JP3654638B2 - Compound equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a composite apparatus having a power saving function for saving power consumption by maintaining a fixing device at a low temperature or turning off a display unit.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A conventional composite apparatus having an electrophotographic printer unit has a toner image transferred onto a sheet in a nip between a fixing roller and a heat roller having a heat source such as a halogen lamp and a pressure roller whose surface is covered with elastic rubber. It is fixed by pinching and heating. In this method, since the electric power supplied to the heat roller of the fixing device is very large, if the composite device is not used for a predetermined time, the power saving state is automatically entered. In this mechanism, a timer is started when the operation of the composite apparatus is finished, and when the measured time exceeds a predetermined time, the power saving state is entered. Also, if a new operation is performed after the timer has started and before entering the power saving state, the timer time is cleared, and when this operation ends, the timer starts again. In this power-saving state, there are a preheat mode that is set to a temperature lower than the fixing temperature at the time of copying, and an auto shut-off mode that cuts off the power supply to the fixing device in the power-saving state. When the operation is performed, the temperature of the fixing device is controlled so as to return to a predetermined copying temperature.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the composite apparatus adopting the above-described conventional technology, the timer for measuring the time for shifting to the power saving state is cleared even in the operation that does not require the fixing device. For example, the timer is cleared even if the image data stored in the hard disk of the multifunction device is acquired from a personal computer connected via the network, and it does not need to go to the power saving state and will not be necessary. There was a problem that power was consumed. Even in operations that do not require an operation display unit such as simple printout or facsimile reception printing, when the power saving state is canceled, the operation display unit is turned on and wasteful power is consumed.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, in the composite apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention , in the composite apparatus having the copying function, the printer function, the facsimile function, and the scanner function, the first apparatus involving the use of the fixing device . A first automatic power saving means for automatically saving power of the fixing device when a first predetermined time elapses from the end of the operation included in the operation group; and a first automatic power saving means for timing the first predetermined time. 1 timer, a first timer clear means for clearing the first timer when there is an operation of the first operation group, and a second operation group from the end of the operation of the second operation group for operating the operation display unit . When the predetermined time elapses, the second automatic power saving means for automatically saving the operation display unit to save power, the second timer for measuring the second predetermined time, and the second operation When there is a group action, the second Timer have a second timer clear means for clearing the first power saving state to conserve power the fixing device is released only in the operation of the first operating group, the second to conserve power the operation display unit power-saving state is characterized by being released only in the second operation.
[0005]
The composite device according to the present second invention, in the composite unit of the present first invention, the first power saving state is a temperature lower than the temperature required for the fixing device to the printing, or to reduce the power consumption in the off state , and the second power saving state is characterized by a state to reduce power consumption off the power of the operation display unit.
[0006]
In the composite apparatus of the third invention of the present invention , in the first or second composite apparatus of the present invention, the operation of the first operation group involves the use of a fixing device such as a copy operation, a printout operation, and printing by facsimile reception. it is characterized by an operation.
[0007]
[0008]
Present in the composite device of the fourth invention, in the present first to third composite apparatus, when an error of the composite device is generated, the second power saving state is characterized by being released.
[0009]
[Action]
In the first aspect of the present invention, a first timer in which the first configuration shifts to the power saving state and a second timer in which the second configuration shifts to the power saving state are separately provided, and an operation for clearing these timers is further provided. By providing each separately, the state shifts to an appropriate power saving state depending on the case, and the countdown to each power saving state is not stopped in an unrelated operation. As a result, the power saving state becomes longer and energy is saved.
[0010]
In the first and second inventions, the first power saving state is a state in which the fixing temperature is lowered and the power consumption is lowered. In the second power saving state, the operation display unit is turned off to save power consumption. In both cases, the power-saving state is set for a composite device that consumes power in particular, so that there is an energy saving effect.
[0011]
In the first to third aspects of the present invention, the operation of the first operation group is an operation involving the use of a fixing device such as a copy operation, a print-out operation, and printing by facsimile reception. In the power saving state, the operation can be executed after returning to the stable standby state, and the operation of the second operation group is an operation of operating the operation display unit. In this way, the countdown to the first power saving state is stopped or canceled only by operations involving the use of the fixing device such as copy operation, printout operation, and printing by facsimile reception, and only the operation display unit is operated. In the above operation, the countdown to the first power saving state does not stop and is not canceled.
Similarly, when the operation display unit is operated, the countdown to the second power saving state is stopped or cancelled, and the countdown to the second power saving state is not stopped or canceled in the printout operation, printing by facsimile reception, or the like.
[0012]
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when an error occurs in the composite apparatus, the countdown to the second power saving state that turns off the operation display unit is stopped, and the second power saving state is canceled. Can be confirmed.
[0013]
【Example】
A composite apparatus that employs the first to third inventions will be described with reference to the schematic diagram of FIG. In the figure, the composite apparatus 1 has functions of a printer, a copy, and a facsimile, and includes a CPU 2, a ROM 3, a RAM 4, a printer controller 5, a received information storage buffer 6, an intermediate language information storage buffer 7, a printer unit 8, a fixing device 9, and a power source. Device 10, main SW 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 21, modem 22, NCU 23, bus 24, and the like. The composite apparatus 1 is connected to personal computers A and B (26, 27) via a network cable 25.
[0014]
Specifically, the CPU 2 controls each component of the composite apparatus 1 and is connected to the ROM 3 storing various programs, the RAM 4 storing user choice data, setting data, total count data, various font data, and the like. ing. The first and second automatic power saving means, the first and second timers, and the first and second timer clearing means described in the claims of the present invention are programs stored in the ROM 3, and the first The predetermined time and the second predetermined time are setting data stored in the RAM 4.
[0015]
The printer controller 5 analyzes the print command 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.
[0016]
The printer unit 8 includes a paper feeding / conveying means (not shown), an image forming means (not shown), a fixing device 9 and the like, and the paper fed from the paper feeding cassette is the image forming means. The toner image is transferred by this, and the toner image is fixed by being sandwiched and heated by the nip between the heat roller and the pressure roller of the fixing means. In detail, the fixing device 9 includes a heat roller having a built-in heater such as a halogen lamp and made of a base material having excellent heat conductivity such as aluminum, and a roller having good heat conductivity such as aluminum. A pressure roller which is covered with an elastic layer made of urethane rubber and whose outer periphery has a release layer of fluororesin such as PTFE; temperature detecting means for detecting the surface temperature of the heat roller; It comprises switching means for turning on / off the heater and fixing temperature control means for controlling them. 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 (in this case, 175 ° C.) determined from the temperature to be controlled, the switching is performed. When the temperature of the heat roller exceeds a second fixing threshold value (185 ° C. in this case) determined from the temperature to be controlled, the switching device is turned off and the temperature of the heat roller is changed to the sheet. Threshold control is performed in which the air is deprived of heat and falls. When the mode is shifted to the power saving mode, the temperature is maintained at a power saving standby temperature that is lower than the set temperature, does not consume much power, and can quickly rise to the set temperature of 185 ° C. 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 no power is supplied.
[0017]
The power supply device 10 is connected to an external AC power supply through an outlet, and supplies AC and DC power of each of the above configurations . The power supply 10 can be turned on / off by the main SW 11 and can be turned on / off by the software SW under the control of the CPU 2.
[0018]
The operation display unit 12 includes operation keys, an LDC display unit, and the like. Since it is a composite apparatus, the operation display unit can switch between a copy function screen, a printer function screen, a facsimile function screen, and a scanner function screen.
[0019]
The D / F I / F 26 is an interface for connecting to the DF 27 placed on the composite apparatus 1 via the cable 26 and controlling the DF 27.
[0020]
The scanner device 16 applies light to a document fed by the DF 14 one by one with a halogen lamp, reads the reflected light with a CCD sensor, converts this analog signal into a digital signal by A / D conversion, and converts it into an image processing unit 17. The image is processed and developed in the subsequent bitmap memory 18. The bit map memory 18 includes intermediate language information generated by analyzing the print command transferred from the personal computer connected via the network other than the image data from the scanner device 16 by the printer controller 5, and the other party's facsimile. The image data sent from the public line, the NCU 23, and the modem 22 is decompressed by the CODEC 19 as necessary, and is expanded and held as full bit map image data. The CODEC 19 is for decoding the encoded image data included in the print data.
[0021]
The image memory 20 encodes and stores the image data read by the scanner device 16 by the CODEC 19 when performing memory copy or facsimile memory transmission or reservation transmission. When the scanner function of the composite apparatus is used, the image data read by the scanner apparatus 16 can be read from an external personal computer after being encoded by the CODEC 19. It is also possible to read from. In recent years, there are many image memories that use a hard disk for storing image data with a reasonable capacity in a composite apparatus.
[0022]
The network I / F 28 is an interface that connects the composite apparatus 1 to the network. Here, they are connected to the personal computers A and B (26, 27) and other connection devices (not shown) via the network cable 25.
[0023]
The modem 22 converts an analog signal transmitted from the public line into a digital signal, and conversely converts the digital signal into an analog signal and transmits it 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.
[0024]
The bus 24 is a bus for exchanging data and signals of each configuration described above. Although there are buses for image data and buses for control signals, they are represented by one for short here.
[0025]
Processing until the composite apparatus 1 adopting the present invention shifts to the first power saving state and the second power saving state will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, start when the multifunction device 1 is turned on and is in a stable standby state, clears the count of the first timer, starts counting the first timer, and clears the count of the second timer The timing of the second timer is started (S101). Subsequently, the count t1 of the first timer is compared with the first predetermined time T1 (S102), and if the condition of t1 ≧ T1 is satisfied, the state shifts to the first power saving state (S103). * As shown in 1, if the power saving state is already set at this time, the first power saving state is continued. Next, the count t2 of the second timer is compared with the second predetermined time T2 (S104), and if the condition of t2 ≧ T2 is satisfied, the state shifts to the second power saving state, and then the operation of the first operation group is performed. If there is, the first power saving state is canceled, the first timer is cleared, and the first timer is started (S107). If there is no operation in the first operation group in S106, the process proceeds to the next step. Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the operation of the second operation group has been performed (S108). If there is no operation, the process directly returns to S102, and if there is, the second power saving state is canceled and the second timer is cleared and the second timer is started. (S109) Return to S102.
[0026]
If the condition of t2 ≧ T2 is not satisfied in S104, it is then determined whether there is an operation in the first operation group (S110). If there is, the first power saving state is canceled and the first timer is cleared. Then, the first timer is started (S111), and if not, the process proceeds to the next step. Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the operation of the second operation group has been performed (S112). If there is, the second timer is cleared, the second timer is started (S113), and the process returns to S102.
[0027]
If the condition of t1 ≧ T1 is not satisfied in S102, then the second timer count t2 is compared with the second predetermined time T2 (S114), and if the condition of t2 ≧ T2 is satisfied, the second power saving state Next, it is determined whether or not the operation of the first operation group has been performed (S116). If there is, the first timer is cleared and the first timer is started (S117). If there is no operation in the first operation group in S116, the process proceeds to the next step. Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the operation of the second operation group has been performed (S118). If not, the process directly returns to S102, and if there is, the second power saving state is canceled and the second timer is cleared and the second timer is started. (S119) Return to S102.
[0028]
If the condition of t2 ≧ T2 is not satisfied in S114, it is then determined whether or not the first operation group has been operated (S120). If there is, the first timer is cleared and the first timer is started ( If not, the process proceeds to the next step as it is. Subsequently, it is determined whether or not there is an operation of the second operation group (S122). If there is no operation, the process returns to S102. If there is, the second timer is cleared and the second timer is started (S123), and the process returns to S102.
[0029]
As described above, the first auto power saving means according to the first invention corresponds to S102 and S103, and the second auto power saving means corresponds to S104, S105, S114 and S115, and the first timer clearing means. Corresponds to S107, S111, S117 and S121, and the second timer clear means corresponds to S109, S113, S119 and S123.
[0030]
When the first to third inventions are applied to the above-described flow, the operation display unit is not counted down or released from the power saving state when the printer or facsimile is received, and the operation display unit is fixed only by operating the operation display unit. The device will not count down to the power saving state or release the power saving state.
[0031]
In the fourth aspect of the present invention, when an error occurs in the composite apparatus, the operation display unit is always moved, so that the error display is not turned off by power saving.
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, a first timer for shifting to the power saving state by the first configuration and a second timer for shifting to the power saving state by the second configuration are provided separately, and these timers are cleared. By separately providing the operation to be performed, the state shifts to an appropriate power saving state depending on the case, and the countdown to each power saving state is not stopped in an unrelated operation. As a result, the power saving state becomes longer and energy is saved.
[0032]
According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, the first power saving state is a state in which the fixing temperature is lowered to reduce the power consumption, and the second power saving state is to turn off the operation display unit to save power consumption. In any case, the power-saving state is set for all the devices that consume power particularly in the composite device, so that there is an energy saving effect.
[0033]
According to the first to third aspects of the present invention, the operation of the first operation group is an operation involving the use of a fixing device such as a copy operation, a print-out operation, and printing by facsimile reception. In the power saving state, the operation can be performed after returning to the stable standby state, and the operation of the second operation group is an operation of operating the operation display unit. In this way, the countdown to the first power saving state is stopped or canceled only by operations involving the use of the fixing device such as copy operation, printout operation, and printing by facsimile reception, and only the operation display unit is operated. In this operation, the countdown to the first power saving state does not stop and is not canceled. Similarly, when the operation display unit is operated, the countdown to the second power saving state is stopped or cancelled, and the countdown to the second power saving state is not stopped or canceled in the printout operation, printing by facsimile reception, or the like.
[0034]
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when an error occurs in the composite device, the countdown to the second power saving state for turning off the operation display unit is stopped, and the second power saving state is canceled. You can always check for errors.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a composite apparatus and peripheral devices employing the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of processing when a composite apparatus adopting the present invention shifts to a power saving state and a power off state.
[Explanation of symbols]
1; compound device 2; CPU
3; ROM
4; RAM
5; printer controller 6; received information storage buffer 7; intermediate language information storage buffer 8; printer unit 9; fixing device 10; power supply device 11;
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 cables 26 and 27; personal computers A and B

Claims (4)

In a composite apparatus having a copying function, a printer function, a facsimile function, and a scanner function, automatically when a first predetermined time elapses from the end of the operation included in the first operation group involving the use of the fixing device. When there is a first automatic power saving means for setting the first power saving state to save power in the fixing device , a first timer for measuring the first predetermined time, and the operation of the first operation group, first and timer clear means, a second power-saving state to conserve power automatically operation display unit when the second predetermined time has elapsed from the end of the second operation group of operations for operating the operation display unit to clear the timer Second automatic power saving means, a second timer for measuring the second predetermined time, and second timer clear means for clearing the second timer when there is an operation of the second operation group have a door, the constant First power saving state to conserve power the device is released only in the operation of the first operating group, the second power-saving state to conserve power the operation display unit and characterized in that it is released only in the second operation A composite device. Consumption said first power saving state is a temperature lower than the temperature required for the fixing device to print, or a state to reduce power consumption by turning off the second power saving state is off the power of the operation display unit The composite apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power consumption is reduced. It said first operating group operation, copying operation, printing-out operation, the composite device according to claim 2, characterized in that the operation with use of the fixing device such as printing by the facsimile reception. When an error of the composite device has occurred, the composite device according to claim 1 to 3, characterized in that power saving state is canceled.

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