JP7194329B2 - image forming device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

In one system, diagnostic information is sent to a computer system by a self-diagnostic function of the customer's IT environment, and when a failure occurs, a maintenance schedule for the customer's IT environment is set based on the diagnostic information. 1).

JP-A-2003-58618

In the system described above, when a failure occurs, the past operation status can be checked on the service side based on diagnostic information, but the failure occurs in images actually printed by image forming devices such as printers and MFPs. It is difficult to identify the cause of failure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that makes it easy to identify the cause of a failure when it occurs.

An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an apparatus main body that has a print function and outputs a sheet on which an image is printed, and an escape tray that serves as a discharge destination for a jammed sheet. Then, when a predetermined failure occurs, the apparatus main body prints a specific inspection pattern on a sheet, and discharges the sheet on which the inspection pattern is printed to the escape tray. Further, it has any one of the following configurations (A), (B) and (C). (A) When the predetermined failure occurs, the device main body photographs the user with a photographing device, generates a photographed image, prints the photographed image on a sheet, and prints the sheet on which the photographed image is printed. Eject to escape tray. (B) further comprising an openable and closable cover that restricts physical access to the escape tray, and a lock mechanism for the cover, wherein the device main body can be locked by the lock mechanism when the predetermined failure occurs. Prohibit opening the cover. (C) When the sheet on which the inspection pattern is printed is discharged to the escape tray, the apparatus body notifies a predetermined destination that the sheet on which the inspection pattern is printed has been discharged to the escape tray. Notice.

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an image forming apparatus that makes it easy to identify the cause of a failure when it occurs.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing configurations of the apparatus main body 1 and the bridge unit 2 of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. The image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is a multifunction machine, a printer, or the like, and includes an apparatus main body 1, a bridge unit 2, and a finisher 3. The image forming apparatus shown in FIG.

The device main body 1 has a print function and outputs a sheet (print paper, etc.) on which an image is printed. Specifically, the apparatus main body 1 prints an image (a photographic image, a character image, etc.) on a sheet such as printing paper by a predetermined printing method (inkjet method, electrophotographic method, etc.), and prints the printed image. A sheet is output to the finisher 3 via the discharge tray of the apparatus main body 1 or the bridge unit 2 . The finisher 3 is an optional device that performs predetermined post-processing (sorting, punching, etc.) on sheets output from the apparatus main body 1 . A bridge unit 2 is an optional device provided between the apparatus main body 1 and the finisher 3 .

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing configurations of the apparatus main body 1 and the bridge unit 2 of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. In FIG. 2 , the apparatus main body 1 includes an image forming section 11 , a main body transport path 12 , a bridge transport path 13 , a controller 14 , an imaging device 15 , an operation panel 16 and a communication device 17 .

The image forming unit 11 prints an image by a predetermined printing method on a sheet fed and conveyed from a paper feed cassette.

The main body transport path 12 is a transport path for transporting the sheet output from the image forming section 11 to the discharge tray of the apparatus main body 1 .

The bridge conveying path 13 is a conveying path for conveying the sheet output from the image forming section 11 to the bridge unit 2 .

The branching device 13 a sets one of the main transport path 12 and the bridge transport path 13 as the transport destination of the sheet transported from the image forming section 11 according to the control signal from the controller 14 .

The controller 14 is an internal device that controls the device main body 1 , bridge unit 2 and finisher 3 . The controller 14 includes an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a microcomputer that executes a predetermined program, and the like.

The controller 14 receives a job request from the host device via the communication device 17 or from the operation panel 16, and uses the device main body 1, the bridge unit 2, and the finisher 3 to use the print conditions (print settings, images to be printed, etc.). When executing a job, the controller 14 generates print data by executing various types of image processing on image data of an image to be printed, and controls the image forming section 11 according to the print data to print onto a sheet. Print the image.

In particular, when a predetermined failure occurs during job execution (here, a failure that requires adjustment of the image forming process by a service person), the controller 14 of the apparatus main body 1 prints a specific inspection pattern on the sheet, and A sheet on which an inspection pattern is printed is discharged to an escape tray 23. - 特許庁In this embodiment, in order to eject the printed sheet to the escape tray 23, the controller 14 controls the branch devices 13a and 22a to set the transport path so that the sheet is transported to the escape tray 23. do.

The occurrence of the predetermined failure may be detected based on the user's operation on the operation panel 16, or may be automatically detected by a sensor or the like.

Note that the controller 14 collects the state information of the apparatus main body 1, prints the state information on a sheet, and discharges the sheet on which the state information is printed to the escape tray 23 when the above-described predetermined failure occurs. You may do so.

In this embodiment, the controller 14 of the apparatus main body 1 controls the branching device 13a of the apparatus main body 1 and the branching device 22a of the bridge unit 2 to transfer the sheet printed with the inspection pattern from the bridge conveying paths 13 and 21. It is advanced to the escape conveying path 22 and discharged to the escape tray 23. - 特許庁

The inspection pattern is a pattern image for inspecting gradation characteristics, density characteristics, color deviation, etc. of each color, and is a pattern image used for calibration of gradation characteristics, density characteristics, color deviation, etc., for example. .

The photographing device 15 is a device that photographs a user operating the operation panel 16 and outputs the photographed image.

When a predetermined failure occurs, the controller 14 photographs the user with the photographing device 15 to generate a photographed image, prints the photographed image on a sheet, and discharges the sheet on which the photographed image is printed to the escape tray 23. You may make it

The operation panel 16 is provided on the surface of the housing of the apparatus main body 1, and includes an input device such as a touch panel and hard keys, and a display device such as a display panel and an indicator.

The communication device 17 is an internal device that performs data communication via a computer network or the like.

When the sheet on which the inspection pattern is printed is discharged to the escape tray 23, the controller 14 uses the communication device 17 to notify that the sheet on which the inspection pattern is printed is discharged to the escape tray 23 by sending a message to a predetermined destination. (Administrator's e-mail address, etc.) may be notified by e-mail or the like.

2, the bridge unit 2 includes a bridge transport path 21, an escape transport path 22, a branching device 22a, an escape tray 23, a sensor 24, a cover 25, and a lock mechanism 25a.

A bridge transport path 21 is a transport path for transporting sheets from the apparatus main body 1 to the finisher 3 .

The escape transport path 22 is a transport path branched from the bridge transport path 21 and extending to the escape tray 23 .

The branching device 22 a sets one of the bridge conveying path 21 and the escape conveying path 22 as the conveying destination of the sheet conveyed from the apparatus main body 1 according to the control signal from the controller 14 .

The escape tray 23 is a tray to which jammed sheets stopped due to a jam on the transport path are discharged, and is arranged inside the housing of the bridge unit 2 .

A sensor 24 is a sensor that detects that a sheet has been added to the escape tray 23 . The sensor 24 is, for example, an optical sensor such as a photointerrupter.

Cover 25 is an openable and closable cover that restricts physical access to escape tray 23 . The locking mechanism 25a is a locking mechanism for the cover 25, such as an electronic lock. The lock mechanism 25a locks the cover 25 in the closed state.

The controller 14 of the apparatus main body 1 may control the lock mechanism 25a to prohibit the user from opening the cover 25 with the lock mechanism 25a when the above-described predetermined failure occurs. In that case, the controller 14 unlocks the cover 25 by the lock mechanism 25a when a predetermined password is input to the operation panel 16 by, for example, a service person.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus will be described.

In the apparatus main body 1 , when the controller 14 detects that a predetermined failure has occurred during job execution, the controller 14 controls the branch devices 13 a and 22 a to transport the sheet output from the image forming section 11 to the escape tray 23 . , and causes the image forming unit 11 to print an image of a specific inspection pattern on a sheet. The sheet is conveyed along the conveying path set as described above and discharged to the escape tray 23 .

For example, at the time of failure recovery, the service person takes out the inspection pattern sheet discharged to the escape tray 23, identifies the cause of the failure based on the printing status of the inspection pattern, and performs adjustment work to eliminate the cause. etc. By doing so, even if the failure does not always occur with a specific setting (that is, even if the failure is not very reproducible), the image forming process state of the apparatus main body 1 when the failure occurs is A service person identifies the problem from the printed inspection pattern (for example, a patch image for calibration), and promptly removes the cause.

As described above, according to the above embodiment, the apparatus main body 1 has a print function and outputs a sheet on which an image is printed. The escape tray 23 serves as a jam sheet discharge destination. Then, when a predetermined failure occurs, the apparatus main body 1 prints a specific inspection pattern on the sheet, and discharges the sheet on which the inspection pattern is printed to the escape tray 23 .

As a result, the service person can identify the state of the image forming process when the failure occurs from the printed inspection pattern, so that when the failure occurs, the cause of the failure can be easily identified.

Various changes and modifications to the above-described embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of its subject matter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the claims.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the controller 14 stores the size of the sheet discharged to the escape tray 23 when a jam occurs, and prints the above inspection pattern on the sheet having the size of the sheet when the jam occurs. may use different (eg, larger) size sheets. This makes it easier to distinguish the inspection pattern sheet from the sheet ejected due to the jam in the escape tray 23 .

Further, in the above-described embodiment, when the inspection pattern sheet is discharged to the escape tray 23, the controller 14 keeps the inspection pattern sheet discharged to the escape tray 23 until a release operation is performed by the service person. A message may be displayed on the operation panel 16 continuously.

The present invention is applicable to, for example, an image forming apparatus.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 apparatus main body 2 bridge unit 3 finisher 23 escape tray 25 cover 25a lock mechanism

Claims (3)

a device main body that has a print function and outputs a sheet on which an image is printed;
Equipped with an escape tray to which the jam sheet is discharged,
The device main body prints a specific inspection pattern on a sheet when a predetermined failure occurs, and discharges the sheet on which the inspection pattern is printed to the escape tray,
When the predetermined obstacle occurs, the device main body photographs the user with a photographing device to generate a photographed image, prints the photographed image on a sheet, and places the sheet on which the photographed image is printed on the escape tray. to discharge,
An image forming apparatus characterized by: a device main body that has a print function and outputs a sheet on which an image is printed;
an escape tray to which jammed sheets are to be discharged;
an openable and closable cover that limits physical access to the escape tray;
and a lock mechanism for the cover,
The device main body prints a specific inspection pattern on a sheet when a predetermined failure occurs, and discharges the sheet on which the inspection pattern is printed to the escape tray,
wherein the device main body prohibits the cover from being opened by the lock mechanism when the predetermined failure occurs;
An image forming apparatus characterized by: a device main body that has a print function and outputs a sheet on which an image is printed;
Equipped with an escape tray to which the jam sheet is discharged,
The device main body prints a specific inspection pattern on a sheet when a predetermined failure occurs, and discharges the sheet on which the inspection pattern is printed to the escape tray,
When the sheet printed with the inspection pattern is discharged to the escape tray, the apparatus body notifies a predetermined destination that the sheet printed with the inspection pattern has been discharged to the escape tray. An image forming apparatus characterized by:

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