In addition,
These controls are performed by the control means (C
PU).

In this embodiment, when a document on the contact glass is detected when the fax function is selected as described above, an alert is displayed as shown in FIG. At this stage, the user has only selected the fax function, and has not entered the fax number of the destination, specified the memory transmission, or entered the density adjustment, etc. After that, the normal fax transmission work may proceed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a document jam and to avoid re-executing a fax transmission operation from the beginning due to unnecessary operation or erroneous operation after removing a misplaced document as in the conventional apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the control of the alert display. First, it is determined in step (hereinafter abbreviated as S) 1 whether or not the fax function is selected. If the fax function is selected, the process proceeds to S2, where the size of the document on the contact glass is detected. And S
In step 3, it is determined whether or not there is a document.
To display the fax transmission screen and shift to the fax transmission operation. If it is determined in S3 that there is a document, S4
And an alert is displayed. Then, in S5, it is determined whether or not there is a confirmation input. S without confirmation input
A loop returns before 4. If there is an input, proceed to S6,
Display the fax transmission screen and move to the fax transmission operation.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the digital copying machine with a fax function according to this embodiment, when the fax function is selected and the fax document is set on the ADF when the document is left on the contact glass, the document remains on the contact glass. Is displayed. Other configurations and operations are the same as those of the above-described embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, and thus a duplicate description will be omitted, and only control of alert display will be described.

As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5, in the present embodiment, it is determined in S1 whether the fax function is selected, and then in S2, it is determined whether a fax original is set on the ADF. . If a document has not been set on the ADF, a loop occurs, and the process waits for setting of the document. When the document is set on the ADF, the process proceeds to S3, where the size of the document on the contact glass is detected. The subsequent control is the same as in the above embodiment.

Whether or not a document has been set on the ADF can be detected by a sensor provided in the paper feeding section of the ADF.

In this embodiment, when there is a document left behind on the contact glass, an alert is displayed when the fax function is selected and the fax document is set on the ADF. At this point, the user still has the fax function. Only the selected fax document is set on the ADF, and various inputs are not performed. After the user removes the misplaced document, the normal fax transmission work may be performed. Therefore, unlike the conventional apparatus, there is no need to restart the fax transmission work from the beginning due to unnecessary operation or erroneous operation after removing the misplaced document.

[0023]

As described above, according to the copying apparatus with the fax function of the present invention, when there is a document left behind on the contact glass, an alert is displayed when the fax function is selected. Unlike a conventional apparatus, there is no need to restart the fax transmission work from the beginning due to unnecessary operation or erroneous operation after removing a misplaced document.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when there is a document left behind on the contact glass, an alert is displayed when the fax function is selected and the fax document is set on the ADF. As described above, there is no need to restart the fax transmission work from the beginning due to unnecessary operation or erroneous operation after removing the misplaced original.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a digital copying machine with a fax function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an operation panel of the digital copying machine.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an alert screen displayed on the operation panel.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing control of the alert display.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating alert display control according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Digital copier main body 2 Paper cassette 3 Automatic document feeder (ADF) 4 Handset 5 Operation panel 10 Touch sensor liquid crystal panel 11 Confirmation icon 100 Digital copier with fax function

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 1/00-1/00 108 H04N 1/04-1/207 G03G 15/00 303 G03G 15/36 G03G 21/00 370-540 G03G 21/02-21/04 G03G 21/14

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A multifunction device having both a facsimile function and a copier function, comprising an automatic document feeder mounted on a contact glass so as to be openable and closable, and a document fed from the automatic document feeder. In the copying machine with a facsimile function capable of performing facsimile transmission and copying in the automatic document feed mode, and capable of performing a platen copy mode in which copying is performed using the automatic document feeder as a pressure plate, A copying apparatus with a fax function, comprising means for controlling, when a fax function is selected, an alert display indicating that a document remains on an operation display unit of the apparatus when a fax function is selected. 2. A multifunction device having both a facsimile function and a copier function, comprising an automatic document feeder mounted on a contact glass so as to be openable and closable, and a document fed from the automatic document feeder. In the copying machine with a facsimile function capable of performing facsimile transmission and copying in the automatic document feed mode, and capable of performing a platen copy mode in which copying is performed using the automatic document feeder as a pressure plate, In the case where a document is present, a means is provided for controlling when a fax function is selected and a document is set in the automatic document feeder, to display an alert indicating that a document remains on the operation display unit of the apparatus. Copier with fax function.