JP4131499B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus provided with an eco mode that reduces consumption of drawing materials, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus that displays a print density when an eco mode is set on a display screen.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, image forming apparatuses represented by printers, copiers (copiers), scanners, facsimiles, composite apparatuses, and the like have an eco mode for suppressing toner consumption associated with print processing.
In this eco mode, the amount of toner consumed is suppressed by reducing the number of pixels by subtracting the number of data of image data, for example, by thinning out dots that should be printed every other dot, for example.
Further, recent image forming apparatuses are equipped with various technologies for effectively using the eco mode. For example, the remaining amount of toner is detected, and the normal mode (the number of pixels of image data) is detected according to the remaining amount of toner. There is an image forming apparatus that automatically switches between eco mode and printing mode (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).
According to this image forming apparatus, it is possible to save the trouble of the user looking at the printing result, predicting the remaining amount of toner, and manually switching to the eco mode.

Other image forming apparatuses can realize stepwise eco-mode printing by detecting the remaining amount of toner at a remaining amount level of at least 2 and performing a data number reduction process according to the remaining amount level. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2).
Therefore, according to this image forming apparatus, the remaining amount of toner can be divided into a plurality of stages, and stepwise printing processing according to this can be performed. Compared to the image forming apparatus that has been switched to the eco mode, toner consumption can be suppressed.
JP-A-7-271247 (first page, FIG. 1) JP-A-9-326919 (page 4-5, FIG. 3)

According to the conventional technology as described above, since the normal mode and the eco mode can be automatically switched, it is possible to save the user's trouble. However, when the mode is automatically switched to the eco mode, the user may perform the printing process without noticing that the mode setting has been switched to the eco mode.
That is, a situation has occurred in which the user notices that the print density has decreased due to printing in the eco mode only after seeing the printed output result. In such a case, the user performs the density setting again and tries the printing process again to obtain an output result with a desired density, so that the same printing process is repeatedly performed and the printing process is wasted. There was a problem.

  Also, even if printing is performed after switching to the eco mode with manual settings, it is impossible to assume how much density output results will be obtained with the current eco mode density settings. Unless the printing process is executed, the print density cannot be grasped, and it has not been possible to prevent the unnecessary printing process from occurring.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and allows the user to easily recognize that the printing setting of the apparatus is in the eco mode and to obtain the printing obtained from the output result of the current density setting. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus capable of easily grasping the density.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus capable of performing printing processing in an eco mode with reduced consumption of drawing material, and performs display related to a print density that can be set in the eco mode. The configuration includes means.

If the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, the user can recognize that the printing process is performed in the eco mode by checking the display regarding the print density that can be set in the eco mode displayed on the display unit.
That is, it is possible to eliminate the occurrence of waste that the user performs the printing process without noticing that the user has set the eco mode as in the prior art, and restarts the printing process because the print density is low.
For this reason, it is possible to perform the printing process at the time of setting the eco mode smoothly and by setting an appropriate printing density, and it is possible to eliminate the repeated printing process due to the fact that the desired printing density cannot be obtained. Therefore, in addition to suppressing the consumption of the drawing material, further energy saving can be achieved.

  In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the display unit includes an eco mode density level display unit that displays a density level range that can be set in the eco mode.

If the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, the user can recognize that the printing result of the density level range displayed on the eco mode density level display unit can be obtained.
Therefore, the user can set the density level within the range of the density level displayed on the eco-mode density level display section, and can obtain a print result with a desired density level.

  In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the eco mode density level display unit displays the remaining density level range obtained by removing a predetermined range from the maximum density level among density level ranges that can be set in the normal mode. .

  If the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, the eco-mode density level display section displays a density level range lower than the normal mode density level range. It can be easily recognized that the eco mode is low.

  In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the eco-mode density level display unit displays the density level range selected from the lower density level range of the density level ranges that can be set in the normal mode.

  If the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, the eco-mode density level display section displays the lower density level range of the normal mode density level range, and is larger than the density level range in the normal mode. Since the display is different, it is possible to easily recognize that the current setting is the eco mode having a lower print density than the normal mode.

  In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the eco-mode density level display unit sets the density level range located in the middle of the density level range settable in the normal mode as the maximum density level range settable in the eco mode, A density level range that is the same as the maximum density level range and / or a density level range that is thinner than the maximum density level range is displayed.

  If the image forming apparatus is configured as described above, the eco-mode density level display unit displays the density level range located in the middle of the density level range in the normal mode, and the density level range in the normal mode. Since the display differs greatly, it is possible to easily recognize that the current setting is the eco mode in which the print density is lower than that in the normal mode.

  In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the display unit has a normal mode density level display unit that displays a density level range that can be set in the normal mode, and the eco mode density level display unit and the normal mode density level display unit Including one or two or more individual density display sections that divide each density level range step by step, and the eco-mode density level display section is a thin density level among the individual density display sections included in the normal mode density level display section. One or two or more individual density display units selected from the individual density display units located in the range are displayed.

If the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, the eco-mode density level display unit displays the individual density display unit with a thin density level displayed on the normal mode density level display unit, and therefore prints in the eco mode. The density level that can be printed is compared with the density level that can be printed in the normal mode.
For this reason, it is possible to grasp the print density obtained when printing in the eco mode corresponds to the print density when printing in the normal mode, and appropriate density setting can be performed in the eco mode. it can.

  In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the number of individual density display units included in the normal mode density level display unit and the number of individual density display units included in the eco mode density level display unit are the same, and the eco mode density The individual density display part included in the level display part is one or more individual density display parts selected from the individual density display parts located in the thin density level range among the individual density display parts included in the normal mode density level display part. There is a certain configuration.

  If the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, the individual density display part included in the eco mode density level display part is composed of the individual density display part in the thin density level range of the individual density display part of the normal mode density level display part. Since the number of the individual density display parts is common to the normal mode and the eco mode, it is possible to grasp which density level range in the normal mode is constituted by the density level range when the eco mode is set. .

  In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the eco mode density level display unit includes a numerical value display unit indicating the density level.

  If the image forming apparatus is configured as described above, the density level is shown together with the numerical value display, so that the user can easily grasp the print density level objectively and can easily grasp the print density.

  In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the eco-mode density level display unit includes a setting level instruction unit for instructing the density level currently set in the eco mode.

If the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, the print density obtained by the current setting can be recognized from the density level instructed by the setting level instruction unit.
For this reason, the user can determine whether or not the print density is set to a desired density level, and an output result with an unexpected print density can be prevented.

According to the present invention, since the display relating to the print density that can be set in the eco mode is displayed, the user can recognize that the eco mode is set, and can grasp the print density by this setting.
Accordingly, it is possible to smoothly perform the printing process when the eco mode is set, and it is possible to suppress the consumption of the printing paper due to the repetition of the printing process, thereby further saving energy in addition to the consumption of the drawing material. it can.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
Note that the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an eco mode that performs a printing process that suppresses consumption of drawing materials such as toner and ink, and a normal mode that performs a printing process other than the eco mode. It is possible to switch modes.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a control unit 10, an operation panel (display unit) 20, a storage unit 30, and an image processing unit 40.
The control unit 10 includes a CPU and the like, and controls various components in the image forming apparatus 1.
For example, the control unit 10 reads the setting information input from the operation panel 20 and stores it in the storage unit 30. The control means 10 reads necessary information from the storage means 30 in response to an operation instruction from the operation panel 20 and displays it on the operation panel 20 or executes image processing in accordance with the operation instruction on the image processing means 40. I am letting.

The operation panel 20 is configured by a touch panel, and inputs various instruction information from the user and displays various messages to the user. In addition, the operation panel 20 performs display related to print density that can be set in the normal mode or the eco mode (for example, indicator display, numerical display, and setting level instruction described later).
In the present embodiment, the operation panel 20 has been described as a configuration including a touch panel having both an information input unit and a message display unit. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and may be configured separately. .

  The storage means 30 is composed of, for example, a hard disk or the like, and stores and holds various setting information input from the operation panel 20. In the storage unit 30 of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, a set density level that is set when the eco mode is switched is set in advance in a table (density level table) according to the set density level that is set during the normal mode. , Remembered.

FIG. 2 illustrates a density level table stored in the storage unit 30.
In FIG. 2, the density level is easy to understand and is shown by numerical display.
In FIG. 2A, if the density level is 1 in the normal mode, the density level in the eco mode is maintained at 1 as it is. Similarly, if the density level is 2 in the normal mode, the density level in the eco mode is maintained at 2. However, when the density level in the normal mode is 3 to 7, the density level is uniformly switched to 3 in the eco mode. With this setting, the toner level is reduced by setting the density levels 3 to 7 with large toner consumption in the normal mode to the density level 3 in the eco mode.

  Further, other setting examples are shown in FIGS. 2B to 2D, but all are arbitrarily set values, and are not limited to these settings. Regardless of the setting, the high density level in the normal mode is changed to a low density level in the eco mode so that the toner consumption is suppressed.

Under the control of the control means 10, the image processing means 40 executes a printing process based on the input image data.
Accordingly, when the image processing unit 40 receives print control based on the set density level from the control unit 10, the image processing unit 40 executes print processing using toner according to the density level. That is, when the mode is switched to the eco mode, the control unit 10 performs the print control based on the density level table of the storage unit 30, so that the toner consumption is suppressed in the image processing unit 40.

The detailed configuration of the operation panel of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.
3 and 4 exemplify display screens when the normal mode is set on the operation panel of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment.
In the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, either the manual density setting mode or the automatic density setting mode can be selected. FIG. 3 shows an example of a display screen when the manual density setting mode is selected. Shows an example of a display screen when the automatic density setting mode is selected.

In FIG. 3, the operation panel 20 includes a density setting unit 21, and further includes a paper feed sheet setting unit, a magnification setting unit, and a finishing setting unit.
The density setting unit 21 includes a density display unit 21a and a density level variable button 21b. In addition, an “automatic density” button for switching the density setting mode to manual or automatic, and an “ECO” for switching printing processing to the normal mode or the eco mode. "Button.

The density display unit 21a includes a normal mode indicator (normal mode density level display unit) 21a-1 in which a density level range that can be set in the normal mode is represented by a plurality of individual density display units, and the normal mode indicator 21a-1. A numerical value display unit 21a-2 that displays the concentration level in parallel with the display unit and a setting that indicates which level of the plurality of individual concentration display units in the normal mode indicator 21a-1 the currently set concentration level corresponds to Level instruction unit 21a-3.
That is, in the present embodiment, the density level range is displayed in a stepwise manner by a plurality of individual density display units. In FIG. 3, the density level displayed by the normal mode indicator 21a-1 is shown by seven individual density display units, but the number of individual density display units can be arbitrarily set.
In addition, each individual density display unit indicated by the normal mode indicator 21a-1 in the present embodiment can also be a display that gradually becomes darker as the density level becomes higher, so that the user can display the individual density display unit. At the same time, it is possible to grasp sensuously how much print result can be obtained by setting which density level.

The density level variable button 21b can raise or lower the indication position of the setting level instruction unit 21a-3 by the display unit of the individual density display unit, and can change the setting of the density level printed by the printing process. It is said.
That is, the control unit 10 determines the density level of the printing process by reading the number of steps of the individual density display unit specified by the setting level instruction unit 21a-3, and performs the printing process based on the density level in the image processing unit 40. It is running.

In FIG. 4, differences from FIG. 3 will be described below.
4 is different from the example shown in FIG. 3 in that the “automatic density” button is selected and the density setting mode is set to the automatic density setting mode. When the automatic density setting mode is selected, the display of the density display portion 21a is switched, and the characters “automatic density” are displayed as shown in FIG.
Therefore, when the automatic density setting mode is designated, the normal mode indicator 21a-1 is not displayed on the density display unit 21a, and the user recognizes the density level range and the set density level. However, there is no problem because it is less necessary to check the density level when the automatic density setting mode is designated.

5 and 6 exemplify display screens when the eco mode is set on the operation panel of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment.
5 shows a display screen in which the normal mode is switched to the eco mode in the display screen shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 6 shows a display screen in which the normal mode is switched to the eco mode in the display screen shown in FIG. is there.

In FIG. 5, differences from FIG. 3 will be described below.
In FIG. 5, the “ECO” button of the density setting unit 21 that was not selected in FIG. 3 is selected and highlighted.
Here, when the “ECO” button is pressed and the normal mode is switched to the eco mode, the density display unit 21a switches to the display of the density display unit 22a having different display contents.
The density display part 22a has the same configuration as the density display part 21a, and an eco mode indicator (eco mode density level display part) 22a that represents a density level range in which the eco mode can be set by a plurality of individual density display parts. −1, a numerical value display unit 22a-2 that displays the concentration level in parallel with the indicator 22a-1, and the currently set concentration level is any of the plurality of individual concentration display units in the eco mode indicator 22a-1. And a setting level instruction unit 22a-3 indicating whether the level corresponds to the level.

Comparing the density display part 21a shown in FIG. 3 with the density display part 22a shown in FIG. 5, the individual density display part showing the density level range of the normal mode indicator 21a-1 has seven levels, whereas the eco mode indicator 22a. The individual density display section indicating the density level range of −1 has five levels.
In addition, the indication position of the setting level instruction section in the density display section 21a is located at the fourth stage of the individual density display section, but the instruction position of the setting level instruction section in the density display section 22a is the position of the individual density display section. Transition to the third stage.
That is, it can be understood from the difference between these displays that the density level selection range is narrowed when the eco mode is set, and that the density level set in the normal mode is shifted to the set level or lower. .

  As described above, the eco mode indicator 22a-1 of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment is the sixth level from the seventh level individual density display portion (maximum density level) in the density level range that can be set in the normal mode. The remaining density level range (up to the predetermined range) is removed, and the remaining density level range (individual density display portion in the first to fifth stages) is displayed. Note that the range of density levels to be removed from the normal mode can be arbitrarily set.

Further, the eco mode indicator 22a-1 can determine the density level range to be displayed when the eco mode is set by various methods described below and combinations thereof.
FIG. 6 illustrates a normal mode indicator and an eco mode indicator.
Note that the normal mode indicator 21a-1 is composed of seven individual density display sections, each of which is assigned a density level of 1 to 7 by the numerical display section 21a-2.

[1] According to the example shown in FIG. 6 (a), the eco mode indicator 22a-1 has an individual density display section (thinner one of density levels 1 to 3) in the density level range that can be set in the normal mode. The density level range selected from the (density level range) (individual density display portion of density levels 1 to 3) is displayed.
Further, in the example of FIG. 6A, both the normal mode indicator 21a-1 and the eco mode indicator 22a-1 include individual density display sections that divide each density level range in stages. The eco mode indicator 22a-1 is one selected from the individual density display units of density levels 1 to 3 located in the thin density level range among the individual density display units of density levels 1 to 7 included in the normal mode indicator 21a-1. Alternatively, two or more individual density display units can be displayed.

[2] According to the example shown in FIG. 6B, the eco-mode indicator 22a-1 is an individual density display section (in the middle position) of density levels 3 and 4 among density levels that can be set in the normal mode. Is the highest density level range that can be set in the eco mode, and the same density level as this highest density level range and / or a density level range thinner than the highest density level range is displayed.
The density level range located in the middle means the density level range excluding the minimum density level range (density level 1) and the maximum density level range (density level 7).

  [3] According to the example shown in FIG. 6C, the eco mode indicator 22a-1 has the same number of individual density display units as the individual density display units displayed by the normal mode indicator 21a-1, The individual density display part displayed by the mode indicator 22a-1 is selected from one or more individual density display parts located at a thin density level among the individual density display parts displayed by the normal mode indicator 21a-1. The density display is used.

As described above, when the eco mode indicator 22a-1 is switched from the normal mode to the eco mode, the density level range that can be set is narrowed, and the number of individual density display units displayed is reduced.
Therefore, the user can easily recognize that the mode setting is the eco mode from the display content of the eco mode indicator 22a-1.

FIG. 7 shows a display example when the eco mode is further set in the state of the automatic density setting mode shown in FIG.
In FIG. 7, the letters “automatic density” are displayed on the density display portion 21 a as before the eco mode is set.
Therefore, when the automatic density setting mode is designated, the eco mode indicator 22a-1 is not displayed on the density display unit 21a, and the user recognizes the density level range and the set density level. However, there is no problem because it is less necessary to check the density level when the automatic density setting mode is designated.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment.
In FIG. 8, the control means 10 determines whether or not the eco mode is set based on whether or not the ECO button is input from the operation panel 20 (step S801).
If it is determined in step S801 that the eco mode is set, the control unit 10 refers to the density level table stored in the storage unit 30 and selectively sets the set density level in the eco mode. (Step S802).
Subsequently, the control means 10 switches the display content of the density display part 21a of the operation panel 20 to the display content of the eco mode (step S803). That is, the control unit 10 switches the normal mode indicator 21a-1 displayed in the normal mode to the eco mode indicator 22a-1, and sets the set density level selected and set in step S802 to the set density level instruction unit 22a-3. The indication is displayed by.

On the other hand, if the result of determination in step S801 is that the eco mode is not set, the display content in the normal mode is displayed on the density display unit 21a.
Therefore, when a print process execution instruction is input after the display in steps S803 and S804 is performed, the image processing unit 40 executes the print process based on the set density level (step S805).

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment. However, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. It goes without saying that implementation is possible.
For example, in the above embodiment, switching from the normal mode to the eco mode is performed by manually pressing the “ECO” button on the operation panel. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the remaining amount of the drawing material It is also possible by auto eco-printing that automatically switches the mode when a detection means is provided and the remaining amount of the drawing material detected thereby reaches a predetermined amount.

The auto eco print setting procedure will be described below with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 9 shows a function setting selection screen of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment.
In FIG. 9, the user can switch the detailed setting of the function to the screen by pressing the button of the function to be set. Here, in order to set the auto eco print, the “auto eco print” button at the middle of the left end of the screen is pressed.

FIG. 10 is an auto eco print setting screen of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment.
When the auto eco print button is pressed on the display screen shown in FIG. 9, the screen is switched to the auto eco print setting screen shown in FIG. On this setting screen, you can specify the Auto Eco Print setting by pressing either the “No Setting” or “Set” button on the lower right, and the setting details by pressing the “Register” button. Is registered.

  It can be suitably used for an image forming apparatus that has an eco mode in which the amount of drawing material consumed is reduced and can display the print density on the operation panel.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a density level table stored in a storage unit of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 4 is an example of a display screen when a normal mode is set on the operation panel of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 4 is an example of a display screen when a normal mode is set on the operation panel of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 6 is an example of a display screen when an eco mode is set on the operation panel of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 6 is an example of a display screen when an eco mode is set on the operation panel of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 7 is an example of a display screen when an eco mode is set in an automatic density setting mode state of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a function setting selection screen of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 3 is an auto eco print setting screen of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 10 Control means 20 Operation panel (display means)
21 density setting part 21a density display part 21a-1 normal mode indicator (normal mode density level display part)
21a-2 Numerical value display unit 21a-3 Set concentration level instruction unit 21b Density level variable button 22a Density display unit 22a-1 Eco mode indicator (eco mode concentration level display unit)
22a-2 Numerical value display unit 22a-3 Set density level instruction unit 30 Storage unit 40 Image processing unit

Claims (7)

An image forming apparatus capable of performing printing processing in an eco mode with reduced consumption of drawing material,
Comprising a display means for performing display regarding print density can be set in the eco mode,
The display means has an eco-mode density level display section that displays a density level range that can be set in the eco-mode, and a normal mode density level display section that displays a density level range that can be set in the normal mode,
The eco-mode density level display part and the normal mode density level display part are
Including one or two or more individual concentration display sections that divide each concentration level range in stages,
The eco-mode concentration level display section
An image forming apparatus that displays one or more individual density display units selected from the individual density display units located in a thin density level range among the individual density display units included in the normal mode density level display unit. . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 .
The eco-mode concentration level display section
An image forming apparatus that displays a remaining density level range obtained by removing a predetermined range from a maximum density level among density level ranges that can be set in a normal mode. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
The eco-mode concentration level display section
An image forming apparatus that displays a density level range selected from a lower density level range that can be set in a normal mode. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
The eco-mode concentration level display section
The density level range located in the middle of the density level range that can be set in the normal mode is set as the highest density level range that can be set in the eco mode, and the same density level range as the highest density level range and / or the highest density level. An image forming apparatus characterized by displaying a density level range thinner than the range. In the image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
The number of individual density display units included in the normal mode density level display unit and the number of individual density display units included in the eco mode density level display unit are common,
The individual density display part included in the eco-mode density level display part,
An image forming apparatus, comprising: one or more individual density display units selected from individual density display units located in a thin density level range among the individual density display units included in the normal mode density level display unit. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
The image forming apparatus, wherein the eco-mode density level display unit includes a numerical value display unit indicating a density level. In the image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 ,
The image forming apparatus, wherein the eco-mode density level display unit includes a setting level instruction unit for instructing a density level currently set in the eco mode.