JPH0270667A - Document output device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve controllability of an output paper sheet in a stacker part by outputting the paper sheet to be accumulated in the stacker part, setting the paper sheet in its upper limit weight, thickness and number of sheets to an arbitrary quantity, easily handled by an operator, and controlling a paper sheet output for the stacker part. CONSTITUTION:A paper sheet is accumulated one by one on middle bottom plates 29a, 29b of containers 30a, 30b in stacker parts 25a, 25b, and detecting the paper sheet for an increase of its accumulating thickness and weight by light emitting parts 26a, 26b, light receiving sensor lines 27a, 27b and pressure detecting parts 28a, 28b, their detecting value is fetched to a CPU in a printer control part. Subsequently, these detecting values are compared with a preset value in a panel part of the printer control part 1, when the detecting value exceeds the preset value, the paper sheet is switched from one stacker part 25a (or 25b) to the other stacker part 25b (or 25a), fed successively and accumulated in this switched stacker part 25b (or 25a).

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a document output device such as a printer.

(Prior Art) Conventional document output devices such as printers either do not check the output amount of paper that is sequentially output and accumulate in the stacker section, or even if they do, the stacker section does not check the amount of paper that is finally accumulated and output. The only thing that is checked is whether the paper is full (full) or not.

(The interlayer point that the invention seeks to solve) However, if the output amount is not checked as in the former case, even if the stacker section is full of accumulated output sheets, it is difficult to notice this, and the subsequent paper output is difficult. There have been problems such as the stacker section overflowing with output sheets, the output sheets protruding from the stacker section, the pages of the accumulated output sheets becoming incorrect, and the output sheets jamming due to excessive accumulation.

In addition, in the case of the latter, which only checks whether the stacker section is full of output sheets, by the time the full state is displayed, the stacker section has already been full of output sheets. Therefore, especially in the case of a large-capacity stacker, there is a problem that the paper is accumulated so thick that it is difficult to hold it, or the total amount of paper is too heavy, making it inconvenient to manipulate the paper in the stacker section. .

The present invention aims to solve one of the problems mentioned above.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention is a document output device characterized by comprising at least one of the following control systems a), b), and C).

a) A control system including a manual means for determining a specific weight value, a means for detecting the weight of sheets outputted to the output paper stacker section and accumulated, and a means for comparing the manually inputted specific weight value with the detected weight.

b) A control system including means for inputting a specific capacitance value, means for detecting the capacity of sheets output to and accumulated in the output paper stacker section, and means for comparing the inputted specific capacitance value with the detected capacitance.

C) A control system including means for inputting a specific number of sheets, means for counting the number of accumulated sheets outputted to the output paper stacker section, and means for comparing the inputted specific number of sheets with the counted number of sheets.

Further, the document output device described above is further characterized in that it further includes a plurality of output sheet stacker sections and a means for switching between these stacker sections.

(Function) In other words, one or any combination of two or all three of the upper limit weight, thickness, and number of sheets to be output and accumulated in the stacker unit is set to an arbitrary amount that is easy for the operator to handle. Since the paper output to the stacker section can be controlled, the operability of output paper sheets in the stacker section is improved.

Furthermore, a plurality of stacker units are provided, and when the output paper for one selected stacker unit reaches the accumulation state with the weight, thickness, and number of sheets set as above, the stacker unit to be used is switched from then on to another stacker unit. Continuing the output further improves operability. .

(Example) The drawing shows an example device. The document output device of this example is a laser beam printer (LBP) that receives character codes sent from an external device such as a computer, develops them into font patterns, and outputs them.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the printer's control system, and FIG. 2 is a mechanical block diagram of the printer.

In the control system block diagram of FIG. 1, 8 is a host computer as an external device that is a source of output data;
1 is a control unit of the printer. The output data of the computer 8 is sent to the interface circuit 7 (e.g. R5-232C)
A CPU consisting of a microprocessor of the control unit 1 via
Enter 2.

In the control unit 1, the CPU 2 has a ROM in which a control program for controlling is stored, and a RAM for storing control information.

3 is a font memory consisting of a ROM in which font patterns are stored; 4 is a frame memory that stores one page worth of dot patterns; 5 is a frame memory that uses the dot information in the frame memory 4 to turn on/off the laser in the printer mechanism section 9. This is a printer interface section that converts into an off signal and exchanges information with the printer mechanism section 9. Reference numeral 6 denotes a console panel section which is equipped with means for inputting various control commands to the CPU 2, means for displaying various printer statuses, etc., and means for inputting settings for the paper output amount for the stacker section of the printer, and a means for inputting the paper output amount to the stacker section. Includes display/warning means for the current amount of paper that is being accumulated.

On the right side of the mechanism block diagram in FIG. 2, 20a and 20b are first and second paper feeding mechanism sections, and the paper is fed from the selected first or second paper feeding mechanism to the image forming section 21. is 1
The sheets are then separated and fed.

In the case of the printer of this example, the image forming section 21 is a laser beam scanning type/transfer type image forming mechanism using an electrophotographic process, and includes a first or second paper feeding mechanism section 20a or 20b.
The toner image formed on the rotary photosensitive drum 21a is transferred onto the paper surface fed from the paper, thereby forming an image on the paper surface.

Since the mechanism and principle process for forming a toner image on the drum 21a are well known, the details thereof will be omitted.

The paper that has received the toner image transfer from the drum 21a at the transfer section of the image forming section 21 is separated from the drum surface and transferred to the fixing section 22.
The image is fixed in the image.

The paper that has passed through the fixing section 22 and has undergone image fixation is then
In the case of the printer of this example, after passing through the reversing mechanism 23 (switchback mechanism) and being reversed so that the image surface (printed surface) is facing downward, the selected sample tray 24 or the first stacker section 25a or the second stacker section 25b with the image surface facing downward.

The sample tray 24 is used as a discharge section for paper that has been output on a trial basis.

In this example, the first and second stacker sections 25a are arranged in two stages, upper and lower, and both have substantially the same configuration.
Portable paper receiving container 30a (30
b) The pull-out holder on the printer main body side is the stand 31a (31
b) Place and set the receiver on the stand 31a (31b).
It is configured to be pushed into the printer body to a predetermined position where it is positioned and held. When the tray 31a (31b) is fully pushed into the predetermined position, the tray will slide into the container 3 on the tray.
The upper surface opening of 0a (30b) corresponds normally to the paper output port on the printer main body side and becomes ready to receive paper. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container 30a (30b), and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the container 30a being placed on the stand 31a after being pulled out.

The container 30a (30b) has a vertically movable middle bottom plate 29a (29b) that receives the output paper inside, and this middle bottom plate faces the printer main body when the container is set in the printer main body as described above. The container is moved up and down by an unillustrated vertical movement means, and when the container is empty, it is lifted and held at a predetermined uppermost position within the container, and the sheets are sequentially output and accumulated on the middle bottom plate. As it progresses, it will move downward little by little. When the paper continues to be output and the inner bottom plate is completely lowered to a predetermined lowest position within the container, the container is considered to be full of output paper.

The middle sole plate 29a (29b) has a light emitting section 2 made of an LED.
6a (26b) with the optical axis substantially horizontal, and a plurality of light receiving sensors 27a (27b) for receiving light from the light emitting part 26a (26b) are arranged in the vertical direction on the container body case side. It is. The light emitting section 26a and the vertical light receiving sensor rows 27a (27b) determine the current height position of the middle bottom plate 29a (29b) in the container, that is, the current accumulated thickness (storage capacity) of the output paper on the middle bottom plate.
is detected.

Further, the upper surface of the middle sole plate 29a (29b) is equipped with a pressure detection section 28a (28b) consisting of a pressure sensor.
This pressure detection section detects the current accumulated weight of the output paper on the middle bottom plate.

Container 30a (30b) is supported by stand 31a (31b)
The container is placed in a predetermined position on top of the receiver, and the receiver is pushed into the printer body side sufficiently, so that the container and the receiver are electrically connected to the printer main body through the electrical connection part 32a (32b) between the base and the printer body. A connected state is established, and from the printer main body side to the container side, the light emitting part 26a (26b), the light receiving sensor array 27a (27b), and the pressure detection part 2'8a (28b)
On the other hand, the light receiving sensor row 27a on the container side
(27b) and the detection signals from the pressure detection section 28a (28b) are input to the control section on the printer side. In this configuration, print data and control instructions are sent from the host computer 8 to the CPU via the interface circuit.
2, the CPU 2 reads a font pattern corresponding to the print data from the font memory 3 onto the memory of the frame memory 4 corresponding to the output position of the print data and develops the pattern. The CPU 2 sequentially processes the output data and develops the pattern, and when the pattern development for one page is completed, instructs the printer interface section 5 to convert the dot data in the frame memory 4 into a video signal. The printer interface unit 5 instructs the printer mechanism unit 9 to feed paper, and sequentially converts each dot data in the frame memory 4 into serial signals for turning on/off the laser and outputs the same.

The printer mechanism section 9 feeds paper from the first or second paper feeding mechanism 20a or 20b in response to a paper feeding instruction from the CPU 2 via the printer interface section 5, and feeds paper from the first or second paper feeding mechanism 20a or 20b in response to the laser on/off serial signal. A toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 21a, the toner image is transferred to a fed sheet, and the fixing section 22 fixes the image to the sheet. The output paper on which the image has been fixed is transferred to the sample tray 24 via the reversing mechanism 23. or the first stacker section 25a, or the second stacker section 25a;
are accumulated in the stacker section 25b.

It is output to the first or second stacker section 25a or 25b and the inner bottom plate 29a (29
b) Accumulated thickness (capacity) of paper that is sequentially accumulated on the top.
The increase in accumulated weight is due to the light emitting section 26a (26b).
Light receiving sensor row 27a (27b), pressure detection section 28a (
28b), and the detected value is taken into the CPU 2 via the printer interface unit 5. Also CP
When feeding paper, U2 stores the number of output sheets in the RAM area in CPUZ.

The CPU 2 uses the panel unit 6 to determine whether or not to switch between the first and second stacker units 25a and 25b when the output paper exceeds the specified amount, and if specified, to determine the upper limit of the paper that can be output to the stacker unit. The specified amount of weight, thickness, and number of sheets is sent to the CPU.
Store it in the RAM area in Z. The CPU 2 checks the state of the printer mechanism section 9 after each output sheet is output, and checks the number of output sheets and the light receiving section 27 in the RAM area in the CPUZ.
A comparison is made to determine whether the weight and thickness calculated based on the detected values of a and 27b and the pressure detection parts 28a and 28b exceed the amount specified by the panel part 6. When the specified amount is exceeded, if the panel section 6 specifies that the first and second stacker sections 25a and 25b will not be switched even if the specified amount is exceeded, paper output is temporarily interrupted. and displays on the panel section 6 that the specified amount has been exceeded. In addition, if the designation is made to switch between the first and second stacker sections 25a and 25b, the other stacker section (if the amount exceeds the specified amount in the first stacker section 25a, the second stacker section 25b), and if no paper is accumulated, the stacker unit is designated to be switched via the printer interface unit 5, and the other stacker unit (in the above example, the second stacker Part 25b)
The output sheets are output in sequence.

FIG. 5 is an example of a flowchart in the CPU for comparing the specified amount and switching between the first and second stacker sections.

In Figure 5, the IC is 0 and even if the specified amount is exceeded, the first and second
iw is the designated amount of weight, IL is the designated amount of thickness, and IP is the designated amount of number of sheets. SC is 0 and currently 1st
A value other than 0 indicates that the second stacker section 25a is in use, and a value other than 0 indicates that the second stacker section 25b is in use. SW
φ is the weight calculated based on the detected value of the pressure detection section 28a in the first stacker section 25a, and SLφ is also the weight calculated from the light receiving section 27
The thickness by a and sPφ are the number of sheets output by the first stacker section 25a in the RAM area of the CPU 2. SWI・5L
ISPI is the weight at the second stacker section 25b, respectively.
Thickness and number of sheets.

After outputting the paper, the CPU 2 checks the first or second stacker unit 25a or 2 in use before checking whether the specified amount has been exceeded.
Check whether 5b is full of output paper. - If it is a cup, the stacker part (25a/25b
). - If it is not full, the number of output sheets in the RAM area, the light receiving section (27a - 27b) of the stacker section (25a, 25b), the pressure detecting section (28a, 28b)
, and set SWφ to SPI based on the input value. Then IW and SWφ, swi, IL and SLφ, S
LI, IP and spφ, spt are compared to determine whether they exceed specified amounts. If the value is not exceeded, continue; if it is exceeded, move to the stacker section (25°a/25b) depending on the IC value.
Switch.

In addition, in the above embodiment, there are two stacker parts 25a and 25.
Although the explanation was given as b, the same applies if there is only one stacker unit if only the output amount is to be compared, or if there are three or more stackers if the stacker unit is to be switched.

Further, in this embodiment, a laser beam scanning type page printer that outputs page by page is used as an example of the document output device, but the same applies to a line printer using normal fanfold paper. Furthermore, in this embodiment, one page's worth of dot images are formed on the frame memory and outputted, but the present invention can also be applied to printers that sequentially output characters, such as wire dot printers and line printers. .

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, the upper limit weight, thickness, and number of sheets to be outputted and accumulated in the stacker section can be set to an arbitrary amount that is easy for the operator to handle, and the paper can be delivered to the stacker section. Since the output can be controlled, the operability of the output paper in the stacker section is improved.

Furthermore, a plurality of stacker units are provided, and when the output paper for one selected stacker unit reaches the accumulation state with the weight, thickness, and number of sheets set as above, the stacker unit to be used is switched from then on to another stacker unit. Continuing the output further improves operability.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the apparatus; FIG. 1 is a control system block diagram of the embodiment printer, FIG. 2 is a mechanism block diagram,
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a transportable container of the stacker, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the container being placed on a tray, and FIG. 5 is a control flowchart of the CPU. 1 is a printer control unit, 8 is a host combinator, 9 is a printer mechanism unit, and 25a and 25b are first
and a second stacker section, 30a and 30b are portable containers. Figure 1

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A document output device characterized by comprising at least one of the following control systems a), b), and c). a) A control system including means for inputting a specific weight value, means for detecting the weight of sheets outputted to and accumulated in the output paper stacker section, and means for comparing the inputted specific weight value with the detected weight. b) A control system including means for inputting a specific capacitance value, means for detecting the capacity of sheets output to and accumulated in the output paper stacker section, and means for comparing the inputted specific capacitance value with the detected capacitance. c) A control system including means for inputting a specific number of sheets, means for counting the number of accumulated sheets outputted to the output sheet stacker section, and means for comparing the inputted specific number of sheets with the counted number of sheets. (2) The document output device according to claim (1), comprising a plurality of output sheet stacker sections and means for switching between the stacker sections.