JPH0152752B2 - - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To operate copying without anxiety, by judging a time necessary for making a sheet of copy by its copy size, and displaying this copying time. CONSTITUTION:A time necessary for making one sheet of copy of each size is stored in a memory attached to a computing circuit 1. A number of copies set or a number N of copies not yet made during copying is fed to the circuit 1, and a time T necessary for completing the copying operation is computed. The number N of copies is fed from a subtraction type counter. The time T is digitally displayed on a display device 3 consisting of a decoder circuit and a driver circuit, and using 7 segment light emitting diodes, thus copying to be operated without anxiety.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a copying machine capable of displaying copying time.

The display of conventional copying machines only displays the number of copies set, the number of copied copies, or the number of remaining copies, and the user can only imagine how long it will take to finish copying.

Therefore, people who are not familiar with the copying machine they use cannot estimate how long it will take to complete a copy, and are unable to leave the copying machine even if they can do other work while copying. There was an inconvenience.

This invention was made in order to solve this inconvenience.Before starting copying, the copying time required to complete copying for the set number of copies is reduced, and after copying is started, the copying time for the remaining number of copies is reduced. The object of the present invention is to provide a copying machine that can display each of the following.

Therefore, the present invention provides a copying machine equipped with a copy number setting means for setting the number of copies, a copy size selection means for selecting a copy size, and a copy start instruction means for instructing to start copying. (d) is provided.

(b) unit copy time storage means for storing the copying time per sheet for each copy size; (b) after starting copying according to the instruction from the copy start instruction means, the time set by the copy number setting means; a subtraction means for calculating the remaining number of copies by subtracting the number of copies from the number of copies; (c) before copying starts, copying is performed according to the instruction from the copy start instruction means for the number of copies set by the copy number setting means; After starting, the number of copies per sheet is calculated for the remaining number of copies calculated by the subtraction means, and the copy size selected by the copy size selection means stored in the unit copy time storage means is calculated. Copy time calculation means for calculating the copy time required to complete copying using time; (d) Copy time display means for displaying the copy time calculated by the copy time calculation means; see attached drawings below. Examples of the present invention will now be described.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main parts of an embodiment of the present invention, which includes an arithmetic circuit 1, a display drive circuit 2, and a display 3. As shown in FIG.

The arithmetic circuit 1 calculates T=t×N based on the set number of copies before starting copying, and the number N of remaining copies during copying and the time t required to copy one copy after starting copying. perform calculations,
Calculate the time T required to complete the copy.

The number of copies set is input using the signal from the copy counter. If the copy counter is a subtraction type counter, the signal from the copy counter can be used as is for the remaining number of copies, but if it is an addition type counter, the number of copies is input. The remaining number of sheets can be known by the subtraction means that inputs and subtracts from the set number of sheets.

The copying time per sheet differs depending on the copy size (paper size), so check the copying time for each size in advance.
The copy time per sheet is stored in the arithmetic circuit 1 or the memory as a unit copy time storage means attached thereto, and the copy size selected by the copy size selection means is input to copy one sheet. Determine how much time you need.

The display drive circuit 2 includes a decoder circuit and a driver circuit for displaying on the display 3 the time required to complete copying (hereinafter referred to as "copy time") calculated by the arithmetic circuit 1.

Display unit 3 is a 7 segment light emitting diode
It is a digital display using an LED or the like, and displays the copy time calculated by the arithmetic circuit 1 in minutes and seconds.

For example, when the time required to copy one page is 2 seconds, and 10 copies are set, the arithmetic circuit 1
performs the calculation T=2×10=20, and displays 20 on display 3.
(seconds) is displayed.

This display 3 can also be used as a copy counter display for displaying the number of copies set, the number of copies, or the remaining number of copies.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an operation panel of a copying machine embodying the present invention. In the figure, 4 is the main switch for power on/off, 5 is the print start key (copy start instruction means), 6 is the lever for adjusting the copy density, 7 is the numeric keypad for setting the number of copies, and 8 is the clear number of copies. 9 and 10 are upper and lower cassette selection keys (paper sizes stored in each cassette,
In other words, it is a means to select either A3, B4, A4, or B5 as the copy size), 11, 12
1 is a constant variable magnification selection key for equal magnification and reduction; 13 is an interrupt key; these are conventional keys; however, a copy time key 14 is newly added thereto.

On the other hand, as a display, a pair of LEDs for each 2 digits is used.
A digital display 15 consisting of a display element is provided, and this is used to display a copy counter and copy time, and normally displays the number of copies set and the number of copies, but when the copy time key 14 is pressed. Sometimes the copy time mentioned above is displayed.

As for other displays, as before, the upper row,
Lower cassette display 16, 17, paper size display 18, same size display 19, reduced size display 20, out of paper display 21, toner shortage display 22, developer shortage display 2
3, a paper jam display 24, and an interrupt display 25 are provided.

Next, two microcomputers (hereinafter abbreviated as "microcomputers") are used; one controls the sequence of the normal copying cycle of the copier, and the other controls the display and key input of the operation panel. An embodiment of the present invention that performs the following processing will be described.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the main parts,
Only the microcomputer 30 that performs display on the operating section and processing related to key input and its related parts are shown.

Key switch group 31 is transistor array 3
2 and 33 constitute a matrix circuit, and key switches K0 to K9 are turned on by the keys ₀ to ₉ constituting the numeric keypad 7 in FIG. It consists of a key switch K _C which is turned on, a key switch K _T which is turned on by the copy time key 14, etc., and these key inputs are input to the microcomputer 30.

34 is a multiplexer for inputting paper size input, interrupt key input, print start key input, etc. to the microcomputer 30; 35 is a multiplexer for inputting various signals from the microcomputer for copying operations (not shown) to the microcomputer 30;
This is a multiplexer for input to.

36 is a group of LEDs, including LEDs for each segment of the 7-segment numeric display element for a total of 4 digits that make up the digital display 15 in FIG. 2, and 8 LEDs that make up the paper size display 18; Display 19,
Reduced display 20, paper out display 21, toner shortage display 22, developer shortage display 23, paper jam display 24,
and each LED for an interrupt display 25.

Of this LED group 36, the digital display 15
The LEDs constituting the LED are normally processed by decoders 37 and 38, which correspond to the display drive circuit 2 in FIG. The number of copies set and the _number of copied copies are displayed, but when the copy time key 14 in FIG. do.

39 and 40 are drivers for lighting other LEDs and driving various output devices; 41 and 42 are drivers for auxiliary output; and 43 to 49 are latch circuits for latching output signals from the microcomputer 30.

R and G are print lamps consisting of a red lamp and a green lamp provided in the print start key 5 in Fig. 2. When printing can be started, the green lamp G lights up, and when it is not possible, the red lamp R lights up. Light.

FIG. 4 is a basic flowchart of the operation section of this copying machine. In the figure, the steps indicated by A~
is the flow of the machine's initial settings when the power is turned on, the steps indicated by B are the flow when the machine is on standby, and the steps indicated by C are the flow when the machine is copying.

The steps for checking keyboard input in the flow during standby and copying include a flow for calculating copy time according to the present invention shown in FIG.

To briefly explain the flowchart of FIG. 5, it is checked whether the copy time key 14 (see FIG. 2) is pressed (ON), and if it is not pressed, other keys are checked. When it is pressed, it is next determined whether or not copying is in progress, and if copying is not in progress, the number of sheets set is checked, and if copying is in progress, the remaining number of copies is checked. Then, the copying time T=t×N is calculated using the copying time t per sheet determined by the number N of any of the sheets and the paper size. Then, the calculation result is input to the accumulator.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart of each part controlled by the copy sequence control microcomputer during A4 size copying.

In the figure, the total number of pulses (the number in parentheses in the pulse number column also indicates the total number of pulses) is the total number of pulses from the time the print start key was pressed, and these pulses are synchronized with the rotation of the photoreceptor drum. occurs at regular intervals.

As can be seen from this figure, one A4 size copy cycle requires 129 pulses, and if the period of one pulse is 16.5 mSec, it will take approximately 2 seconds.

Note that the downward triangular mark of the jam sensor signal indicates the timing for detecting a paper discharge error, and the upward triangular mark indicates the timing for detecting a separation error.

As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to know the time required to finish copying before starting copying or during copying, so even users who are not familiar with machines can make copies with peace of mind, and It is possible to easily judge whether or not it is okay to leave the copying machine when an errand is completed.

Additionally, microcomputer-controlled copying machines have arithmetic functions and generally use a digital counter to display the copy counter.
By using both of these, it can be implemented without increasing costs.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a layout diagram showing an example of an operation panel of a copying machine embodying the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block circuit diagram of a microcomputer and related parts that perform processing related to the display of the operation section and key input in an example in which the present invention is implemented in a microcomputer-controlled copying machine. Figure 4 shows
4 is a basic flowchart of the operation unit according to the embodiment of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for the copy time calculation included in the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing an A4 size copy sequence. 1... Arithmetic circuit, 2... Display drive circuit, 3...
... Display, 4 ... Main switch, 5 ... Print start switch, 6 ... Copy density adjustment lever, 7 ... Numeric keypad, 9, 10 ... Cassette selection key, 13 ... Interrupt key, 14 ... Copy time key, 15...Digital display (combined as copy counter and time display), 30...Microcomputer (microcomputer), 31...Key switch group,
36...LED group.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A copying machine equipped with a copy number setting means for setting the number of copies, a copy size selection means for selecting a copy size, and a copy start instruction means for instructing to start copying, unit copy time storage means for storing a copy time per sheet; and after starting copying according to an instruction from the copy start instruction means, subtracting the number of copies from the number of sheets set by the copy number setting means. a subtraction means for calculating the remaining number of copies, and a subtraction means for calculating the number of copies set by the copy number setting means before starting copying, after starting copying according to an instruction from the copy start instruction means; The remaining number of copies calculated based on the number of copies required to complete copying is calculated using the copy time per copy for the copy size selected by the copy size selection means stored in the unit copy time storage means. A copying machine capable of displaying a copying time, characterized in that it is provided with a copying time calculating means for calculating a copying time, and a copying time displaying means for displaying a copying time calculated by the copying time calculating means. 2. The copying time display means is a means for displaying the copying time on the display only when the display of the copying time is selected, so that the copying time display means also serves as a display of a copy number counter. A copier that can display the copying time.