JPH02286276A - Method for setting mode of printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To set a mode by simple operation by using paper having a mark applied thereto at a mode setting place and feeding this paper to a printing route to read the mark of the paper by a mark reading sensor and setting the mode according to the read content. CONSTITUTION:A summary sheet 11 wherein a mark is applied to a mark display part 15 is set to a manual insertion port. When a mode key switch is pushed down, the summary sheet 11 is fed to a feed passage and the mark of the mark display part 15 is read by a mark reading sensor 5 and the read data is sent to an engine control part 4. When the engine control part 4 sends the data of a newly set mode to a controller 2, the data is stored in a memory 3 by the controller 2 and the data to be printed on the summary sheet 11 of the newly set mode is sent to the engine control part 4. The engine control part 4 receives the data to be printed to operate a laser printer and the newly set mode is printed on the rear of the summary sheet 11 fed to the feed passage.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a mode setting method for a printing apparatus having a paper conveyance function, such as a laser printer or a facsimile machine, and particularly to facilitating mode setting and confirmation of the set mode.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in printing devices such as laser printers, mode settings are manually operated using a combination of multiple key switches on an operation panel that has several key switches and several display elements such as LEDs. I was doing it.

Furthermore, some recent laser printers are equipped with a display element of about 20 characters, and the mode can be set in a conversational manner.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] When the mode is manually set using the keys described above, various modes can be set by combining the key switches to be operated. It was complicated and required operating the key switches while reading the manual, making it very difficult to operate.

Also, when setting the mode conversationally, the operability is improved compared to when setting the mode manually using the keys mentioned above, but when there are many mode setting items,
There was the annoyance of having to press down on the key switch many times.

The present invention has been made to solve these shortcomings, and it is an object of the present invention to propose a method for setting a mode for a printing device that allows setting the mode with a simple operation.

[Means for Solving the Problems] A mode setting method for a printing device according to the present invention prints a sheet of paper with a mark marked at the location where the mode is to be set by pressing down a mode setting key switch on the operation panel of the printing device. The paper is conveyed to a printing path, and a mark reading sensor provided in the printing path reads the mark on the conveyed paper to set a mode.

Additionally, the newly set mode is printed on the marked paper.

[Operation] In this invention, when setting a mode, a sheet of paper with a mark marked at the place where the mode is to be set is used, and this sheet of paper is conveyed to the printing path by pressing down a specific key switch on the counterfeit panel. Then, the mark on the paper is read by a mark reading sensor, and the mode is set according to what is read.

Furthermore, the newly set mode is displayed by immediately printing the set mode on paper.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control device for a laser printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 0, l is a host machine such as a personal computer or a workstation, 2 is a controller, and 3 is a A non-volatile memory is connected to the controller 2; 4 is an engine control unit that controls the driving of the main motor of each laser printer, image formation, etc.; 5 is a mark reading sensor consisting of, for example, a reflective optical sensor; The mark reading sensor 5 is provided within the printing path of the laser printer and is connected to the engine control section 4. 6 is an operation/display section, and the operation/display section 6 has a mode key switch 9, as shown in the front view of FIG. 7 is a host interface, and 8 is an engine interface.

In the control device configured as described above, the host machine l transfers character codes and commands to the controller 2 via the host interface 7.

In addition to the function of converting character codes and commands from the host machine l into page memory, the controller 2 also has the following functions:
Command or operation/display section 6 from the host machine
The memory 3 stores various modes set according to instructions from the controller. This controller 2 and engine control section 4 are connected through an engine interface 8. The engine interface 8 is made up of signal lines for exchanging status, video signals consisting of data for forming images and clocks for synchronization, and the like. Operation/display section 6
is connected to the engine control section 4 or the controller 2, and when connected to the engine control section 4, information such as mode settings is sent to the controller 2 via the engine interface 8.

Below, in explaining the operation of this embodiment, an overview of the paper feeding and conveying process of the laser printer will first be explained with reference to FIG.

Automatic paper feeding is performed in the paper feeding and conveyance process of a laser printer. In automatic paper feeding, approximately 100 cut sheets are stored as transfer paper 20 in a paper feed cassette 21, and a feed clutch (not shown) coaxial with the feed roller 22 is operated in response to a print start signal. This is done by rotating the roller 22.

The transfer paper 20 of the paper feed cassette 21 is placed on the feed roller 22.
are pressed against each other, and the transfer paper 20 is fed by the frictional force of the feed roller 22.

When two or more transfer sheets 20 are fed, the frictional force of the friction bat 23 prevents the second sheet from being fed, and only the uppermost transfer sheet 2o is fed.

The transfer paper 20 fed by the feed roller 22 is detected by a registration sensor (not shown), and the detection signal also turns off the feed clutch and stops the feed roller 22, so that the transfer paper 20 is transferred to the registration roller 24.
It reaches 25 and stops.

In this state, according to the control signal from the engine control section 4,
When the registration clutch (not shown) operates, the transfer paper 20
are conveyed by registration rollers 24 and 25. The toner image on the photosensitive drum 26 is transferred onto the conveyed transfer paper 20 by the transfer charger 27, and then sent to the fixing section 33 where it is fixed. The fixed transfer paper 20 is transferred to the stacker 28
is accumulated in

In this paper feeding and conveying process, the transfer paper 20 is separated by a guide plate between the feed roller 22 and the photosensitive drum 26.
A conveyance path is formed, and a mark reading sensor 5 is provided on this conveyance path.

Registration rollers 24 and 25 are arranged on the upstream side of the photosensitive drum 26 on the conveyance path, and a guide plate 29 is provided on the upstream side of the registration rollers 24 and 25 to provide a manual feed port 3.
0 is formed. Inside the manual feed port 30 is a manual feed sensor 3 that detects the manual insertion of the transfer paper 20 and instructs the engine control unit 4 to perform paper feed control different from the automatic paper feed mode.
1 is provided. Note that 32 is a laser oscillation section.

Next, the operation when setting a mode in the laser printer configured as described above will be explained.

FIG. 4 shows a summary sheet 11 showing the mode currently set in the controller 2. Summary sheet 1
1 displays, for example, an emulation section 12 that indicates the mode of printing with which model of printer, and a section 13 that indicates the mode of the transfer method of the host interface 7, etc., and each display section 12.13 displays the current settings. It has a setting mode display section 14 that displays the status of the current mode, and a mark display section 15 with a white frame that marks each item of the mode to be newly set.

Then, display the currently set mode in the summary sheet 1-
11, the laser printer is placed in an off-line state, and the summary sheet 11, which is not marked on the mark display section 15, is set in the manual feed slot 30 shown in FIG. In this state, the mode switch 9 of the operation/display section 6
When pressed down, the engine control unit 4 to which the operation/display unit 6 is connected notifies the controller 2 via the engine interface 8 that the mode switch 9 has been pressed, and also displays the summary sheet 11 set in the manual feed slot 30. is transported to the transport path. At this time, since no mark is attached to the mark display section 15 of the summary sheet 11, the mark reading sensor 5 does not output a mark reading signal, and the controller 2 immediately reads the data of the currently set mode from the memory 3. Send engine control to node 4.

Based on the sent data, the engine control unit 4 prints a predetermined position of the setting mode display unit 14 of the summary sheet 11 in black as shown in FIG.
1 displays the currently set mode.

When setting the setting mode displayed on the summary sheet 11 in Fig. 4 to a new mode, mark the white frame for each item of the mode you want to change among the currently set modes as shown in Fig. 5. Marks 15a, 1 on the display section 15
Add 5b. Note that for items that are not marked in the mark display section 15, the current marks are maintained as they are. Therefore, you only need to mark the items you want to change.

The summary sheet 11 with marks added to the mark display section 15 in this manner is set in the manual feed slot 30 again. Then press down the mode key switch 9 to display the summary sheet 11.
is conveyed to the conveyance path, the mark on the mark display section 15 is read by the mark reading sensor 5 provided on the conveyance path, and the read data is sent to the engine control section 4. The engine control unit 4 sends data of the newly set mode to the controller 2, and the controller 2 stores the newly set mode in the memory 3. At the same time, the controller 2 sends data to be printed on the summary sheet 11 of the newly set mode to the engine control section 4.

When the engine control section 4 receives the data to be printed, it operates the laser printer and prints the newly set mode as shown in FIG. 6 on the back side of the summary sheet 11 conveyed to the conveyance path. Therefore, summary sheet 1
1 allows you to immediately confirm the newly set mode.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, when setting a mode, the present invention uses a sheet of paper with marks marked where the mode is to be set, and presses down a specific key switch on the operation panel. The paper is conveyed to the printing path, the marks on the paper are read by a mark reading sensor, and the mode is set according to what is read, so the mode can be set by operating one key switch once. , mode settings can be summarized and easily performed.

Also, by immediately printing the set mode on paper, the newly set mode will be displayed.
The set mode can be checked at the same time as the mode is set, and the mode can be set accurately.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control device for a laser printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the operation and operation of the embodiment described above.
FIG. 3 is a front view showing the display section, FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the schematic structure of the laser printer, and FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 are front views showing summary sheets of the above embodiments. l...Host machine, 2...Controller, 3
...Memory 54...Engine control section, 5...
・Mark reading sensor, 6...Operation/display section, 9...
...Mode key switch, 11...Summary sheet,
14... Setting mode display section, 15... Mark display section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A printing device that requires mode setting has a mark reading sensor in the printing path of the printing device, and by pressing down the mode setting key switch on the operation panel, paper with a mark attached to the location where the mode is to be set can be read. A mode setting method for a printing apparatus, comprising transporting the paper to a printing path, reading marks on the paper using the mark reading sensor to set a mode, and printing the newly set mode on the paper.