JP5020887B2 - Image forming apparatus, image forming control method, image forming control program, and recording medium - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming control method, an image forming control program, and a recording medium, and more particularly, an image forming apparatus that performs efficient printing by connecting a plurality of printing units via a printing medium adjusting unit. The present invention relates to an image formation control method, an image formation control program, and a recording medium.

  The image forming apparatus connects a plurality of printing mechanism units with a paper adjusting unit such as a paper adjusting unit interposed therebetween in order to increase the processing speed of image forming and perform advanced image processing. The mechanism unit prints on the surface of the paper (print medium), the paper adjustment unit inverts the front and back sides of the paper and sends it to the second printing mechanism unit, and the second printing mechanism unit uses the paper adjustment unit. Double-sided printing that prints on the reverse side of the reversed single-sided printed paper, or different color developers are mounted on the first printing mechanism and the second printing mechanism, respectively, and the paper adjustment unit Then, printing processing such as performing two-color printing by performing only timing adjustment is being performed. In the above description, the case where two printing mechanism units are connected has been described. However, the number of units connected is not limited to two, and the number of units is two or more according to the required function and the like. It becomes.

  In such an image forming apparatus, if any one of a plurality of printing mechanism units has an abnormality such as a jam, it is necessary to interrupt the processing in all the printing mechanism units, resulting in a decrease in usability and throughput. appear.

  Conventionally, in the case where two or more continuous paper single-sided printing mechanisms are operated synchronously with the paper reversing mechanism interposed therebetween, the image data being printed is saved and the image data being printed is saved. A technique has been proposed in which image data necessary for recovery printing is identified and recovery printing is executed when an error occurs (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2004-358815 A

  However, in the above prior art, the position of the image data being printed is grasped so that the data position at the time of recovery printing can be specified. However, if an abnormal condition such as paper jam occurs and the operation of the printing mechanism stops, the abnormal condition is resolved from the stopped printing mechanism. The printing process is interrupted until it becomes operable, and the overall processing speed is reduced, and the usability is poor.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus, an image forming control method, an image forming control program, and a recording medium that effectively improve a processing speed and usability by using a plurality of printing units.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a plurality of printing means for independently performing print processing on a print member in order to obtain a print result requested by the print job based on print data of the print job. The printing process is controlled by controlling the operation and the operation of the adjusting unit that is arranged between the printing units and printed on the printing member printed by the preceding printing unit and sends it to the next printing unit. When an abnormal state with an operation stop occurs in at least one of the printing means that are executing the printing process, the printing process being processed can be processed using only the printing means that can operate normally If it is possible to process the print job, the print unit in which the abnormality has occurred is executed using a printing unit capable of operating normally, and the print process in the print unit in which the abnormality has occurred is executed. When an error occurs Thereafter, the contents of all the print jobs for the print member are invalidated, or the print processing from the print member that was being printed at the time of occurrence of the abnormality to the predetermined number of print members is the print in which the abnormality occurred. Valid / invalid setting means for setting validity / invalidity of whether to leave as a valid print job of the means, and the control means, according to the setting in the valid / invalid setting means, the printing member at the time of occurrence of the abnormality To a predetermined number of printing members is determined to be left as a print job of the printing means in which the abnormality has occurred or to be a print job processed by a printing means capable of normal operation .

  Further, according to the present invention, the adjusting unit includes a printing member storing unit that stores a predetermined amount of the printing member, and the adjusting unit is positioned in a stage preceding the processing flow of the printing member with respect to the printing unit in which the abnormality has occurred. However, the printing member storage unit may store the printing member that has been subjected to the printing process by the printing unit that is positioned upstream of the adjustment unit.

  The present invention also provides another print job that can be executed only by a printing unit that can operate normally when the printing process of the print job in which the abnormality has occurred cannot be executed only by the printing unit that can operate normally. If there is another print job that can be executed, the order of the print jobs may be changed, and the other print job may be preferentially executed.

  Further, according to the present invention, only when permission is set by permission / non-permission setting means for setting permission / non-permission of the change of the order of the print jobs, the print job is changed by changing the order of the print jobs. It is good also as performing.

  According to the present invention, even when any of a plurality of printing units is abnormally stopped during the printing process of a print job, the printing process of the print job can be executed by a printing unit capable of normal operation. Therefore, the printing process can be continued to improve the printing process speed as a whole, and the usability can be improved.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, since the Example described below is a suitable Example of this invention, various technically preferable restrictions are attached | subjected, However, The range of this invention is unduly limited by the following description. However, not all the configurations described in the present embodiment are essential constituent elements of the present invention.

  1 to 4 are diagrams showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus, an image forming control method, an image forming control program, and a recording medium according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an image forming apparatus and image forming control according to the present invention. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a printer system 1 to which an embodiment of a method, an image formation control program, and a recording medium are applied.

  In FIG. 1, the printer system 1 includes a first printing mechanism unit 10 and a second printing mechanism unit 20, two printing mechanism units 10 and 20 connected by a paper adjustment mechanism unit 30, and the last second printing mechanism unit 20. The post-processing mechanism unit 40 is connected to each other.

  The first printing mechanism unit (printing unit) 10 includes a paper feeding unit 11 having a plurality of paper feeding trays, a printing unit 12, a paper reversing unit 13, an operation display unit 14, and the like. In this embodiment, printing is performed. As the part 12, an example in which printing is performed by an electrophotographic method is shown. The paper feed unit 11 includes a plurality of paper feed trays on which a plurality of papers (printing members) are placed. The paper feed unit 11 separates the papers one by one from the selected appropriate paper feed trays. To send. The printing unit 12 includes a registration roller 15, a printing execution unit 16, a fixing unit 17, and the like. In the case of an electrophotographic system, the printing execution unit 16 has a charging unit and an optical writing unit (not shown) around the photoreceptor 16a. , A developing unit, a transfer unit, a cleaning unit, a static elimination unit, and the like. The print execution unit 16 operates the optical writing unit on the photoconductor uniformly charged by the charging unit based on the drawing data and the control signal to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor, and the developing unit uses the toner (image). Forming material) is supplied onto the photoreceptor and developed to form a toner image. The printing unit 12 adjusts the timing of the paper sent from the paper feeding unit 11 with the toner image on the photosensitive member by the registration roller 15, and then between the photosensitive member and the transfer unit of the printing execution unit 16. The paper is fed, and the print execution unit 16 transfers the toner image on the photosensitive member to one side of the paper (upper surface in FIG. 1) by the transfer unit, and conveys the paper on which the toner image has been transferred to the fixing unit 17. The fixing unit 17 conveys the paper on which the toner image has been transferred while heating and pressurizing, and fixes the toner image on the paper. A conveyance direction switching unit 18 is provided downstream of the fixing unit 17 of the printing unit 12 in the sheet conveyance direction. The conveyance direction switching unit 18 sets the conveyance direction of the sheet on which the fixing is completed to the sheet reversing unit 13 and the sheet. It switches with the adjustment mechanism part 30.

  The sheet reversing unit 13 reverses the front and back surfaces of the single-side printed sheet sent from the transport direction switching unit 18 and sends it again to the registration rollers 15 of the printing unit 12. The sheet reversing unit 13 includes a reversing sheet storage unit 13a that stores a predetermined number of sheets, and can store an appropriate number of sheets.

  When the paper conveyance direction of the conveyance direction switching unit 18 is set to the paper adjustment mechanism unit 30, the printing unit 12 sends the fixed paper to the paper adjustment mechanism unit 30.

  The paper adjustment mechanism unit 30 includes a paper reversing / storage unit 31, a paper discharge unit 32, and the like, and performs a predetermined timing adjustment on the paper on which one side (front surface) is printed by the first printing mechanism unit 10. The second printing mechanism unit 20 is sent to the second printing mechanism unit 20 or the sheet reversing / storage unit (printing member storage unit) 31 reverses the front and back surfaces of the sheet P printed by the first printing mechanism unit 10. To send. In addition, the paper adjustment mechanism unit 30 discharges and places the paper printed by the first printing mechanism unit 10 on the paper discharge unit 32 as it is, or reverses the front and back surfaces by the paper reversing / storage unit 31. The paper is discharged and placed on the paper discharge unit 32. Further, the sheet reversing / storing unit 31 of the sheet adjusting mechanism unit 30 has a function of storing a predetermined number of sheets, and stores a predetermined number of sheets as necessary.

  The second printing mechanism unit (printing unit) 20 has the same configuration as that of the first printing mechanism unit 10, and includes a sheet feeding unit 21 having a plurality of sheet feeding trays, a sheet feeding unit 22, a sheet reversing unit 23, and an operation. In this embodiment, an example of performing printing by an electrophotographic method is shown as the paper feeding unit 22. The sheet feeding unit 21 includes a plurality of sheet feeding trays on which a plurality of sheets are placed, and separates the sheets one by one from the appropriate selected sheet feeding trays and sends them to the sheet feeding unit 22. The paper supply unit 22 includes a registration roller 25, a print execution unit 26, a fixing unit 27, and the like. In the case of the electrophotographic system, the print execution unit 26 has a charging unit (not shown) and optical writing around the photosensitive member 26a. A developing unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit, a cleaning unit, a charge eliminating unit, and the like. The print execution unit 26 operates the optical writing unit on the photosensitive member uniformly charged by the charging unit according to the drawing data and the control signal to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member, and the developing unit sets toner (image). Forming material) is supplied onto the photoreceptor and developed to form a toner image. The paper feed unit 22 adjusts the timing of the paper sent from the paper feed unit 21 with the toner image on the photoconductor by the registration roller 25, and then between the photoconductor and the transfer unit of the print execution unit 26. Then, the print execution unit 26 transfers the toner image on the photosensitive member to one side (upper surface in FIG. 1) of the sheet by the transfer unit, and conveys the sheet onto which the toner image has been transferred to the fixing unit 27. The fixing unit 27 conveys the sheet on which the toner image has been transferred while heating and pressing the sheet, and fixes the toner image on the sheet. A conveyance direction switching unit 28 is provided on the downstream side of the sheet conveyance direction of the fixing unit 27 of the paper supply unit 22. The conveyance direction switching unit 28 sets the conveyance direction of the fixed sheet to the sheet reversing unit 23. Switch to the post-processing mechanism 40.

  The paper reversing unit 23 reverses the front and back surfaces of the single-side printed paper sent from the transport direction switching unit 28 and sends it again to the registration rollers 25 of the paper feeding unit 22. The sheet reversing unit 23 includes a reversing sheet storage unit 23a that stores a predetermined number of sheets, and can store an appropriate number of sheets.

  If the paper conveyance direction of the conveyance direction switching unit 28 is set to the post-processing mechanism unit 40 direction, the sheet on which fixing has been completed is sent to the post-processing mechanism unit 40.

  The post-processing mechanism unit 40 performs post-processing such as sort processing, binding processing, folding processing, and stapling processing on the printed paper sent from the second printing mechanism unit 20 and then performs post-processing. Is discharged onto the paper discharge unit 41.

  Although not shown, the printing system 1 is a device necessary for controlling the operation of each part of the printing system 1 such as a central processing unit (CPU), a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), and an interface. Controller, etc., ROM, EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory), EPROM, flash memory, flexible disk, CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), CD-RW (Compact Disc Rewritable) , DVD (Digital Video Disk), SD (Secure Digital) card, MO (Magneto-Optical Disc), etc., image forming control program for executing the image forming control method of the present invention recorded on a computer-readable recording medium Is read and installed in the controller's ROM, etc. It is constructed as an image forming apparatus for executing image formation control method for executing a printing process efficiently. This image formation control program is a computer-executable program written in a legacy programming language such as assembler, C, C ++, C #, Java (registered trademark), an object-oriented programming language, or the like, and is stored in the recording medium. And can be distributed.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. In the printing system 1 according to the present embodiment, when an abnormal state in which the printing process is stopped in the first printing mechanism unit 10 or the second printing mechanism unit 20, for example, when a paper jam occurs, the generation position of the paper jam and other functions are performed. The printing is continued using the normal first printing mechanism unit 10 or the second printing mechanism unit 20 to perform efficient printing.

  That is, for example, the printing system 1 performs printing on one side (front surface) with the first printing mechanism unit 10, performs front / back reversal processing of the paper with the paper adjustment mechanism unit 30, and prints the front surface with the second printing mechanism unit 20. As shown in FIG. 2, during the double-sided printing that prints on the finished back surface, as shown in FIG. 2, a paper jam occurs as an abnormal state in which printing stops at the first printing mechanism unit 10 on the upstream side of the paper processing flow. The case will be described. When a paper jam occurs in the first printing mechanism unit 10 (step S101), the controller of the printing system 1 stops the printing operation of the first printing mechanism unit 10 and causes the operation display unit 14 of the first printing mechanism unit 10 to stop. A warning is displayed to the effect that a paper jam has occurred and a countermeasure is requested from the operator (step S102). The last paper that has been normally printed before the paper jam has occurred is sent from the first printing mechanism unit 10 to the paper. It waits until it is reversed by the adjustment mechanism unit 30 and conveyed to the second printing mechanism unit 20 (step S103).

  When the last sheet normally printed by the first printing mechanism unit 10 is conveyed to the second printing mechanism unit 20 and printing is performed on the back surface by the second printing mechanism unit 20, the controller prints the second printing mechanism unit. The second printing mechanism unit 20 starts feeding from the sheet feeding unit 21 and continues printing from the front page of the printing target paper subsequent to the processing target print job. Then, the printing continuation process is started in which only the second printing mechanism unit 20 performs double-sided printing that is reversed by the paper reversing unit 23 and printed on the back side (step S105), and the jammed paper of the first printing mechanism unit 10 is removed. It is checked whether the first printing mechanism unit 10 has returned (step S106).

  If the jam has not been recovered in step S106, the controller checks whether the print job being executed by the second printing mechanism unit 20 has ended (step S107). If the print job has not ended, the controller prints the first print. It is checked whether the jammed paper of the mechanism unit 10 has been removed (step S106). That is, the second printing mechanism unit 20 starts double-sided printing from printing on the surface of the page where the jam has occurred.

  When the print job being executed in the second printing mechanism unit 20 is completed in step S107 without removing the jammed paper in the first printing mechanism unit 10 in step S106, the process is terminated and the second printing mechanism unit 20 performs processing. If the jammed paper of the first printing mechanism unit 10 is removed and the abnormal state is resolved before the print job being executed is completed, the first printing mechanism unit 10 is returned to the second printing mechanism unit. The print job executed by only 20 is returned to the normal printing state using the first printing mechanism unit 10, the paper adjustment mechanism unit 30, and the second printing mechanism unit 20, and the printing process is resumed (step S108).

  As described above, the printing system 1 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a plurality of printing mechanism units that independently perform printing processing on a sheet in order to obtain a print result requested by the print job based on print data of the print job. 10 and 20 and the next printing by applying a predetermined adjustment process (reversal process etc.) to the paper printed between the printing mechanism sections 10 and 20 and printed by the preceding printing mechanism section 10. Controls the operation of the paper adjustment mechanism unit 30 sent to the mechanism unit 20 and operates at least one of the printing mechanism units 10 and 20 (in the above example, the first printing mechanism unit 10 in the preceding stage) during execution of the printing process. When an abnormal state that accompanies a stop occurs, it is determined whether or not the printing process being processed can be processed using only the printing mechanism units 10 and 20 that can operate normally. Use printing mechanism 10, 20 Running a printing process of the print job abnormal.

  Therefore, even if an abnormality that stops the printing operation such as a paper jam occurs during the printing process, the printing mechanism units 10 and 20 that normally operate can execute the printing process of the print job and continue the printing process. Thus, the print processing speed can be improved and the usability can be improved.

  In the printing system 1, when a paper jam occurs in the first printing mechanism unit 10, not only the page data to be printed on the paper on which the jam has occurred, but also the paper is already sent from the paper feeding unit 11 to the printing unit 12. The print data for the paper after the occurrence of the jam is present, and the print data for the paper after the jam occurrence and being conveyed is present in the first printing mechanism unit 10, so the first printing mechanism When the jammed paper in the section 10 is removed, the paper in the middle of the conveyance is also deleted, and the print data after the jammed paper is transferred to the second printing mechanism section 20 and the second printing mechanism section 20 Printing from the jammed paper is executed.

  However, in such a printing process, it is necessary to remove the paper in the middle of conveyance when removing the jammed paper in order to prevent wasteful printing on the paper in the middle of conveyance after the jammed paper.

  Therefore, in the printing system 1 of this embodiment, the operation display unit 14 is provided with a conveyance paper data valid / invalid setting key (valid / invalid setting means) for setting validity / invalidity of printing on a sheet during conveyance. If the paper data valid / invalid setting key during conveyance is invalidated, the controller starts double-sided printing by the second printing mechanism unit 20 from the print data of the jammed paper as shown in FIG. To do. Therefore, in this case, when removing the jammed paper, not only the jammed paper but also the paper in the middle of conveyance is removed together from the conveyance path.

  On the other hand, if the mid-transport paper data valid / invalid setting key is set to valid, the controller performs print processing on the mid-transport paper when the jam is recovered by utilizing the data of the mid-transport paper. I do. That is, when the jammed paper is removed, only the jammed paper is removed, and the jam processing is performed without removing the paper in the middle of the transportation stopped on the transportation path.

  Thereafter, when the jam is recovered, the first printing mechanism unit 10 conveys the paper in the middle of conveyance to the printing unit 12, and prints the print data for printing on the paper remaining in the first printing mechanism unit 10. Based on this, a printing process is performed on the paper, the paper on which the printing has been completed is reversed by the paper adjustment mechanism unit 30, and the second printing mechanism unit 20 performs printing on the back surface of the paper.

  In this way, in order to recover the jam, it is only necessary to remove the jammed paper, and the paper in the middle of conveyance can be recovered as it is, which improves usability and workability. it can.

  Next, a case where an abnormal state such as a paper jam has occurred in the second printing mechanism unit 20 on the downstream side of the paper flow in the printing process of the printing system 1 will be described with reference to FIG. In the printing system 1, for example, printing is performed on one side (front surface) by the first printing mechanism unit 10, paper front / back reversal processing is performed by the paper adjustment mechanism unit 30, and the surface printing is performed by the second printing mechanism unit 20. As shown in FIG. 3, when a paper jam occurs as an abnormal state in which printing stops at the second printing mechanism unit 20 on the downstream side of the paper processing flow, as shown in FIG. In step S201), a warning message indicating that a paper jam has occurred is displayed on the operation display unit 24 of the second printing mechanism unit 20, a countermeasure is requested from the operator (step S202), and one side of the first printing mechanism unit 10 is displayed. Printing on the (front side) is continued (step S203), and the single-sided (front side) printed paper printed by the first printing mechanism unit 10 is stored in the paper adjustment mechanism unit 30 (step S204).

  The controller prints the first printing mechanism unit 10 and stores it in the paper adjustment mechanism unit 30 while checking whether the jammed paper from the second printing mechanism unit 20 has been removed (step S205). When the paper is not removed, it is sequentially checked whether the printing process being executed in the first printing mechanism unit 10 has been completed (steps S205 and S206).

  In step S206, when the printing process in the first printing mechanism unit 10 is completed before the jam in the second printing mechanism unit 20 is recovered, the process is terminated, and the printing process in the first printing mechanism unit 10 is completed. In step S205, when the jam of the second printing mechanism unit 20 is removed and the jam is recovered, the conveyance of the sheet from the sheet adjusting unit 30 to the second printing mechanism unit 20 is started, and the second printing mechanism unit is started. Printing at 20 is resumed (step S207).

  In this way, even if an abnormal state occurs in the second printing mechanism unit 20 in the subsequent stage with the paper adjustment mechanism unit 30 interposed therebetween, the printing process in the first printing mechanism unit 10 in the preceding stage can be continued, and printing can be performed. The processing speed of processing can be improved and the usability can be improved.

  However, when a jam occurs in the second printing mechanism unit 20 and the paper printed by the first printing mechanism unit 10 is stored in the paper adjustment mechanism unit 30, the second printing mechanism unit 20 when the jam is recovered. 2 Since the conveyance of the sheet to the printing mechanism unit 20 is easy, the sheet adjustment mechanism unit 30 sequentially stores the sheets sent from the first printing mechanism unit 10 in the sheet reversing / storage unit 31. The storage unit 31 has a limit on the number of sheets that can be stored, and the second printing mechanism unit is determined based on the time required for the jam recovery of the second printing mechanism unit 20 and the total number of print jobs of the print job in which the jam has occurred. Before the paper jam that occurred at 20 is restored, or before the print job in the first printing mechanism unit 10 is completed, the number of sheets stored in the paper reversing / storage unit 31 may reach the storage limit. .

  In such a case, the controller sends the paper in the paper reversing / storage unit 31 to the paper discharge unit 32 provided in the job of the paper adjustment mechanism unit 30 for placement.

  In this way, even when a large amount of paper is printed by the first printing mechanism unit 10 until the paper jam of the second printing mechanism unit 20 is resolved, printing by the first printing mechanism unit 10 is performed. Processing can be continued without interruption, and usability can be improved.

  In this case, when the storage limit of the paper in the paper reversing / storage unit 31 reaches the storage limit, the printing system 1 sends the paper to the paper discharge unit 32 and places it on it, or print processing in the first printing mechanism unit 10 It may be possible to select whether to stop.

  For example, when the paper inversion / storage unit 31 is full in either or both of the operation display unit 14 and the operation display unit 24, the paper is discharged to the paper discharge unit 32 or printing in the first printing mechanism unit 10 is stopped. The processing selection button is provided, and the controller performs processing according to the selection result by the selection button. And a controller displays the content of the process performed according to this selection result on the operation display part 14, the operation display part 24, or both. For example, when discharging to the paper discharge unit 32, the paper reversing / storage unit 31 is full, so that it is discharged to the paper discharge unit 32 and when the printing of the first printing mechanism unit 10 is stopped. Displays that the first printing mechanism unit 10 has stopped printing because the paper reversing / storage unit 31 is full.

  If it does in this way, processing can be chosen according to a user's use situation, and usability can be improved further.

  Then, the printing system 1 may perform the printing process by selecting a process that prioritizes the flow of the printing process when an abnormality such as a paper jam occurs. For example, the first printing mechanism unit 10 performs printing on one side (front surface), the sheet adjustment mechanism unit 30 performs the paper front / back reversal process, and the second printing mechanism unit 20 performs printing on the back surface that has been printed on the front surface. A case where a paper jam occurs as an abnormal state in which printing stops in the first printing mechanism unit 10 on the upstream side of the paper processing flow as shown in FIG. When a paper jam occurs in the first printing mechanism unit 10 (step S301), the controller of the printing system 1 stops the printing operation of the first printing mechanism unit 10 and displays the operation display unit 14 of the first printing mechanism unit 10 on the operation display unit 14. A warning is displayed to the effect that a paper jam has occurred, the operator is requested to take a countermeasure (step S302), and the last paper that has been normally printed before the paper jam has occurred is sent from the first printing mechanism unit 10 to the paper. It waits until it is reversed by the adjustment mechanism unit 30 and conveyed to the second printing mechanism unit 20 (step S303).

  When the last sheet that has been normally printed by the first printing mechanism unit 10 is conveyed to the second printing mechanism unit 20, the controller prints the print job that can be executed only by the second printing mechanism unit 20. If the process is checked (step S304), and printing is possible only with the second printing mechanism unit 20 using the paper reversing unit 23 of the second printing mechanism unit 20 as in double-sided printing, the second is printed. The printing process is continued in the printing mechanism unit 20 (step S305).

  However, in step S304, if the printing process to be processed cannot be performed by the second printing mechanism unit 20 alone, for example, printing of the color that is the first printing mechanism unit 10 is performed, and the second printing mechanism unit 10 performs printing. In the case where the printing of other colors is performed by the unit 20, for example, it is checked whether there is a print job other than the print job in which the paper jam has occurred (step S306). Wait for the first printing mechanism unit 10 to recover.

  When there is a print job other than the job in which the paper jam has occurred in step S306, the controller checks whether the other print job that exists is a print job that can be executed only by the second printing mechanism unit 20 (step S307). ), When the printing cannot be performed only by the second printing mechanism unit 20, the system waits for the first printing mechanism unit 10 to recover.

  If the other print job is a print job that can be executed only by the second print mechanism unit 20 in step S307, the print job order (print order) is changed, and the print process of the executable print job is executed. This is executed only by the second printing mechanism unit 20 (step S308).

  In this way, the time during which the printing system 1 is stopped can be further shortened, the processing efficiency can be improved, and the usability can be further improved.

  In this case, either or both of the operation display unit 14 and the operation display unit 24 is a job order change permission / non-permission key (permission / non-permission key) for permitting / disapproving execution of a print job whose job order has been changed. When the operator registers a job, the operator selects permission / non-permission with the job order change permission / non-permission key, and the controller selects the print job according to the permission / non-permission selection. It may be determined whether the printing process is performed by changing the order.

  In this way, processing can be set according to the degree of urgency required for the print job, the usage status of the printing system 1, and the like, and the usability can be further improved.

  In the above description, the paper jam has been described as the abnormal state. However, the abnormal state is not limited to the paper jam. For example, the toner is out, the parts of the printing units 12 and 22 are deteriorated or malfunctioned, and the like. The same applies to the case.

  In the above description, the case where there are two printing mechanism units 10 and 20 has been described. However, the number of printing mechanism units is not limited to two, and two or more printing mechanism units are interposed between the sheet adjustment mechanism units. The same can be applied to the case where they are arranged with a gap between them.

  Furthermore, in the above description, the paper is temporarily stored when the abnormality occurs in the paper reversing / storage unit 31 and the paper discharge unit 32 of the paper adjustment mechanism unit 30. For example, the sheet may be stored in the reversing sheet storage unit 13a of the sheet reversing unit 13 of the first printing mechanism unit 10 or the like that is operating normally.

  The invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the preferred embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to that described in the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It goes without saying that it is possible.

  The present invention can be used for an image forming apparatus, an image formation control method, an image formation control program, and a recording medium that perform printing by efficiently using a plurality of print function units.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a printer system to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied. 3 is a flowchart showing image formation control processing when an abnormality occurs in a printing mechanism unit on the upstream side of the sheet flow by the printing system of FIG. 1. 3 is a flowchart showing image formation control processing when an abnormality occurs in a printing mechanism unit on the upstream side of the sheet flow by the printing system of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing image formation control processing for performing print processing by changing the order of print jobs when an abnormality occurs by the printing system of FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printing system 10 1st printing mechanism part 11 Paper feed part 12 Printing part 13 Paper reversing part 13a Reverse paper storage part 14 Operation display part 15 Registration roller 16 Print execution part 16a Photoconductor 17 Fixing part 18 Conveyance direction switching part 20 2nd Printing mechanism unit 21 Paper feeding unit 22 Paper feeding unit 23 Paper reversing unit 23a Reverse paper storage unit 24 Operation display unit 25 Registration roller 26 Print execution unit 26a Photoconductor 27 Fixing unit 28 Transport direction switching unit 30 Paper adjustment mechanism unit 31 Paper reversing unit 31・ Storage unit 32 Paper discharge unit 40 Post-processing mechanism unit 41 Paper discharge unit

Claims (7)

A plurality of printing means for independently performing printing processing on the printing member, and a predetermined adjustment process is performed on the printing member disposed between the printing means and printed by the preceding printing means, An adjusting unit sent to the printing unit, a control unit for controlling operations of the printing unit and the adjusting unit to obtain a print result requested by the print job based on print data of the print job, and a stop of the printing operation of the printing unit. An abnormality detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of an abnormality accompanied by the abnormality, and invalidating the contents of all the print jobs for the printing member after the abnormality occurrence time of the printing process in the printing means in which the abnormality has occurred or the occurrence of the abnormality Valid / invalid to set whether or not to leave the printing process from the printing member that was being printed at the time to the predetermined number of printing members as a valid print job of the printing unit in which the abnormality occurred Comprising a disabling setting means, and control means, during the printing process of the print job, the abnormal state with the operation stop in at least one printing means running the printing process occurs, the processing If it is possible to determine whether or not the printing process in the printing process can be performed using only a printing unit that can operate normally, and if the printing process is possible, the printing of the print job in which an abnormality has occurred is printed using the printing unit that can operate normally. The control means executes the printing process from the printing member at the time of occurrence of the abnormality to a predetermined number of printing members according to the setting in the valid / invalid setting means of the printing means in which the abnormality has occurred. or left as a print job, the image forming apparatus characterized that you determine the print job to be processed by normal operable printing means. The adjusting unit includes a printing member storage unit that stores a predetermined amount of the printing member, and the adjusting unit that is positioned before the printing unit in which the abnormality has occurred is located in the processing flow of the printing member. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the printing member printed by the printing unit positioned upstream of the adjusting unit is stored . The control means, when the printing process of the print job in which the abnormality has occurred cannot be executed only by the printing means capable of normal operation, the other printing job that can be executed only by the printing means capable of normal operation. 3. The presence or absence of a print job is determined, and when there is another print job that can be executed, the order of the print jobs is changed and the other print job is executed with priority. Image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes permission / non-permission setting means for setting permission / non-permission of the change of the order of the print jobs, and the control means is set when permission is set by the permission / non-permission setting means. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the print job is executed only by changing the order of the print jobs .   A plurality of printing means for independently performing printing processing on the printing member, and a predetermined adjustment process is performed on the printing member disposed between the printing means and printed by the preceding printing means to perform the next stage An image forming control method executed by an image forming apparatus including: an abnormality detection processing step for detecting presence / absence of an abnormality accompanied by a stop of a printing operation of the printing unit; and a print job Controlling the operations of the printing unit and the adjusting unit to obtain a print result requested by the print job based on the print data, and at least one of the printing units executing the print process during the print process. When an abnormal state accompanied by an operation stop occurs, it is determined whether or not the printing process being processed can be processed using only printing means that can operate normally. And a control processing step for executing the printing process of the print job in which an abnormality has occurred using the printer, and all of the print jobs for the printing member after the abnormality occurrence time of the printing process in the printing unit in which the abnormality has occurred. Whether to invalidate the contents, or to leave the printing process from the printing member being printed at the time of occurrence of the abnormality to a predetermined number of printing members as an effective print job of the printing unit in which the abnormality has occurred Depending on the setting in the valid / invalid setting means for setting invalidity, the printing process from the printing member to the predetermined number of printing members at the time of occurrence of the abnormality is left as a print job of the printing means in which the abnormality has occurred, or is normal And a step of determining whether the print job is to be processed by an operable printing unit.   A plurality of printing units each independently performing printing processing on a printing member, and a predetermined adjustment process is performed on the printing member disposed between the printing units and printed by the preceding printing unit, and An image forming control program installed in an image forming apparatus provided with an adjusting unit for sending to a printing unit, and an abnormality detection process for detecting whether or not there is an abnormality accompanied by a stop of a printing operation of the printing unit on a computer, and printing Controls the operations of the printing means and the adjusting means to obtain the print result requested by the print job based on the print data of the job, and at least one of the printing means executing the print process during the print process. When an abnormal state accompanied by an operation stop occurs, it is determined whether or not the printing process being processed can be processed using only printing means that can operate normally. A control process for executing the printing process of the print job in which an abnormality has occurred using a printing function capable of performing the above-mentioned, and all the printing members for the printing member after the abnormality occurrence time of the printing process in the printing unit in which an abnormality has occurred Whether to invalidate the contents of the print job, or to leave the print processing from the print member that was being printed at the time of the abnormality to a predetermined number of print members as a valid print job of the printing means in which the abnormality occurred In accordance with the setting in the valid / invalid setting means for setting valid / invalid of the printing, the printing process from the printing member to the predetermined number of printing members at the time of occurrence of the abnormality is left as a print job of the printing means in which the abnormality has occurred Or an image forming control program for executing a determination process for determining whether the print job is to be processed by a printing unit capable of operating normally.   A computer-readable recording medium on which the image forming control program according to claim 6 is recorded.

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