JP6011789B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a plotter, a facsimile, or a complex machine thereof.

  As a form of paper feeding in a paper feeding unit of this type of image forming apparatus (hereinafter simply referred to as “machine”), a form using a paper feeding cassette, a paper feeding tray, or a manual feed tray is known. Yes. When the paper is set in the paper feeding mode, the paper is set by “horizontal feed” or “vertical feed”. The “lateral feed” is a set state in which the long side of the paper is positioned perpendicular to the paper transport direction, and is also expressed as “LEF (abbreviation of Long Edge Feed)”. “Vertical feed” is a set state in which the short side of the sheet is positioned perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction, and is also referred to as “SEF (Short Edge Feed)”.

  There are various types of paper such as standard size paper (A3, A4, B4, B5, etc.), inch paper (DLT, LT, HLT, etc.), and other irregular size paper. Including paper type and paper thickness, the number of types increases. On the other hand, the paper feed start timing of the machine is set without waste according to the paper length in the transport direction in order to increase productivity. In addition, in an image forming unit including a photoconductor, a secondary transfer belt, and the like, temperature control of the fixing device is performed according to the length of a sheet on which an image is formed.

  For this reason, if the paper size and the set direction recognized on the machine side are different from the actual paper size and the set direction (hereinafter referred to as “paper size mismatch”), the paper feed timing is shifted. The paper cannot be fed correctly. Then, there is a high possibility that a plurality of sensors provided in the paper conveyance path in the machine will judge that the paper conveyance timing is abnormal and cause a jam.

  Further, since the image forming conditions are deviated, a normal image cannot be obtained. In this case, in order not to waste ink, toner, and processing time due to an abnormal image, when the machine detects that the image forming conditions have deviated, it recognizes the subsequent paper feed as a jam, Printing may stop. In addition, an error message may be displayed after the paper recognized as having a different size is discharged out of the machine, and the subsequent copying / printing may be stopped.

  When the paper size mismatch occurs in this manner, an area larger than the paper area may be formed in the image forming unit even when a jam occurs or a jam does not occur. As a result, it is necessary to clean the untransferred toner and the like, and the process unit is frequently replaced, and the life of the process unit is shortened.

  As described above, the length of the paper in the conveyance direction is an important parameter for the machine, but it is not easy for the machine to recognize the exact size and vertical / horizontal feeding direction for each paper. For this reason, for example, various improvements have been attempted with respect to the paper size detection method as in Patent Documents 1-3, but this is not sufficient. The paper size detection device disclosed in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-109762) automatically detects the paper size and the feeding direction by the detection plate of the paper feed cassette and the push switch on the main body side. Limited to regular shapes. When the detection device cannot detect the paper size, such as an irregular shape, the user manually inputs the size and the feed direction through the operation panel of the machine.

  Further, when the paper size is automatically detected from the position of the side fence or the end fence of the paper, a false detection occurs if the fence is not properly set. When the length of the paper in the width direction is automatically detected by the side fence of the manual feed tray, the side fence detects only the width direction, so the direction of standard paper of the same series but the same length but different sizes Differences (A3 vertical and A4 horizontal, etc.) cannot be distinguished. Thus, the possibility of false detection cannot be excluded even with automatic detection. Manual input cannot eliminate the possibility of incorrect input.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to collate a vertical / horizontal set direction detected by a paper size detector of a machine with a vertical / horizontal set direction detected from a size manually input by a user. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that more accurately determines the set direction.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention detects an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet, a sheet feeding unit that supplies the sheet to the image forming unit, and a size of the sheet set in the sheet feeding unit. A sheet size detection unit; a control unit that controls image formation on a sheet based on a predetermined sheet setting for image formation; and an operation panel for a user to input an instruction to the control unit. Based on the detection result of the paper size detection unit, the setting direction of the paper set in the paper supply unit is determined, the determination result is held as first information, and the size of the paper set in the paper supply unit Is manually input through the operation panel, the paper setting direction is determined based on the manually input size, the determination result is held as second information, and the first information and the second information are collated. And this When the collation results match, the job is executed or the paper setting is terminated, and when the collation results do not match or cannot be collated, the user is confirmed whether the manual input size is correct or correct in the paper setting direction. The image forming apparatus is characterized in that a request is made to notify the request.

  According to the present invention, the control unit of the image forming apparatus collates the paper setting direction determined based on the detection result of the paper size detection unit with the paper setting direction determined based on the manually input size. Since the job is executed or the paper setting is ended when the collation results match, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a jam or printing failure. The control unit of the image forming apparatus notifies the user that the user is required to confirm whether the size of the manual input is correct or correct in the paper setting direction when the verification result does not match or cannot be verified. The user can easily return the image forming apparatus to the normal state through these confirmation operations.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is the schematic of an operation panel. It is a perspective view of a paper feed cassette. It is a perspective view of a manual feed tray. 2 is a schematic diagram of a control unit of the image forming apparatus. FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating display contents of a sheet tray selection screen displayed on the operation panel. It is a figure which shows the paper setting menu of a 2nd tray. It is a flowchart which shows the example of control by a control part. It is a flowchart which shows the example of control by a control part. (A) and (B) are diagrams showing a paper size input screen on the operation panel.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
(Image forming device)
FIG. 1 schematically shows an embodiment of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied. This image forming apparatus is a multifunction peripheral (MFP) that combines two or more functions of a copying machine, a printer, a plotter, and a facsimile machine. The image forming apparatus is connected to the operation panel P of FIG. 2 or a network such as a wired or wireless LAN (not shown) It can be operated through a personal computer.

  The operation panel P includes a display device 3 such as an LCD for indicating the state of the image forming apparatus, and an operation input device 4 provided with various switch units for switching the mode and font of the image forming apparatus. The operation input device 4 includes an ultrasonic acoustic wave type touch panel 4a laminated on the surface of the display device 3, and a keyboard 4b having a plurality of keys. The keyboard 4b is provided with a start key for declaring the start of image reading, a numeric keypad for inputting numerical values, a reading condition setting key for setting the transmission destination of the read image data, a clear key, and the like.

  An image forming unit 100 is provided in the image forming apparatus main body 10. The image forming unit 100 is provided with an image carrier (photosensitive member) 11 on a drum, and a charging device 12, a developing device 13, a transfer / conveying device 14, a cleaning device 15 and the like are disposed around the image bearing member (photosensitive member) 11.

  A laser writing device 16 is provided on the image forming unit 100. Although not shown, the laser writing device 16 includes a light source such as a laser diode, a scanning rotary polygon mirror that is a polygon mirror, a polygon motor, a scanning optical system such as an fθ lens and a mirror, and the like.

  A fixing device 17 is provided on the left side of the cleaning device 15 in the drawing. The fixing device 17 is provided with a fixing roller 18 incorporating a heater and a pressure roller 19 pressed against the fixing roller 18 from below.

  At the bottom of the apparatus main body 10, a duplex unit 22 and a four-stage sheet cassette 23 as a sheet feeder are provided above and below. In addition, a large amount of paper feeding device 30 serving as a paper feeding unit is disposed externally to the apparatus main body 10, and a large amount of paper is stacked therein so that the paper can be moved up and down.

  The duplex unit 22 passes through a refeed path A, and the feed cassette 23 passes through a supply path B to a common sheet feed path C extending below the image carrier 11. The duplex unit 22 branches off from the middle of the sheet discharge path D extending from the exit of the fixing device 17 to form a reverse path E.

  FIG. 3 shows a paper feed cassette 23 as a paper feed unit. At the bottom of the paper feed cassette 23, a bottom plate is disposed that raises to an arbitrary position in a state where papers for image formation are stacked. The stacked sheet bundle 53 is regulated by a pair of side fences 54 and 54 that can slide in a width direction orthogonal to the feeding direction, and is regulated by an end fence 52 that can slide the feeding direction.

  The side fence 54 constitutes a side detection unit that detects the lateral size of the paper, and the end fence 52 constitutes an end detection unit that detects the length of the paper in the length direction. The positions of the fences 52 and 54 are detected by a sensor (not shown) so that each length in the width direction and the length direction of the set paper is detected.

  A detection sensor 51 including a plurality of push switches is provided on the image forming apparatus main body 10 side independently of the paper feed cassette 23. In addition, it is also possible to form an extension tray part by disposing the end fence 52 so as to be movable further beyond the predetermined moving range. Such an extension tray portion is convenient when setting a longitudinal sheet.

  A contact glass 26 is installed in the image reading unit 24 on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 10. An automatic document feeder 27 is provided on the apparatus body 10 so as to cover the contact glass 26 so as to be freely opened and closed. The automatic document feeder 27 and the optical reading device 20 constitute an image reading device 200.

  On the right side surface of the apparatus main body 10, a manual feed tray 28 for guiding manual feed paper to the paper feed path C is provided so as to be freely opened and closed. As shown in FIG. 4, the manual feed tray 28 is also supported by a manual feed subunit 28 a fixed to the image forming apparatus, and rotatably supported by the image forming apparatus by a support shaft 29, and also serves as an exterior cover, and is a transfer sheet. Are provided with a main tray portion 28b, an extension tray portion 28c, and a side fence 28d. The side fence 28d can also serve as a side detection unit that detects the length of the sheet in the width direction. Here, the “width direction” of the sheet is a direction orthogonal to the transport direction. The “length direction” of the paper is the same direction as the transport direction.

  The extension tray portion 28c is used by being pulled out from the main tray portion 28b when the longitudinal sheets are stacked. The extension tray portion 28c can be slid and stored in the main tray portion 28b when not in use or when the manual feed cover 5 is closed.

  On the left side surface of the apparatus main body 10, a sheet post-processing device 31 is installed outside the apparatus main body 10. The paper post-processing device 31 accepts the paper discharged through the paper discharge path D and discharges the paper as it is onto the upper tray 32, or after performing post-processing such as stapling and punching, then the upper tray 32. Alternatively, the paper is discharged onto the lower tray 33.

  When making a copy using this image forming apparatus, the document is set on the automatic document feeder 27 or the automatic document feeder 27 is opened and the document is set directly on the contact glass 26. When the start key on the operation panel P is pressed, the optical reading device 20 starts reading the document.

  When the paper feed cassette 23 is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 10, the concave / convex pattern on the cassette side and the paper size detection sensor 51 of the image forming apparatus main body 10 are pressed against each other. At the same time, an appropriate paper feed roller 34 rotates, and paper is sent out from the corresponding paper feed cassette 23 among the plurality of paper feed cassettes 23 provided in the apparatus main body 10 in multiple stages. The fed paper enters the paper feed path C through the supply path B, is transported by the transport roller 35, and is abutted against the timing roller pair 36 and stopped.

  In the vicinity of the paper feed roller 34 or the timing roller pair 36, the paper length for detecting the length of the paper from the rotation time of the timing roller pair 36 required for one sheet to pass and the outer peripheral length of the roller pair. A thickness detector is provided. Furthermore, although not shown, the control unit 102 in FIG. 5 of the machine to be described later is provided with a paper size estimation unit and a paper size determination unit.

  The paper size estimation means determines the size of the paper set on the manual feed tray 28 from the paper width detected by the side fence 28d and the paper size table stored in the control unit 102, for example, A4 or A3. To be estimated. The paper size determination means determines the set paper size from the estimation result and the paper length detected by the paper length detection unit.

  The timing roller pair 36 rotates in synchronism with the rotation of the image carrier 11, and the sheet is fed below the image carrier 11 of the image forming unit 100. Alternatively, the paper feed roller 37 rotates and the paper is fed out from the mass paper feeder 30, enters the paper feed path C through the transport path F, is transported by the transport roller 35, and abuts against the timing roller pair 36. It can be stopped.

  Alternatively, the paper feed roller 38 in the manual paper feed unit rotates, and the manual paper set on the open manual feed tray 28 enters the paper feed path C and is also abutted against the timing roller pair 36 and stopped. The timing roller pair 36 rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the image carrier 11 and is fed below the image carrier 11 of the image forming unit 100.

  When the start key on the operation panel P is pressed, the carrier 11 is simultaneously rotated clockwise in the figure on the image of the image forming unit 100. Along with the rotation of the image carrier 11, the surface is first uniformly charged by the charging device 12, and then writing is performed by the laser writing device 16 by irradiating a laser beam according to the read content read by the optical reading device 20. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the image carrier 11, and then the toner is attached by the developing device 13 so that the electrostatic latent image is visualized.

  As described above, the visible image is transferred by the transfer / conveyance device 14 to the sheet fed below the image carrier 11. After the image transfer, the image carrier 11 is cleaned by removing the residual toner by the cleaning device 15 and prepared for the next similar image formation. The image carrier 11, the transfer / conveyance device 14, and the cleaning device 15 form one unit (process unit).

  The sheet after image transfer is conveyed by the transfer / conveyance device 14 and enters the fixing device 17, and heat and pressure are applied by the fixing roller 18 and the pressure roller 19 to fix the transferred image. Thereafter, the paper is discharged to the paper post-processing device 31 through the paper discharge path D.

  When forming images on both sides of the paper, the image is put in the reverse path E from the middle of the paper discharge path D, reversed by the duplex unit 22, re-fed, and separately formed on the back side of the paper by the transfer / conveyance device 14. After the image on the carrier 11 is transferred, the transferred image is fixed by the fixing device 17 and discharged to the paper post-processing device 31.

  The image forming apparatus main body 10 includes a control unit 102 as shown in FIG. The control unit 102 converts print data from the host 103 into video data according to the control mode set therein and the control code from the host 103 or the network 115, and outputs the video data to the printer engine 113. It consists of the following modules.

  Panel I / F 108 is an interface between control unit 102 and operation panel P. The host I / F 105 is an interface for control signals and data from the host 103 to the image forming apparatus, and status signals from the image forming apparatus main body 10 to the host 103. The network I / F 116 is an interface for control signals and data from the network 115 to the image forming apparatus and status signals from the image forming apparatus main body 10 to the network 115.

The CPU 109 processes data (print data, control data, etc.) from the host 103 according to the program ROM 106. The RAM 110 and the option RAM 114 manage work data when the CPU 109 processes, a buffer for managing data from the host 103 in units of pages, and temporarily storing the data, and converting the data stored in the buffer into an actual print pattern. Used for bitmap memory that stores data.
An HDD (mass storage device) 117 stores a large amount of data. It is also used as a place to store a document of a stored document print function for storing a print document received from the host 103 and printing it later.

  The NV-RAM 111 (Nonvolatile RAM) is a non-volatile RAM for storing data to be retained even when the power is turned off. The font ROM 107 has various types of fonts used for printing. The engine I / F 112 is an interface for control signals and video data from the control unit 102 to the printer engine 113 and status signals from the image forming apparatus main body 10 to the control unit 102. The printer engine 113 creates and develops an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member based on the video signal and the control signal from the control unit 102, feeds the transfer paper from the paper feed unit, and transfers and fixes it to form an image. To do.

  The above is the outline of the control unit 102. Next, a series of flow of how data sent from the host 103 or the network 115 is processed will be described taking an example when print data is sent from the host 103.

(Reception processing)
The print data sent from the host 103 through the host I / F 105 is analyzed by the CPU 109 according to the data analysis program on the program ROM 106, and the print data and print control data (SP, CR, LF, HT, VT, etc.) and others. It is divided into. The print data and print control data are temporarily stored in the reception buffer on the RAM 110.

(Drawing process)
The received data once stored is taken out one by one by the control program on the program ROM 106 and processed. For example, if the extracted data is a character code, an intermediate code including a print position, a print size, a character code, font information, and the like is created and stored in an intermediate buffer provided on the RAM 110. If the extracted data is a command such as a control code or an escape sequence, a process defined in advance is performed on them.

  An example of a predefined process is shown. For example, if the extracted data is a control code for designating the print position, the position of the next character code is set to the designated position. Alternatively, if the font is changed, the font information of the next character code is set to the designated font. In this way, when the print command processing is performed according to the print data sent from the host 103 or the processed data exceeds one page, the intermediate code stored in the intermediate buffer is then stored in the control program. According to the above, processing for conversion to video data is performed.

(Output processing)
When the conversion is completed, the control unit 102 issues a print start command to the printer engine 113 through the engine I / F 112, and transfers video data in synchronization therewith. The print data from the host 103 is printed via the printer engine 113 in the series of flows as described above.

  The image forming apparatus can take a paper feed form using a paper feed cassette, a paper feed tray, or a manual feed tray that can selectively use the extension tray portion as a paper feed form. For example, as a paper feed tray, a plurality of paper feed trays such as a normal tray that supports a normal paper size (for example, A4 to A3) and a small size tray that supports a small paper size (for example, a postcard to B5) are used. Is possible. These types of paper feed modes can be detected by the printer engine 113.

  FIG. 6 shows an operation example when the user selects a tray on the operation panel for paper selection. In this example, the image forming apparatus has four trays from “second tray” to “fifth tray”, and the types of paper feed trays that can be exchanged are “normal” and “small size”.

  According to the menu displayed after the user presses the “Menu” key on the operation panel P, “Adjustment / Management”, “General Management”, “Small Size Tray”, “Tray 2-5”, “Not Use / Use” ”Is selected to set or save which tray uses the small size tray.

  This menu is read from what is stored in the program ROM 106. The program ROM 106 stores the entire range of the size of the irregular paper size that can be handled by the paper feed tray that can be exchanged and installed in the image forming apparatus. In this embodiment, two types of ranges “normal” and “small size” are stored.

  The selection result is stored in the NV-RAM 111 and is retained after the power is turned off / on. When the paper size is set after the type of the paper feed tray is determined, the paper size that can be selected changes according to the type of the selected paper feed tray.

  A specific example is given. The example shown in FIG. 7 is an example of a paper setting menu in the second tray (tray 2). If “paper setting” and “tray paper size: trays 2 to 5” are selected in accordance with the menu displayed after the “menu” key is pressed, and the type of the paper feeding tray is a normal tray, < When the A> menu is selected, a normal paper size option is displayed. When the type of the paper feed tray is a small size tray, a small paper size option is displayed as in the <B> menu of FIG. The When an irregular size is selected in this paper size option (third layer), the irregular size paper size setting is displayed (fourth and fifth layers), and the range of usable sizes for each type of paper feed tray is displayed. The size can be set.

(Control contents of the control unit)
The control unit 102 of the image forming apparatus notifies the user of a method for coping with the user through the operation panel P of the machine when there is a problem in the vertical / horizontal setting direction of the paper or when there is a problem. 8 and 9 are flowcharts showing control examples for that purpose. That is, if the setting direction of the paper set in the paper supply unit does not match the direction based on automatic detection of the paper size and the direction based on manual input, there is a high possibility that there is a problem in the setting direction. If the machine has only a length detection unit in the paper conveyance direction, automatic detection cannot determine the vertical / horizontal setting direction of the paper. The same applies when only the length in the width direction of the paper is automatically detected by the side fence of the manual feed tray.

  In such a case, the notice from the machine allows the user to check whether there is an erroneous input, the paper setting direction, the fence setting position, etc. before passing the paper. It can be prevented from occurring unexpectedly. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent an unnecessary copy / print by correcting an error in the paper setting direction in advance.

  FIG. 8 shows control examples 1, 2, 3, and 5-9. When paper is set in a tray serving as a paper feed unit (S1), the paper size is automatically detected by a paper size detection unit provided in the tray (S2). Whether the sheet is indefinite or regular is determined from the result of this automatic detection (referred to as information A) (S3). If it is determined that it is a standard size, a screen for selecting a standard paper size is displayed on the operation panel P, and at the same time, a switching unit for switching to a size input screen for an irregular paper is displayed. As a result, even if the standard paper size selection screen is displayed, if the user sees it and immediately knows that it is the result of a false detection, the trouble of displaying the non-standard paper size input screen on the operation panel P is reduced. It can be omitted.

  When it is determined in S4a that the switching unit has been operated and an irregular size has been input, the operation panel P notifies that the fence is required to be reset (S5). If it is determined in S4a that no custom size has been input, it is determined in S4b whether a standard size has been selected. When the standard size is selected, the vertical and horizontal paper setting directions (referred to as information C as the first information) are determined from the detected paper size (information A) in S2 in S9 and S10. The determination result is held in, for example, the NV-RAM 111 of the control unit 102 in FIG. If the standard size is not selected in S4b, the process proceeds to S20 described later.

  If it is determined in S3 that it is a non-standard size, a non-standard size input screen is displayed (S6), and at the same time, a switching unit for switching to a standard size selection screen is displayed. As a result, even if the size input screen for the custom paper is displayed, if the user sees it and immediately knows that it is the result of a false detection, the trouble of displaying the standard paper size selection screen on the operation panel P is reduced. It can be omitted.

  In S7, when it is determined that the standard size has been selected by operating the switching unit, the operation panel P notifies that the fence is requested to be reset (S8). When there is no switching, in S9, the vertical / horizontal paper setting direction (referred to as information D as the second information) is determined from the size (referred to as information B) input in S6. The determination result is held in, for example, the NV-RAM 111 of the control unit 102 in FIG.

  After that, it is determined whether or not the information C as a result of the determination is obtained (S12). If not, whether or not the paper is actually set in the direction of the paper setting of the information D is determined. It is notified that confirmation of whether or not is requested (S13).

  If the information C is obtained as a result of the determination in S10, it is determined in S14 whether the information C and D (first information and second information) match. If the information C and D do not match, it is notified that there is no input error or that confirmation is required to confirm whether the side fence is set at the correct position (S15).

  In addition, before and after S14, control for comparing information A and information B and determining whether or not both match with a predetermined tolerance may be added. As a result, the consistency between the automatically detected paper size and the manually input paper size can be confirmed before paper feeding, and jamming and printing defects can be prevented.

  When the information A and the information B match with a predetermined tolerance, the job is executed or the paper setting is finished. When the information A and the information B do not match or cannot be collated, whether the manual input size is correct or the paper is set. Notify that it is necessary to confirm the correctness of By the notification from the machine, the user confirms whether there is an erroneous input, the paper setting direction, the fence setting position, etc. before passing the paper. Can be prevented.

  Subsequently, in S16, an input size, an irregular size input screen, and a regular size selection screen are displayed on the operation panel P. This enables resetting of the setting in the middle of paper setting, and can improve the convenience for the user. Subsequently, it is determined whether the displayed input size has been input again or the fence has been reset (S17). If the fence has been reset, the process proceeds to S19 described later. If there is a re-input, it is determined in S18 whether the input size has been confirmed or reset, and if it is confirmed, the process proceeds to S19 described later.

  If the information C and D match, it is determined whether B falls within the allowable range of A (S19). When it is determined that B falls within the allowable range of A, a copy / print mode selection screen is displayed as shown in FIG. 10A, or a mode selection screen as shown in FIG. A paper type / paper thickness selection screen is displayed simultaneously (S20). On this screen, the paper type and paper thickness are set. Thereafter, a paper setting confirmation screen is displayed (S21), and it is finally confirmed whether the paper setting matches the actually set paper. Thereby, an erroneous setting can be prevented.

  Subsequently, it is determined whether or not there is an input correction (S22). If there is a correction, an irregular size input screen and a fixed size selection screen are displayed (S23). If there is no correction, the paper setting ends. .

  If it is determined in S19 that B does not fall within the allowable range of A, it is notified that there is no input error and whether the side fence is set at the correct position (S24). Subsequently, an input size, an irregular size input screen, and a regular size selection screen are displayed (S25). This enables resetting of the setting in the middle of paper setting, and can improve the convenience for the user.

  Subsequently, in S26, it is determined whether the displayed input size has been input again or the fence has been reset. If the fence has been reset, the process proceeds to S20 described above. If there is a re-input, it is determined in S27 whether the input size has been confirmed or reset. If it has been “confirmed” and if it has been reset, the process proceeds to S20 described above.

  FIG. 9 shows control examples 4, 8, and 9. When paper is placed in a tray serving as a paper feed unit (S28), an irregular size input screen and a regular size selection screen are automatically displayed (S29). This saves the user from having to manually input or manually select the paper size when the paper size detection unit of the machine cannot detect the paper size (particularly the irregular paper size).

  Next, a copy / print mode selection screen is displayed as shown in FIG. 10A, or a mode selection screen and a paper type / paper thickness selection screen are displayed simultaneously as shown in FIG. 10B. (S30). On this screen, the paper type and paper thickness are set. Thereafter, a paper setting confirmation screen is displayed (S31), and it is finally confirmed whether or not the paper setting matches the actually set paper. Thereby, an erroneous setting can be prevented.

  Subsequently, it is determined whether there is an input correction (S32). If there is a correction, an irregular size input screen and a fixed size selection screen are displayed (S33). If there is no correction, the setting is completed.

  FIG. 10 shows an example of a paper size input screen. FIG. 8A shows a screen for inputting standard and non-standard paper sizes. FIG. 8B allows selection of paper types such as plain paper, thick paper, thin paper, coated paper, and OHP in addition to the standard and non-standard paper sizes. Since the paper type and paper thickness are not automatically detected, it is necessary for the user to manually set the paper type / thickness other than plain paper.

  It is easy to forget to set the paper type and paper thickness. Since the non-standard paper is often a special paper, it is possible to prevent the user from forgetting to set the paper type and paper thickness by displaying the paper type and paper thickness setting screen together with the paper size selection on the operation screen.

  If the paper size has already been determined to be indefinite on the upstream side of the flowchart, as shown in FIG. 8 (B), the automatic and regular forms (A3 landscape, B4 landscape, A4 landscape, A4 (Vertical) may be grayed out so that the user cannot select automatic or fixed form. Thereby, the possibility of erroneous input can be reduced.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims. For example, the control examples 1-9 described above are examples, and these control examples can be used in appropriate combination.

4 Operation Input Device 4a Touch Panel 4b Keyboard 10 Image Forming Device Main Body 12 Charging Device 12 Control Example 13 Developing Device 13 Rear Developing Device 14 Transfer / Conveying Device 15 Cleaning Device 17 Fixing Device 23 Paper Feed Cassette 28 Manual Tray 28a Paper Feed Subunit 28b Main tray section 28c Extension tray section 28d Side fence 34 Paper feed roller 35 Transport roller 36 Timing roller pair 37 Paper feed roller 38 Paper feed roller 52 End fence 53 Paper bundle 54 Side fence 100 Image forming section 102 Control section 103 Host 115 Network 200 Image reading device P Operation panel

JP-A-10-109762 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-210212 Japanese Patent No. 4669815

Claims (9)

An image forming unit that forms an image on paper, a paper feeding unit that supplies paper to the image forming unit, a paper size detecting unit that detects the size of the paper set in the paper feeding unit, and an image forming unit A control unit that controls image formation on a sheet based on a predetermined sheet setting; and an operation panel for a user to input an instruction to the control unit;
The control unit determines a setting direction of a sheet set in the sheet feeding unit based on a detection result of the sheet size detection unit, holds the determination result as first information, and is set in the sheet feeding unit. When the paper size is manually input through the operation panel, the setting direction of the paper is determined based on the manually input size, and the determination result is held as second information. 2 information is collated ,
If the verification result does not match or cannot be verified,
The user is notified that the manual input size is correct or the paper setting direction is to be confirmed , and the input size of the input paper size, the size of the irregular paper is displayed on the operation panel, and Display the standard paper size selection screen,
When the user re-enters the paper size through the operation panel, execute the job or finish the paper setting,
When the user resets the paper, he / she displays the input size of the reset and asks for confirmation of the correctness of the size, and displays the size input screen of the non-standard paper and the size selection screen of the standard paper An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the collation result matches, the control unit executes a job or ends paper setting. 3. The image formation according to claim 1, wherein, in the collation of the first information and the second information by the control unit, it is determined whether or not the first information and the second information match with a predetermined tolerance. apparatus. Based on the detection result of the paper size detection unit, the control unit determines whether the set paper is a standard size or an irregular size. display, when determining that the custom size, the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that so as to display the size input screen irregular sheet on the operation panel.   When the size selection screen for the standard paper is provided with a switching unit for switching to the size input screen for the non-standard paper, the size selection screen for the standard paper is switched to the size input screen for the non-standard paper by the operation of the switching unit by the user. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control unit notifies that it is necessary to check a paper set state of the paper feeding unit.   When the non-standard paper size input screen is provided with a switching section for switching to the standard paper size selection screen, and the user operates the switching section to switch the non-standard paper size input screen to the standard paper size selection screen. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control unit notifies that it is necessary to check a paper set state of the paper feeding unit. When the paper is set in the paper feeding unit, the control unit displays on the operation panel a selection unit for selecting whether to display a standard paper size selection screen or a non-standard paper size input screen. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus.   2. The control unit displays a paper type / paper thickness setting screen on the operation panel together with a paper size setting screen or following a paper size setting screen. 7. The image forming apparatus according to any one of 7 to 7.   When the control unit displays an input content on the operation panel after the paper size setting screen and prompts the user to confirm whether the input content is correct or not, and whether the correction is present is selected by the user 9. An image according to claim 1, wherein a selection screen capable of selecting any one of a size input screen for a non-standard paper, a size selection screen for a standard paper, and automatic size detection is displayed. Forming equipment.