JPH0269777A - Copying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To constitute the title device so that an actual number of copy sheets and a counting value of an external counter coincide with each other and a correct number of copied forms is known by providing a counting and informing means for informing a fact that counting is ended, and a counting correcting means for correcting a difference between an actual number of copy sheets and the number of copy sheets counted by the external counter. CONSTITUTION:The device is provided with a counting end informing means 3 for informing a fact that counting is ended, and a counting correcting means 5 for correcting a difference between an actual number of copy sheets and the number of copy sheets counted by an external counter 1. In this state, as for the copying device, when the external counter 1 is drawn out on the way of copying, it is detected that the external counter 1 is uninstalled by an external counter detecting means 4, and a copying stop means 5 stops copying thereby. In this case, if a difference is recognized between an actual number of copy sheets and a counting value by the external counter 1, when the external counter 1 is installed again, the external counter 1 is counted up so as to eliminate its difference by a counting correcting means 5. In such a way, an actual number of copied forms and the counting value of the external counter 1 coincide with each other and a correct number of copy sheets can be known.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a copying apparatus equipped with a removable external counter for counting the number of copies.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, copying machines are often equipped with a so-called total number counter that counts the number of times the copying process is executed, but as an option, there are also mechanical counters, personal counters, auditors, etc. that are installed externally to the copying machine. There is a type of total number counter that does this.

Such a number counter is highly used for checking the number of copies, but a removable external counter is particularly useful, for example, when each copying department owns this external counter and uses it to check the number of copies. It is effectively used to manage the number of copies, to understand the number of copies when using a lease system, and to calculate usage fees at self-service copy centers.

When copying is performed with the external counter installed, the copying machine sends a count-up signal to the external counter when one copy is completed and the paper is ejected, and the external counter counts the number of copies. The copying machine is designed to count up the number of sheets by 1. Also, during copying, the copying machine uses an external counter detection means to detect whether the external counter is attached or not, and if it is detected that the external counter is not attached, it stops copying. Copying is stopped by means.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the conventional copying apparatus described above, when the external counter is removed during copying, the copying is stopped by the external counter detection means and the copying stop means. Copying of the paper has been suspended, and the count is not added to the external counter.

However, in the case of a model that completes copying and ejects only the paper that is in the middle of copying when the copying operation is stopped, after the external counter is removed,
A count up signal will be emitted from the copying machine and the external counter will not be able to receive this signal. For this reason, there is a problem in that the sheets that are being copied are not counted up, making it impossible to know the correct number of copies.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the copying apparatus according to the present invention includes an external counter that is attached to the outside of the copying apparatus main body to count the number of copies, and a counter that starts counting the external counter. The apparatus includes a counting start means, an external count detection means for detecting whether or not an external counter is attached, and a copy stop means for stopping copying when the external counter detection means detects that the external counter is not attached. In the copying machine,
The present invention is characterized by comprising a counting completion notifying means for notifying that counting has ended, and a counting correction means for correcting the difference between the actual number of copies and the number of copies counted by an external counter.

[Operation] With the above configuration, in the copying apparatus, when the external counter is removed during copying, the external counter detection means detects that the external counter is not attached, and the copy stop means thereby stops copying. At this time, if a difference is found between the actual number of copies and the count value by the external counter, when the external counter is installed again, the count correction means causes the external counter to count up to eliminate the difference. Since the actual number of copied sheets matches the count value of the external counter, the correct number of copies can be known.

[Example] An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, the external counter 1 includes a counting counter 3 that counts up in response to a count-up signal from the copying machine 2, and a unique identification code 4. This identification code 4 is sent to the external counter 1 for the copying machine 2.
If the copying machine 2 is equipped with a plurality of external counters 1, the copying machine 2 includes information such as whether the copying machine 2 is equipped with a The device 2 is made to recognize it. The counting counter 3 counts up the number of copies in response to a command from the copying device 2, and has counting end notification means for sending a count-up end signal to the copying device 2 when the counting ends.

The copying apparatus 2 is equipped with an internal counting means (not shown), and this internal counting means increments the count number n by 1 when paper is supplied and copying starts, and when the external counter l finishes counting amplifier, the count number n is increased by 1. is subtracted by one, and, as will be described later, plays an auxiliary role as a counting correction means.

Next, the control section of the copying apparatus 2 will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 1, the copying apparatus 2 is equipped with a microcomputer 5, which includes:
Each part is controlled according to a control program written in the ROM 6 in advance. A RAM 7 connected to the microcomputer 5 is used as a buffer memory, a flag necessary for copy control, etc., or as a calculation area.

The microcomputer 5 is equipped with a counting start means and is connected to an external counter l via an output port 8 and an interface 9.
A count amplifier signal is sent to the external counter 1 to cause the external counter 1 to start counting up, while a count amplifier end signal, information on the identification code 4, etc. are supplied from the external counter 1 via the interface 11 and the input capo-1-10. It has become so. Moreover, the microcomputer 5 is
In order for the copying apparatus 2 to be able to copy when the external counter 1 is attached, there is an external counter detection means for detecting whether or not the external counter 1 is attached, and this external counter detection means detects whether the external counter 1 is not attached. and a copy stop means that stops copying when detected. Further, if the actual number of copies and the count value of the external counter are different, a count correction means is provided for correcting the difference.

The counting correction means is configured to adjust, when the actual number of copying sheets differs from the number counted by the external counter 1, the count number n by the internal counting means is the same immediately after the start of copying and after the end of the count amplifier of the external counter 1. The external counter 1 is controlled to count up until the number of sheets is counted, thereby correcting the number of sheets counted.

The operation of the copying apparatus 2 configured in this way will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the print switch is turned on in the standby state indicated by the lighting of the pylon lamp, the copying apparatus 2 turns off the pilot lamp and starts the copying operation. Paper feeding is started by the issued paper feeding signal. When copying starts with the start of paper feeding, the paper is ejected through a predetermined copying process, and at the same time a count-up signal is sent from the microphone and computer 5 to the external counter l.
starts counting up. When the external counter 1 completes the count-up, it sends a count-up completion signal to the microcomputer 5, and at the same time the count-up ends, the copying ends. Thereafter, when the copying operation is completed, the pilot lamp is lit again and the machine enters a standby state.

Further, in the case of continuous copying of two or more sheets, the copying operation does not end even after the copying is completed, and a paper feed signal is immediately issued to start copying.

Note that if a copy stop signal is given from the microcomputer 5 to each part of the copying device 2 during copying, the supply of paper is prohibited and copying of subsequent papers is stopped, while only the paper that is being copied is ejected. Copying is performed until

Here, the control procedure by the microcomputer 5 will be explained.

As shown in FIG.
When the sheets are supplied, copying starts (S2). When copying is started, the internal counting means sets the count number n to n+1 (S3). However, the count number n is normally set to 0 at the start of copying. Next, it is determined whether or not the external counter 1 is attached (S4), and if the external counter 1 is attached, copying continues. Then, in S5, it is determined whether or not the paper has been copied and ejected, and if it has been ejected, the external counter l is
It receives a count-up signal from and starts counting up (S6). During the count-up, it is determined whether the external counter 1 is attached (S7), and if the external counter 1 is attached, the count-up is continued. Next, S
At step 8, it is determined whether or not the count-up has ended, and if the count-up has ended, a count-up end signal is sent from the external counter 1 to the copying machine 2;
If it is determined that the count-up has not ended, the process moves to 37 and the count-up is continued. When the copying device 2 receives the count-up end signal, the internal counting means sets the count number n to n-1 (S9), and it is determined whether or not to make multiple copies (SIO), and multiple copies are made. If so, the process moves to Sl and the above procedure is repeated, but if multiple copies are not to be made, the copying operation ends (Sl
l).

When it is determined in S4 and S7 that the external counter 1 is not installed, the copying stop means prohibits the supply of paper and stops copying (S12), and the state waits for the external counter 1 to be installed (S13). ). However, S12
In this case, copying is continued until the copying is completed only for the paper in the middle of copying. Then, in S14, it is determined whether or not the external counter 1 is installed. If the external counter 1 is installed, the internal counting means checks the count number n and determines whether n is not O (S15).
. Also, if external counter 1 is not installed, 313
The process returns to step 1 and continues waiting for the external counter l to be installed.

If it is determined in S15 that the count number n is not 0, the external counter 1 starts counting up (516).
, 317, it is determined whether or not the external counter 1 is attached, and if the external counter 1 is attached, it is determined whether or not the count-up has ended (31B).
.

On the other hand, if it is determined in S17 that the external counter 1 is not attached, the process moves to S13 and enters a state of waiting for the external counter 1 to be attached.

When it is determined in 31B that the count-up has ended,
The internal counting means sets the count number n to n-1, and performs S15.
to move to. If it is determined in S15 that the count number n is O, the actual number of copies and the count value of the external counter 1 match, and the count correction ends. Furthermore, if it is determined that the count number n is not 0, the above steps 316 to S19 are repeated until n becomes 0.

In this way, the internal counter 5 of the copying device 2 sets the count number n to n+1 immediately after the start of copying, sets it to n-1 after the count-up of the external counter 1 ends, and the count number n before the start of copying and the count number after the end of the count-up, If the count number n is the same, that is, 0, it means that the number of copied sheets has been correctly counted. Therefore, if the external counter 1 is removed from the copying device 2 during copying, the count number n
does not become O, and the number of copies of the paper is not counted correctly.However, when the external counter 1 is reinstalled, the count up continues until the count number n reaches 0, so the number of copies of the paper is counted correctly. be done.

Note that the copying apparatus 2 of this embodiment is designed to prohibit copying of the next sheet if the external counter 1 is removed during copying, and to finish copying only for the paper in the middle of copying. Even in a case where the copying operation is stopped immediately when the external counter 1 is removed, the number of copied sheets can be counted correctly. In such a case, as shown in FIG. 3, if it is determined in S7 that the external counter 1 is not installed, the copying operation will stop immediately, but the copying of the paper corresponding to the count-up signal will not be completed. Therefore, when an external counter is attached, the count correction means corrects the count value for the paper.

On the other hand, if the external counter 1 is removed during copying, it is determined in S4 that the external counter 1 is not attached, so that the copying operation is stopped in S12 and copying of paper is interrupted. At this time, in S14, the external counter 1
is installed, it is determined in S15 that the count number of the internal counting means is not 0, and in the steps from S16 onward, the count is corrected for the sheet in the middle of copying, so that the sheet in the middle of copying is not copied. It will be counted as a number of pieces.

Therefore, if the process of adding the count number in S3 is performed immediately after the start of the count-up of 36, it is possible to prevent the above-mentioned error in the count correction. When the external counter 1 is installed again, it is possible to correct the correct count for the sheet that has been copied.

Furthermore, if multiple external counters 1 are provided,
When determining whether or not the external counter 1 is attached in S14, if the identification code 4 is set to allow attachment of the external counter 1 only to the removed external counter 1, counting can be performed in the same way as in this embodiment. can be corrected.

Note that in this embodiment, the counting counter 3 of the external counter 1 issues a count-up end signal;
At the same time as a count-up signal is issued on the copying device 2 side, a timer whose operating time is set in advance is started, and if there is no problem even if the operating time of the timer is in the counting process, the count is counted by the counting counter 3 of the external counter 1. It is not necessary to generate an up end signal. For example, this is the case when an electronic counter instantaneously counts up.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the copying apparatus according to the present invention includes an external counter that is attached to the outside of the main body of the copying bag 1 and counts the number of copies;
Counting start means for starting counting by the external counter; external counter detection means for detecting whether or not the external counter is attached; and stopping copying when the external counter detection means detects that the external counter is not attached. A copying apparatus comprising a copying stop means, a counting end notifying means for notifying that counting has ended, and a counting correction means for correcting a difference between the actual number of copies and the number of copies counted by an external counter. It is the composition.

As a result, if the copying machine detects a difference between the actual number of copies and the counted value of the external counter when the external counter is removed during copying, the copying machine will eliminate the difference when the external counter is reinstalled. Since the external counter is counted up at the same time, the actual number of copies and the counted value of the external counter match and the correct number of copying sheets can be known.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 3 show one embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a Pronk diagram showing an external counter and a control section of the copying device, and FIG. 2 is a time diagram of each signal of the copying device. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a count-up control procedure. 1 is an external counter, 3 is a counting counter (counting end notification means), 4 is an identification code (external counter detection means), and 5 is a microcomputer (counting start means, external counter detection means, copy stop means, count correction means). be. Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An external counter attached to the outside of the copying apparatus main body to count the number of copies, a counting start means for starting counting of the external counter, an external counter detection means for detecting whether or not the external counter is attached; In a copying apparatus, the copying apparatus includes a copying stop unit that stops copying when the external counter detecting unit detects that the external counter is not attached, and a counting end notifying unit that notifies that counting has ended;
A copying apparatus comprising: a count correction means for correcting the difference between the actual number of copies and the number of copies counted by an external counter.