JP4218130B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to quickly find a job even when a plurality of jobs are accumulated in a paper discharge port, and to dispose of an output that has been left in the paper discharge port for a long time. It is related with the apparatus which enabled it to give the standard of.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a copier is known in which a read image data is temporarily stored in a memory, and the image data is read from the memory to form an image (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-75772). Issue gazette, etc.). In such an image forming apparatus, for example, when 10 copies are printed, the original only needs to be read once, and the next job can be read during the printout of a job, and a plurality of jobs can be read continuously. There is an advantage that can be printed out.
[0003]
On the other hand, when a plurality of people use the image forming apparatus of the above-described type, if the output is accumulated at the paper discharge port of the apparatus, the face of the sheet on which the image is formed is discharged downward. In the method, it is necessary for the operator to turn over the output to find his / her output. Further, even in a normal image forming apparatus that does not have the above-described method, if the output of the next job is started before the output of the previous job is taken out from the discharge port, and the output is accumulated, the same problem occurs. was there.
[0004]
On the other hand, a method has been proposed in which an operator can easily find his / her output by outputting an interleaving sheet between job breaks (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,464 and JP-A-10-143017). .
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described conventional image forming apparatus, if the number of output products that are left at the paper discharge outlet increases, a guideline for searching for the output product of the user later or disposing of the output product that cannot be obtained indefinitely. There was a problem that the number of output products continued to increase.
[0006]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of such problems, the present invention provides a guideline for quickly finding out one's own job even when a plurality of jobs are collected at the paper discharge port, and performing some sort of disposal on the output that has been left for a long time. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of performing the above.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Therefore, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet based on image data, and a clock unit that measures a lapse of time since the power is turned on, and a discharge port. The paper discharge detection means for detecting the output product, the clock means and the signal from the paper discharge detection means receive the signal on the paper every time a predetermined time elapses after the power is turned on and when there is an output product at the paper discharge outlet. And a time output control means for outputting.
[0008]
One of the features of the present invention is that a paper whose time is output at predetermined intervals is discharged at intervals between jobs using a clock function. This makes it possible to use the paper time as a guide when searching for your output later, and even when a large number of output is collected at the paper exit, it can also be easily searched, and output that will never come. When disposing of items, it is possible to dispose of paper based on the time of the sheet, and it is possible to prevent the output material from being unnecessarily accumulated at the paper discharge port.
[0009]
In this example, the time is output to the paper at predetermined time intervals after the power is turned on and when there is an output at the paper discharge port. However, the time when the time should be output should be set. Also good.
[0010]
In other words, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet based on image data. Means, a time setting means for setting a time to be output, and a signal from the clock means and the paper discharge detecting means, and after the power is turned on, the paper is discharged every time set by the time setting means. Time output control means for outputting the time to the paper when there is an output in the mouth is provided.
[0011]
Here, the image forming apparatus may be any apparatus that can form an image, and can be applied to, for example, a printing apparatus or a copying apparatus. Further, when outputting the time for a certain job process, it is preferable that the predetermined time elapses when the previous job process is performed or the time output is canceled when the set time is reached.
[0012]
That is, it is preferable to further include job processing detection means for detecting whether or not the job is being processed, and the time output control means is configured to output the time to the sheet after the job processing is completed.
[0013]
For jobs that are processed at the elapse of the predetermined time or at the set time when the predetermined time has elapsed since the time was output before or the job processing has not been performed until the set time is reached Since the output is at the lowermost side of the paper discharge port, it is easy to find out, and it is not always necessary to output the time.
[0014]
Therefore, it is further provided with a previous job detecting means for detecting that the job processing has been performed from the output at the previous time, and the time output control means is from the output at the previous time until the elapse of a predetermined time or until the next set time. When the job processing is not being performed, it is preferable to cancel the output of the time at the elapse of the predetermined time or at the next set time.
[0015]
In this example, the time is output on the paper. However, in addition to the time, various counter information and the final output person name may be output simultaneously as printer management information. That is, the time output control means can add the management information to the time and output it on the paper.
[0016]
Further, in the case of the face-down method in which the sheet on which the image is formed is discharged downward, it is necessary to turn over the sheet on which the time is output each time. Therefore, if the paper on which the time is output is output face-up, the time can be confirmed without turning over the stack of paper, which is very convenient. That is, it is preferable that the image forming apparatus has a double-sided printing function and can be switched between face-up output and face-down output, and the time output control means outputs the time by face-up.
[0017]
[Operation and effect of the invention]
According to the present invention, the clock function is used to print out the time at predetermined time intervals, so that the user can quickly find his / her job based on the printed time, and the paper outlet has a long time. It is possible to dispose of output that has been left for a while based on the printed time.
[0018]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on specific examples shown in the drawings. 1 to 6 show a preferred embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 1 shows an example of the structure of the printer of this example. In the printer 100 of this example, a discharge sheet detection sensor (discharge detection means) 101 is provided in the vicinity of the discharge outlet of the printer main body B, and a paper feed cassette 14 is detachably inserted into a lower part of the printer main body B. A paper feed roller 8 as a paper feed means is provided at the front end side of the paper feed cassette 14, and an outer shell component A is disposed on the right side of the paper feed roller 8 in the figure, and a guide portion is provided on the outer shell member A side. 28 is provided obliquely upward. Further, fixing rollers 9 and 16 as fixing means are provided in an upper part of the printer main body B. The fixing rollers 9 and 16 are supported by support portions 25 and 26 surrounding the periphery of the support rollers 25 and 26. A guide portion 29 is provided on the upper side. Further, in the printer main body B, an image forming unit (imaging cartridge) 10 having a photoconductor 50 is detachable at a position between the paper feed roller 8 and the fixing rollers 9 and 16 and facing the outer structural member A. Contained.
[0019]
On the other hand, the outer component A includes an exterior plate 7, which is attached to the lower right corner of the printer main body B by a hinge 17 so that it can be opened and closed. A guide plate is provided inside the exterior plate 7 (on the printer main body B side). 5 is integrally attached with a certain degree of freedom via a compression spring, and guide portions 5a, 5b, 5c are provided in order from the top on the guide plate 5, and the guide portions 5a, 5b, 5c and the printer main body are provided. Paper transport paths 35, 36, and 37 are formed along the side surface of the imaging cartridge 10 between the opposite portions of B.
[0020]
A guide plate 4, conveyance rollers 1 and 2 as conveyance means, a transfer roller 3 as transfer means and a paper detector 15 are further integrally attached to the printer body B side of the guide plate 5. A double-sided printing unit 6 that inverts and conveys paper in the double-sided copy mode is integrally attached to the outside (opposite side of the printer main body B), and the exterior plate 7, guide plate 4, 5, the transport rollers 1 and 2, the transfer roller 3, the paper detector 15, and the duplex printing unit 6 are integrally opened and closed with respect to the printer main body B.
[0021]
Here, the sheet passing path will be described in more detail. The transfer roller 3 is disposed in the concave portion between the guide portions 5 a and 5 b of the guide plate 5 so as to face the photosensitive member 50 of the imaging cartridge 10. A conveyance roller 2 is disposed in a pair with the conveyance roller 1 in a recess between the guide portions 5b and 5c. A guide plate 4 is disposed at a position immediately upstream in the transport direction of the transport rollers 1 and 2 so as to face the guide portion 5c. Since this guide plate 4 only covers a part of the guide portion 5c in the transport direction, it does not interfere with the removal of jammed paper, which will be described later. In addition, a paper detector 15 is provided in the guide portion 5 c, and the paper detector 15 detects paper passing through a conveyance path 37 between the guide portion 5 and the guide plate 4.
[0022]
When the outer component A is closed with respect to the printer main body B, the guide plate 5 is positioned by a positioning member (not shown) on the imaging cartridge 10 side. The accuracy of the relative positions of the conveying rollers 1 and 2 on the component member A side, the transfer roller 3, and the guide plates 4 and 5 can be increased.
[0023]
Sheets are stacked in the sheet feeding cassette 14 shown in FIG. 1, and sheets are fed one by one from the sheet feeding cassette 14 by the sheet feeding roller 8 and components formed in the vicinity thereof during operation. The fed sheet is guided by the guide portion 28 at the lower right corner of the printer main body B, the guide plate 4 and the guide portion 5c on the outer component A, and is conveyed to the conveyance rollers 1 and 2 through the conveyance path 37. 2 is conveyed to the transfer roller 3 through the conveyance path 36 at a predetermined timing. Subsequently, the toner image formed on the photoreceptor 50 in the imaging cartridge 10 is transferred onto the paper by the transfer roller 3. After passing through the transfer roller 3, the sheet is guided by the guide portion 5 a and conveyed to the fixing rollers 9 and 16 through the conveyance path 35, and the toner transferred to the sheet by the fixing rollers 9 and 16 is fixed.
[0024]
In the single-sided printing mode, the sheet that has passed through the fixing rollers 9 and 16 is guided by the guide unit 29 and discharged by the roller 27 to the outside of the apparatus, that is, to the face-down discharge port. On the other hand, in the double-sided printing mode, the paper that has passed through the fixing rollers 9 and 16 is reversed by the roller 27 and sent to the double-sided printing unit 6, and again from the double-sided printing unit 6 to the transport rollers 1 and 2 through the transport path 37. After being conveyed and printed on the opposite side of the sheet, it is discharged to the face-down discharge port in the same manner as in the single-sided printing mode.
[0025]
FIG. 2 shows functional blocks of the printer 100. The printer 100 includes a control unit 110, an operation panel 120, an image forming unit 130, and a paper feeding unit 140. The control unit 110 performs a CPU (time output control unit, time setting unit, job processing detection unit, previous job) (Detection means) 111, a clock (clock means) 112 for measuring time, a RAM 113 for holding registered contents, and a ROM 114 for storing programs and the like. The control unit 111 receives various sensor inputs 150 and controls the operation panel 120, the image forming unit 130, and the paper feeding unit 140, and various settings and displays are made on the operation panel 120.
[0026]
FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of control processing of the CPU 111 mounted on the printer 100. When the CPU 111 is reset and the program starts, initial setting is performed (step S100), the CPU 111 is initialized, such as clearing the memory and setting various registers, and the apparatus is set to the initial mode, and at the same time the time output is performed. The interval and output start time are also set. Thereafter, an internal timer is started in the CPU 111 in which values have been set in advance in the initial setting (step S200), and then each subroutine (step S300, time processing, print operation, sheet passing route switching, and other processing shown in the flowchart). S400, S500, and S600) are sequentially called, and when the processing of all the subroutines is finished, one routine is finished after the completion of the initially set internal timer (step S700).
[0027]
The time length of one routine is used to count various timers that appear in the subroutine. That is, the end of each timer value is determined by how many times this one routine is counted.
[0028]
FIG. 4 shows a time processing subroutine. When processing of this subroutine is started, the flag F1 for requesting time printing processing is first checked (S310), and if the flag F1 is not set, it is determined whether or not the set time has come (step S320). If the set time has not been reached, the subroutine processing is terminated. When the set time is reached, a flag F1 for requesting time print processing is set (S321).
[0029]
When the time print request flag F1 is set or when the set time is reached and the flag F1 is set, it is determined whether or not the job is being processed (step S330). If the job is being processed, a subroutine is executed. The time print processing is not performed until the job processing is completed.
[0030]
On the other hand, if the job is not being processed, it is determined from the signal of the discharged paper detection sensor 101 whether or not there is paper at the paper discharge port (step S340). If there is paper in the paper discharge port, it is determined whether or not there has been job processing between the output of the previous time and the current time (step S350), and if there is job processing, a time print request is set ( In step S351, the flag F1 is reset to set the next time (step S360), and the subroutine processing is terminated.
[0031]
If there is no paper at the paper discharge port and if there is no job from the output at the previous time, the flag F1 is reset and the next time is set without setting the time print request (step S360). The subroutine processing is terminated.
[0032]
FIG. 5 shows a subroutine for the printing operation. When processing of this subroutine is started, it is determined whether or not there is a time print request (step S410). If there is no time print request, normal image forming processing is performed and a job is printed (step S430). ), The subroutine processing is terminated.
[0033]
If there is a time print request, it is determined whether the sheet is the first or second side (step S420). If the sheet is the first side, the time is printed by the image forming process (step S430), and the subroutine processing is terminated. If the sheet is the second side, the non-image forming process, that is, emptying is performed (step S440). The subroutine processing is terminated. In addition to the time, it is also possible to simultaneously output various counter information and final output person names as printer management information.
[0034]
FIG. 6 shows a subroutine for switching the sheet passing path. When the processing of this subroutine is started, it is determined whether or not there is a time print request (step S510). If there is a time print request, it is determined whether the paper is the first or second side (step S530). If the paper is the first side, the paper after printing the time is reversed and guided to the duplex printing unit 6 ( Step S540), the subroutine processing is terminated.
[0035]
If the sheet is the second side, the sheet is discharged as it is to the sheet discharge port (step S550), the time print request is reset (step S560), and the subroutine processing is terminated. As a result, the paper whose time has been output can be discharged face-up to the face-down paper discharge port.
[0036]
If there is no time print request, it is determined whether or not the single-side mode is selected. If the single-side mode is selected, the printed paper is discharged as it is to the paper discharge port (step S550), and the time print request is reset ( Step S560), the subroutine processing is terminated.
[0037]
If it is not the single-sided mode, that is, the double-sided mode, it is determined whether the paper is the first or second side (step S530). If the paper is the first side, the paper after the job printing is reversed and guided to the double-sided printing unit 6. (Step S540) If the second sheet is a sheet, the sheet is discharged as it is to the sheet discharge outlet (Step S550), the time print request is reset (Step S560), and the subroutine processing is terminated.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a structural example of a preferred embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating functional blocks of a printer in the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an outline of printer processing in the embodiment.
4 is a flowchart showing a time processing routine in FIG. 3. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a printing operation routine in FIG. 3;
6 is a flowchart showing a sheet passing route switching routine in FIG. 3. FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
100 Image forming apparatus 101 Discharged paper detection sensor (discharge detection means)
111 CPU (time output control means, time setting means, job processing detection means, previous job detection means)
112 Clock (clock means)

Claims (6)

In an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet based on image data,
A clock means for measuring the elapsed time since the power was turned on;
A paper discharge detecting means for detecting an output from the paper discharge port;
Time output control means for receiving the signals of the clock means and the paper discharge detection means and outputting the time to the paper every time a predetermined time elapses after the power is turned on and when there is an output at the paper discharge port. An image forming apparatus. In an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet based on image data,
A clock means for measuring time;
A paper discharge detecting means for detecting an output from the paper discharge port;
Time setting means for setting the time to be output;
After receiving the signals from the clock means and the paper discharge detection means and turning on the power, the time output for outputting the time to the paper every time the time set by the time setting means is reached and when there is an output at the paper discharge outlet An image forming apparatus comprising: a control unit. Job processing detection means for detecting whether or not the job is being processed;
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the time output control unit outputs the time to a sheet after the job processing is completed. It further comprises a previous job detection means for detecting that job processing has been performed from the output at the previous time,
The time output control means outputs the time at the elapse of the predetermined time or at the next set time when job processing is not performed between the output of the previous time and the elapse of the predetermined time or the next set time. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is canceled. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the time output control unit adds management information to the time and outputs the management information to a sheet. An image forming apparatus having a duplex printing function and capable of switching between face-up output and face-down output,
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the time output control means outputs the time face up.

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