JPH01187577A - Exposure lighting device for copying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten a waiting time for the preliminary heating of a filament and to prolong the life of a fluorescent lamp by providing a preliminary heating means for the fluorescent lamp and stopping the action of the preliminary means at specified time after completing copying actions. CONSTITUTION:A microcomputer 26 in a fluorescent lamp control part 25 receives a control signal from a main body control part 20 and controls the action of a regulator 27. After completing the copying actions, it makes the fluorescent lamp 2 preliminary heated and stops the preliminary heating at specified time after completing the copying actions. Thus, the copying action can be swiftly started without the waiting time for preliminary heating when copying is performed again before much time does not pass after completing copying. And continuous preliminary heating for a long time is prevented and the deterioration of the filament of the fluorescent lamp is removed, so that the life of the fluorescent lamp can be prolonged.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an exposure illumination device for a copying machine that uses a fluorescent lamp as an exposure light source.

(Prior Art) In a copying machine using a fluorescent lamp as the exposure light source, a high frequency lighting device is generally used as the lighting means, and a method is adopted in which the light is adjusted by varying the duty. In that case, when lighting, it is necessary to preheat the filament and raise its temperature to a certain extent, and then apply a high frequency to start lighting. Normally, this preheating time is required to be at least 3 seconds or more, and therefore the waiting time from when a copy start input is input until the copying operation is started becomes long.

Therefore, conventionally, in order to shorten the waiting time due to preheating,
As disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5C-47476, a method has been taken in which preheating is performed continuously even when the fluorescent lamp is not lit, other than during the copying operation.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the conventional example described above, there was a problem in that the filament of the fluorescent lamp deteriorated due to continuous preheating, and the life of the fluorescent lamp was shortened.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, reduces the waiting time for preheating the filament unless copying is done for a long time, and also purifies fluorescent lamps by suppressing deterioration of the filament. An object of the present invention is to provide an exposure illumination device for a copying machine.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a copying machine that uses a fluorescent lamp as an exposure light source, and includes a preheating means for preheating the fluorescent lamp after the copying operation is completed. The preheating means is characterized in that the operation of the preheating means is stopped after a predetermined period of time has passed after the completion of the heating.

(Function) Since the present invention has the above configuration, the filament of the fluorescent lamp is preheated for a predetermined period of time even after the copying operation is completed. Copying operations can be started immediately without any time. On the other hand, preheating is stopped after a predetermined period of time has passed, so if you continue preheating even though you are not making copies for a long time,
There is no deterioration of the filament of the fluorescent lamp, and the lifespan of the fluorescent lamp can be extended.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

In FIG. 2, 1 is an original table made of glass or the like on which an original M is placed, 2 is a fluorescent lamp as an exposure light source, 3 is a slit, 4 is an imaging lens, and 5a to 5d are first to fourth mirrors. It is. With these, the document M on the document table 1 is moved under the fluorescent light 2.
The image light that has passed through the slit 3 is sent to the imaging lens 4.
An imaging optical system is configured to project the image onto the photosensitive drum 6 via the first to fourth mirrors 5a to 5d.

The fluorescent lamp 2, slit 3 and first mirror 5a are DC
The second and third mirrors 5b and 5c are attached to a first moving table S1 driven by a motor (not shown) at a speed of 1, and are configured to move to the left in the figure to scan the document M. , a second moving table S2 moves to the left in the figure by the same DC motor at a speed V/2 that is half the moving speed of the first moving table S1.
and is configured to maintain a constant imaging optical path length by the imaging optical system I, and these first and second movable stages S1
, S2 constitute a scanning device s.

By scanning the document M with this scanning device S, the photosensitive drum 6 is rotated at a constant speed in the counterclockwise direction in the figure by a motor (not shown in the figure -3 = not shown) that is separate from the scanning device S. An electrostatic latent image corresponding to the document M is formed.

Around the photosensitive drum 6, there is a charging device 7 that uniformly charges the surface of the drum 6, and a developing device that attaches toner to the electrostatic latent image formed by the image projected by the image forming device I and visualizes it. 8. A transfer device 9 that transfers the toner image onto the recording paper P;
A separation device 10 that separates the recording paper P after the toner image transfer from the photoreceptor drum 6, a cleaning device 11 that removes excess toner adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor drum 6 after the toner image transfer, and a photoreceptor after the toner image transfer. A main eraser 12 and the like for erasing charges on the body drum 6 are provided.

On the other hand, the recording paper P is stored in the paper feed cassette 13,
The arrangement is such that the sheets are taken out one by one by a pickup roller 14 and sent to the transfer device 9 in accordance with a recording signal.

The recording paper P, onto which the toner image has been transferred by the transfer device 9 and separated from the photoreceptor drum 6 by the separation device 10, is transferred to the conveyor belt 15.
The toner image is sent to the fixing device 16, where the toner forming the transferred toner image is heated and melted and fixed. The fixed recording paper P is configured to be discharged onto a tray 18 outside the copying machine body B by a pair of paper discharge rollers 17.

Next, a schematic configuration of the periphery of a control device that controls the operation of the copying machine will be explained with reference to FIG.

20 is a main body control section, which includes a main switch 21, a print key 22, a copy density setting key 23, and a copy condition setting key 2.
Scanning device S1 photosensitive drum 6 based on input from 4 etc.
The apparatus is configured to control the operations of the peripheral devices 7 to 12, the fixing device 16, and the like.

Further, a fluorescent lamp control section 25 is provided which controls the operation of the fluorescent lamp 2 for illuminating the document M by transmitting and receiving signals to and from the main body control section 20 . In this fluorescent lamp control unit 25, a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as MCU) constitutes the main part.
) 26 receives a control signal from the main body control unit 20 and controls the operation of the regulator 27 for the fluorescent lamp 2, thereby controlling the electric power applied to the fluorescent lamp 2. Further, the regulator 27 also performs preheating control of the filament of the fluorescent lamp 2.

Further, a photosensor 28 that receives the light from the fluorescent lamp 2 is provided, and the output from this photosensor 28 is digitally converted by an A/D conversion circuit 29 and inputted to the MCU 26, while the copy density setting key 23 is used to set the density. A signal corresponding to the set copy density is inputted from the main body control section 20, the detected light intensity signal is compared with a predetermined light intensity signal giving the set copy density, and a control signal is sent to the regulator 27. Output. In this way, copy density setting key 2
fluorescent lamp 2 to give the copy density set by 3.
The operation of the regulator 27 is configured to be feedback-controlled.

Next, the operation of the fluorescent lamp control section 25 and the main body control section related thereto will be explained based on the chart 70 shown in FIG.

When the MC026 starts operating by turning on the main switch, first, in step #1, initial settings are made for each parameter, etc. 1, and in the next step #2, preheating of the filament of the fluorescent lamp 2 is started, and the preheating time is controlled at the same time. Set the preheat timer (3 seconds or more). Next, wait for the preheating timer to count up in step #3, move on to step #4, and turn on the fluorescent lamp 2 at full power (with the duty set to 1).
Lighting state with maximum power applied to fluorescent lamps at 00%! L, the tube wall temperature rises due to self-heating, and the rise time of the light amount is shortened.

In the next step #5, the copy density is input using the copy density setting key 23, the voltage level of the light intensity corresponding to this is calculated, and in the next step #6, the detected light input from the optical sensor 28 is It is D-converted and input to the MCU 26, and in step #7 it is compared with the voltage level calculated in step #5. If the target level has not been reached, the process returns to step #6 and the same process is performed. When the target level is reached, a copy enable signal is output in the next step #8.

In step #9, it is determined whether a copy start input has been made, and if there has been an input, the process moves to step #10 for copy control. During this copy control, feedback control is performed so that the detected light input corresponds to the set density as described above.

On the other hand, if there is no copy start input in step #9, the process moves to step #11 and the fluorescent lamp 2 is turned off. Next step #1
In step 2, it is determined whether a predetermined period of time (for example, 10 minutes) has elapsed after the end of the copying operation, and if it has not elapsed,
In step #15, preheating is continued to be turned on, or if it is off, it is turned on. Next, in step 16, it is determined whether or not a copy start input has been made. If there is no input, the process returns to step #12, and the process continues. Repeat the steps, and if there is an input, turn on the fluorescent light in step #17,
Proceed to step #10.

As determined in step #12, when the predetermined time has elapsed,
Proceeding to step #13, it is determined from the signal sent from the main body control section 20 whether or not the power saving mode is in effect. here,
Power saving mode means that when the main switch 21 is on and no copy start input is made for a certain period of time (for example, 5 minutes), the temperature adjustment level of the fixing device 16 is automatically set lower than the level during copying. This mode maintains a low temperature and reduces power consumption. In power saving mode,
In step #14, the preheating is turned off, the process returns to step #12, and steps #12 to #14 are cycled and the process waits with the preheating turned off until it is determined in step #13 to cancel the power saving mode.

If it is not the power saving mode as determined in step #13, the process moves to step #15 to turn on preheating, and continues in step #15 until a copy start input is input as determined in step #16.
Repeat the steps back to and wait. When a copy start input is received, the process moves to step #17, where the fluorescent lamp is turned on and copy control is performed as described above.

Note that the predetermined time in step #12 is
In order to set the time to be shorter than the time required to enter the power saving mode in step #13, the steps before and after steps #12 and #13 may be switched. Moreover, when setting the same time, step #12 may be omitted.

If controlled as described above, since preheating is performed continuously during standby, there is no delay time from preheating on to lighting, and the lighting can be performed immediately, so the copying operation can be started without waiting time after the copy start input is made. .

Furthermore, since preheating is turned off after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, it is possible to purify the length of the filament of the fluorescent lamp.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, preheating is performed continuously even when the fluorescent lamp is on, so preheating is continued even when the fluorescent lamp is turned off and then immediately turned on again. Can be lit instantly.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the exposure illumination device for a copying machine of the present invention, the filament of the fluorescent lamp is preheated for a predetermined period of time even after the copying operation is completed as described above. When copying, the copying operation can be started immediately without waiting time for preheating. - On the other hand, since preheating is stopped after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the life of the fluorescent lamp can be extended without causing deterioration of the filament of the fluorescent lamp by continuing preheating for a long period of time without copying. It has great effects, such as being able to.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 3 show one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a control device, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a copying machine, and FIG. 3 is a control 70- It is a chart. 2...Fluorescent lamp 20...Main control unit 25...Fluorescent lamp control unit 27...Regulator substitute People Patent Attorney Masaru Ishihara

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a copying machine that uses a fluorescent lamp as an exposure light source, a preheating means is provided to preheat the fluorescent lamp after the end of the copying operation, and the operation of the preheating means is stopped after a predetermined time has elapsed after the end of the copying operation. An exposure illumination device for a copying machine, characterized in that it is configured as follows.