JP3583759B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having an automatic power saving function.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A conventional image forming apparatus having an electrophotographic printer unit is a nip of a heat roller having a heat source such as a halogen lamp inside a fixing device for transferring a toner image transferred to paper and a pressure roller having a surface covered with elastic rubber. And is fixed by heating. According to this method, the electric power supplied to the heat roller of the fixing device becomes extremely large, and therefore, if the image forming apparatus is not used for a predetermined time, the state automatically shifts to the power saving state. In this mechanism, a timer is started when the operation of the image forming apparatus ends, and when the measured time exceeds a predetermined time, the state shifts to a power saving state. If a new operation is performed after the timer is started and before the power saving state is entered, the time measured by the timer is cleared, and when this operation ends, the timer starts again. In this power-saving state, there are a pre-heat mode in which the temperature is set lower than the fixing temperature at the time of copying, and in a power-saving state, there are an auto-shut-off mode in which the power supply to the fixing device is cut off. When the operation is performed, the temperature of the fixing device is controlled so as to return to a predetermined temperature at the time of copying.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, it takes time to return to the stable standby state even if the user goes to the installation location of the image forming apparatus to make a user copy and cancels the power saving state. I don't want to wait a few minutes to make a few copies. Therefore, check the status of the image forming device connected to the network on the status monitor of the PC, and if it is in the stable standby state, leave it as it is, and if it is in the power saving state, instruct the PC to release power saving and make it stable by the time you go to copy In some cases, it has returned to the standby state, but in this case as well, when it was confirmed in the status monitor that it was in the stable standby state, when it went to copy, the power saving transition time elapses or another user's When the power saving key is operated to save power, or when a power saving cancel instruction is issued from a personal computer, the power saving key may be already operated by another user's operation of the power saving key. In such a case, even if you check it from your PC and make a copy, you end up waiting. An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the first invention of the present application is an image forming apparatus that is connected to a network and that can switch between a stable standby state and a power saving state. An operation group discriminating means for classifying the operation into a first operation group and a second operation group and discriminating the performed operation; and a first timer for starting time counting from the end of the operation included in the first operation group And a first signal detecting means for outputting a first signal when the time counted by the first timer elapses over a first predetermined time, and the time counting is started from the end of the operation included in the second operation group. A second timer, a second signal detecting means for outputting a second signal when a time counted by the second timer elapses over a second predetermined time, and a second signal when a power saving key is operated in a stable standby state. A third signal that outputs the signal of 3 Means out, if the operation included in the first operation group resets the first timer, the timer reset means for resetting the second timer if the operation included in the second operation group, wherein In a state where the first signal detecting means outputs the first signal or the third signal detecting means outputs the third signal, the second signal detecting means outputs the second signal. An image forming apparatus comprising: a power-saving transition signal output unit that outputs a power-saving transition signal when the power-saving transition signal is detected; and a power-saving control unit that transitions to a power-saving state when the power-saving transition signal is detected.
[0005]
In the second invention of the present application, the operations included in the first operation group include, in addition to a power-on operation, an operation involving use of a fixing device, such as a copy operation, a printout operation, and a print operation by facsimile reception. The operation included in the second operation group is an image forming apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, which is a power saving cancellation command transmitted via a network.
[0006]
The third invention of the present application is directed to a power saving transition impossible display means for displaying, when the power saving key is operated when the second timer is equal to or less than a second predetermined time, the operation display unit does not shift to the power saving state. An image forming apparatus according to the first and second aspects of the invention is used.
[0007]
In the fourth invention of the present application, the stable standby state is a state in which the heat roller of the fixing device is maintained at a temperature at which fixing can be performed and an image can be formed immediately. The power saving state is a temperature lower than the temperature at which the heat roller can be fixed. The image forming apparatus according to the first to third aspects of the present invention is characterized in that the power consumption is reduced.
[0008]
[Action]
The first invention of the present application relates to an image forming apparatus which shifts to a power saving state when a first predetermined time elapses from the end of a conventional copying operation and the like, and which is in a power saving state even when a power saving key is operated in a stable standby state. When the operation included in the second operation group is performed, the power saving state is released, and the user wants to make a copy by preventing the power saving state from being operated even if the power saving key is operated during the second predetermined time. If the operation included in the second operation group is performed in advance, there is no needless waiting.
[0009]
In the second invention of the present application, the operations included in the first operation group include, in addition to a power-on operation, an operation involving use of a fixing device such as copying, and the operations included in the second operation group include: Since it is a power saving cancellation command sent from a personal computer connected via the network, if you send a power saving cancellation command from the personal computer in advance, it will not be in a power saving state when copying, so you will not have to wait Absent.
[0010]
According to the third invention of this application, an image forming apparatus in a state where a power saving cancellation command has already been sent is mistaken for a failure unless another user operates the power saving key to save the power and does not shift to the power saving state. So this mistake can be avoided.
[0011]
In the fourth invention of the present application, the temperature of the fixing device in the power saving state is set lower than that in the stable standby state to save power consumption, thereby saving energy.
[0012]
【Example】
An image forming apparatus employing the present invention will be described based on the schematic diagram of FIG. In FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 1 is a multifunction device having functions of a printer, copying, and facsimile, and includes a CPU 2, a ROM 3, a RAM 4, a printer controller 5, a reception information storage buffer 6, an intermediate language information storage buffer 7, a printer unit 8, a fixing device. 9, power supply device 10, main switch 11, operation display unit 12, DF I / F 13, DF 14, DF cable 15, scanner device 16, image processing unit 17, bitmap memory 18, CODEC 19, image memory 20, network I / F F21, a modem 22, an NCU 23, a bus 24, and the like. The image forming apparatus 1 is connected to a personal computer 26 via a network cable 25.
[0013]
Specifically, the CPU 2 controls each component of the image forming apparatus 1 and is connected to the ROM 3 storing various programs and the RAM 4 storing user choice data, setting data, total count data, various font data, and the like. Have been. The first timer, the second timer, the timer reset means, and the power saving control means described in the claims of the present invention are programs stored in the ROM 3, and include a first predetermined time and a second predetermined time. Is setting data stored in the RAM 4.
[0014]
The printer controller 5 analyzes print commands and job information transmitted from the connected personal computer and stored in the reception buffer 6, and generates intermediate language information. This intermediate language information is stored in the intermediate language information storage buffer 7.
[0015]
The printer unit 8 includes a paper feeder (not shown), an image forming unit (not shown), a fixing device 9, and the like. To transfer the toner image, and the toner image is fixed by being nipped and heated by the nip between the heat roller and the pressure roller of the fixing unit. Specifically, the fixing device 9 includes a heat roller including a heater such as a halogen lamp therein and made of a base material having excellent heat conductivity such as aluminum, and a heat roller having good heat conductivity such as aluminum. A pressure roller covered with an elastic layer made of urethane rubber and further having a release layer made of a fluorine-based resin such as PTFE, a temperature detecting means for detecting a surface temperature of the heat roller, a power supply for a heater, It comprises switching means for turning on / off the heater, and fixing temperature control means for controlling these. The temperature control of the fixing device 9 changes at a set temperature of 180 ± 5 ° C. during printing and in a normal stable standby state. In this case, when the surface temperature of the heat roller converted from the value detected by the temperature detecting means falls below a first fixing threshold (175 ° C. in this case) determined from the temperature to be controlled, the switching is performed. Means is turned on to raise the temperature of the heat roller, and when the temperature exceeds a second fixing threshold value (185 ° C. in this case) determined from the temperature to be controlled, the switching means is turned off and the temperature of the heat roller becomes And the threshold control that heat is taken away by the air and goes down. Further, when the power-saving state is entered, as described in the fourth aspect of the invention, the power-saving standby temperature is maintained at a temperature lower than the set temperature, consuming little power, and capable of immediately rising to the set temperature of 185 ° C. Is done. When the heat capacity of the fixing unit 9 is small or when priority is given to saving power consumption in the power saving state, there may be a power saving state in which power is not supplied.
[0016]
The power supply device 10 is connected to an external AC power supply via an outlet, and supplies the AC and DC power for the rehabilitation. The power supply device 10 can be turned on / off by the main switch 11, and can also be turned on / off by a software switch under the control of the CPU 2.
[0017]
The operation display unit 12 includes operation keys, an LDC display unit, and the like. Since the image forming apparatus 1 is a multifunction apparatus, the operation display unit 12 can switch between a copy function screen, a printer function screen, a facsimile function screen, and a scanner function screen. A power saving key for shifting to the power saving state is also provided here.
[0018]
The DF I / F 13 is connected to a DF 14 placed on the image forming apparatus 1 via a cable 15, and is an interface for controlling the DF 14.
The scanner device 16 irradiates the original document fed one by one by the DF 14 with a halogen lamp, reads the reflected light with a CCD sensor, converts the analog signal into a digital signal by A / D conversion, and converts the analog signal into a digital signal. The image processing is performed, and the image data is developed in the bit map memory 18 at the subsequent stage. The bit map memory 18 stores intermediate language information generated by analyzing the print data transferred from a personal computer connected via a network or the like in addition to the image data from the scanner device 16, the intermediate language information generated by the printer controller 5, and the other party facsimile. This is a means for expanding the image data sent from the public line, the NCU 23, and the modem 22 through the CODEC 19 as needed, and expanding and holding it as full bitmap image data. The CODEC 19 is for decoding coded image data included in print data.
[0020]
The image memory 20 encodes and stores the image data read by the scanner device 16 by the CODEC 19 when performing memory copy, facsimile memory transmission, and reservation transmission. When the scanner function of the multifunction device is used, the image data read by the scanner device 16 encoded and stored by the CODEC 19 can be read from an external personal computer. Similarly, the facsimile polling function uses It is also possible to read from. In recent years, many multifunction devices use a hard disk for storing image data of a moderate capacity as an image memory.
[0021]
The network I / F 21 is an interface for connecting the image forming apparatus 1 to a network. Here, it is connected to a personal computer 26 and other connected devices (not shown) via a network cable 25.
[0022]
The modem 22 converts an analog signal transmitted from a public line into a digital signal, and conversely converts a digital signal into an analog signal and transmits the analog signal through the public line. The NCU 23 performs connection to a public line, switching between facsimile and telephone, transmission of an on-hook signal to the line, ring detection, and the like.
[0023]
The bus 24 is a bus for exchanging data and signals of the above-described configurations. There are a bus for image data and a bus for control signals, respectively, but here, they are simply represented by one.
[0024]
The personal computer 26 is connected to the image forming apparatus 1 via a network. The personal computer 26 can monitor the state of the image forming apparatus 1 on a monitor, and transmits a power saving release command to the image forming apparatus 1. It has command transmission means.
[0025]
The process of shifting to the power saving state and canceling the power saving state of the image forming apparatus 1 employing the present invention will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing of the first timer of the present application. First, when the power of the image forming apparatus 1 is turned on (S101), the first timer is reset (set to t1 = 0), and the first timer is started (S102). Next, it is determined whether the time counted by the first timer is equal to or longer than a first predetermined time T1 (S103). If the time has not yet passed the first predetermined time, it is determined whether an operation included in the first operation group has been performed. Judgment is made by the judgment means (S104). If there is not, the process returns to S103, and if there is, the process returns to S102 and the counter is cleared again, and then time measurement is started. When the first timer elapses for the first predetermined time or more in S103, the first signal detection means outputs the first signal (S105). Subsequently, the operation group discriminating means determines whether or not there is an operation included in the first operation group (S106). If there is no operation, the process returns to S106 to continue outputting the first signal. It stops (S107), returns to S102, and starts counting time after the counter is cleared again. Here, the operations included in the first operation group are operations using the fixing device such as a copy operation, a printout operation, and a printing operation by facsimile reception in addition to the power-on operation in the second invention. A sensor may be provided and this detection may be included in the first operation, or DF sheet detection may be included, and may be appropriately selected and determined. Generally, the first timer is reset by using the same trigger as that for releasing the power saving state as a trigger.
[0026]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing of the second timer of the present application. First, when the power of the image forming apparatus 1 is turned on (S201), the second timer is reset (set to t2 = 0), and the second timer is started (S202). Next, it is determined whether the time counted by the second timer is equal to or longer than a second predetermined time T2 (S203). If the second predetermined time has not yet passed, it is determined whether an operation included in the second operation group has been performed. Judgment is made by the judgment means (S204). If there is not, the process returns to S203, and if there is, the process returns to S202 and the timer is started again after the counter is cleared again. When the second timer elapses over the second predetermined time in S203, the second signal detection means outputs a second signal (S205). Subsequently, the operation group discriminating means determines whether or not there is an operation included in the second operation group (S206). If there is no operation, the process returns to S206 to continue outputting the second signal. It stops (S207), returns to S202, and starts counting time after the counter is cleared again. In S202, the second timer is reset after the power is turned on, but it is not necessary to reset the first time. Here, the operation included in the second operation group is an operation of receiving a power saving cancellation command transmitted from the personal computer in the second invention.
[0027]
FIG. 4 shows a processing flow of the third signal detecting means when the power saving key of the present application is operated. First, it is determined whether the image forming apparatus is in the stable standby state (S301). If the image forming apparatus is in the stable standby state, it is determined whether the power saving key has been operated (S302), and the third signal detector outputs a third signal (S302). S303). Subsequently, when the power saving is canceled due to other conditions (S304), the output of the third signal is stopped (S305), and the process ends. In this embodiment, when the power saving key is operated in the power saving state, the operation of the power saving key is included in the first operation group, so that the first timer is reset and the power saving is canceled.
[0028]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing of the power saving control means of the present application, which is the processing of the power saving transition signal output means itself. The power saving transition signal output means is connected to the first to third signal detection means, and constantly reads the signal. First, it is determined whether the first signal has been detected (S401). If not, it is determined whether the third signal has been detected (S402). If not, the process returns to S401. When the first signal or the third signal is detected in S401 and S402, it is determined whether or not the second signal is detected (S403). When the second signal is detected, the power saving transition signal detecting unit performs power saving. A transition signal is output (S404), and the process ends. The image forming apparatus 1 shifts to the power saving state only when the power saving shift signal is output. Similarly, the same result is obtained by detecting the second signal first and then detecting the first signal or the third signal .
[0029]
Thus, the programs shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 are always executed in parallel. As a result, since the second signal includes an operation included in the second operation group and is always output except until a predetermined time elapses (for example, in response to a power saving release command), the operation of the second operation group Other than the above, the same processing as the conventional power saving processing can be used.
[0030]
FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of the processing of the power saving shifting means of the third invention of the present application. First, it is determined whether the second signal is detected (S501). If the second signal is not detected, that is, if there is an operation included in the second operation group and within the second predetermined time, Next, it is determined whether the third signal has been detected (S502), that is, whether the power saving key has been operated. If the third signal has been detected, the operation display unit displays that the state does not shift to the power saving state, and S501. Return to If the second signal is detected in S501, it is determined whether the first signal has been detected (S504). If not, it is determined whether the third signal has been detected (S505). Returning to S501, when a signal is detected in any of S504 and S505, the power saving transition signal detection means outputs a power saving transition signal (S506), and the process ends. The image forming apparatus 1 shifts to the power saving state only when the power saving shift signal is output.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the image forming apparatus shifts to a power saving state when a first predetermined time elapses from the end of a conventional copy or the like, and further enters a power saving state even when a power saving key is operated in a stable standby state. When the operation included in the second operation group is performed, the power saving state is released, and during the second predetermined time, even if the power saving key is operated, the power saving state is not set so that the user can copy. If an operation included in the second operation group is performed in advance when the user wants to perform the operation, there is no needless waiting.
[0032]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the operations included in the first operation group include, in addition to the power-on operation, the operations involving the use of the fixing device such as copying, and the operations included in the second operation group. Is a power-save cancel command sent from a personal computer connected via a network, so if you send a power-save release command from a personal computer in advance, you will not be in a power-save state when copying, so you will have to wait. Never.
[0033]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the image forming apparatus in the state where the power saving cancellation command has already been sent may fail if another user operates the power saving key to operate the power saving state and does not shift to the power saving state. You can avoid this mistake because you make a mistake.
[0034]
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the fixing device in the power saving state is set at a lower temperature than in the stable standby state to save power consumption, thereby saving energy.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus and peripheral devices that employ the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing processing of a first timer of the present application.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process of a second timer of the present application.
FIG. 4 shows a processing flow of a third signal detecting means when the power saving key of the present application is operated.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process of a power saving control unit of the present application. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a process of a power saving transition unit of the third invention of the present application.
1: image forming apparatus 2: CPU
3: ROM
4: RAM
5, a printer controller 6, a reception information storage buffer 7, an intermediate language information storage buffer 8, a printer unit 9, a fixing device 10, a power supply device 11, and a main switch.
12; operation display unit 13; DF I / F
14; DF
15; DF cable 16; scanner device 17; image processing unit 18; bitmap memory 19;
20; image memory 21; network I / F
22; modem 23; NCU
24; bus 25; network cable 26; personal computer

Claims (4)

In an image forming apparatus connected to a network and capable of switching between a stable standby state and a power saving state,
An operation group discriminating means for classifying an operation or an operation performed on the image forming apparatus into a first operation group and a second operation group and discriminating the performed operation; A first timer that starts counting time from the end of the operation to be performed, a first signal detection unit that outputs a first signal when a time counted by the first timer has elapsed for a first predetermined time or more, A second timer that starts measuring time from the end of the operation included in the operation group, and a second signal detection unit that outputs a second signal when the time measured by the second timer elapses over a second predetermined time. A third signal detection unit that outputs a third signal when the power saving key is operated in the stable standby state, and a first timer that resets the first timer if there is an operation included in the first operation group . to reset the second timer if the operation included in the operation group Timer reset means, and the second signal detection means outputs the third signal while the first signal detection means outputs the first signal or the third signal detection means outputs the third signal. An image forming apparatus comprising: a power saving transition signal output unit that outputs a power saving transition signal when the second signal is output; and a power saving control unit that transitions to a power saving state when the power saving transition signal is detected. The operations included in the first operation group include, in addition to a power-on operation, operations including use of a fixing device, such as a copy operation, a printout operation, and a printing operation by facsimile reception, and are included in the second operation group. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation is a power saving cancellation command transmitted via a network. If the power saving key is operated when the second timer is equal to or less than a second predetermined time, the operation display unit includes a power saving shift disable display unit for displaying that the mode does not shift to a power saving state. Item 3. The image forming apparatus according to Item 1. The stable standby state is a state where the heat roller of the fixing device is maintained at a temperature at which fixing can be performed and an image can be formed immediately, and the power saving state is a temperature lower than the temperature at which the heat roller can be fixed to save power consumption. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is in a state.

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