JP5298983B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus, wherein reduction in power consumption is achieved by interrupting a power supply fed to a unit or circuit not used during operation regardless of an operation mode. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus includes a power supply interruption part having a plurality of power supply interruption mechanisms interrupting power supply to respective units or circuits. The power supply from a main power source to the respective units is controlled based on a plurality of power supply ON/OFF signals meeting the respective units or circuits from a main control substrate even if an own apparatus is in operation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for shutting off a power supply for each unit or each circuit in a substrate during operation.

In recent years, not only image forming apparatuses but also electric appliances that require electricity are being obliged to save energy.
Now that global environmental destruction is a problem, it can be speculated that it will become even stronger in the future.

  Even for general users, such awareness is increasing day by day, and it seems that it will be in the direction of choosing to purchase more environmentally friendly electrical appliances.

Recently, in copiers as image forming devices, in power-off mode, etc., when the machine is not in use, lighting of the operation panel is turned off and power is reduced to a certain level to reduce power consumption. .
And it is the structure which returns to a normal state by triggers, such as copy button ON and the setting of the transfer paper to ADF.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for performing a low-power generation operation by changing the power generation state of a power generation device in accordance with the operation mode of a load device such as a printer.

  However, the above-described conventional technology not only reduces power consumption in the power-off mode, but also finely shuts off power supplied to units that are not used even during operation (copying, etc.) and internal circuits on the board. By doing so, it has been difficult to further reduce power consumption in terms of hardware.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and its purpose is to reduce power consumption by shutting off power supplied to units and circuits that are not used even during operation regardless of the operation mode. An object is to provide the illustrated image forming apparatus.

The invention described in claim 1 includes a plurality of units that operate by receiving power supply from a main power source, and a plurality of power shut-off mechanisms corresponding to the plurality of units that shut off power supplied from the main power source to the plurality of units. An image forming apparatus comprising: a power cutoff unit having a main control board that sends a power ON / OFF signal for controlling the power cutoff mechanism to the power cutoff unit, and the power source even when the device is in a copying operation The shut-off unit controls a plurality of power shut-off mechanisms based on a plurality of power ON / OFF signals corresponding to the plurality of power shut-off mechanisms sent from the main control board, and supplies power from the main power to a plurality of units. means for blocking, the unit to shut off the power supply, means for determining in accordance with the power consumption of a plurality of units, copy speed copy during operation due to the interruption of power supply corresponding to a plurality of units A notification unit that notifies the effect is an image forming apparatus, characterized by have a.

The invention according to claim 2, in the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, unit to cut off the supply power, to determine accepts a selection operation by the user with respect to information of a plurality of units that are displayed on the display unit It is characterized by.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first or second aspect , the influence on the copy speed when a plurality of units are cut off the power supply is displayed on the display unit. .

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there are provided a plurality of power shut-off mechanisms corresponding to a plurality of circuits that operate by receiving power supply from a main power source and a plurality of circuits that shut off power supplied from the main power source to the plurality of circuits. An image forming apparatus comprising: a power cutoff unit having a main control board that sends a power ON / OFF signal for controlling the power cutoff mechanism to the power cutoff unit, and the power source even when the device is in a copying operation The shut-off unit controls a plurality of power shut-off mechanisms based on a plurality of power ON / OFF signals corresponding to the plurality of power shut-off mechanisms sent from the main control board, and supplies power supplied from the main power to a plurality of circuits. Means to shut off, means to determine the circuit to cut off the power supply according to the power consumption of multiple circuits, and notification of the effect on the copy speed during copy operation due to the power supply cut off corresponding to multiple circuits Notification means to An image forming apparatus, characterized by have a.

  Regardless of the operation mode of the image forming apparatus, power consumption can be reduced by shutting off power supplied to units or circuits that are not used even during operation.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is the figure which showed an example of the operation part in 1st embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed an example of a display of the liquid crystal touch panel of the operation part in 1st embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the processing operation of 1st embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram in the board | substrate in 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed an example of a display of the liquid crystal touch panel of the operation part in 3rd embodiment of this invention.

  A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment.

  A document stack placed on an original table in an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as “ADF”) 200 with the image side of the document facing upward is read when the start key on the operation unit is pressed. 50, and is electrically read as a document image.

  The document read by the reading unit 50 is discharged as it is to the document discharge tray by the ADF 200. Details of the document operation will be described later.

  Next, regarding the printing operation, the transfer sheets stacked on the first tray 8, the second tray 9, and the third tray 10 are respectively the first sheet feeding unit 11, the second sheet feeding unit 12, and the third sheet feeding. The paper is fed by the paper unit 13 and transported to the position where it abuts on the photoreceptor 15 by the vertical transport unit 14.

  The image data read by the reading unit 50 is written on the photoconductor 15 by the laser from the writing unit 57 and passes through the developing unit 27 to form a toner image. Then, the toner image on the photoconductor 15 is transferred while the transfer paper is conveyed by the conveyance belt 16 at the same speed as the rotation of the photoconductor 15. Thereafter, the image is fixed by the fixing unit 17 and discharged to the finisher 100 of the post-processing apparatus by the paper discharge unit 18.

  The finisher 100 of the post-processing apparatus can guide the transfer paper conveyed by the paper discharge roller of the main body in the direction of the normal paper discharge roller 102 and the direction of the staple processing unit. By switching the switching plate 101 upward, the sheet can be discharged to the normal discharge tray 104 side via the transport roller 103. Further, by switching the switching plate 101 downward, the switching plate 101 can be conveyed to the staple table 108 via the conveying roller 105 and the paper discharge roller 107. The transfer paper loaded on the staple table 108 is aligned by the paper jogger 109 every time one sheet is discharged, and is bound by the stapler 106 upon completion of a partial copy. The group of transfer sheets bound by the stapler 106 is stored in the staple completion discharge tray 110 by its own weight.

  On the other hand, the normal paper discharge tray 104 is a paper discharge tray that can be moved back and forth. The normal paper discharge tray 104 that can be moved back and forth moves back and forth for each original or each copy section sorted by the image memory, and sorts the copy paper that is simply discharged.

  When images are formed on both sides of the transfer paper, the transfer paper fed from each of the paper feed trays 8 to 10 and imaged is not guided to the normal paper discharge tray 104 side, but branching claws for path switching. By setting 112 to the upper side, the paper is once stocked in the duplex feeding unit 111. Thereafter, the transfer paper stocked on the double-sided paper feeding unit 111 is re-fed from the double-sided paper feeding unit 111 to transfer the toner image formed on the photosensitive member 15 again, and the branching claw 112 for switching the path. Is set to the lower side and guided to the normal paper discharge tray 104. In this way, the duplex feeding unit 111 is used when creating images on both sides of the transfer sheet.

  The photoconductor 15, the transport belt 16, the fixing unit 17, the paper discharge unit 18 and the development unit 27 are driven by a main motor, and the paper feed units 11 to 13 are each driven to transmit the drive of the main motor by a paper feed clutch. The The vertical transport unit 14 is driven to transmit the drive of the main motor by an intermediate clutch.

  Next, details of the operation until the image reading unit and the latent image are formed on the recording surface will be described.

  The reading unit 50 includes a contact glass 6 on which an original is placed and an optical scanning system. The optical scanning system includes an exposure lamp 51, a first mirror 52, a lens 53, a CCD sensor 54, and the like. The exposure lamp 51 and the first mirror 52 are fixed on a first carriage (not shown), and the second mirror 55 and the third mirror 56 are fixed on a first carriage (not shown).

  There are two methods for reading an original: a method of reading an original on a contact glass by moving an optical scanning system, and a method of reading an original by moving the optical scanning system at a reading position and moving the original. When the original image is read by moving the optical scanning system, the first carriage and the second carriage are mechanically scanned at a relative speed of 2 to 1 so that the optical path length does not change. This optical scanning system is driven by a scanner drive motor (not shown).

  In the case of document movement, the optical scanning system moves to a fixed reading position and a document image is read. In either case, the document image is read by the CCD sensor 54, converted into an electrical signal, and processed.

  The writing unit 57 includes a laser output unit 58, an imaging lens 59, and a mirror 60. Inside the laser output unit 58, a rotating polygon mirror (rotated at a constant speed by a laser diode as a laser light source and a motor) Polygon mirror). The laser light emitted from the laser output unit 58 is polarized by a polygon mirror that rotates at a constant speed, passes through an imaging lens 59, is folded by a mirror 60, and is focused and imaged on the surface of the photoreceptor. The polarized laser light is exposed and scanned in the direction (main scanning direction) perpendicular to the direction in which the photosensitive member rotates, and the image signal is recorded line by line. An image (electrostatic latent image) is formed on the surface of the photosensitive member by repeating main scanning at a predetermined cycle corresponding to the rotational speed and recording density of the photosensitive member.

  As described above, the laser beam output from the writing unit 57 is applied to the photoconductor 15 of the image forming system. Although not shown, a beam sensor for generating a main scanning synchronization signal is disposed at a position where a laser beam near one end of the photoconductor 15 is irradiated. Based on the main scanning synchronization signal, control of image recording start timing in the main scanning direction and generation of a control signal for inputting / outputting image signals described later are performed.

  The four primary colors cyan, yellow, magenta and black are developed into an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductor, and the four color images are sequentially superimposed on the transfer body (intermediate transfer belt). A full color image is obtained by transferring and fixing.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the image forming apparatus 1 in the present embodiment.

  A power supply unit (PSU) 20 supplies power from a main power source to other units provided at various positions of the image forming apparatus 1 such as an operation unit 22, an ADF 23, a duplex printing unit 24, a bank 25, a scanner 26, and a finisher 27. Supply. The installation position of the PSU 20 may be an arbitrary position of the image forming apparatus 1.

The PSU 20 includes a power cutoff unit 21.
The power cut-off unit 21 is configured to be able to turn on / off the power supply for each unit and cut off the power supply. That is, the power supply is turned on / off by the switch 212 for the operation unit 22. The ADF 23 is turned on and off by a switch 213. In addition, the power supply to the duplex printing unit 24 is turned on and off by the switch 214. Further, the power supply to the bank 25 is turned on and off by a switch 215. Further, the power supply to the scanner 26 is turned on and off by a switch 216. The power supply for the finisher 27 is turned on and off by a switch 217. Note that the configuration is not limited to a configuration in which a corresponding switch is provided for each unit, but a configuration in which a predetermined switch switches on and off the power supply to a plurality of units (for example, in the above configuration, the switch 213 has Alternatively, the switch 212 may turn on / off the power supply for the operation unit 22 and the ADF 23), or may be configured to include a plurality of switches for turning on / off the power supply for a predetermined unit.
The power shut-off unit 21 is configured by using a part that shuts off the power line such as a relay for the AC voltage and the like, and is controlled by the main control board 28.

  The main control board 28 sends an ON / OFF cutoff signal to the PSU 20 for instructing the power cutoff unit 21 to turn on / off the power supply for each unit. The installation position of the main control board 28 may be an arbitrary position of the image forming apparatus 1.

  Further, the power cutoff unit 21 can calculate the amount of power consumed by each unit by measuring the current supplied to each unit. Therefore, it can be understood how much power is reduced by the interruption. For example, the amount of power may be displayed on the liquid crystal touch panel 31 of the operation unit 30 as shown in FIG. 3, for example, as shown in FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation unit 30. The operation unit 30 includes a liquid crystal touch panel 31, a numeric key 32, a clear / stop key 33, a start key 34, a preheat key 35, a reset key 36, and the like. The liquid crystal touch panel 31 includes function keys, the number of copies, and the state of the image forming apparatus. Is displayed. Further, there is a function switching key 38 for switching between a copy function, an accumulated copy function, and a printer function. Here, the copy function is a function for copying an image read by a scanner by an operation designated on a transfer sheet. The accumulation copy function is a function that accumulates images read by a scanner and image data from the outside and can be printed by machine operation. The printer function is a function that is externally connected via a LAN, a parallel I / F, or the like, receives print image data from the outside and its instruction, and prints out.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of display on the liquid crystal touch panel 31 of the operation unit 30. The operator may touch a key indicating each unit name displayed on the liquid crystal touch panel 31 to invert the selected key in black and select a unit that cuts off the power supply. Since the liquid crystal touch panel uses a dot display, the optimum display at that time can be graphically performed.
4, the amount of power consumed by each unit in the present embodiment is 1445 W in the main body of the image forming apparatus 1, 48 W in the ADF 23, 368 W in the bank 25, 24 W in the finisher 27, and BCU (Bus control Unit). ) Is 658 W, PSU 20 is 320 W, IPU is 240 W, and HVP is 35 W. Such a display informs the user and knows how much power can be saved by shutting off the power supply of which unit.

  The following can be considered as judgment criteria. A power source such as IPU or HVP is naturally necessary at the time of copying, but is unnecessary at the time of standby. Further, even during copying, the FAX function or the like is not necessary unless it is used, and when the document is scanned, the main body side unit does not need a power source such as a paper feeding unit or a fixing unit.

  In addition to the mode in which the user makes a judgment and selects a unit to be shut off, there may be a mode in which the image forming apparatus (main control board 28) automatically judges according to a predetermined rule and shuts off the power. It is also possible to select the optimum power consumption by automatically controlling the shut-off location.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the present embodiment.
Referring to FIG. 5, first, the main control board 28 of the image forming apparatus shuts off the power supply by touching a key indicating each unit name displayed on the liquid crystal touch panel 31 as shown in FIG. An operation for selecting a unit is accepted (S501). Note that the image forming apparatus (main control board 28) may automatically determine and select a unit that shuts off the power.

  The main control board 28 sends a plurality of ON / OFF cutoff signals for shutting off the power supply of the selected unit to the PSU 20 (S502).

  The power cut-off unit 21 of the PSU 20 cuts off the supply power of the selected unit for each unit, and supplies power to the unselected units (S503). That is, the power supply is turned on / off by the switch 212 for the operation unit 22. The ADF 23 is turned on and off by a switch 213. In addition, the power supply to the duplex printing unit 24 is turned on and off by the switch 214. Further, the power supply to the bank 25 is turned on and off by a switch 215. Further, the power supply to the scanner 26 is turned on and off by a switch 216. The power supply for the finisher 27 is turned on and off by a switch 217.

  This cuts off the power of the units not used even when the image forming apparatus is operating (during copying or the like) regardless of the operation mode, thereby saving energy.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

  Since the configuration and the like of the image forming apparatus 1 in the present embodiment are basically the same as those in the first embodiment described above, redundant description will be omitted and only different points will be described.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in the schematic block diagram in the substrate of FIG. 6, a power cutoff unit 61 that cuts off the power supply for each circuit is provided in the substrate 60, and each circuit can be powered off in parallel. The point is different from the first embodiment.

Power-off portion 61 of the substrate 60, circuit A62, circuit B63, the circuit C64, the circuit D65, to supply power from the main power supply to the circuit E66 and circuit F67.

Power shutoff unit 61 is capable of respectively switching on and off of power supply to each circuit has a configuration that can shut off the power supply. That is, the power supply is turned on / off by the switch 612 for the circuit A62. The circuit B 63 is turned on and off by a switch 613. In addition, the power supply to the circuit C64 is turned on and off by a switch 614. In addition, the power source is turned on / off by the switch 615 for the circuit D65. Further, the switch 616 turns on and off the power supply for the circuit E66. In addition, the power supply to the circuit F67 is turned on and off by a switch 617.
An FET or the like is used to cut off the low voltage in the substrate 60.

  The main control board 68 sends to the power cutoff unit 61 a cutoff signal that instructs the power cutoff unit 61 to turn on and off the supply power for each circuit.

  Circuits that are always used are rare, and it is possible to cut off the circuit supply power when not in use. The following can be considered as judgment criteria. For example, in the IPU, various processing of image data is performed, but once the processing is performed, a power source is not necessary for repeat.

  This configuration may be mounted on all necessary substrates in the image forming apparatus.

  In this embodiment, the user determines that the main mode is that the image forming apparatus (main control board 28) determines the circuit that automatically shuts off the power according to a predetermined rule and shuts off the power. There may be a mode for selecting a circuit to be cut off.

  This cuts off the power of circuits that are not used regardless of the operation mode, thereby saving energy.

  Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

  Since the configuration and the like of the image forming apparatus 1 in the present embodiment are basically the same as those in the first embodiment described above, redundant description will be omitted and only different points will be described.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in the figure showing an example of the display on the liquid crystal touch panel 31 of the operation unit 30 in FIG. 7, the copy speed is deliberately reduced for power saving and energy saving by shutting off the power supply to the unit. The point that the user can judge and select is different from the first embodiment.

  In the present embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the influence on the copy speed of a unit (deleted unit in the figure) that is deleted by shutting off the power supply to each unit is the original copy when there is no unit to be deleted. The speed is 20 CPM, 12 CPM when the bank 25 is deleted, 12 CPM when the finisher 27 is deleted, 12 CPM when the IPU is deleted, 10 CPM when the ADF 23 is deleted, 12 CPM when the double-sided printing unit 24 is deleted, and the scanner 26 when used as a printer is deleted. Is 5 CPM and 10 CPM for deleting FAX. Such a display informs the user that the user knows how much of the unit's power supply is cut off and how much the copy productivity is reduced, and deletes it by cutting off the power supply appropriately within the allowable copy productivity range. The unit to be selected can be selected.

  An example of the display on the liquid crystal touch panel 31 of the operation unit 30 in FIG. 7 is displayed in parallel with the display shown in FIG. 4 of the first embodiment or before or after the display in FIG. It may be.

  Each embodiment described above is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 6 Contact glass 8 1st tray 9 2nd tray 10 3rd tray 11 1st paper feed unit 12 2nd paper feed unit 13 3rd paper feed unit 14 Vertical conveyance unit 15 Photoconductor 16 Conveyance belt 17 Fixing unit DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 18 Paper discharge unit 27 Development unit 50 Reading unit 51 Exposure lamp 52 First mirror 53 Lens 54 CCD sensor 55 Second mirror 56 Third mirror 57 Writing unit 58 Laser output unit 59 Imaging lens 60 Mirror 100 Finisher 101 Switching plate 102 Normal paper discharge roller 103 Conveying roller 104 Normal paper discharge tray 105 Carrying roller 106 Stapler 107 Paper discharge roller 108 Staple table 109 Jogger 110 Staple completion paper discharge tray 111 Double-sided paper feed unit 112 Branching claw 200 Automatic document feeder 20 PSU
21 Power shut-off part 22 ADF
23 PSU
24 Double-sided printing section 25 Bank 26 Scanner 27 Finisher 28 Main control board

JP 2008-186726 A

Claims (4)

A plurality of units that operate by receiving power from the main power supply;
A power shut-off unit having a plurality of power shut-off mechanisms corresponding to the plurality of units for shutting off power supplied from a main power source to the plurality of units;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a main control board that sends a power ON / OFF signal for controlling the power shut-off mechanism to the power shut-off unit;
Even when the device itself is in a copying operation, the power shut-off unit is configured to use the plurality of power shut-off mechanisms based on a plurality of power ON / OFF signals corresponding to the plurality of power shut-off mechanisms sent from the main control board. Means for controlling the power supply from the main power supply to the plurality of units ,
Means for determining a unit that cuts off the supply power according to power consumption of the plurality of units;
An image forming apparatus characterized by chromatic and a notifying means for notifying the effect on the copy operation when the copy speed due to the interruption of the power supply corresponding to the plurality of units. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unit that cuts off the power supply is determined by receiving a selection operation by a user with respect to the information of the plurality of units displayed on the display unit . 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an influence on a copy speed when the plurality of units are cut off from a power supply is displayed on the display unit. A plurality of circuits that operate by receiving power from the main power supply;
A power shut-off unit having a plurality of power shut-off mechanisms corresponding to the plurality of circuits for shutting off power supplied from a main power source to the plurality of circuits;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a main control board that sends a power ON / OFF signal for controlling the power shut-off mechanism to the power shut-off unit;
Even when the device itself is in a copying operation, the power shut-off unit is configured to use the plurality of power shut-off mechanisms based on a plurality of power ON / OFF signals corresponding to the plurality of power shut-off mechanisms sent from the main control board. Means for controlling the power supply from the main power supply to the plurality of circuits,
Means for determining a circuit for cutting off the power supply according to power consumption of the plurality of circuits;
An image forming apparatus , comprising: a notification unit configured to notify an influence on a copy speed during the copy operation associated with a cutoff of the power supply corresponding to the plurality of circuits .

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