JPH01226092A - Counter with count value transmitting function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To transmit a count value at an optional point of time to a main equipment by providing a counting mechanism in a counter with a means for generating an electric signal corresponding to a mechanical position of the main equipment, converting the count value of the counter into an electric signal and transmitting the electric signal to the main equipment. CONSTITUTION:The figure shows a display part of the counter C having a function capable of displaying a decimal number consisting of several digits. When a count signal such as the number of copying sheets is applied from the main equipment M such as a copying machine, the least significant digit is counted up only by one digit. When a count signal is applied in the display state of '9', the display is turned to '0' and the succeeding high-order digit is counted by one digit. A count signal is applied to a conductive common terminal 2 and the signal is sent to respective conductive terminals 4a formed on a fixed plate 4 through a contact 3 in accordance with mechanical displacement due to the rotation of a numeral wheel 1. Signals corresponding to respective numerals are similarly applied to the numeral wheels of respective digits and a prescribed electric signal corresponding to the count display value is transmitted to the main equipment M. Since the means for transmitting the count value of the counter C to the main equipment is formed, the main equipment can control various counting operations.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a counting machine with a count value transmission function, in particular, to a counting machine with a counting value transmission function, and in particular, to a counting machine for counting the number of copies of a copying machine, etc. , relates to a counter that has a transmission function to the main device.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, this type of counting machine (hereinafter referred to as a counter) that generates a count signal such as a copy signal from a main device such as a copying machine and counts the number of copies, etc. It had a configuration in which the count value was advanced by one step, and the signal was unidirectional. Alternatively, the counter is configured to generate a predetermined signal to the main device when the count value of the counter reaches a certain set value.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the conventional configuration as described above, a predetermined signal is generated at the same count value as the value set in advance in the counter, and the count at any point in time is Values could not be transmitted to the main equipment.

Furthermore, there was no means to check whether the counter was counting normally.

The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art as described above, and aims to provide a counter of this type that can transmit a count value at any point in time to a main device.

(Means for Solving the Three Problems) Therefore, in the present invention, by providing a step mechanism in the counter with a means for generating an electrical signal corresponding to the mechanical position of the main equipment, the counter's timer can be adjusted. The objective is to be achieved by converting numerical values into electrical signals and configuring them to be transmitted to the main equipment.

(Example) The present invention will be explained below based on examples.

FIG. 1 shows the basic configuration of the counter according to the present invention, FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are perspective views of the number wheels and schematic diagrams showing connections to the main equipment, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view of the display section of the counter shown in FIG. 1;

(48 configurations) In FIGS. 1 to 3, M indicates a main device such as a copying machine, and C indicates a counter for counting a count signal such as the number of copies. 1 is a number wheel of the counter C, 2 is a conductive common terminal, 3 is a switch contact, and 4 is a signal detection fixing plate having conductive terminals 4a for each number.

(Operation) Figure 3 shows a counter C that has a function to display several decimal digits.
The display section is shown. By applying a count signal, such as the number of copies, from a main device M such as a copying machine, the lowest digit (the rightmost number wheel in FIG. 3) is incremented by -. When a counting signal is applied while the number 9 is displayed, the display becomes O, and the next higher digit (adjacent number wheel on the left side) is configured to advance by -. Here, the number wheel 1 of each digit has the structure shown in FIG. 2(a). In the figure, a counting signal is applied to the conductive common terminal 2, and a count signal is applied to each conductive terminal provided on the fixed plate 4 via the contact 3 (see Figure 1) in response to mechanical displacement due to rotation of the number wheel 1. A signal is sent to 4a. A signal corresponding to each digit is similarly obtained from the number wheel 1 of each digit, and a predetermined electrical signal corresponding to the count display value is transmitted to the main device M.

(Effects) As described above, it is possible to transmit an electrical signal according to the count value at any point in time to the main equipment, and it is also possible to check each step on the counter, so that the count is operating normally. You can self-diagnose whether or not it is present.

(Second Embodiment) In FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), as a second embodiment, when converting the counted value into an electrical signal in the counter C, the signal detection fixing plate 4 is configured with four pieces. , which has four outputs and shows the configuration of the number wheel 1 and its connection with the main equipment M for replacing it with a 4-bit BCD (Binary Coded Decimal) signal. By providing four rows of contacts that contact the common terminal 2 in parallel, an electrical signal can be extracted as a 4-bit code.

(Third Embodiment) FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) further show, as a third embodiment, that electrical signals are transmitted as analog data to the main equipment M having an analog-to-digital conversion function by the resistance method. A perspective view of the number wheel of an embodiment configured to transmit data and a schematic diagram of the connection to the main equipment, in which 5 indicates a resistor body having even center taps 5a, and R indicates each resistor.

The second above. It goes without saying that the third embodiment also provides the same effects as the first embodiment.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, by providing means for transmitting the count value of the counter to the main device, it becomes possible to manage various counts in the main device.

Further, it is possible to check the normal operation of the counter in the main device as a self-diagnosis based on the count signal sent to the counter and the display value signal from the counter.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the configuration of a counter base according to the present invention;
2(a) and 2(b) are perspective views of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and schematic diagrams showing connections to the main equipment, and FIG. 3 is a front view of the display section of the counter shown in FIG. 1. , FIGS. 4(a) and (b) are perspective views of the number wheels of the second embodiment and schematic diagrams of connections to the main equipment, and FIGS. 5(a) and (b) are the number wheels of the third embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main device and a schematic diagram of the connection to the main equipment. In the figure, M is the main device, C is a counter, l is a number wheel, 2 is a conductive common terminal, 3 is a switch contact, and 4 is a signal detection fixing plate.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A counter that is attached to a main device and that advances one step based on a counting signal from the main device is provided with means for converting the displayed value of the counter into an electrical signal and transmitting it to the main device. A counting machine with a count value transmission function. (2) The device is configured to enable self-diagnosis of its normal operation by confirming that the displayed value of the counter has been advanced by one step with respect to the counting signal. A counting machine with a count value transmission function as described in item 1.