JP5178299B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  In an image forming apparatus having a plurality of sheet storage units (such as a sheet cassette or a manual sheet feed tray), when the sheet storage units are grouped and used as one sheet storage unit, Before using up all the paper in the paper storage unit, the user is notified of the paper storage unit that has already been emptied, prompting the user to replenish the paper, and continuously printing beyond the capacity limit of the grouped paper storage units It is related to the technology that makes possible.

  In an image forming apparatus having a plurality of paper feed storage units (such as a paper feed cassette or a manual paper feed tray), there is a method in which the plurality of paper feed storage units are grouped according to paper size, paper type, and the like. It was.

  For example, there is a method in which a plurality of paper feed trays are handled as a group and the status of each paper feed tray is represented as the status of the grouped paper feed trays (see Patent Document 1).

This method is effective when displaying the total number of grouped paper feed trays as a sum. However, when all the sheets in the grouped sheet storage unit have been consumed, an out-of-paper error message is issued and the printing operation is stopped. In that case, it was not possible to start another printing unless paper was supplied to the paper feed container.
JP 2006-76868 A

  The problem to be solved is that in an image forming apparatus having a plurality of paper feed storage units, it is possible to suppress the stop of the printing operation due to running out of paper and to perform continuous printing beyond the number of sheets stored in the plurality of paper feed storage units. That is.

An image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus capable of continuously feeding paper from a plurality of paper feed storage units to a printing unit by a paper feed drive unit, wherein the paper feed storage units are set in groups. If the setting holding unit, the remaining paper amount detecting unit for detecting the out of paper in the paper feed accommodating unit in the group, and the remaining paper amount detecting unit detect out of paper in any of the paper feeding accommodating units, the same group A paper feed switching control unit that controls the paper feed driving unit so as to switch to paper feed from another paper feed storage unit within the paper feed switching unit. The sheet storage units in the group are selected in ascending order of the remaining number of sheets, and the one having the largest remaining number of sheets is selected last.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention is the image forming apparatus described above, and when there is a paper out in one of the grouped paper feed accommodation units based on the paper out detection of the paper remaining amount detection unit, The main feature is that it has an out-of-paper notifying unit for notifying that effect.

  Further, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is the image forming apparatus, and the out-of-paper notification unit notifies the user that the sheet is left only in the last sheet storage unit in the group. This is the main feature.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention is the image forming apparatus, wherein the paper supply accommodation unit can replenish the paper without stopping printing operation with respect to the paper supply accommodation unit out of paper. This is the main feature.

  Further, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is the image forming apparatus, and the paper out notification unit is notified by at least one of when the paper is out of the paper supply accommodating unit or at the start of user operation as a trigger. The main feature is to do.

  Further, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is the image forming apparatus, wherein the out-of-paper notification unit notifies at least one of a display unit of the image forming apparatus main body, an internal web server, and a printer monitoring utility of an external device. And

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus capable of continuously feeding paper from a plurality of paper feed storage units to a printing unit by a paper feed drive unit, wherein the paper feed storage units are set in groups. If the setting holding unit, the remaining paper amount detecting unit for detecting the out of paper in the paper feed accommodating unit in the group, and the remaining paper amount detecting unit detect out of paper in any of the paper feeding accommodating units, the same group A paper feed switching control unit that controls the paper feed driving unit to switch to paper feed from another paper feed accommodating unit, and the paper feed switching control unit Since the most important feature is to select the one with the largest remaining number among the paper feed storage units in the group, the last one of the grouped paper feed storage units is selected. Paper in the paper storage unit after switching to paper supply from the paper storage unit Since it takes the longest time to consume, it becomes easy for the user to recognize that the remaining amount of paper in the other paper feed storage units is zero during that time, and the user can Paper replenishment or replenishment preparation can be performed, and the time during which the apparatus is stopped due to running out of paper can be suppressed.

  Further, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is the image forming apparatus, wherein the paper feed switching control unit is configured to store a remaining number of sheets among the grouped paper feed accommodating units when the paper feed is switched. Since the main feature is to control the paper feed drive unit to select in ascending order, the paper with the smallest remaining amount among the grouped items is consumed first so that the remaining amount of paper is zero. It becomes easy for the user to recognize that there is something early. For this reason, it becomes possible for the user to replenish or prepare for replenishment before all of the paper feed accommodating portions are emptied, and the time during which the apparatus is stopped due to running out of paper can be suppressed.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention is the image forming apparatus described above, and when there is a paper out in one of the grouped paper feed accommodation units based on the paper out detection of the paper remaining amount detection unit, In the image forming apparatus having a plurality of paper feed storage units, one of the grouped paper feed storage units is out of paper. Therefore, the user who has recognized that the paper has run out can replenish the paper or prepare the paper replenishment to minimize the stoppage of the apparatus. It became.

  Further, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is the image forming apparatus, and the out-of-paper notification unit notifies the user that the sheet is left only in the last sheet storage unit in the group. This makes it possible for the user to recognize that paper remains in only one of the grouped paper storage bins, so that the paper can be stored in only one paper storage bin. A user who recognizes that there is no remaining paper can replenish the paper or prepare the paper replenishment to minimize the stop state of the apparatus.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention is the image forming apparatus, wherein the paper supply accommodation unit can replenish the paper without stopping printing operation with respect to the paper supply accommodation unit out of paper. As a main feature, even if the user who has recognized that the paper has run out is printing, if the paper is fed into the paper feeding storage unit that is out of paper, the number of papers that the paper feeding storage unit can hold is exceeded. It has become possible to print continuously.

  Further, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is the image forming apparatus, and the paper out notification unit is notified by at least one of when the paper is out of the paper supply accommodating unit or at the start of user operation as a trigger. As a main feature, not only when the paper runs out during printing, but when the user tries to start using the image forming apparatus, the paper remains in only one paper feed storage unit. The possibility of stopping the printing operation due to running out of paper can be suppressed in response to various usage situations.

  Further, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is the image forming apparatus, wherein the out-of-paper notification unit notifies at least one of a display unit of the image forming apparatus main body, an internal web server, and a printer monitoring utility of an external device. Therefore, not only when the user is near the image forming apparatus, but also when printing from the host computer or when managing the image forming apparatus using the printer monitoring utility It became possible to do.

  In an image forming apparatus having a plurality of paper feed storage units, one of the grouped paper feed storage units has a problem that it is not possible to suppress the stop of the printing operation due to the out of paper in the grouped paper feed storage units. A method of notifying a paper out message and issuing a paper replenishment warning when the paper is empty, or when all of the paper supply storage units after the last one paper supply storage unit are empty, and In the case of running out of paper, the problem was solved by the method of selecting the paper feed storage unit with the largest remaining amount of paper among the grouped last.

[Device configuration]
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view mainly showing a mechanical configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The paper feed storage section in the description refers to both a flat paper feed tray such as a manual feed tray 220 described later and a box-type paper feed tray such as paper feed cassettes 201a, b, c, and d. Indicates.

  The image forming apparatus 1 includes a main body unit 200, a sheet post-processing unit 300 disposed on the left side of the main body unit 200 in FIG. 1, an operation unit 400 for a user to input various operation commands, and the like. The document reading unit 500 is disposed above the document reading unit 500, and the document feeding unit 600 is disposed above the document reading unit 500.

  The operation unit 400 includes a touch panel 401 (display unit), a start key 402, a numeric keypad 403, and the like. The touch panel 401 (display unit) displays various operation screens and various operation buttons for the user to input various operation commands. The start key 402 is used for the user to input a print execution command and the like, and the ten key 403 is used for inputting the number of prints and the like.

  The document feeding unit 600 includes a document storage unit 601, a document discharge unit 602, a paper feed roller 603, a document transport unit 604, and the like, and the document reading unit 500 includes a scanner 501 and the like. The paper feed roller 603 feeds the original set in the original storage unit 601, and the original transport unit 604 transports the fed original one by one on the scanner 501 one by one. The scanner 501 sequentially reads the conveyed document, and the read document is discharged to the document discharge unit 602.

  The main body 200 includes a plurality of paper feed cassettes 201a, b, c, and d (paper feed accommodation unit), a manual paper feed tray 220 (paper feed accommodation unit), and a plurality of paper feed rollers 202a, b, c, d, and 221. (Paper feeding drive unit), transfer roller 203 (printing unit), photosensitive drum 204 (printing unit), exposure device 206 (printing unit), developing device 207 (printing unit), fixing roller 208 (printing unit), discharge port 209, a discharge tray 210, and the like.

  The sheet feeding cassettes 201a, b, c, d and the manual sheet feeding tray 220 constitute a sheet feeding container.

  A printing unit 240 is formed by the transfer roller 203, the photosensitive drum 204, the exposure device 206, the developing device 207), and the fixing roller 208.

  The plurality of paper feed rollers 202a, b, c, d, 221 and the paper feed path from the paper feed storage unit to the printing unit 240 and its drive system constitute a paper feed drive unit 230.

  The photosensitive drum 204 is uniformly charged by a charging device (not shown) while rotating in the direction of the arrow. The exposure device 206 converts a modulation signal generated based on the image data of the document read by the document reading unit 500 into a laser beam and outputs the laser beam, thereby forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 204. The developing device 207 supplies a black developer to the photosensitive drum 204 to form a toner image.

  On the other hand, in the paper feed cassettes 201a, b, c, d of the paper feed storage unit, the paper feed rollers 202a, b, c, d are the uppermost surfaces of the paper feed cassettes 201a, b, c, d in which printing paper is stored. The paper is pulled out to the paper feed path of the paper feed drive unit 230 by rotating in contact with the paper. Further, in the manual paper feed tray 220, the paper feed roller 221 rotates in contact with the uppermost paper of the manual paper feed tray 220 to draw the print paper to the paper feed path of the paper feed drive unit 230 and transfer it. Feed to the roller 203. The transfer roller 203 transfers the toner image on the photosensitive drum 204 to the conveyed printing paper, and the fixing roller 208 heats and fixes the transferred toner image on the printing paper. Thereafter, the printing paper is carried into the paper post-processing unit 300 from the discharge port 209 of the main body 200. The printing paper is also discharged to the discharge tray 210 as necessary.

  In the paper feed cassettes 201a, b, c, d, remaining amount sensors 205a, b, c, d for detecting the remaining amount of paper are attached to the respective paper feed cassettes. The remaining amount sensors 205a, b, c, d are J-shaped as shown in the figure, and detect the remaining amount of paper by rotating around the upper shaft as the remaining amount of paper decreases. When the paper runs out, the portion of the remaining amount sensor that contacts the paper falls into a hole (not shown) formed in the bottom surface of the paper feed cassette (paper feed housing portion), so that it can be detected that the paper has run out.

  In the manual paper feed tray 220 (paper feed accommodating portion), the paper feed roller 221 serves as a remaining amount sensor.

  When the paper cassettes 201a, b, c, and d of the image forming apparatus 1 are taken out from the image forming apparatus main body 200 for paper replenishment, they are slid out in the right direction in FIG. 1 (arrow P in FIG. 1). Therefore, the paper feed path of the paper feed driving unit 230 connected to the transfer roller 203 and the photosensitive drum 204 from the paper feed rollers 202a, b, c, and d is not blocked. Therefore, even during the printing operation, it is possible to replace the paper feeding cassette that is not related to the paper feeding to the printing unit 240, and in this case, the printing operation is not stopped.

  Similarly, the manual paper feed tray 220 can be replenished without interrupting the printing operation.

  The paper post-processing unit 300 includes a carry-in port 301, a print paper carrying unit 302, a carry-out port 303, a stack tray 304, and the like. The printing paper conveyance unit 302 sequentially conveys the printing paper carried into the carry-in port 301 from the discharge port 209 and finally discharges the printing paper from the carry-out port 303 to the stack tray 304. The stack tray 304 is configured to be movable up and down in the direction of the arrow in accordance with the number of print sheets stacked from the carry-out port 303.

[Function block]
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In this functional block diagram, only the part related to the essence of the present invention is illustrated in a block diagram. A block diagram of the printing unit 240 and the post-processing device 300 described in the configuration diagram of FIG.

  FIG. 2 shows the paper feed storage unit (paper feed cassettes 201a, b, c, and d and the manual paper feed tray 220), the paper feed drive unit 230, the operation unit 400, and the operation already described with reference to the side sectional view of FIG. In addition to the touch panel 401 (display unit) in the unit 400, a software function unit 700 and a communication interface unit 751 which are functional block units not illustrated in FIG.

  The software function unit 700 includes a remaining paper amount detection unit 701, a paper size type detection unit 703, a group setting holding unit 705, an internal Web server 707, a paper feed switching control unit 709, and a paper out notification unit 711.

  Further, the image forming apparatus 1 is connected to the network 801 through the communication interface unit 751. The PC 1 (Personal Computer) 901 (external device) and the PC 2 (Personal Computer) 903 (external device) are also connected to the network. Connected.

  Each functional unit will be described below. In the description of this functional block, only functional units related to grouping, paper feed switching, and paper feed out notification related to the essence of the present invention will be described. Description of other image processing units that are not related to the essence of the present invention is omitted.

  The communication interface unit 751 is an interface unit that connects the image forming apparatus 1 to a network. The communication interface unit 751 is connected to an external device such as a PC (Personal Computer).

  The software function unit 700 is a function unit that causes the computer of the image forming apparatus 1 to implement various functions using software.

  The remaining paper amount detection unit 701 receives signals from remaining amount sensors 205a, b, c, and d that detect the remaining amount of paper in each of the paper feed cassettes 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d included in the paper feed cassette unit 201. Then, it is detected how much paper is left in each of the paper feed cassettes 201a, b, c, and d and that the paper has run out.

  The paper size type detection unit 703 is installed in a paper size signal measured by a frame part that determines the paper size of each of the paper feed cassettes 201a, b, c, and d of the paper feed cassette unit 201 and in the paper feed path. Based on the signal from the sensor, the paper size and the paper type supplied to each paper feed cassette are detected.

  Paper types that cannot be detected by these sensors, such as thick paper, colored paper, or single-sided used paper, are set in the group setting holding unit 705 in the next section by user settings.

The group setting holding unit 705 can set a plurality of paper feeding cassettes for each group (grouping function). Generally, grouping is performed for each sheet having the same size and type. (However, different items can be grouped and set.)
In the image forming apparatus 1, a plurality of paper feed storage units (a plurality of paper feed cassettes 201 a, b, c, and d and a manual paper feed tray 220) are grouped, and the grouped one is a large capacity. It can be handled as a paper feed storage unit (hereinafter referred to as a grouping function). This grouping function makes it possible to perform a large amount of printing exceeding the maximum sheet capacity of one sheet cassette. In other words, even if one sheet in a grouped paper cassette is exhausted and emptied, it automatically switches to paper feeding from a different grouped paper cassette. The print group can be continuously printed until all the grouped paper storage bins run out of paper without causing the “Print Engine Pause” state. This is the greatest advantage of this grouping function. is there.

  The group setting holding unit 705 sets the grouping setting of the paper feed storage unit (for example, the paper feed cassettes a and c in which A4 plain paper is put in one group, the paper feed cassettes b and d, and the manual paper feed. The tray is set as A4 single-sided used paper in one group, and the setting state is recorded and held.

  This setting may be performed by input from the operation unit 400, may be performed by the printer monitoring utility 911 of the PC 1; 901 that is the external device through the communication interface unit 751, or may be performed by the PC 2; 903 that is the external device. The setting may be performed using the setting function of the internal Web server 707 by accessing the internal Web server 707 of the image forming apparatus 1 using the browser 913.

  The internal Web server 707 is provided so that the state of the image forming apparatus 1 can be accessed from the browser 913 of the PC 2; 903 which is an external apparatus. By accessing the page of the internal Web server 707, the setting state of the image forming apparatus 1 can be confirmed and the setting can be changed. As described above, the grouping setting of the sheet storage unit can also be confirmed and changed by accessing the internal Web server 707.

  The paper feed switching control unit 709 is a functional unit that controls the paper feed driving unit 230 to control which paper feed storage unit is selected when paper is fed from the grouped paper feed storage units. . The paper feed switching control unit 709 performs paper feeding by preferentially selecting the one with a small remaining number of sheets in each paper feed accommodation unit when selecting the paper feed accommodation unit. By making such a selection, the sheet storage unit with the largest remaining number is finally selected, and the time for displaying that the other sheet storage units are empty becomes longer. The user notices that the paper has run out before all the paper runs out and replenishes the paper. As a result, it is possible to suppress the possibility that the paper runs out during printing and the printing is interrupted during the job.

  The out-of-paper notification unit 711 notifies that the paper is out when any of the cassettes in the group of paper storage units that have been printed and consumed, and the last paper storage unit This is a functional unit that issues a paper replacement warning to the user when the paper remains in the state.

[flowchart]
The grouping setting operation in the image forming apparatus will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  S11: Grouping setting is performed for the paper feed storage unit (a plurality of paper feed cassettes 201a, b, c, d and manual paper feed tray 220) of the image forming apparatus 1. As described above, in this case, the user may perform grouping setting using the operation unit 400 of the main body of the image forming apparatus 1 or group from a PC connected to the image forming apparatus 1 via a network. Settings may be made. The actual setting operation will be described later with reference to FIG.

  Next, with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4, a description will be given of selection control for paper feed switching and notification of out of paper in a printing operation when group selection of a paper feed accommodation unit is performed.

  When the printing operation starts in the image forming apparatus, the flowchart of FIG. 4 starts.

  S21: The remaining paper amount detection unit 701 checks the remaining number of sheets in each sheet storage unit of the currently selected group.

  S23: As a result of checking the remaining amount of paper in S21, if the remaining amount of paper in all of the paper feed storage units is zero, the printing operation cannot be continued any more, so a paper out message is output and the process ends abnormally. Otherwise, the operation proceeds to S25. If the process is abnormally terminated, the user replenishes the paper in the paper storage unit, the printing operation is resumed, and the flowchart of FIG. 4 resumes.

  S25: The out-of-paper notifying unit 711 notifies that the out-of-paper has occurred in the paper feed storage unit that has run out of paper. The notification method may be a method of displaying on the touch panel 401 (display unit) of the operation unit 400 or a method of notifying the printer monitoring utility 911 installed in the PC 1; 901 which is an external device. Alternatively, a method of notifying the browser of the PC 2; 903 via the internal Web server 707 may be used. Or the method of performing a several means simultaneously from them may be sufficient.

  S27: As a result of checking the remaining amount of paper in S21, if the number of paper feed accommodation units in which the remaining amount of paper is not zero is greater than 1, the operation proceeds to S31. If the number of sheet storage units whose remaining paper amount is not zero is 1, the operation proceeds to S29.

  S29: The out-of-paper notifying unit 711 warns the user that paper remains in one paper feed storage unit and supplies paper to another paper feed storage unit that is already empty. To do. As in the case of S25, at least one of a plurality of methods listed therein is performed as a warning method.

  S31: The paper feed switching control unit 709 selects the paper feed accommodating unit with the smallest number of sheets from among the paper feed accommodating units with remaining sheets.

  S33: It is determined whether a sheet remains in the selected sheet storage unit. If the sheet remains, the operation proceeds to S35. If no sheet remains, the operation returns to S21.

  S35: Paper is fed from the selected paper feed container and one copy is printed.

  S37: It is determined whether or not printing of all the sheets of the job has been completed. If completed, it is determined that the operation has ended normally, and the operation of the flowchart ends. If there is still printing in the job, the operation returns to S33.

  As a result of the series of operations described above, even if there is no paper in one of the grouped paper feed storage units, if paper remains in another paper feed storage unit of the same group, the paper feed storage unit Switch to and notify. In addition, when the remaining sheet storage unit is the last one in the group, the user is warned to replenish sheets in other sheet storage units that have run out of sheets in the group.

  In the flowchart of FIG. 4, it is assumed that the out of paper has occurred in S <b> 25, but in this case, for example, only notification is displayed on the touch panel (display unit) without notifying all the notification means. Such a method may be used. Alternatively, it may be a method of simply indicating that there is no remaining amount of paper in the paper feed accommodating portion in the touch panel, or a method of not performing notification at all depending on the setting.

  In this flowchart (FIG. 4), the notification of the operation using the occurrence of the out of paper as a trigger has been described. However, the activation trigger of the flowchart (FIG. 4) includes turning on the power of the image forming apparatus and starting the user operation. You may take a method.

[User interface screen for group settings]
A setting operation when the group setting of the paper feed accommodation unit in the image forming apparatus 1 is performed using the touch panel 401 of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described using the user interface screen of FIG.

  In addition to the touch panel 401, a grouping setting method using an internal Web server 707 or a printer monitoring utility 911 is also possible. Even in that case, basically the same screen as in FIG. 5 is displayed, except that the selection is made with a mouse or the like instead of the touch panel.

  FIGS. 5A to 5D show examples of group setting screens displayed on the touch panel 401. In FIG. 5A, icons of respective parts of the apparatus are displayed. The numbered tray 1 corresponds to the paper cassette a; 201a, and the tray 2 corresponds to the paper cassette b; 201b. 3 corresponds to the paper cassette c; 201c, and the tray 4 corresponds to the paper cassette d; 201d. MP corresponds to the manual paper feed tray 220. A group setting button 451 is arranged on the screen.

  As shown in FIG. 5B, the user touches and highlights the icon of the paper feed tray (paper feed storage unit) displayed on the touch panel to be grouped.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 5C, the group setting button 451 is touched to determine grouping.

  The determined group is indicated by a frame including tray 1 and tray 4 as shown in FIG.

[Effect of Example]
The image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention enables the following.

  The image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment can continue printing beyond the number of sheets supplied by one sheet feeding cassette or the like by using the grouped sheet feeding storage units.

  For paper feed storage units that are not involved in printing even during printing, it is possible to replenish paper without stopping printing. Paper can be refilled into a paper cassette.

  Out of the grouped paper storage units, which are consumed in order from the one with the smallest remaining amount of paper, it is possible to prompt the user to recognize that the paper has run out. The time for replenishing the paper before the paper out of the paper storage unit is increased, and the occurrence of the stop state of the apparatus due to the paper out can be suppressed.

  Since the user is notified that there is no sheet in the sheet cassette, the user can perform a sheet replenishment operation based on the notification. In addition, since the image forming apparatus checks the status of the paper feed storage unit at the start of the operation and performs the same notification, it is not the case when one sheet of the paper feed storage unit is used up by its printing operation. In both cases, it is possible to recognize that the paper needs to be replenished.

  Further, when the grouped sheet means is consumed and only the last one sheet storage unit is used, the user has already used up the sheet and emptied it to warn the user. In an apparatus that does not need to stop the printing operation to feed paper into the cassette, such as the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment, in order to replenish paper in the paper feeding cassette that has become a group, printing is not stopped. It has become possible to perform continuous printing without being limited by the number of supplied sheets.

[Others]
The image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described by taking as an example a relatively high-functional image forming apparatus including functional units such as the document feeding unit 600, the document reading unit 500, and the post-processing device 300. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and can be applied to, for example, an image forming apparatus that does not include the above-described functional unit. The apparatus configuration of the image forming apparatus is within the scope of the gist or technical idea of the present invention. It can be changed as appropriate. In addition, the image forming apparatus that has made these changes is also within the scope of the technical scope of the present invention.

  In the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present exemplary embodiment, the method of performing the paper out by the paper out notification unit 711 has been described. However, the remaining amount of paper as in the related art other than the paper out notification unit 711 is always displayed on the display unit. Such a method may be used. In this case, a method is used in which the remaining amount sensors 205a, b, c, and d of the sheet storage unit measure the remaining amount of paper and display the remaining amount of paper with an icon or the like on the touch panel 401. The display of the remaining amount of paper may include displaying when the remaining amount is empty.

  In the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, when selecting the sheet storage unit in S31 of the flowchart of FIG. 4, the selection is made in the order of the remaining number of sheets, but in S31, the remaining amount is selected. In the previous selection (selecting the paper feed storage unit when there are 3 or more remaining paper feed storage units), only specifying that the paper with the largest number of sheets is selected last. For example, a method other than the one with the largest number of remaining sheets may be selected in order from the top of the paper feed storage unit, or a method in which priorities are set in advance may be selected. Also by this method, the number of the sheet storage units selected finally is the largest, and the user is notified by the replenishment warning in S29, so that the stop of the printing operation can be suppressed.

  The image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment can perform the printing operation without stopping when replenishing the paper in the print accommodating unit that is not involved in the printing operation during the printing operation. Not only for image forming apparatuses having a structure, but also for an image forming apparatus having a structure that stops the printing operation when paper is replenished (for example, there is a paper feed path in the direction of pulling out the paper cassette) Since the user who has recognized this notification can prepare the sheet for replacement before the apparatus stops, there is an effect of minimizing the stop state of the apparatus. Needless to say, the present invention is most effective in an image forming apparatus that can perform printing without stopping when a sheet is replenished to a print accommodating portion that is not involved in the printing operation as in this embodiment. .

1 is a side sectional view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a functional block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart for grouping setting of the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart of an operation at the start of a printing operation of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a user interface screen when setting a group in the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Image forming apparatus 201a, b, c, d Paper feed cassette (paper feed accommodating portion)
202a, b, c, d Paper feed roller (paper feed drive unit)
203 Transfer roller (printing section)
204 Printing drum (printing section)
205a, b, c, d Remaining amount sensor 206 Exposure device (printing unit)
207 Development device (printing unit)
208 Transfer roller (printing section)
220 Manual paper feed tray (paper feed compartment)
221 Paper feed roller (paper feed drive)
230 Paper Feed Drive Unit 240 Printing Unit 401 Touch Panel (Display Unit)
701 Remaining paper amount detection unit 703 Paper size detection unit 705 Group setting holding unit 707 Internal Web server (internal Web server)
709 Paper feed switching control unit 711 Out of paper notification unit 751 Communication interface unit 901 PC1 (Personal Computer) (external device)
903 PC2 (Personal Computer) (external device)
911 Printer monitoring utility 913 Browser P Paper cassette drawer direction

Claims (6)

An image forming apparatus capable of continuously feeding paper from a plurality of paper feed storage units to a printing unit by a paper feed driving unit,
A group setting holding unit for grouping and setting the sheet storage unit;
A remaining paper amount detection unit for detecting a paper out of a paper storage unit in the group;
When the sheet remaining amount detection unit detects that any of the sheet storage units is out of paper, the sheet feed switching unit controls the sheet feed drive unit to switch to feeding from another sheet storage unit in the same group. A control unit,
The paper feed switching control unit selects one of the paper feed accommodating units in the group in the order of the remaining number of sheets, and selects the one with the largest remaining number of sheets last when switching the paper feed. An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
In a case where one of the grouped paper feed storage units based on the detection of out of paper by the remaining paper amount detection unit has a paper out, a paper out notification unit is provided to notify the user to that effect. Image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the out-of-paper notification unit notifies the user that a sheet remains only in the last sheet storage unit in the group . The image forming apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3,
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet feeding unit is capable of replenishing the sheet without stopping a printing operation with respect to the out-of-sheet feeding unit. Claims 1 An image forming apparatus of any one of 4,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the out-of-paper notification unit notifies at least one of when a paper out from the paper feed storage unit or at the start of a user operation as a trigger . The image forming apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 5,
The out-of-paper notification unit notifies at least one of a display unit of an image forming apparatus main body, an internal web server, and a printer monitoring utility of an external device.

Images