JPH02182630A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an image forming device which can form an image based on the size of a form directly designated by an external host equipment by receiving signals designating the size of the form from the host equipment, and thereby selecting a feed means housing the designated size of the form in out of plurality of feed means. CONSTITUTION:When a command is inputted from a host equipment 63, a control section 61 checks whether or not the designated size of a form is available in the first through the third cassette 25, 36 and 36 or in an envelope feed/delivery device 3. And when it is found to have been available, it is checked whether or not the designated kind of the form is available. When the designated kind of the form is available, control section 61 permits a feed motor driving a feed roller for a selected feed cassette to be turned on for a definite time so as to feed a designated form P so that a dot image data is transferred onto the form P. By this constitution, it is thereby possible that the size of the form is directly designated by the external host equipment and the designated size of the form is automatically selected so as to be printed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Objective of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention is directed to a system that is electrically connected to an external host device such as a personal computer, and that responds to image information sent from the host device. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic laser printer that forms images using an electrophotographic process.

(Prior Art) As is well known, printers include impact type dot printers, non-impact type laser printers, and LED printers.
There are printers, LCD printers, etc. However, these printers often have only one paper cassette that supplies the paper for printing, and even if they have multiple paper cassettes, the external paper to which the printer is connected host equipment (personal computer,
It was not possible to specify the paper cassette and directly specify the paper size, etc. from a word processor (such as a word processor).

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) This was made to solve the problem that the paper size cannot be specified directly from an external host device as described above. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can automatically select and form an image on paper of the designated size.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention is an image forming apparatus that is electrically connected to an external host device and forms an image according to image information sent from the host device. , a plurality of paper feeding means for supplying paper for image formation, and upon receiving a signal specifying a paper size from the host device, feeding the plurality of paper feeding means storing paper of the specified size. a selection means for selecting from the paper feeding means selected by the selection means; and an image forming means for forming an image in accordance with image information sent from the host device on the paper fed by the paper feeding means selected by the selection means. Equipped with

(Operation) When a signal specifying the paper size is received from an external host device, the paper feeder that stores the paper of the specified size is selected, and the paper fed by the selected paper feeder is printed. Image formation is performed according to image information sent from an external host device. This makes it possible to directly specify a paper size from an external host device and automatically select paper of the specified size to form an image.

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

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the external appearance and internal configuration of, for example, an electrophotographic laser printer as an example of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. In other words, this laser printer is electrically connected to a host device such as a personal computer via an interface cable, etc., and forms an image (prints) according to image information sent from the host device. A main body 1, a multiple cassette paper feeder (which also serves as a mounting table for the printer main body 1 and supplies paper P to the printer main body 1);
an envelope feeding device (paper feeding means) 2, which is mounted on the rear side of the printer body 1 and supplies envelopes A to the printer body 1;
(paper feeding means) 3.

The printer main body 1 is constructed as follows.

That is, 4 is a housing, and the rear part of the upper surface of this housing 4 is raised one step higher, and a four part 5 serving as a paper discharge part is formed at the center of the upper surface. The fourth part 5 is provided with a jogger device 7 having a pedestal (jogger tray) 6. An operation section (operation panel) 8 is provided on the right side of the recess 5, and a paper discharge tray 9 is installed on the front side of the housing 4.

An image forming mechanism is provided within the housing 4.

That is, 10 is a drum-shaped photoreceptor, and around it, along the direction of rotation, there are a charging charger 11, a laser optical system 12, a developing device 13, a transfer charger 14, a peeling charger 15, and a cleaning charger. A device 16 and a static eliminator 17 are arranged in this order.

The laser optical system 12 includes a semiconductor laser oscillator (not shown) such as a laser diode that generates a laser beam modulated according to dot image data, and a collimator lens that collimates the laser beam output from the laser oscillator. (not shown), a rotating mirror (polygon mirror) that scans the output light from this collimator lens
18, an fθ lens 19 that allows the laser beam scanned by the rotating mirror 18 to pass through; a reflecting mirror 20 that reflects the laser beam that has passed through the fθ lens 19 toward the photoreceptor 10; ．． 21, a correction lens 22 that guides the laser beam reflected by the reflecting mirrors 20 and 21 to the surface of the photoreceptor 10, and the like.

A transport path 24 is formed inside the housing 4 and extends forward through an image transfer section 23 between the photoreceptor 10 and the transfer charger 14, and a paper feed cassette (
Hereinafter, the paper P1 is automatically fed from the first paper feed cassette (also referred to as the first paper feed cassette) 25 via the paper feed roller 26 and aligning roller pair 27, etc. The paper P1 is automatically fed from the multiple cassette paper feed device 2 Paper P manually fed from the manual tray 28 or envelopes A automatically fed from the envelope feeding device 3 are guided to the image transfer section 23. Note that the paper feed cassette 25 can accommodate and set paper P in addition to standard paper, thick paper, thin paper, and 0HP (plastic sheet).

An aligning roller pair 29 is arranged on the upstream side of the image transfer section 23 of the conveyance path 24, and a heat roller pair 30 as a fixing device, a paper ejection selector 31 . and a pair of paper discharge rollers 32 are arranged. Further, at the end of the conveyance path 24, the paper P1 sorted by the paper discharge selector 31 is provided.
A branch conveyance path 34 is formed which includes a pair of paper discharge rollers 33 that guides the envelope A and the like to the recess 5 serving as a paper discharge section.

The multiple cassette paper feeding device 2 includes, for example, two paper feeding cassettes (hereinafter also referred to as second and third paper feeding cassettes) 35 and 36. Then, the sheets P in these paper feed cassettes 35 and 36 are taken out one by one by paper feed rollers 37 and 38, and aligned roller pair 39.4
0 and a guide path 41 to a pair of guide rollers 42 in the printer main body 1, and by this pair of guide rollers 42 to a pair of aligning rollers 29.

Note that the paper feed cassettes 35 and 36 can store and set paper P in addition to standard paper, thick paper, thin paper, and OHP.

The envelope feeding device 3 includes a stacker 43 that stores envelopes A in a stacked manner.
It is equipped with The envelopes A in the stacker 43 are taken out one by one by the feeding roller 44 and guided to a guide roller pair 42 in the printer main body 1 via a guide path 45, which guides the aligning roller pair 42. 29. Note that this envelope feeding device 3 can accommodate and set standard paper, thin paper, and OHP in addition to envelopes.

In such a configuration, in a printing operation, the photoreceptor 10 is first rotated and the charging device 11 is operated to uniformly charge the surface of the photoreceptor 10, and then the laser optical system 12 charges the photoreceptor 10. Exposure corresponding to the dot image data is performed on 10 to form an electrostatic latent image. The electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor 10 is developed by a developing device 13 that uses a two-component developer consisting of toner and carrier, and is sent to an image transfer section 23 as a toner image.

Meanwhile, in synchronization with the toner image forming operation, the paper feed cassette 2
Paper P1 selectively taken from 5, 35, 36 or manually fed paper P1 or envelope feeding device 3
The envelope A supplied from the envelope A is fed through the aligning roller pair 29, and the toner image formed on the photoreceptor 10 as described above is transferred to the paper P or the envelope A by the action of the transfer charger 14. .

The paper P or envelope A on which the toner image has been transferred is peeled off from the surface of the photoreceptor 10 by the action of the peeling charger 15, passed through the conveyance path 24, and sent to the heat roller pair 30.
By passing through this, the toner image is melted and fixed.

After the paper P or envelope A has been determined, the discharge direction is sorted by the paper discharge selector 31, and the paper P or envelope A is discharged onto the holder 6 of the upper jogger device 7 or onto the lower paper discharge tray 9.

After the toner image is transferred onto the paper P or the envelope A, the remaining toner on the photoreceptor 10 is cleaned by the cleaning device 16, and the next printing operation is ready.

FIG. 4 shows the operation section 8, which includes a liquid crystal display section 51, a plurality of status display lamps 52, and a keyboard 53. The keyboard 53 includes a numeric keypad 54, a yes key 55, a no key 56, an online key 57 for selecting whether to specify paper size and paper type online or offline, an offline key 58, and a key for selecting printing conditions. It consists of selection keys 59 and the like to be used.

FIG. 1 shows an electric circuit of a laser printer configured as described above. That is, in the blink main body 1, 61 is a control unit that controls the overall control, and the CPU
(central processing unit), etc., to which the operation section 8 is connected, and external host equipment (for example, a personal computer, word processor, etc.) 63 is connected via an ink face cable 62. Connected.

The control unit 61 includes a paper size detection means 64 provided for the paper feed cassette 25 to detect the size of the stored paper, standard paper, and thick paper.

Each detection signal is manually inputted from a paper type detection means 65 for detecting the type of stored paper such as thin paper or OHP, and a paper presence/absence detection means 66 for detecting the presence or absence of paper. Further, the control unit 61 is connected to a paper feed motor 67 that drives the paper feed roller 26 and the like. Furthermore, the controller 61 is connected to a heater 68 of the heat roller pair 30 and a transfer high-voltage power source 69 that drives the transfer charger 14.
The transfer voltage (output voltage) can be changed.

Although not shown in the drawing, the control section 61 receives signals from various sensors and other devices, and also drives the photoreceptor 10, the developing device 13, the heat roller pair 30, the conveyance path 24, etc. at least one motor that
It also controls electromagnetic clutches and solenoids that control various transmission mechanisms, high-voltage power supplies that drive various chargers other than the transfer charger, laser oscillators, rotating mirrors, etc.

In the multiple cassette paper feeder 2, 71 is a control unit that controls the overall control, and is mainly composed of a CPU, etc.
This includes paper size detection means 72 and 73 provided for each of the paper feed cassettes 35 and 36 to detect the size of the stored paper, paper size detection means 72 and 73 for detecting the size of paper stored in the paper feed cassettes 35 and 36;
Detection signals are input from paper type detection means 74 and 75 for detecting the type of stored paper, and paper presence/absence detection means 76 and 77 for detecting the presence or absence of paper, respectively. The control unit 71 also includes paper feed rollers 37 and 38.
Paper feed motors 78 and 79 that drive the paper feed motors 78 and 79 are connected.

In the envelope feeding device 3, 81 is a control unit in charge of overall control, which is mainly composed of a CPU, etc., and is provided with respect to the stacker 43 to control the stored paper (envelopes A). Paper size detection means 82 for detecting the size of
, envelopes, standard paper, thin paper.

Detection signals are input from a paper type detection means 83 for detecting the type of stored paper such as OHP, and a paper presence/absence detection means 84 for detecting the presence or absence of paper. Further, the control unit 81 is connected to a feeding motor 85 for driving the feeding roller 44 and the like.

FIG. 5 shows a specific example of the paper size detection means 64, 72.73 and the paper type detection means 65, 74.75. In other words, 91 is the paper feed cassette (third
(equivalent to the paper feed cassette 25, 35, 36 in the figure), and a plurality of magnet storage sections 92. ... are provided, and permanent magnets 9 for these magnet storage parts 92, ... are provided.
The paper size is displayed at storage position 3. On the other hand, when the paper feed cassette 91 in the printer main body 1 and the multi-cassette paper feed device 2 is set, a plurality of magnetic force detection elements (reed switches, etc.) 94 are located in the portion facing the magnet storage section 92, etc. ．． ... are provided, and these magnetic force detection ropes 94. By detecting the magnetic force of the magnet 93, the size of the paper P stored in the paper feed cassette 91 can be detected (identified).

Further, on one side of the paper feed cassette 91, a plurality of magnet storage sections 95. ... are provided, and these magnet storage parts 95
．． The type of paper is displayed depending on the storage position of the permanent magnet 96 relative to... On the other hand, when the paper feed cassette 91 in the printer main body 1 and the multi-cassette paper feed device 2 is set, the magnet storage section 95. A plurality of magnetic force detection elements (reed switches, etc.) 9 are installed at the part opposite to...
7. ... are provided, and these magnetic force detection elements 97
．． By detecting the magnetic force of the magnet 96, the type of paper P stored in the paper feed cassette 91 can be detected (identified).

Note that the magnets 93 and 96 can be stored in different positions by the user, and can be placed in the same paper cassette depending on the paper size or size.
This setting can be made when storing different types of paper.

Although not shown, the paper size detection means 82 and the paper type detection means 83 of the envelope feeding device 3 have substantially the same structure as that shown in FIG. 5.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. Now, when the power is turned on, the control unit 61 starts warming up the heat roller pair 30 by energizing the heater 68 (S
l). Then, when the heat roller pair 30 reaches a temperature that allows the set temperature, a warm-up completion signal is sent from the heat roller pair 30 to the control section 61, and the control section 61 ends the warm-up (S2).

When the warm-up is completed in this way (S2), the control unit 61 controls the first to third paper feed cassettes 25°35.36°.
and various signals from the envelope feeding device 3, that is, paper size detection means 64, 72, 73° 82, paper type detection means 65, 74, 75° 83, and paper presence/absence detection means 66, 76, 77° 84. Check each output (S3 to S6). When this check is completed, the control unit 61 lights up the ready lamp in the status display lamp 52 of the operation unit 8 (37) to inform the user that the device is in the ready state, and sends a ready signal to the host device 63. (S8).

Thereafter, a state is entered in which manual key input or command input for specifying the paper size and paper type can be made from the operation unit 8 or the host device 63 (S9.510). Note that when specifying the paper size and paper type offline from the operation unit 8, press the offline key 58 in the operation unit 8, and when specifying the paper size and paper type online from the host device 63, press the offline key 58 in the operation unit 8. Press the online key 57 in 8.

Now, the keys from the operating section 8 or the host device 63 can be operated manually.
When there is a command input from (S9°5iO), the control unit 61 controls whether the paper of the specified paper size is
Check whether the paper is in the paper feed cassettes 25, 35, 36 and the envelope feeding device 3 (S11), and if so, then check whether the specified paper type is present (S12). If the specified paper type exists, the process advances to step 531.

In step Sll, if there is no paper of the specified paper size, the control unit 61 checks whether there is paper of a similar paper size (513), and if not, displays the “specified paper size” on the display unit 51 of the operation unit 8. "Out of paper" is displayed (S14), and a specified paper out status is sent to the host device 63 (S15) Step S
Return to 3 and standby state (wait for key human power or command)
becomes.

In step 513, if there is paper of a similar paper size, the control unit 61 displays “Similar paper size available” on the display unit 51 of the operation unit 8 (S16), and
Send the paper status close to 3 (S17
). Then, when the yes key 55 in the operation unit 8 is pressed (S18) or a yes command is received from the host device 63 (S20), the control unit 61 checks whether the specified paper type is available. 12), if there is, proceed to step S31. Further, if the no key 56 in the operation unit 8 is pressed (S19) or a no command is received from the host device 63 (S21), the control unit 61 performs step s3.
It returns to the standby state.

In step 512, if the specified paper type does not exist, the control unit 61 checks whether there is a paper type similar to the specified paper type (522). ``No specified paper type'' is displayed (523), and the status of no specified paper type is transmitted to the host device 63 (524), and the process returns to step S3 to enter a standby state.

In step S22, if there are similar paper types,
The control unit 61 displays "Paper available nearby" on the display unit 51 of the operation unit 8 (S25), and transmits the status of paper available nearby to the host device 63 (S26). Then, whether the yes key 55 in the operation section 8 is pressed (S
27), if a yes command comes from the host device 63 (
S29), the control unit 61 proceeds to step S31. Also,
Whether the no key 56 in the operation unit 8 is pressed (S2g),
If a no command is received from the host device 63 (S30),
The control unit 61 returns to step S3 and enters a standby state.

Here, a method for selecting similar paper sizes and paper types will be explained. The similar paper size refers to paper that is similar in size as shown in FIG. 7, and is selected by having this table as data in the control section 61. OH
P and envelope are also selected in the same manner as this paper size. Further, as shown below, if the specified paper type does not exist, the similar paper types are selected in the order of the arrows. however,
The type of OHP and envelope is IP in this example.
This will be explained in class II. The number of types can be increased by controlling the control unit 6.
1, and it is technically possible.

Selection order: Standard paper - thick paper → thin paper Thick paper - standard paper → thin paper Thin paper - standard paper → thick paper OHP envelope Next, steps after step S31 will be explained.

Generally, image information from the host device 63 is sent as shown in FIG. 8(a) when portrait is specified. Furthermore, in the case of landscape designation, the information is sent as shown in FIG. 9(a). The time required for printing is faster when the length of the paper in the direction of paper travel is shorter. Therefore, when the image information from the host device 63 is as shown in FIG. 8(a), it is possible to print faster if the image information is converted and printed as shown in FIG. 8(b).

Therefore, please check whether there is paper in the longitudinal direction.
32,534), if there is paper in the longitudinal direction, the control unit 6
1 sets the status for conversion as shown in FIG. 8 or 9 (93B, 535). Next, the control unit 61 selects the paper feeding means (paper feeding cassette) in which the designated paper P is stored (536), and further selects the optimal process conditions according to the paper type as shown in FIG. i
In order to achieve this, the transfer voltage applied to the transfer charger 14 and the temperature (standard temperature) of the heat roller pair 30 are respectively set (S37).

When the process of step S37 is completed, the control unit 61 waits for image information to be printed to be sent from the host device 63 (S38). If the image information is sent within, for example, 10 seconds (S39), the control section 61 checks whether the image direction conversion status is set (S40). As a result of this check, if the image direction conversion status is set, the control unit 61
As shown in FIG. 1, the image information is converted to image data (541), and if the image direction conversion status is not set, the image information is converted to image data as shown in FIG. 12 (S42).

When the conversion to image data is completed in this way, the control unit 61 turns on the paper feed motor that drives the paper feed roller of the selected paper feed cassette for a certain period of time (S4
3 to 545), feed the specified paper P, and
The dot image data is transferred onto the image (S46). When the transfer of the dot image data is completed (S47), the control unit 61 determines whether the same image information is to be continuously printed or different image information is to be printed (548, 549), and the process proceeds to each process. If, for example, 10 seconds have elapsed and the next image information is not received, the control section 61 returns to step S3, enters a standby state, and ends the printing operation.

In this way, when a signal specifying the paper size is received from an external host device, the paper feeding device (paper cassette) containing the paper of the specified size is selected, and the paper is processed using the selected paper feeding device. Printing is performed on supplied paper according to image information sent from an external host device. This makes it possible to directly specify a paper size from an external host device and automatically select and print on paper of the specified size.

In the above embodiments, the case where the present invention is applied to a laser printer has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and can be similarly applied to, for example, an LED printer or a liquid crystal printer.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, it is possible to directly specify a paper size from an external host device and automatically select paper of the specified size to form an image. You can also install an image forming device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings are for explaining one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an electric circuit of a laser printer, Fig. 2 is an external perspective view of the laser printer, and Fig. 3 is an internal structure of the laser printer. 4 is a plan view of the operating section, FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating a specific example of the paper size detection means and the paper type detection means, and FIG. 6 is an explanation of the operation. Flowchart, FIG. 7 is a diagram explaining approximate paper sizes, FIGS. 8 and 9 are diagrams explaining direction conversion of image information, FIG. 10 is a diagram explaining selection of process conditions depending on paper type, 11 and 12 are diagrams for explaining the conversion of image information into image data. 1... Printer main body, 2... Multiple cassette paper feeding device (paper feeding means), 3... Envelope feeding device (paper feeding means), 8
...Operation unit, 10...Photoreceptor, 12...Laser optical system, 25...Paper feed cassette of printer main body, 35.
36...Paper feed cassette of multiple cassette paper feed device, 43
. . . Stacker of envelope feeding device, 61 . . Control unit of printer main body, 63 . . . External host device, 64 .
Paper size detection means of the printer body, 65... Paper type detection means of the printer body, 71... Control unit of the multiple cassette paper feeder, 72.73... Paper size detection means of the multiple cassette paper feeder. , 74.75...Paper type detection means of multiple cassette paper feeder, 81...Control unit of envelope feeder, 82...Paper size detection means of envelope feeder, 83...Envelope Paper type detection means of the feeding device, P...Paper. Applicant's representative Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue Figure 2 (a) Figure (c) Figure (d) Transverse direction feed Seven-way direction feed (a) (I)) Fig. Short direction ΔS Longitudinal force direction feed (a) (b) Fig.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An image forming apparatus that is electrically connected to an external host device and performs image formation according to image information sent from the host device, the apparatus comprising a plurality of sheets that supply paper for image formation. a paper feeding means; and a selection means for, upon receiving a signal specifying a paper size from the host device, selecting a paper feeding means in which paper of the specified size is stored from among the plurality of paper feeding means. , an image forming device for forming an image on a sheet of paper fed by the paper feeding device selected by the selection device in accordance with image information sent from the host device.