JP5135044B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including an intermediate tray in which paper discharged from a print engine is temporarily saved, and particularly, when paper relating to a preceding standby job remains in the intermediate tray. The present invention also relates to an image forming apparatus that can complete an interrupt process using an intermediate tray with a simple configuration and can smoothly execute a preceding standby job after returning from the interrupt process.

  In a conventional image forming apparatus, an intermediate tray on which printed paper is temporarily saved is used to perform processing such as double-sided copying, punching, stapling, and folding on printed paper discharged from the print engine. What you have is known.

  By the way, when an interrupt job using the intermediate tray occurs in a state where the paper related to the preceding standby job remains in the intermediate tray, the paper related to the preceding standby job and the paper related to the interrupt job are transferred to the intermediate tray. The problem is how to complete the interrupt processing without causing mixing.

  From this point of view, the applicant of the present invention provides the printed matter processing apparatus with a retracting stack unit and a retracted sheet bundle returning means for returning the sheet bundle retracted to the retracting stack unit to the intermediate stack unit. A technique has been proposed in which when an interrupt job is executed in the middle of executing a job involving processing, post-processing such as stapling or punching can be performed by the interrupt job (see Patent Document 1).

However, in the interrupt processing function according to Patent Document 1, it is necessary to newly provide a save stack unit and a save sheet bundle returning unit, and the addition of such members leads to a complicated configuration. Moreover, even if the interrupt process can be completed, all users (the user related to the interrupt job and the previous standby job) can be used as long as the preceding standby job after returning from the interrupt process cannot be smoothly executed. From the viewpoint of providing convenience to the user), a new problem may be invited.
JP 2003-95526 A

  The problem to be solved is that, in the prior art, when an interrupt job using the intermediate tray occurs in a state where the paper relating to the preceding standby job remains in the intermediate tray, the simple configuration is used. At the same time as completing the interrupt process, the preceding standby job after returning from the interrupt process could not be smoothly executed.

  The present invention completes the interrupt processing using the intermediate tray with a simple configuration even when the paper related to the preceding standby job remains in the intermediate tray, and at the same time, the preceding standby job after returning from the interrupt processing In order to provide an image forming apparatus capable of smoothly performing image processing, a print engine for performing a job related to image forming processing, display means for displaying various information related to image forming processing, and interrupt processing An image forming apparatus comprising: an interrupt key that is operated when selecting a job; and an intermediate tray that temporarily saves paper ejected from the print engine. A paper sensor that detects the presence or absence of a paper that is contained, and a state in which the paper sensor detects that paper is present in the intermediate tray; When the insertion key is operated and the interrupt process uses the intermediate tray, the sheet related to the preceding standby job that has been interrupted by the interrupt process remaining in the intermediate tray is transferred to the empty tray. And control means for controlling the display means to display information including the in-process status of the forcibly discharged paper. And

  In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the control unit operates the interrupt key while the paper sensor detects that paper is present in the intermediate tray, and the interrupt processing uses the intermediate tray. Control is performed to force the empty tray to discharge the paper related to the preceding standby job that has been interrupted by the interrupt process, and remains on the intermediate tray. Since the information including the status of work in progress is controlled to be displayed on the display means, an interrupt job that uses the intermediate tray occurs when paper related to the preceding standby job remains in the intermediate tray. However, as a result of the paper for the preceding standby job being forcibly ejected from the intermediate tray to the empty tray, the interrupt process using the intermediate tray is completed. It can be. In addition, by viewing the display content of the display means, a user who has received notification of information including the in-process status of the paper relating to the forcibly discharged preceding standby job can easily perform the attempted processing related to the in-process paper. Can do. Therefore, even if paper related to the preceding standby job remains in the intermediate tray, the interrupt processing using the intermediate tray is completed with a simple configuration, and at the same time, the preceding standby job after returning from the interrupt processing is smoothly performed. Can be accomplished.

  Even when paper related to the preceding standby job remains in the intermediate tray, the interrupt processing using the intermediate tray is completed with a simple configuration, and at the same time, the preceding standby job is smoothly executed after returning from the interrupt processing. When the interrupt key is operated and the interrupt processing uses the intermediate tray when the paper sensor detects that there is paper in the intermediate tray, the intermediate tray Control is performed for forcibly discharging the remaining paper relating to the preceding standby job interrupted by the interrupt processing to the empty tray, while displaying information including the in-process status of the forcibly discharged paper. This is realized by the control means for controlling the display on the screen.

  Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[Entire configuration of image forming apparatus]
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the image forming apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an operation panel unit of the image forming apparatus.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present invention is set on a platen glass (not shown) or is fed from an automatic document feeder (hereinafter abbreviated as “ADF”) 4. The scanned image data is read by the scanner unit 5, and the read image data is photoelectrically converted and sent to the image forming unit 6. The image forming unit 6 includes data or data selectively set and operated by the user operation unit 3 on paper (copy paper, OHP film, etc.) supplied from the paper feed trays 7 and 8 or the duplex printing unit 10. It has a function of printing image data received from an external PC or the like via the network 22.

  Next, the image forming apparatus 1 sends the printed sheet to the post-processing apparatus 2, performs post-processing including punching and stapling on the sheet in the post-processing apparatus 2, and then applies the post-processed sheet to the post-processing sheet 2. It has a function of discharging onto the paper discharge tray 12 of the paper discharge unit 11. In addition, the image forming apparatus 1 can discharge the printed paper onto the paper discharge tray 12 of the paper discharge unit 11 through the bypass conveyance path 13 without performing post-processing.

  Next, the functional members constituting the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a control unit (including a microcomputer and a dedicated hardware circuit). Corresponding to “control means”). As an input / output device connected to the control unit 14 via an interface 15 and responsible for various functions, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a scanner unit 5, an engine unit (corresponding to a “print engine” of the present invention) 16, and a hard disk 17. The user operation unit 3 and the printer controller 18 are provided, and the post-processing unit 20 is connected to the engine unit 16 via the interface 15. The image forming apparatus 1 is connected to the network 22 via the LAN connection board 21 and communicates data or e-mail messages with another personal computer 23 or the printer 24 controlled by the personal computer 23 via the network 22. Has the function of transmitting and receiving.

  Of the components of the image forming apparatus 1, the scanner unit 5 includes an ADF 4 and a scanner (image reading unit) 5 a, and an image read by the image reading CCD 25 reads a document sent to the scanner 5 a by the ADF 4. The image data read in step 3 is photoelectrically converted and transmitted to the memory copy unit 26 of the control unit 14.

  The control unit 14 includes a memory copy unit 26 capable of storing / reading image data, a CPU 27, and an internal memory 28 such as a ROM / RAM. The internal memory 28 stores the status of the job in progress relating to the preceding standby job interrupted by the interruption processing when an interrupt key described later is operated by the user, and the sheet relating to the preceding standby job is transferred from the intermediate tray. When it is forcibly ejected to the empty tray, it has a function of storing information including the in-process status of the forcibly ejected paper. The internal memory 28 may be a mass storage device such as a hard disk drive. Further, the control unit 14 takes in the image data sent from the scanner unit 5 or the external printer controller 18 into the memory copy unit 26, and the image data from the memory copy unit 26 to the laser scanning unit of the hard disk 17 or the engine unit 14. (LSU) 30 has a function of sending out. The control unit 14 can read the image data stored in the hard disk 17 to the memory copy unit 26 and send the image data of the memory copy unit 26 to the engine unit 14.

  The engine unit 14 includes various devices required for forming an image on a sheet (for example, LSU 30, a photosensitive member (not shown), a charger, an exposure unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit, a fixing unit, a cleaning mechanism, a paper feeding / feeding unit). An electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive member by the LSU 30, and the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member is visualized with toner supplied from a developing device. After the toner image is transferred onto the paper by the transfer device, the toner image on the paper is fixed by the fixing device.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the user operation unit 3 displays a key input unit 31 for inputting various character codes including characters, graphics, and symbols, and various setting screens related to image forming processing together with the setting contents. For example, a liquid crystal display unit (corresponding to “display means” of the present invention) 32, an interrupt key 33 operated when selecting a job related to interrupt processing, and the like. When the user operation unit 3 is operated by the user, for example, operation input such as mode setting and the number of copies in a copy job is performed.

  The post-processing apparatus 2 has a paper introduction port 34 connected to a paper discharge port 35 of the image forming apparatus main body 1a, and staples the printed paper and a punch unit 36 for punching the printed paper. And a post-processing unit (stapler unit) 20. In the case of stapling, the post-processing apparatus 2 guides the paper from the leading end in the transport direction to the branch path 37 after the paper introduced from the paper introduction port 34 passes through the punch unit 36, and the post-processing unit 20 Placed on the intermediate tray 38 in a positioned state. The intermediate tray 38 is provided with a detection sensor 39 that detects the presence or absence of paper. When a predetermined number of sheets are stored on the intermediate tray 38, the end portions of the plurality of sheets are stapled by the post-processing unit 20. Thereafter, the stapled paper is discharged from the intermediate tray 38 onto the paper discharge tray 12 of the paper discharge unit 11 through the paper discharge port 40. The paper discharge unit 11 has a function of moving the plurality of paper discharge trays 12, 12,.

[Operation of Image Forming Apparatus]
Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 shows the flow of processing when an interrupt key is operated by a user who wishes to execute an interrupt job using the intermediate tray, and FIG. 5 shows the process related to the preceding standby job interrupted by the interrupt processing. A display example of hook information is shown.

  Prior to the description of this operation, the preconditions will be described. For example, the image forming apparatus 1 performs a post-processing related to a job for copying one side of five originals and stapling partly to create seven copies. It is assumed that there is a sheet remaining on the intermediate tray 38 for waiting, and that the user has come to perform a double-sided copy job as a job using the intermediate tray 38 in this state.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when a user who has come to perform an urgent duplex copy job performs an input operation of the interrupt key 33 (step S11), the control unit 14 receives this and the control unit 14 is currently performing. The job is immediately interrupted, and the in-process status relating to the preceding standby job interrupted by the interrupt processing is stored in the internal memory 28.

  Next, the control unit 14 refers to the detection result of the paper sensor 39 to determine whether or not paper remains on the intermediate tray 38 (step S12). It should be noted that, in accordance with the remaining paper determination in step S12, the user is inquired whether or not the interrupt process should use the intermediate tray, or the registered contents (for example, double-sided copy) relating to the process that should use the intermediate tray , Punching, stapling, half-folding, and the like are registered). In this case, the control unit 14 moves the processing flow to step S13 with the acceptance or determination result of the user's intention that the sheet remains on the intermediate tray 38 and the interruption processing should use the intermediate tray. I will go to.

  As a result of the paper remaining determination in step S12, when it is determined that no paper remains on the intermediate tray 38, the control unit 14 jumps the flow of processing to step S16 and performs normal interrupt processing. Is executed.

  On the other hand, as a result of the paper remaining determination in step S12, when it is determined that paper remains on the intermediate tray 38 in accordance with the above-described preconditions, the control unit 14 remains on the intermediate tray 33. Then, control is performed to forcibly eject the sheet related to the preceding standby job interrupted by the interrupt process from the intermediate tray 38 to the empty tray (step S13), and information including the in-process status of the forcibly ejected sheet is included. And stored in the internal memory 28.

  Next, the control unit 14 refers to the detection result of the sheet sensor 39 to determine whether the sheet remains on the intermediate tray 38 (step S14).

  As a result of the paper remaining determination in step S14, when it is determined that the paper remains on the intermediate tray 38, the control unit 14 returns the process flow to step S13, and the paper is transferred from the intermediate tray 38. The process of steps S13 to S14 is repeatedly executed until is cleared.

  As a result of the paper remaining determination in step S14, when it is determined that there is no paper remaining in the intermediate tray 38 (paper is removed from the intermediate tray 38), the control unit 14 performs the interrupt process. The job related to is executed (step S15). Here, the interrupt job according to step S15 is a double-sided copy job using the intermediate tray 38 based on the above-described preconditions. However, the paper related to the preceding standby job is cleared from the intermediate tray 38 by the forced discharge process in step S13. Has been. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the paper related to the preceding standby job before the interruption and the paper related to the interruption job from being mixed in the intermediate tray 38. As a result, the paper related to the preceding standby job remains in the intermediate tray. Even in such a case, the interrupt process using the intermediate tray can be completed with a simple configuration.

  During execution of the interrupt job according to step S15, the control unit 14 monitors the execution status of the interrupt job (step S16). As a result of this monitoring, when it is determined that the interrupt job has ended (“Yes” in step S16), the control unit 14 displays “The interrupt job has ended” on the display screen of the liquid crystal display unit 32. To return the preceding standby job, press the start key ", and prompt the user to perform an operation related to interrupt return. In response to this, when the user performs an operation related to the interrupt return by pressing the start key (step S17), the control unit 14 receives the preceding from the internal memory 28 by the interrupt process. The job in-process status related to the standby job is read, and the interrupt return processing related to the preceding standby job is executed according to the read job in-process status (step S18).

  During the execution of the preceding standby job according to step S15, the control unit 14 monitors the job execution status (step S19). As a result of this monitoring, when it is determined that the preceding standby job has ended (“Yes” in step S19), the control unit 14 determines from the internal memory 28 that the preceding standby job has been interrupted by the interrupt processing. The information including the in-process status of the paper is read out, and on the display screen 81 of the liquid crystal display unit 32, “Because of interrupt copying, one copy is discharged to the tray 1 without performing the stapling process. Information including the in-process status of the forcibly ejected paper is displayed on a pop-up window 83 in which a warning message such as “Please staple” is displayed (step S20). As a result, the user is notified of the tray position (“tray 1” in the example of FIG. 5) that is the discharge destination of the sheet related to the preceding standby job, and the user is also informed of the completion of the attempted processing content (staple processing). Prompt. In response to this, the user performs the stapling process on one copy of the output product in units of five sheets according to the preconditions, thereby facilitating the preceding standby job after returning from the interrupt process without causing useless paper. Can be accomplished.

  In addition to the information display including the in-process status of the forced discharge paper in step S20, or instead of the information display, for example, a configuration in which the information content is notified to the administrator of the image forming apparatus 1 is configured. Can be adopted. As a form of this notification, for example, the same information content is popped up on the display screen of the administrator personal computer terminal 23 via the network 22, or the same information is sent to the administrator personal computer terminal 23. An e-mail containing the contents may be sent. In the image forming apparatus 1 having a user authentication function, the same information content is displayed in a pop-up on the display screen of the user personal computer terminal 23 related to the forcibly discharged job, or the personal computer for the user is used. An electronic mail including the information content may be transmitted to the terminal 23.

[Effect of Example]
As described above, according to the image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 14 determines that the interrupt key 33 is in the state where the sheet sensor 39 detects that the sheet is present on the intermediate tray 38. When the interrupt process is performed and the interrupt process uses the intermediate tray 38, the work-in-process paper relating to the preceding standby job that has been interrupted by the interrupt process remaining in the intermediate tray 38 is transferred to the empty tray. Control for forcibly ejecting information on the paper, while control for displaying information including the in-process status of the forcibly ejected paper on the display screen of the liquid crystal display unit 32 is performed. Even if an interrupt job that uses the intermediate tray occurs when the paper remains in the intermediate tray, the paper for the preceding standby job is transferred from the intermediate tray to the empty tray. As a result of being forced out and can be completed the interrupt processing using an intermediate tray. In addition, by viewing the display content of the display means, a user who has received notification of information including the in-process status of the paper relating to the forcibly discharged preceding standby job can easily perform the attempted processing related to the in-process paper. Can do. Therefore, even if paper related to the preceding standby job remains in the intermediate tray, the interrupt processing using the intermediate tray is completed with a simple configuration, and at the same time, the preceding standby job after returning from the interrupt processing is smoothly performed. Can be accomplished.

[Others]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the invention read from the claims and the entire specification or the technical idea, and image formation accompanied by such changes The apparatus is also included in the scope of the technical scope of the present invention.

  That is, in the embodiment of the present invention, the double-sided copy job has been described as a job using the intermediate tray 38, but the present invention is not limited to this example, and for example, punch processing, stapling processing, or Needless to say, any job that uses the intermediate tray 38, such as folding, is within the scope of its technical scope.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. 2 is a functional block diagram of the image forming apparatus. FIG. It is a figure which shows the operation panel part of the image forming apparatus. It is an operation | movement flowchart figure which shows the flow of a process when the interruption key is operated by the user. It is explanatory drawing which shows the in-process information display example regarding the prior | preceding standby job interrupted by the interruption process.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 14 Control part (control means)
16 Engine part (print engine)
32 Liquid crystal display (display means)
33 Interrupt key 38 Intermediate tray 39 Paper sensor

Claims (5)

A print engine for performing a job related to the image forming process, a display means for displaying various information related to the image forming process, an interrupt key operated when selecting a job related to the interrupt process, and the print engine An image forming apparatus including an intermediate tray on which discharged paper is temporarily saved,
A paper sensor for detecting the presence or absence of paper contained in the intermediate tray;
When the interrupt key is operated while the paper sensor detects that there is paper in the intermediate tray and the interrupt processing uses the intermediate tray, the intermediate tray remains on the intermediate tray. Control for forcibly discharging the paper related to the preceding standby job interrupted by the interrupt processing to the empty tray, while providing information including the in-process status of the forcibly discharged paper to the display means. Control means for controlling the display;
An image forming apparatus comprising: The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
The control means causes the display means to display information including an in-process status of the forcibly ejected paper after the preceding standby job ends.
An image forming apparatus. A print engine configured to connect to one or two or more user terminals via a network, and an interrupt operated when selecting a job related to interrupt processing, and a job related to interrupt processing An image forming apparatus having a function of processing a job transmitted from the user terminal, comprising: a key; and an intermediate tray in which paper discharged from the print engine is temporarily saved;
A paper sensor for detecting the presence or absence of paper contained in the intermediate tray;
When the interrupt key is operated while the paper sensor detects that there is paper in the intermediate tray and the interrupt processing uses the intermediate tray, the intermediate tray remains on the intermediate tray. Control for forcibly discharging the paper related to the preceding standby job interrupted by the interrupt processing to the empty tray, while information including the in-process status of the forcibly discharged paper is stored in the image forming apparatus. Control means for performing control to notify the user terminal of the administrator according to the above, or the user terminal related to the preceding standby job
An image forming apparatus comprising: The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
The user terminal includes display means for displaying various information,
After the preceding standby job is finished, the control means sends information including the in-process status of the forcibly discharged paper to the administrator user terminal related to the image forming apparatus or the user terminal related to the preceding standby job. Displaying on the display means;
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:
The user terminal has a function of receiving an email,
The control means sends information including the in-process status of the forcibly ejected paper after the preceding standby job is completed to a user terminal of an administrator related to the image forming apparatus or a user terminal related to the preceding standby job. Notify by email,
An image forming apparatus.